Happy Hour

One of the things we knew we didn't want in a house was a stuffy overly formal living room that no one would use. As we looked at houses we came up with ideas for how we could use a space like that. Maybe a music room, or a movie room. But we kept coming back to a martini lounge kind of space. Think the Rat Pack and blue cheese stuffed olives. Nice right?

But then we found our house. No front room in danger of getting neglected. In fact the whole downstairs is one big room. No walls separate the front from the family room from the kitchen. Makes things nice and easy as far as the flow for entertaining goes. But we still want to create some distinct areas within the space.

So we started with this piece. More seating, and a place to put snacks and appetizers that Loki can't get too. He's all about the appetizers. And anything else he can get too.
We found it on our local Craiglist. So happy with how it looks in the front of the room.

And I love the curves on the back of the chair.

Then of course, came the big piece that the area was meant for- our bar. See when it's closed, it looks very respectable. Like it might be a lovely cabinet or small armoire of some kind. But there's more than meets the eye.

Once she opens up, this gal is ready for quite the party. Lots of storage space for glasses and beverages and mixers, and some cute cocktail napkins in the drawers.

After living with the bar in that space for a while, and making slight adjustments to the placement, we were ready to put up something on the wall above it. It was a little blank, and needed some more pizzaz.

Since we had originally talked about a martini lounge feel in a separate room- it seemed only fitting to add these four pictures above the bar. I got them with my friend Jessica and we hung them in our first apartment after college. They've moved with me to new apartments, in with the big guy and now here they are in our house. I hung these using the same graph paper technique I used to make the headboard in the third bedroom. So easy, and my little OCD self is very happy when things are evenly spaced.


Someday we'll replace them with a larger single piece. But not just yet. It's going to take us a while to find just the right piece. And for now, they're doing an excellent job as place holders. When we do move them, they'll look great in the garage with some of our movie posters and tin ads for various beers. Until we get a basement, the garage has to pull double duty as a place to store paint and keep our cars, and be a place to chill during beer pong tournaments.