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My future home bar (Complete! 12.17.05) |
finkdaddy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 11, 2004
Posts: 2050
From: Wisconsin
|  Posted: 2005-04-10 09:52 am Permalink
I finally got up enough courage to start my home bar. After talking to a few contractors about building walls and such, I decided to do it myself and save the cash. I couldn't believe what they wanted to charge to put in a couple of walls and outlets!
Since I have not officially started yet I thought I'd show a before pic and see if any of you had any suggestions. I'm thinking of covering up the windows and using all artificial light.
If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them. Keep in mind I'm on a pretty tight budget, and the room when complete will only be about 11'x15'.
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[ This Message was edited by: finkdaddy 2005-11-26 07:34 ]
[ This Message was edited by: finkdaddy 2005-11-26 08:02 ]
[ This Message was edited by: finkdaddy 2005-12-10 17:47 ]
[ This Message was edited by: finkdaddy 2005-12-14 20:21 ]
[ This Message was edited by: finkdaddy 2005-12-17 07:10 ]
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Slacks Ferret
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 02, 2003
Posts: 1178
From: Calgary
| Posted: 2005-04-10 10:03 am Permalink
I'm in the exact same boat as you. So I'm very curious to see how this project developes. Remember to post lots of photos as you go and to share any information you gather... 
As far as my recommendations...I would do some sketches of what you hope to accomplish. It has really helped solidify in my own mind what kind of materials I'm gonna need for my project.
Good luck on this redevelopment. I'm sure you'll have a great time making your tropical paradise.
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teaKEY
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 09, 2004
Posts: 3663
From: The thumb !
| Posted: 2005-04-10 11:33 am Permalink
What is you didn't do the walls and just left it open. Save $$$ and give that open feeling. You could still break the room off from the rest by wall treatments stopping at beams and beaded curtains. The room would be used probably later in the day so natural light wouldn't play a part. Bamboo over the window. I don't know. Never did one but will watch you if you post updates.
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5738
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2005-04-10 12:16 pm Permalink
Hey Finkdaddy,
Smart man saving your cash, You're gonna need it for the booze.
I bet it's going to turn out great!
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Gigantalope
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 01, 2004
Posts: 913
From: Shinola, California
| Posted: 2005-04-10 1:19 pm Permalink
Hey Fink, I had a little restaurant in the '80s and was on a very tight budget. (I also had health inspectors and fire marshalls to contend with which in a house you won't)
I made use of lots of used corregated steel attached to some walls like paneling. Nicly framed pictures looked really good on the rusty steel.
Also used the rusty steel with that fake roof kinda thing. (a lightly painted ceiling, and the fake eves give the feel of being ooutdoors)
I think the palm leaf palapas might look more Tiki, but in my case the fire issue, mold and insects made the used steel our only choice. (Get your tetnus shot updated)
The steel can be treated with a diluted zink compound to give it a streeky flat green effect that is a bit different.
We had high bar tables and some fake oil drums with tall stools around them. (the drums were painted like some i'd seen in photos from sumatra, but of course they were clean)
You can make some really cool back lighting with the steel too, as of course it's opaque and can hide ugly fixtures and wires.
We turned some walls into the "stacked wooden crates" thing with wierd labels and writing on them in Arabic, French and so on(one hid a large TV)
We went sort-of the safari direction, but with different palms, puffer and sail fish instead of stuffed animal heads, you could become the kahuna of the neighborhood.
If you've ever been to tropical places in (especially 3rd world ones) look thru some old photos for curious stuff you've seen and maybe include some of that to make the place more personal.
I've spent a bit of time in Timor, Fiji, Ecuador and places like that...and there are always stray dogs and chickens around.
Fake chicken (or real ones) seem like they belong in any truly tropical bar.
Another thing I've seen alot were large pieces of wood outside where people would put thier bush knife. ( typically a dirty log placed vertically with several machetes in it)
I hope this is helpfull.
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Kono
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 08, 2003
Posts: 1266
From: Orlando
| Posted: 2005-04-10 4:44 pm Permalink
Not to get off topic, but the first thing that came to mind was "you got something against comfortable furniture?" Yikes, you watch movies on that couch? Makes my back hurt just looking at it. You can get a cushioned office chair at K-mart for like $25. 
My second thought: you guys up north got it made with your basements. They're perfect for tiki bars. I grew up in Missouri and everyone had a basement. All that extra room to work with. My Dad would always partition the basement into several rooms. All you need is 2x4s and chalkboard to get started. Unfortunately, we don't have basements down here.
I look forward to seeing how it turns out.
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teaKEY
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 09, 2004
Posts: 3663
From: The thumb !
| Posted: 2005-04-10 5:39 pm Permalink
too bad monster house already did a house or you could have had them do yours. You know the results.
