DIY Home Bar - The Treehouse Hideaway
By Wen McNally
Covid 19 hit and the world stopped. We were all at home trying to find a way to get through this mess. One of the only businesses that was
making profits were liquor stores. By late July things loosened up a bit and many of our favorite bars and restaurants were trying to get back
to business as normal mode. Not everyone was (or is) fully comfortable being back in a packed bar. I know we weren’t, but we did miss seeing
our friends and having a little social time over some cocktails. So we decided to open the Treehouse Hideaway. After a few visits to our favorite
antique shops, our neighborhood liquor store and some online shopping, within a week we put together our new social distancing watering hole.
Here are a few tips if you would like to create your own little in-house pub.
Find a small dedicated area for your bar. A space in your kitchen, dining room, living room or even garage. Like many places on Tybee, if your
house is on stilts, under the house is a perfect place. We live in a small apartment and put ours in the corner of the dining room. To create a little
more room, we moved our dining table to one side. We already had a nice piece of furniture that was an antique bar that we were just using as a
cabinet to store our adult beverages. We opened it up by extending the hinged top, then added a small bookshelf for added storage and then we
got creative.
Think about a theme for your place. We named ours The Treehouse Hideaway. A huge live oak tree is outside our window, giving the space a
treehouse feel so that is what we went with. We added an indoor ficus tree and custom signage (found on Esty) to complete the theme. Ideas you
can explore are beach, mermaid, auto garage, music, tiki, retro… you get the point. Be creative and let the space be an extension of you and
your personality. Adding twinkle lights on the ficus tree and a neon sign added a bar ambiance.
An assortment of glassware and shot glasses will be essential. This can be a yard sale collection or maybe souvenirs from your travels. I
prefer an eclectic selection so that everyone’s glasses are different. Ebay is also a great source for finding unique pieces. You will also want
to have a few basic bar tools on hand. A shaker and a jigger will be essential, other items can be added from there. I purchased a small kit on
amazon that has more than needed for a home bar. We splurged on the perfect retro mini fridge, but you can keep your drinks chilled over ice in
a simple galvanized bucket.
For your liquor collection you will want to cover the basics so you have a little bit of everything. Cover the basics with Vodka, Rum, Whiskey,
Tequila, Beer and Wine. When your friends come over and ask what they can bring, just tell them to add something to the bar. After just a couple
gatherings you will have a stocked collection and can shake up a cocktail in no time. Additions don’t have to be expensive. A bottle of mixer,
juice, soda, wine. Variation is the key to having a little something for everyone. Our friends have enjoyed taking a little ownership in the place
and adding to the collection every time they come over.
We all want things to “get back to normal” but till then, don’t stop gathering with your friends, just create a new fun way to do it!
TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | OCT 2020 9