- Escape to a tropical paradise every time you walk into your bar. Hang a vinyl mural of an ocean scene on one or two walls to simulate the view from your tropical getaway. Hang colorful glass floats and nautical mirrors on wooden walls that are whitewashed or aged to look like the planks of a ship. You can place nautical lanterns on the table and over the bar and dot the ceiling with white twinkle lights for added ambience. Real planted palms along the mural walls will enhance the feeling of an outdoor view. A highly polished bar made from teak with shiny brass rails offers the perfect focal point inside the bar and contributes to the overall feel of the tropical décor.
- Set the stage for an old west showdown with a bar, floors and swinging entry doors made from rough-hewn hardwood. Add two or three round tables, depending on your space, for cards and convivial entertainment. A player piano would go a long way toward completing the Old West atmosphere as would rustic wood paneling on the walls. Hang a full mirror behind the bar with shelving attached filled with your favorite refreshments. A wagon wheel chandelier in the center of the room and accent lamps made from cowboy boots are some of your lighting options in the Old West-style bar.
- Create a bar reminiscent of a fifties diner with a black-and-white-checkered linoleum floor and a bar covered in red or black vinyl with chrome accents. You can find retro-style bar stools, dining tables and chairs from online retailers or look for the genuine articles in antique stores around the country. Cover one wall with old vinyl records and decorate the others with vintage photos of fifties model cars and old snapshots from around your hometown. A fifties-style bar would not be complete without a jukebox playing the "latest" hits from Elvis, the Platters and the Temptations. Add an old-style soda machine and a mid-century cash register for an authentic-looking fifties chic bar.