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Thanatos
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2004
Posts: 318
From: Tampa Bay
| Posted: 2005-04-10 5:57 pm Permalink
Good luck. Best thing I ever did was build my tiki bar...
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DawnTiki
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Sep 01, 2002
Posts: 1674
From: next stop Hulaville!
| Posted: 2005-04-10 6:13 pm Permalink
Finkdaddy I love the space, I can't wait to see what you come up with. Will you be keeping your computer in there too?
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Feelin' Zombified
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 15, 2003
Posts: 1328
From: The Exotic Shores of Lake St. Clair
| Posted: 2005-04-10 7:00 pm Permalink
Fink,
Are those window-wells? or do they lead straight out?
When ever I see windows in a tiki bar, I instantly think of installing some sort of image over the window with a strobe on the other side to create the Enchanted Tiki Room storm effect.
that said, are you gonna dry wall it? because you could just put up the frame with cheap 4x8 paneling. You'll be covering it with bamboo and lauhala anyway, right? That way, you could save some time & money.
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hewey
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 14, 2004
Posts: 4270
From: Sydney, Australia
| Posted: 2005-04-11 03:53 am Permalink
I kinda like the bare white walls. Gives it a nice soviet bunker feel.
My idea for windows is get fish tanks made that are the same size as the window. Then you look through the fish tank outside - I reckon this would be cool.
I reckon that rendering that wall in a natural stone colour could work nicely.
Good luck - you're a talented bloke so it should come up tops
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Benzart
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 09, 2004
Posts: 10309
From: Port Saint Lucie, Florida
| Posted: 2005-04-11 04:16 am Permalink
Just take your time Finky and read all the Tiki Bar posts here and I'm sure you will end up with a killer bar in the end. Just make sure to keep us posted along the way with many Pix..
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finkdaddy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 11, 2004
Posts: 2050
From: Wisconsin
| Posted: 2005-04-11 05:03 am Permalink
Wow, thanks for all the response! To answer a few comments:
Slacks Ferret, I have been doing some sketches, but I have no skill at all with a pencil, so it does little good.
teaKEY, I would like to leave it open too, but I have 4 kids with the oldest being 13, and I'm afraid having an open bar in the basement is just asking for trouble. (Excuse me Josie, where did all my rum go?)
Unga Bunga, saving money is what it's all about. And you're right, the more I save on construction, the more I can spend on fun stuff!
Gigantalope, sounds like your restraunt was cool. Do you have any pics?
Kono, that's actually a futon frame that is folded up into a couch. There is normaly a futon matress that covers that, but it wasn't there in that picture. For some reason there is a Star Wars sleeping bag on it. I am dividing up the whole basement. There has to be a wash room, a storage room, and a bed room in addition to my bar, so space is precious.
Thanatos, thanks. I'm hoping to spend a lot of evenings in there with my wahine and friends so I hope it works out ok.
DawnTiki, no computer in the tiki bar. That, along with most everything else you see will go into the next room over. It will be a rec room/bedroom.
Feelin' Zombified, unfortunately, those windows go straight out. I really like the paneling idea, not only for money reasons, but for labor reasons too!
hewey, our basement gets pretty chilly in the cold months, and most of them are cold months. So I want to put some insulation between the wall and the rooms.
Benzart, you're right about that. There are a lot of others who have gone before me who all have great results! I'll give lots of pics, I promise.
I'm thinking instead of going with a bright, tropical luau theme, I'd like to go with a mysterious, dark jungle theme. Lot's of mood lighting and sound effects. Any thoughts on what to do with the ceiling?
Thanks again everyone, you're a huge help.
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My thoughts were so loud I couldn't hear my mouth...
[ This Message was edited by: finkdaddy on 2005-04-11 05:05 ]
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congatiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 01, 2004
Posts: 2409
From: wisconsin northwoods
| Posted: 2005-04-11 05:29 am Permalink
Don't think too hard on this Finkdaddy...
you are creative enough to just "let it
flow"...and get started already...I'll
drive to Milwaukee for a finkdaddy mai tai
when it's done. I might even bring Menster
Ves along so he can be the first one to
fall on your floor! Or wait...maybe
I'll be the first one!
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cynfulcynner
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2002
Posts: 1800
From: Ocean Beach, San Francisco
| Posted: 2005-04-11 08:58 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2005-04-11 03:53, hewey wrote:
My idea for windows is get fish tanks made that are the same size as the window. Then you look through the fish tank outside - I reckon this would be cool.
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That wouldn't work unless you want to kill your fish right away -- you'd get tons of algae in the tanks and the water temperature would vary too much. Aquariums need to be as far away from sunlight as possible and require a constant water temperature.
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