How to Make a Cafe & Bar Room Out of a Family Room

The casual feeling of many family rooms makes them ideal spaces for cafe or bar furniture and accessories. Spend the weekend transforming a forgotten corner into a small bistro or invest more time and money into a full family room conversion. Either way, you should personalize your family room cafe or bar by displaying a collection of glassware or teapots and hanging favorite artwork. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Paint the family room a bright, refreshing color. A cheerful yellow or pale cornflower blue evokes a sidewalk cafe in a small French town. Devote an accent wall to chalkboard paint so people can doodle as they drink or you can write a bar or cafe menu on the wall.

2

Invest in comfortable, flexible seating arrangements. Bars and cafes have furnishings conducive to conversations and games. Scatter wooden folding chairs around a metal bistro-style table. A few floor cushions around a circular upholstered ottoman offers the look of a hip hookah lounge. Set up a bar with stools along one side, or improvise with a set of tall chairs beside a long, tall table or sideboard.

3

Soften surfaces with textiles. Cushions on folding chairs and bar stools increase your guests' comfort. A small runner or bright swatch of fabric on a table offers the look of an eclectic cafe. Add coasters to polished wooden or metal tabletops for a classic pub aesthetic.

4

Outfit your cafe or bar with appropriate dishware. For the frilly, feminine look of an English Victorian cafe, flowered teapots and mismatched teacups fit the bill. For a sophisticated, urban cafe, go for small espresso cups in sleek shapes. A bar area may feature cocktail shakers, shot glasses, wine glasses, swizzle sticks and an ice bucket and tongs.

5

Illuminate your family room conversion with club style. Pendant lamps with red glass shades evoke a bar. Small table lamps and floor lamps provide light for reading at cafe-style tables. Bring in ambient light with tea lights in glass cups.

6

Hang art and accessories in your bar or cafe decor. A large formal painting in a rococo frame creates a focal point and sparks conversation. For a sleeker look, use large mirrors in wood or metal frames. Use a floating shelf to display a collection or souvenirs.