If you are one who loves to unwind with alcoholic beverages, wouldn't it be nice to have a relaxing spot in the house - a place where you can chill by yourself or with friends? What if you could convert an old, dinghy storage room into a fabulous basement bar? Instead of storage boxes, you could have bottles of alcoholic beverages. You wouldn't be the only person in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) thinking the same thing. In fact, plenty of people already have a fully functional bar, an entertainment center right in the basement.

Before jumping in on the bandwagon, though, do think about the merits of building one. Why on earth would you want to have your own bar, right beneath the living spaces? An equally important question to ask is how do you go about building one?

Why You Need a Basement Bar

You come home after a particularly difficult day and go through the usual routine. Open the fridge, grab a drink, and head over to the living room to relax. Now, picture yourself in a fully stocked speakeasy. You could be listening to music, or watching a movie in a custom-designed underground pub - inside the house. Extend that thought to include friends hanging out with you. How does that sound?

For many people living in the GTA, that is what they have - a basement bar that the family can hang out in, or for entertaining friends. You can have that, too. How it looks is up to you. Let your imagination soar because it can be anything you want.

You can construct it yourself if you are a DIY enthusiast and have the time. Most others, of course, had theirs built by a professional basement finishing contractor. Either way, it is going to cost money. If it is any consolation, a finished basement raises the value of your house. Some estimates peg the return of investment by as much as 70% of the money spent.

How to Build a Basement Bar

Daydreaming is your best friend when conceptualizing a basement bar. This whole process of planning can even be made more fun if you involve the stakeholders - family and, yes, friends. Look at photos, they are all over the net, for inspiration. Go to shopping sites or home depots to look at bar materials.

If you are committed to building the bar yourself, you do not have to do it alone. Others have members of the family or friends coming over to pitch in. For these people, building a basement bar is a fun project.

A dream bar, however, is precisely that - a dream. Until you get down to making a plan, it may never get started.

1. Consider the Layout

Making a plan to remodel your basement into a bar begins with the floor plan. The layout of your basement bar depends on the size and shape of the room.

How do you envision the bar?

Consider the activities you would do. Besides having a drink, what else would you like to have, such as a table for playing cards or watching TV and movies? You would have to build a larger bar, have more stools if you plan on having friends come over.

As alluded to, your basement bar is an entertainment center in itself. If there is enough space, you could consider incorporating a game room. For example, set up an air hockey or pool table.

Think of everything you want and list them down. Because after you do that, you can begin to design the floor plan - incorporating the desirable "amenities" you would like to have.

What should your bar look like?

Here are some ideas for you:

If you would rather stick to a traditional bar setup, then you are looking at a U-shape layout, in which you and your friends can sit on stools facing the liquor rack. A TV can be placed in the middle, letting you tune in to sports or news channels.

Consider, too, where you and your friends would be while drinking. If you will be away from the bar, then you might as well have the bar counter set up against the wall. That way, getting drinks is more convenient.

It goes without saying that you can do more with a larger space. You can combine two kinds of rooms - a game room and a bar, in this case. With this setup, you can throw parties and have lots of people around. You could even hire a bartender to tend to the drinks, keep them flowing, much to the delight of your guests.

2. Choose a Theme

You have listed everything you want, but have you thought of the theme? Here are some ideas for you:

Sports Bar. Boys will be boys, and game nights are a fact of life. You can have a basement bar where you and your buddies can sit back to root for your favorite team while gulping down drinks. A typical setup would also have sports memorabilia to set the tone.

Pub. The old pubs have one thing in common - the atmosphere created with the use of wooden panels on the walls. Throw in industrial steel and you have got yourself a pub, right under your house. If you have space, then consider putting up a dartboard or setting up a pool table.

Modern. If you are expecting ladies, then opt for the modern bar. Regardless of the specific designs and colors, be sure to add ambient lights and some artworks.

Gaming Bar. For geeks and gaming enthusiasts, this man-cave could be made to be the ultimate gaming pad. Access to drinks on one side, and have a large TV where you could hook up your console.

Take the Time to Plan Your Basement Bar

Finished basements raise the selling price of your property. But you might not be interested at all in putting your house on the market. At any rate, you still have to shell out money. If you are a handy person, you can save a bundle by building the best basement bar.

Not everyone knows how to, or how much it would cost. If you are having difficulties coming up with a plan, go ahead and talk to the pros. Basement Bro has been around for a long time, helping customers like you plan the perfect basement finishing. More importantly, they can see the project to completion, and thus letting you have the time of your life in your own basement bar.