We know all too well that planning a party can be an arduous affair. So we put together this comprehensive list to be your go-to guide as you plan the spirited side of the soirée.
Don’t overlook the home bar as part of your overall presentation. Even if you don’t drink liquor yourself, guests will appreciate the amenity, and a well-stocked home bar brings a dash of class to your space.
Although home bars are typically booze-centric, they can be a hub for crafting delightful mocktails, too. You might even find that having home bar accessories on hand inspires you to stir, mix, or shake the occasional aperitif or nightcap when the mood strikes.
High-quality barware will continue elevating your lifestyle long after your guests have left the building, so it’s worth investing in well-made mixology staples. Over the years, your barware will become infused with fond memories, and high-end pieces make lovely heirlooms.
Here’s what you need to put together a complete, celebration-ready libation station!
1. Furniture for Storage and Display
A bar cabinet, cellarette, or even a wheeled tray offers purpose-built functionality and style. But you can also store your home bar essentials and accessories in a cabinet, on a countertop, end table, or any other furniture that seems appropriate for your spread.
Having a designated location for all your barware and accessories will make checking items off your essentials list much easier, as you’ll be able to envision where everything will be kept—a place for everything, and everything in its place!
2. Pitchers
Pitchers are so convenient for both personal use and get-togethers with company. You can fill them with big-batch, ready-to-serve beverages, such as sangria, margaritas, rum punch, or hard iced tea, just to give you a few ideas.
We also recommend keeping a few of these home bar accessories filled with ice water so your guests can stay hydrated while they indulge. Having water nearby also lets guests add a few drops to mellow out potent spirits, such as Scotch or bourbon.
3. Beverage-Specific Glassware
Serving your drinks in their proper glasses gives your guests a true cocktail bar experience. Besides elevating the presentation of your home bar, many glasses are designed specifically to magnify the aroma and flavor of their respective drinks.
You wouldn’t serve the perfect martini in a pint glass, right? Similarly, when toasting bubbly, only a Champagne flute will do!
If you’re just shopping for home bar accessories for an upcoming party, you can get away with picking up only the glasses required for the drinks you’re serving. That said, having a full collection of glass styles opens up endless possibilities.
Here are the types of glasses you should check off your list.
- Shot
- Rocks
- Highball/Collins
- Martini
- Margarita
- Mule mugs
- Specialty cocktail
- Champagne flute
- Red wine
- White wine
- Pint (beer)
4. Bar Tools
Many cocktails require specific tools to produce ideal results. A bar set with crucial tools like a strainer, bottle opener, stirring spoon, and jigger is a fantastic starting point. Other home bar accessories include a shaker, blender, citrus press, peeler, corkscrew, mortar and pestle, muddler, cutting board, and knives.
Like glassware, you may not need all these tools immediately. But you’ll be glad to have them on hand should the desire to create an impromptu cocktail arise.
For example, without a shaker, you won’t be able to achieve the frothy, foamy texture that’s mandatory for gin fizzes. Without a mortar and pestle, your mojitos won’t have their signature minty bite.
5. Bowls for Accouterments
Your garnishes (or lack thereof) can make or break the experience. A proper home bar should include bowls in a variety of sizes, so you can provide citrus wedges, olives, maraschino cherries, pickles, cinnamon sticks, herbs, spices, and other extras.
Of course, you don’t want to serve your garnishes in a soup or cereal bowl! We offer a variety of handcrafted garnish bowls to add to your essential home bar accessories list. You can find some wonderful pieces in our Tundra, Butterfly, Ginkgo, Opus, and Northstar collections, among others.
6. Ice Buckets
You can never have too much ice at a cocktail party! Ice buckets are frequently overlooked, but they make such a difference in the overall experience. After all, you don’t want your guests searching the freezer for ice trays when they’re ready for the next round!
Besides being practical home bar accessories, ice buckets can bring visual excitement to your spread. We proudly offer ice buckets that boast artistic designs and exceptional quality.
Our Sierra collection features a lovely ice bucket with brilliant stainless steel and natural acacia wood accents. For a unique conversation piece, choose the ice bucket from our Orion collection. It has a handle made from naturally shed buffalo horn.
Our Helyx collection includes a masterfully handcrafted ice bucket with our signature knot motif. The ice bucket from our Tundra collection is another popular choice. Its arctic white resin accents somehow manage to make ice seem even colder!
7. Ice Servers
Ice scoops and tongs are absolutely essential home bar accessories because they allow guests to serve ice without using their hands, keeping your spread sanitary throughout the evening.
And, if you’re playing the role of bartender, you’ll appreciate how they make it easy to portion your ice accurately and efficiently.
After adding your favorite ice bucket to your home bar essentials list, choose matching ice scoops. The ice buckets from the collections mentioned above all have complementary companion scoops to tie the whole aesthetic together.
8. Quality Coasters
Don’t settle for throwaway cardboard coasters—or worse, condensation stains, scratches, and dents on your wooden furniture!
High-quality, reusable coasters are home bar accessories that double as décor. You can find stunning examples of upscale coasters in our Santa Fe, Paloma, Kenya, Butterfly, Sierra, Gingko, and Helyx collections.
9. Cocktail Utensils
Your dining flatware may not cut it for your cocktail needs. Make sure you have some cocktail-centric utensils ready to go, such as olive spoons, slotted spoons, and double-pronged forks.
10. Serving Trays
When it’s time to bring a round of drinks to your guests, you’ll be glad to have a serving tray to transport your drinks from point A to B. Trays and platters are so versatile, allowing you to bring the party to the patio, living room, or anywhere else where guests are congregating.
Trays and platters are essential home bar accessories because no cocktail is complete without some finger foods for grazing! Use them to serve cheese and crackers, charcuterie, deviled eggs, lobster salad, and all sorts of other tasty hors d’oeuvres for peckish guests.
11. Bottle Totes and Chillers
No home bar essentials list is complete without bottle chillers and totes! While they’re technically for Champagne and wine, respectively, every well-stocked home bar should include the option for guests who prefer something lighter than liquor.
Check out the leather wine totes in our Durango collection. Besides being the perfect wine storage solution for your parties, you can use them to bring wine to dinner parties when it’s your guests’ turn to host!
12. Bar Towels
Spills happen! Towels aren’t the most glamorous home bar accessories, but they can fix a messy situation in a flash.
And, even if you manage to make it through the evening without any major incidents, your home bar is going to get splashed here and there. Keep it tidy!
Shop Handcrafted Barware and More
With these home bar essentials, you’ll have no problem treating your guests to a five-star cocktail party experience that they’ll never forget, unless they have a few too many!
Whether you’re gearing up for a party or seeking home bar gift ideas for a loved one, you’ve come to the right place. We offer a wide range of traditionally handcrafted unique barware and other heirloom-quality home bar accessories.
We use high-grade 18/8 stainless steel that’s beautiful, durable, hygienic, and corrosion-resistant. Our products are made to last a lifetime and stay in the family for generations, ensuring you only need to check these items off your list once.
For more entertaining tips and ideas, follow our hosting blog. For personalized suggestions or answers to your inquiries, contact us now. Celebrate in style with high-end barware by Mary Jurek Design.
