If the local Irish pub is your favorite place to hang out, why not set up your own? Having your own bar outfitted with authentic irish décor means you’ll never have to leave your home to experience the Irish pub!
Although the aesthetics of classic English, British, and Irish pubs are similar, Irish pubs have a few distinct hallmarks that make them slightly different.
Read on to learn how to decorate your home bar like an Irish pub and become the envy of all your friends.
The Bar
Every Irish pub worth its salt has to have a bar. Obviously, it’s the center of activity and the focal point of your entire setup. If you get it wrong, your home bar won’t look Irish.
Look for a well-aged wooden bar for an authentic aesthetic – the older, the better. The first prize is finding a secondhand bar and chairs from a salvage yard, restaurant furniture reseller, or antique shop. If you can’t find an actually used bar, an old wooden counter from a store can also work.
Like traditional English pubs, Irish pubs are known for their dark-stained wooden furniture. Some green leather upholstery on your wooden bar stools is also an excellent choice and can help make them more comfortable.
If it’s impossible to find a used bar and bar stool, you can purchase a new set and artificially age them. To give your new bar and stools an aged look, distress them by roughing them up and hitting them with a heavy chain. Complete the look with a dark wood finish.
What would an Irish pub be without beer on tap? Even if you don’t intend to actually use it, buying a beer keg and tap with a well-loved Irish brew logo will make your bar look more authentic.
Irish Pub Decor
To make your bar look extra authentic, cover the wall areas behind the bar with painted wood to match the bar and stools’ dark finish. Install some shelves and add some soft lighting strips to display prominent Irish whiskies and liquors in glass bottles.
Traditionally, authentic Irish pubs have green walls and ceilings. You should paint the walls around the bar a dark shade of green – but green doesn’t just compliment the dark wood finish; it goes deeper than that. Green represents the Great Irish Rebellion of 1641, and this color is often used for other political events in Ireland.
For the finishing touches on your Irish bar, furnish it with short whiskey glasses with the logos of your favorite Irish alcohol brands. You can purchase a wooden sign for your bar, or you can have one custom-made. Festoon the walls behind and around your bar with vintage photos of your favorite Irish places or people. If you can get your hands on an old street sign from Ireland, hang it up.
Other items commonly found in Irish pubs are random antiques – such as old musical instruments, parts of farm tools, and old metal signs. These are perfect to complete your authentic Irish look.
