A practical and super-fun cocktail hour requires just 3 key elements.
1. Seating: Start With Handsome Bar Table & Bar Stools
Going out for drinks is fun enough, but discover the joys of hosting Happy Hour (and turn into a summertime homebody, in the process) with a few key furniture and decor purchases. A bar table and bar stools, of course, are imperative for getting those cocktail hour juices flowing, and Barlow Tyrie's teak Bermuda High Dining Table, above, with matching stools, has the durability and style to keep the tradition fresh for years to come. For more a more accessible option, the Loll Fresh Air Bar Table is a solid choice, and has eco credentials, to boot, while Eugeni Quitellet's Africa Barstools for Vondom lend design cred to boozy gatherings.
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2. Serving: Complement With Portable Bar Cart or Trolley
Who needs a built-in bar when a stylish, portable bar cart or serving table rises to the occasion so effortlessly? An outdoor bar cart or trolley that holds bottles, glasses and tools is an impressive way to display food and cocktails—and makes a versatile long-term investment. The Mercury Serving Table by Barlow Tyrie is a handsome teak and stainless steel concoction, with convenient drawers and plenty of shelf space, while the Blu Dot Longday Bar Cart is a rustic-meets-modern classic that looks equally good shielded indoors or exposed to sunlight. The new Loll Rapson Bar Cart, above, boasts a range of colors, pitch-perfect for injecting 'happy' into any hour.
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3. Drinking: Finish With Eye-Catching Barware
Cocktail accessories and glassware round out our outdoor bar ideas. Looks aren't everything, but spring for some drop-dead cocktail glasses, a gleaming cocktail shaker, and a nifty bar tool or two, and your guests will be talking you up all season long. Waterford has more than a few bar-related accent pieces to crow about, and the Waterford Mixology Circon Cocktail Shaker is top of the heap, adding a shining tropical twist to any soiree. Rialto Cocktail Coupes, perfectly rounded and colorful, have a vintage vibe that mixes well with contemporary glassware—like Ferm Living's pretty Ripple Glasses.and Tom Dixon's smoky Tank Decanter.
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