5 years later

[jack duren]

Still dont know what to do with this area. Still have a row of tile to go between raised bar and cabinet and window trim. After I get the rest of the glass for shelves I'll have to pull the liquor out of the cabinet and it will be exposed.

Any ideals how to blend this spot with the rest of the bar?....

[Don Bullock]

Perhaps you could panel the wall with the same wood you used for the door fronts trimmed with matching molding. I'm assuming this is a basement due to the window placement so moving or enlarging it won't be possible, but you could install glass that matches the glass in the cabinets and get rid of the blinds. Just my $0.02 worth.:D

[jack duren]

Any ideal is a good ideal at this point. Looking at it, its 14" from the window to the raised bar outside edge. Wonder if I could cut out the wall around it about 12" on the left and right and about 36" down from the ceiling and put a built in with only the 3/4 face frame pertruding.Maybe mirrors on the back with adjustable 1/2 glass shelves for the bottles....Jack

[Ray Knight]

We had an awkwardly small and high window in a small guest BR. Had been added and matched none of the trim of the rest of the 1920s house. We eventually framed the window and area below with same window framing trim used for the rest of the house. Placed attrractive curtains in the much larger faux window opening. Now it looks right on the inside. Still looks wrong from outside, but it is in a corner that doesn't show, and we will live with it. So you might consider making the window look larger and more normal and less basement. and then however much shelving, racks, &/or paneling you feel you need to bring around the corner. Is this an area to add flat panel TV? Ray

[Mike Cutler]

Jack.
Somebody has to have the "over the top" response. So I guess I'll be the one.

I'm not sure how emotionally attached you are to the setup as is, but......

What component(s) that are presently there do you like, and what don't you like. Imho the tile and the bar do not go together, and probably never will. the contrast of color and tone is not dramatic enough. The use of the floor tile for the top doesn't allow for enough depth.
I'd be looking to contrast that wood tone with either a hand fired green tile, 4"x4", or a granite Uba Tuba top.
If you have been looking at it for 5 years. I'd say it's time to remove all of it. Start with a blank physical dimension, and space. Then create what you want.
Trying to design around existing materials and layout can be incredibly frustrating.

[jack duren]

"Trying to design around existing materials and layout can be incredibly frustrating."


I framed,rocked,blew the ceilings,wired,plumbed the baths and bar, built the bar, entertainment center, trimmed the stairs & doors, tiled the bath, fauxed and wallpapered the basement.


Bottom line.....Everything is the way I want it.

So unless you have an ideal on the area I've mentioned your reply is kinda mute. Not everyone likes everything, obviously....Jack

[Paul Girouard]

Jack could the widow be lowered a bit so the crown molding detail on the cabinets could run over it . Or fake in a way to run the crown over the window , build a frame similar to the cabinets and install doors with the same glass details as the cabinet .

That way you get the light thru the glass doors , lose the blinds and the 'look" of a window , yet you still get the day light from it . And in warmer weather the "cabinet doors" could be opened as well as the window for ventilation.

Then below that set up, mirrors , metal shelf standards and tempered glass shelving.

I'd end the shelves at the end of the bar and start then ( shelves) so they did not interfere with the door operation on the bar upper cabs.

And , Yes , beauty / what looks "good", is a very subjective thing , all in all your bar looks fine to me.

[Don Hein]

My thought would be to not increase the amount of wood/tile. Some combo of mirroring in small-to-medium segments could add to a sense of light, plus some texture/color enhancement from real/real-good-fake plants.

A plant component would provide opportunity for changes to the "look" of the area, perhaps in coordination with seasons, holidays, events, etc.

Maybe work in a small bulletin board for temporary picture display, kids'/grandkids' art, etc.? Add a creative shop-made hanger for a few shop-made games, such as ball-and-cup?

I would definitely not paint a mural picture on that wall, or hang a lighted sign, or a clock.

[jack duren]

Jack could the widow be lowered a bit so the crown molding detail on the cabinets could run over it . Or fake in a way to run the crown over the window , build a frame similar to the cabinets and install doors with the same glass details as the cabinet .

That way you get the light thru the glass doors , lose the blinds and the 'look" of a window , yet you still get the day light from it . And in warmer weather the "cabinet doors" could be opened as well as the window for ventilation.

Then below that set up, mirrors , metal shelf standards and tempered glass shelving.

I'd end the shelves at the end of the bar and start then ( shelves) so they did not interfere with the door operation on the bar upper cabs.

And , Yes , beauty / what looks "good", is a very subjective thing , all in all your bar looks fine to me.

Im thinking if I can build a framed slide in I could eventally have a stained glass flip door added in at a later date. I think painting down there with a bit of color will help with the walls looking so bland.

Crown is possible but will shrink the window considerably. Also thinking on the bottom side of the frame installing hooks for beer mugs...Jack

[Ben Grunow]

Might be time to have some of what is in that bar and look the other way.

My only thought would be to trim the window in the same wood as the bar and call it quits there.

I think stained crown looks odd in a light colored room (on its own) and it wont fit so that is out anyway. If you were to panel that wall you could make it look more like it was intended but the crown would still not fit and the window looks to be slightly out of parallel with the ceiling which would be amplified by panelling so I vote for a shot of something.

Ben

[Brian Weick]

Any ideal is a good ideal at this point. Looking at it, its 14" from the window to the raised bar outside edge. Wonder if I could cut out the wall around it about 12" on the left and right and about 36" down from the ceiling and put a built in with only the 3/4 face frame pertruding.Maybe mirrors on the back with adjustable 1/2 glass shelves for the bottles....Jack

needs to be enlarged and updated. that's exactly what I was thinking- that needs to be opened up more so you don't feel so closed in - that would change the whole look in the bar area. I would also install some nice trim on the inside of the window - something nice, plinth,column and capitol. and a freeze on the face. You did a nice job on the bar Jack- well done! I just think you might want to consider doing something about the window- that's my 2 cents.:)
Brian

[Greg Pavlov]

Instead of the additional row of tile, I would consider wainscotting running from the cabinet all the way across the wall to the other end of the room at a height that is between the horizontal and vertical panes on the cabinet, and then decide what to do about the window. And if I did not need/necessarily want the light coming through the window, I would consider covering it over with a large picture - hanging down to a bit above the wainscotting - or simply putting in a removable section of wall.

(then again, I know that I'd never be able to make a living as an interior decorator .....