IN HIGH Spirits

A quick guide to creating the perfect bar in your home with expert tips from architect, Karan Desai who has designed some of the quirkiest home bars we know

- TANVEE ABHYANKAR

Architect Karan Desai leaning against the Monster console made from a single block of marble — a bespoke piece created in collaboration with The Quarry, equipped with storage and fitted with custom-lights by Arjun Rathi — seen in Karan Singh Thakur’s bachelor pad (OPPOSITE PAGE) From top: In a stylish miscellany of furniture is the Party Pad bar counter dressed in a mild shade of terracotta; A smartly designed bar cabinet in Karan Desai’s The Dream Project that gives a sleek and concealed space for all bar essentials

Here’s to keeping the spirit of celebration up and immersing in the art of entertaining people with beverages. We bring to you some expert tips to get you started, from an architect who has designed a myriad of bars of various functions. In this chat with Karan Desai of Karan Desai Architecture+Design, we unveil the fundamentals as well as some expert tips on how to design a home bar area.

PLACE IT STEADY: LOCATION

The ideal location for a bar area is either the most neglected corner of the house or the centre of the house. In spacious living rooms, position it centrally to avoid long treks for drinks and encourage mingling. This creates a single, cohesive group instead of separated clusters. In smaller spaces where seating and dining take priority, tucking the bar into a corner maximises usable floor space.

HANDPICKED INGREDIENTS: STORAGE