Mini Bar Ideas

A. Standard bar height is 42 in. Bar stools will be easier to find if you stick with that height.

B. The overhang should be at least 8 in., but when it comes to knee room, more is better.

C. Most bar stools are 30 in. tall - perfect for standard bar height. But watch out: Some stools are several inches taller or shorter.

D. The bar top should be 16 to 20 in. wide, including the molding; more than that is a waste of space.

E. Bar molding serves three critical purposes:

It keeps spilled drinks from dribbling off the bar and onto your lap.
It provides a comfy armrest and lets you properly slouch over your beer.
Most important, it makes your home bar look more official.

F. The drink rail is where drinks get poured on a traditional bar. It's a nice feature, but not a necessity for a home bar.

G. A drip lip - simply a thin strip of protruding wood - keeps spills from running off the bar top.

H. A lower counter is the perfect place to slice lemons, set bottles or install a bar sink. But it adds complexity to the project and eats up a lot of space, so home bar builders often skip it.

J. The minimum stool spacing is 2 ft. of bar per seat. That will feel crowded to big guys, so go to 30 in. if you can.

K. The foot rail should be 7 to 9 in. off the floor. Metal railing (usually brass) is expensive ($200 for an 8-ft. run), so many home bars have a simple ledge instead.