The most asked question we get about our home Tiki bar aka 'The Hut' is, "Where did you get all this?!" This generally gets exclaimed when people first come into The Hut (well, when we could socialize safely) and we would give a general run down listing of where we have found things. So, I thought it would be fun share our special slice of paradise and do a little show and tell.
The main focal point of a Tiki bar, for us, is the bar itself. This bamboo bar was purchased at The Christmas Tree Shop (discount home goods sorta place) and looked something like this:
We decided to not put on the roof, nor use the stools it came with (we already had the bar stools shown in the photo) and found that we need to reinforce the inside of the bar, as it was a bit wobbly. The bamboo top need a little help too, so I ordered a IKEA table top to place on top of the bar that made a HUGE improvement when it comes to making cocktails and much easier to clean. So, we took a store bought bar and DIY'ed it to meet our needs and our budget. Anddddddd the remaining bamboo pieces from the bar got repurposed into so many other projects!
Yeah, we have a lot of collectibles and I'm not going to get into about those specifics....at least not yet. *Wink* I just wanted to draw your attention to our seating area. Every single piece has come from Craigslist or was bought 2nd hand. From the chair to the love seat, the round rattan table to the serving chart that is in the foreground, it was all a bargain . Bamboo furniture is pricey as all get out, especially vintage bamboo and rattan, so I was over joyed when I found these beauties. I find that checking the 2nd hand sites regularly can really be worth it. just as long as you are safe and don't let pushy sellers win.
I used to HATE this corner, but now it's become one of my favorites! The giant Moai that adorns the corner is a large lightweight piece that our vintage seller friend nabbed for us. I have to admit when Derek said "yes" to this piece I didn't think it was going to THAT BIG! Hahaha! I added the greenery and flowers that I bought from a 2nd hand shop and had a lot of fun arranging the leaves to hide the edges of the Moai.
My beloved Chromcraft dining set now lives out here. It was in the dining room, but we need a bigger table. This set is a perfect size for the corner and I'm so glad it didn't get re-homed! It has been wonderful sitting here and having delicious home cooked meals and enjoying some tasty cocktails. We've been having a lot of tasty cocktails.....
So, I have to ask this question: When did rattan etagere (shelves) and rattan fan chairs get so darn expensive?! Sheesh! I almost pooped myself when I saw some of the prices on places like Facebook Marketplace. I was lucky to find the rattan shelf (ground) at a flea market last year and found the rattan shelf (wall) at a thrift store. Oh yeah, the chair was garbage picked from our neighbors, because we have no shame. Tee hee!
I am the most pleased with our bamboo couch find. The lady we bought it from via Craigslist was a character to say the least. It was in her Mother's sun room and though the cushion foam was in good condition, the fabric was stained and old. Not only are we lucky enough to know many talented people, we were able to take fabric that I already had (top parts of cushions are vintage barkcloth) and give them to a friend who is a professional seamstress. Not everyone that sews knows (or wants) to make things like cushion covers with zippers, so I was especially grateful AND they turned out wonderfully.
This Tiki bar wasn't put together in a year or even two! We've lived in our house for almost 6 years and I finally feel like the bar has evolved into that sweet spot of being able to display our collection and use the space to its fullest potential. So, I just wanted to say that if this post inspires you or overwhelms you, just know this took time. Also! There is no "right or wrong" way to have your own Tiki bar, shelf, area, or whatever! We have the space, we are slightly insane, and this is the one collection that we extra nerd out about. So yeah, just have fun!
Wearing:
Glasses: Voogueme
Earrings: Poshmark via retro_luxe
Necklace: Summer Blue Jewelry
Top: Cats Like Us (sold out)
Barkcloth Wrap Skirt: vintage
Shoes: Target
What is that Plamp? It's time for some rum? OKAY!
Well, thank you for stopping by for a virtual visit to The Hut! I would like to dive more into our collection and share some of the art and collectibles we have, yet that's for future posts. I hope everyone is staying safe and sane during these uncertain times.
