The Best Outdoor Bar Ideas & Areas to Bring the Party to Your Garden

6' x 3' Forest Shiplap Pressure Treated Garden Bar (1.89m x 1.19m) - Click HERE to View

Before you know it, it is alfresco dining season again. Outdoor garden parties are a wonderful celebration of your home and garden. In this post, we will look at various outdoor bar ideas, and consider their size relative to the space you have available in your garden. We’ll explore suitable themes that make eating and drinking the best experience you can have without leaving the comfort of your home.

Let us celebrate the garden with these great outdoor bar ideas.

There is plenty to think about when designing your outdoor bar areas, including what size bar you should choose and the best spot for your bar. Below, you will find garden bar themes, 10 essential features of outdoor bar areas and, finally, our thoughts on adding the finishing touches.

A compact bar might be perfect for a smaller patio, while a sprawling setup with seating and a grilling area could be ideal for a larger garden. Choosing the right-sized garden bar is crucial for creating a functional and enjoyable garden area.

Here are some good reasons why size matters:

• Aesthetic or design balance - the outside bar areas need to complement your garden design. A well-proportioned bar enhances the overall appearance of your outside space
• Comfort and accessibility - the very best outdoor bar areas allow your guests to be comfortable, giving easy access to seating and food and drink
• Cost-effectiveness - the most cost-effective outside bars help avoid unnecessary expenses. By buying the best bar for your space, you get just what you need, no more and no less
• Functionality - bars in your garden need to fulfil their functionality. The right size ensures that your garden bar is practical and meets your specific requirements
• Make the most of your space - the best outdoor bar spaces fit perfectly into their surroundings, not too big or too small but just right

Get the size right and get the vibe right!

Work with your existing landscape rather than against it. A natural stone bar tucked into a corner or a wooden bar overlooking a flower bed can blend seamlessly with the surroundings. When planning your garden bar, make the most of your garden's natural features. 

Positioning a rustic stone bar in a shady nook or placing a wooden bar near a vibrant flower bed can help blend effortlessly with the environment. Consider the flow of your garden, open spaces are ideal for larger gatherings, while a cosy corner creates an intimate retreat. 

Consider some other factors:

• Compact spaces - small gardens need flexible garden bars such as the wooden fold-down garden wall bar
• Large gardens - if you have more space, making the most of your entertaining area is easier. Go big with a premium large or extra-large garden bar, and there will never be any need to leave your home comforts
• Modern vibes - if you like modern aesthetics, and your garden is all patio and no planting, you might want a garden bar that combines a cool box table bar with lighting
• Traditional gardens - traditional or conventional gardens call for a shiplap pressure treated garden bar or a blendable wooden garden bar to make the most of the entire space

Considering your landscape when you choose bars in your garden helps your structure feel right at home.

Garden bar themes are fun; if you know your vibe and what you are most likely to do in your bespoke outdoor space, you can easily cater to your theme.

Here are five themes to give you some ideas:

1. Country cottage - a wooden shiplap bar is the best outdoor bar for a country cottage aesthetic. You can paint your bar or stain it to take on a rustic look at some bunting and a cup of tea, and you could be right in the middle of the country
2. Hawaiian - if you love colourful outdoor bar areas, a fruity cocktail and a cut-out of Tom Cruise, then the Hawaiian is for you. Our Forest Shiplap Pressure Treated Garden Bars can be painted to match your favourite drink – sadly, we cannot provide Tom Cruise, but we can supply the ambience
3. Seaside - bring back the hazy days of summer and the British coastal holidays. Add a Coke float and a slushie machine, and you are good to go
4. Sports bar - if you are a sporting fan, then a sports bar combines the best of your favourite pastime with merchandise you probably already own. Turn your golf clubs into a lampstand and hang up your football boots. With 5 Live on the Radio, you are in your own sporting heaven
5. Traditional British pub - you can make your bar your own; think The Nag’s Head from Only Fools and Horses or the Rovers Return Inn from Coronation Street. Add a dartboard and a bell to call time, as no one will want to leave!

The best garden bar theme is one that suits your lifestyle.

The best outside bar areas have several essential features: here are 10 of the best to help you make up your mind:

The bar itself must match the aesthetic of your outdoor space. Match traditional planting with a wooden garden bar. Match a modern space with a contemporary garden bar. The best outdoor bar is one that fits your alfresco vision.

Having the best bar is one aspect, but if you do not have enough seats, your garden party will not be a success. Make your guests comfortable with the right amount of garden furniture and seating, and you cannot go wrong.

All good bars serve cold drinks, and this is where installing refrigeration is vital. Entertaining is not just about the wine and beer. Getting electricity into your garden means you can install an outdoor kitchen too.

