The Forgotten Nook Turned Corner Bar
When hosting seventeen people, hydration is key. Five weeks until they arrive? Sounds like plenty of time for a home improvement project.
In October of 2019, my brother and his wife decided that I should host Christmas day for our family... just kidding, I practically begged them to let me host!
Side note: I am one of eight children. Yes, my parents are crazy. No, we're not Mormon or Catholic. I fought daily for hot water and privacy—both were hard to come by. Now that we're all grown up, it's way more fun!
When Andrew and I were making selections for our townhome, one of the options available was to upgrade a desk off of our dining room to a bar. We liked the bar idea but agreed that we were capable of building one on our own when the timing was right... or when it wasn't and Christmas was just around the corner! *wink, wink* Andrew reached out to our builder to figure out which brand of cabinets we had in our kitchen. He sourced a matching cabinet through Reico Kitchen & Bath here in Charlotte; and Reico was also able to order us a matching slab of countertop for the bar top and backsplash.
I tasked Andrew with building three floating shelves—no brackets and no visible support. I also knew I wanted the bottom shelf to be shallow, so we could put drinkware or bottles on it without someone bumping their head while making a cocktail. Andrew made each of the shelves with birch plywood and installed cleats that would support the weight on the three surrounding walls. Each shelf had an internal structure so it wouldn’t bend with weight in the middle.
While we waited for the beverage fridge, cabinet and countertop to arrive, Andrew installed the shelves. He left the lower shelf unattached so the backsplash could slide in without damaging the shelf. I caulked the two top shelves and painted them white, along with the walls. To save on installation costs, Andrew installed the cabinet and trim pieces himself. We hired professionals to install the countertop and backsplash (which happened on December 21). Last but not least, I caulked the lower shelf in its final position. With only a few days to spare, I added some finishing touches including a piece of driftwood we brought back from Mexico and of course, lots of booze! Just in time for our guests to arrive—Merry Christmas to me!
Sources: wall color: Sherwin Williams Extra White | Matte; shelves + trim: Sherwin Willians Extra White | Satin; cabinet; brass pulls; Carrara Quartz countertop + backsplash: Reico Kitchen & Bath; brass frame; wood frame; olive wood board: old, similar; copper mugs; black planter; faux string of pearls; white planter + succulent: Trader Joes; cocktail shaker
