Minibar for college dorm- Design suggestions?
 

My roomate and I have considered building a minibar for our dorm room. I'm looking for anyone with prior experience that can point me in the right direction for plans for a somewhat portable and hopefully cheap to build minibar. We're thinking about somethat that would work for up to 4 people. Nothing big because the room is only 12' x 14' and we have to fit beds and dressers.

If anyone has ideas or has built one, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks!

Syquestrd270

Haha, I like your idea! I think that you might get more responses from Tilted How-To, though . . .

Measuer where you want to put it. Have at least two shelves. Try to stain the wood, not paint it, as I think that looks better. Get the stuff from Home Depot, not too expensive there and they cut it for you. For the top, buy a counter top. Those things are also cheep and look damn nice.

If you don't want to be nailing and staining wood, then stack cinder blocks between wooden shelves. It looks really good and is easy- no nailing or staining. Keep the counter top on top. Which you will almost certainly have to get cut.

Antagony what is that icon of yours from?

Simple
 

If you have a table saw and a drill you should be able to whip something up rather easily. Use 2x4's to make a box the height and width that the bar will be. On the top of the bar, have the 2x4's be long enough to extend the bar out half a foot or so(longer if you have room) in the front for where people legs will go when they sit.. The sides can be covered in plywood, then covered with pleather from a crafts store. For the top get 2x4s that are longer than the length so the bar has some length off the sides. use 2x4s with 45 degree angle cuts to finish around the sides of the top. Then use some wall trim to create a lip around the front of the bar to stop spills. Sand the heck out of it then give it a few coats of shellac. If you really wanna go all out, put a shelf in behind the front wall of the bar, and cut a hole out. Put a fish tank that is larger than the hole in there flush witht front. That gives it a really cool finished look.

Thanks for the ideas. I'm going to have to do the fish tank.

Take some pics when you have it all done for us to see :)

The fish tank makes the bar. A buddy of mine made a crappy bar with linolium on the top but it had a fish tank that drew all the attention. Everyone thought it was pimp. Get a tank big enough for an eel. Extra points!

I second djp, post pics when done!

I won't have it built until August when I get back to school, but I'll put up pictures.

I believe Maxim Magazine had a how to article on such an undertaking a couple of issues ago. Check your library if they cary them or try www.maximonline.com

good luck