Wet bars are becoming a standard part of modern housing and are no longer banished to the basement with the foosball table and pictures of dogs playing poker. They’re popping up in the kitchen and occasionally even the living room.
The main difference between a wet bar and a dry bar is that a wet bar has water hookup and a sink apparatus, so you can wash your glasses. It’s basically a mini kitchenette with a boatload of booze. There isn’t a red-blooded man on the planet who hasn’t at least thought about putting a bar in his home.
Bars were once thought of as the man’s haven, where he and the buddies would congregate and drink beer after beer. But with entertaining groups becoming more popular, they are leaving the basement and entering the main home.
When building a wet bar, you have to take two main issues into consideration: water and power. You will need a hookup to the water system for the sink, but if you plan on having any kind of appliance, such as a dishwasher or other electrical appliance, you’ll need to factor in the load on the fuses.
Many budding bar owners were full of pride when they first used their bar, but that changed to despair when the fuse blew because of the neon beer signs. It’s best to contact an electrician to help with this, because you need someone who understands how much electricity your fuses can handle. Also, you are mixing a new water supply with a new electrical system, and that spells disaster for a do-it-yourselfer.
The functionality for a wet bar has changed, as well. In many areas, it’s used as a secondary kitchenette. If you’re hosting a Thanksgiving party, then odds are that your main sink and the bar sink will be used for dish washing.
For those who are perhaps a little ashamed of having a wet bar or don’t want the general public to see it, they can be built into a recessed area of the kitchen or covered by false cabinets. I have seen many types of wet bars in people’s homes, from the grandiose to the Do I really want a drink from that? And it is definitely worth putting a little effort into planning and development.
A wet bar is far more than a sink and few bar stools… oh yeah… and the beer, too.
Tags: kitchen setup, wet bar, wet bars