Furniture and Finishes Friday- Bar Cabinets

This week’s Furniture and Finishes Friday is about Bar Cabinets and how you can use them to add interest, function, and character to the spaces you entertain in.

Bar cabinets can be a great was to add function and fun to a space. Not every space can be retrofitted with a built-in bar. If you are renting or living in an apartment or home with limited square footage, this could be a great multi-functional solution for you. There are so many great options available in just about any style. SOme of my favorites are from West Elm, Anthropologie, and Horchow. Here are just a few to get you inspired.

One of my favorite things about this design solution is the vintage feel it offers. There is something special about entertaining and opening one of these up, to share part of your special collection. It also gives you a place to store some of those specialty glasses and bar ware. I personally have an affinity for the William Sonoma Dorset collection.

Aesthetically, there are some really cool designs that offer fun patters and textures to a space. These can really become a stand alone, statement piece. A form of sculptural furnishings. As an artist and designer, I love spaces that feel curated and tell a story about the people who live in them. Curated spaces are the perfect backdrop for conversation, storytelling, and connecting with people on a deeper level.

One of my favorite things to do when entertaining is to make a delicious charcuterie board and sip a yummy Old Fashion. Here is a little recipe for one.

Old Fashion RECIPE

Ingredients

• 2 ounces bourbon whiskey
• 3 dashes angostura bitters
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons simple syrup*, or a sugar cube
• 1 orange peel slice
• 1 “drunken” or maraschino cherry
• Splash of club soda
• Ice cubes (I used one large ice orb).

Instructions

1. In your favorite whiskey glass, pour in simple syrup or add sugar cube. If using a cube, pour bitters on top of the cube and crush the sugar. If using simple syrup, add bitters and stir gently.
2. Add ice cube(s) to the glass. Pour bourbon over the ice. Stir as desired. Top with a splash of club soda.
3. Garnish with an orange slice and drunken cherry.