Millennials are going out less, or so says a Guardian survey in which 67 per cent of 18 to 35-year-olds admitted to routinely snubbing clubs.
That’s not to say we’re drinking less, though. In fact, most of the best nights known to man aren’t had on a crowded dancefloor, but on a makeshift one in your living room (complete with Lil Wayne on repeat and reduced crates of lager to hand, obviously).
So as we swap nights out for nights in, it makes sense to upgrade the BOGOF beer to something a touch more stylish. Here are all the essentials you need to make a truly ballin’ home bar.
All Gear (Slight Idea)
You wouldn’t attempt to put up a shelf without the right tools, and the same goes for a home bar. While bottle-top flares are optional (read: an unnecessary fire hazard), a jigger, measurer, shaker and the like are not.
Once you’ve learned a few basic techniques, however, slamming together your first tequila sunrise should be easy. A recipe book will be a big help too.
Available at Crosbys
Drink To That
It’s all well and good getting a decent bottle of plonk, but you’re nothing more than a glorified student without a suitable vessel. Luckily, celebrated British product designer Tom Dixon makes a set of steel cocktail glasses that packs grown-up elegance into a smash-proof guise.
Available at Tom Dixon.
D-Tray Landings
Despite best intentions to remain civilized, there’s always one fool who takes things too far and spills their drink. So, invest in a handsome tray to house any stray glasses and bottles. That way, even if your guests go beyond all forms of regular cognitive function, there’ll be at least some semblance of sophistication on the barside.
Available at Mr Porter.
Diamonds Aren’t Forever
Make like Lil Kim with diamonds in the glass thanks to the most boujie ice cube tray going. Sure, it might not be the ice she’s on about, but it’ll add carat-quality to your cocktail without a heist on your local bank.
Available at Wish.
Champagne Socialist
There’s no point forking out on a bottle of Krug if you can’t even cool the card-hurt sufficiently. A proper champagne bucket (not the cheap plastic kind used at your local) is essential if you’re big into pop. Better yet, there’s certainly no harm chucking in a bottle of prosecco at non-overdraft-crippling times too.
Available at Ascot WS.
Amateur Dramatics
Cheaper booze doesn’t deserve a lesser home. A bottle of mid-rate whiskey is good enough for your home bar when dressed up in a glass decanter. Because let’s be honest, nobody will ask what dram they’re sipping with a bottle like this – they’ll just presume it’s something ridiculously expensive.
Available at Mr Porter.
Globetrotter
No home bar can be considered ballin’ if it doesn’t even have a ball (or, more specifically, a globe) to keep things in. You don’t have to settle for an old plywood ogre, either. Restoration Hardware offers a much cooler alternative, with a repurposed steel drum made from a 1920s German bulb testing machine. All you need is the space (and your credit card).
Available at Restoration Hardware.