Storage is another vital factor, adding to the success of your bars in your garden. Our Garden storage ranges from ice boxes right up to garden sheds.

Lighting can make or break a garden bar. From solar lights that do not need power from the main grid to plug-in fairy lights, all adding to the theme and the overall feel of the space.

Add some pots and planters around your garden bar, especially if you have a small or compact garden with no flower beds or grass.

By adding a shed or storage area to your garden bar can turn your alfresco dining space into a multi-function outdoor living area.

We do not always have alfresco weather, so add an awning, pergola or large garden umbrella so you can use the outside bar areas as much as possible.

Extend your bar's usability into cooler evenings with a fire pit or patio heaters. Warmth creates a cosy ambience, which is perfect for late-night gatherings and stargazing.

Your outdoor bar areas can be turned into entertainment hubs by adding a pull-down cinema screen (or a white sheet) and a projector for film nights, or a sound bar to stream music into your space.

The finishing touches always make or break the best outdoor bar. Consider the décor, entertainment system and weather protection, and most of all, personalise your space by making it your own.

Décor covers the soft furnishings and the paint colours. Hawaiian schemes use lots of bright colours. Pinterest suggests colour schemes for Hawaiian designs. If your scheme is the seaside, add a table mosaiced with seashells (under glass), a life ring and a ship wheel to make your garden bar feel like a beach bar on the coast. If you are going for a tropical scheme, think about adding a neon cocktail sign and some cocktail shakers. Club Tropicana has nothing on your bar!

Sports bars need a large TV and a sound system to watch your favourite game. Consider adding a garden building to the den so you can use your sports bar without upsetting the neighbours. There is nothing to say your work-from-home office or garden building cannot be a multipurpose room that doubles up as a games room. Bars in your garden are for all the family; children can use the space for board games and teenagers for pool or snooker.

A patio umbrella, awning or pergola can provide shade on sunny days and protection from light rain. We Brits must think about the weather. Protecting your alfresco space means you can use it for as much of the year as possible.

We sell multi-function carports/awnings that create a solid roof or awning for your outside space. If you have a small garden and need a covered area to sit and enjoy your socialising, then add a summer house or gazebo. Even the humble bench arbour offers some shelter from the sun or rain.

Transform your outside bar areas into a personal paradise. Why not display your favourite cocktail recipes on a chalkboard, inviting guests to try your signature drinks? Invest in personalised glassware etched with your initials or a fun motif, adding a touch of elegance.

For the ultimate freshness, plant a small herb garden for fresh garnishes. Mint in your Pimm’s is a must. Rosemary in your gin is tasty, as is the thyme in your thyme and grapefruit Collins. If you add a cold frame or greenhouse, you can grow your fruit and vegetables to add an organic element to your garden bar.

We sell garden bars for all occasions and garden sizes. Here are three of our best sellers, all made from top-quality timber and designed to suit your garden.

The Forest Shiplap Pressure Treated Garden Bar is perfect for small and medium-sized gardens or outdoor spaces. The bar is expertly built in the UK by Forest Garden from FSC® certified British timber. The pressure treated wood means this garden bar has an extraordinary 25-year anti-rot guarantee. The modular design makes this garden bar easier to assemble and far stronger than other garden bars. The Forest Shiplap Pressure Treated Garden Bar has a ledged and braced security door with a large serving hatch and wooden bar top for an overall quality aesthetic.

Palmako makes premium quality garden bars. Built from 16mm Nordic spruce with a heavy-duty 32mm frame and readymade wall elements, this bar is designed for large gardens and even bigger garden parties. With a sizeable fold-down serving hatch, you could be at a festival or upscale event without ever leaving home. The door features a key-operated locking system to keep the teenagers out, while the 19mm tongue and groove floor includes pressure-treated foundation joists for a sturdy build.

If you want to set up a garden hub for entertaining or own a snack bar in your car park, this extra-large wooden premium garden bar is designed to help you serve your friends or customers in style. If you have a large garden, outdoor space, or commercial premises, wedding receptions or engagement parties are well catered for. This quality garden bar, kiosk, or garden building is a flexible and adaptable space if you want to scale up your alfresco lifestyle.

Smaller gardens need compact solutions, and the Keter 3'x1' Bevy Bar hits the right note. The bar is moveable. Built from durable resin with a modern and clean rattan-effect finish. Featuring an adjustable outdoor cocktail table plus a large garden drinks cooler, this easy-to-clean, maintenance-free garden bar shouts an impromptu party. No matter what you need to complete this year’s outdoor living experience, we have it.

For outdoor bar ideas or advice on bars in your garden, our team is happy to assist.

Reach out to Buy Fencing Direct through any of the following options:

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