Home Bar De Bex Construction • Part 1
Home Bar De Bex Construction | Part 1
How it came to be and behind the scenes of the master at work
The beginning of my home bar dreams are coming true, y'all. When I started this idea of Bar De Bex in 2015, it was simply going to be a personal blog. As a photographer, writer, and cocktail creator–it seemed like a fun little passion project. Just slingin' drinks and sharing storied creations with nice pictures. But what started as my hobby outside of work, quickly evolved into something much larger than that. In just a couple of months, Bar De Bex was getting noticed by people. And it wasn’t too long before brands started to reach out to me for partnerships. Before I knew it, BDB became this whole creative service for the beverage industry. And even though I still mix and play in my free time, I’m now someone people come to–spirit brands, bar gear brands, wineries, breweries, mixers, bars, restaurants, and more–for help with capturing and creations. Whether people are looking for photo, video, recipes, consulting, writing, or design–Bar De Bex does it all, folks.
But, BDB has always been run out of my home kitchen (if I wasn't creating on location). And as I was apartment living from the start of this and for the past 8 years–let's just say, the primary function of that small space, was to service beverage needs. The kitchen was my bar, and cooking seemed to be secondary. I had always been in need of a dedicated zone to do my work in liquid culture, and I knew getting my own studio space wasn't likely or realistic for me. So instead, I'd just endlessly ramble to my friends and family about how I one day I will have a space in my home for my own bar. An idea that I knew wouldn't really be possible until I lived somewhere big enough for that vision to come to life. I knew the likelihood of building "the dream of something large and in charge” wasn't going to happen. But truth be told, all I really needed, was an area of a room, maybe 7' x 7' kind of sizing– a bartop I could stand behind, mix and dump, and could store bottles and gear. And now here we are. The BDB home studio has now moved from Oakland to Santa Cruz, and with that, a bigger space. Home Bar De Bex is finally happening.
And my dad is helping me make it all happen.
I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without him. As an expert in the world of construction and with his creative mind, he was able to take my babbling ideas–based off of various bar pictures I liked and things that popped into my head–and made it come alive. I brought this idea up to him for months. A lot of me saying things on the phone like, "Hey, how about flyin’ to Santa Cruz and help me build my bar?" You know, kind of joking, but not at all? He was definitely interested in doing it. Much of it was just finding the time to do it. And lo and behold, the time presented itself.
In many ways, this bar design is fairly simple. It'a a bar. Like many bars. There's a counter, shelves, well, etc. You know, a bar.
There are items that are still a work in progress, and areas I hope to add in the future. But the base is set. The bar as as a whole is roughly 3’ H x 5’ W x 2’ D, having the counter the overhang a bit. The bar top is made from a butcher block countertop, with a custom cutout for easier access the interior. Counter is a good size for me to have a drip rail, and to make rounds and not be crowded with booze and gear. There’s space to move around and place lights for photo and film. And(at least at the moment) with no water hook-up for a proper sink–I have two removable metal bins, so I can scoop/store ice and dump ends of a cocktail. We also made the bar counter optionally removable. My dad created a track system on the bottom of it–so it locks into the frame and won’t wiggle when it’s set, but can be lifted up for storage, if need be. We also put another shelf below the well so I can store glassware and bottles. Oh, and we put it on wheels. So I can take this sucker out on the deck for summer outdoor entertainment. Boom. It's a beaut.
I can't thank my dad enough for all the work he did. The craftsmanship, advice, education, and love he put into this project just makes it all so incredibly special. When I look at this bar in my house, I see not just the wow factor of it really there, but this piece of heart that my dad and I built together. And that, I hold very dear to me and will last forever.
Next steps in the Home Bar Construction:
Since Santa Cruz has been very stormy as of late. At the moment, the redwood we used for the side paneling still fairly wet. So we're letting that dry out for a while. And then it shall be stained to match that walnut color.
Shelves! The wall behind the bar will have black metal pipping and wood shelves for bottles and glassware.
Other shelving? Man, my tiki mug collection is becoming quite something...I may need to add some surrounding shelves for display purposes
Last Call Bell. My dear friend got me a superb birthday present last year of a bell you ring for last call. And though I doubt it'll be used on a regular basis, it's gonna look bomb-diggity mounted next to the bar counter
Service Window. My bar is next to a window that goes to our back deck. And even though the bar is on wheels to take outside, I thought it may be nice to not have to sometimes...so the idea is to remove the screen from the window and turn it into a service window for passing drinks to those in the sunshine.
More? Probably.
