About Gray Kangaroo

Gray Kangaroo publishes guides to designing and building a home bar. They follow the decisions a build runs into, roughly in the order you'll meet them, beginning with where the bar goes and how big it is, then how it's framed, whether it gets water, what the top is made of, how it's lit, and what goes behind it.

What the site covers

The build section covers dimensions, framing, and wet bar plumbing and electrical. Design covers bar top materials and lighting, and small spaces covers closets, nooks, carts, cabinets, and wall bars. Equipment covers tools, glassware, ice, and refrigeration, and longer essays live under articles.

How the guides are written

Measurements come from standard building practice and published planning guidelines, such as the National Kitchen & Bath Association's recommendations for seating and aisle clearances, and the guides say when a number is a rule of thumb. Plumbing and electrical notes describe how the work is commonly done in the United States. Codes vary by state and city, so the guides point out where a permit, an inspection, or a licensed plumber or electrician usually comes in, and your local building department has the final word.

Equipment is described by what it does and what it needs, such as clearances, ventilation, water, and power, so the advice holds up as models change. Check any appliance's installation manual before you build around it, since the manual's numbers win over any general guide, this one included.