One of the most entertaining things you can do with your basement is turn it into a great bar. Make that unused space count for something.

A basement bar idea is a great way to add a place in your house where you can relax, and a great place to entertain guests.

As a matter of fact, you might not want to ever leave this area!

What you will need

- You will need to purchase or build the actual bar itself. You can pick up the pre-made kind for your basement bar idea, or if you are good with a hammer, give it a whirl. With either option, you could choose to install the bar yourself or get help from a professional.

- Pick up a sink and hardware for your wet bar. A basement is usually where all of the plumbing and water lines run through anyway, so it should be fairly easy to add a sink for your bar. For this option as well, you can do the installation yourself or hire a plumber.

- Shelves for glasses and bottles. You can buy these ready to go, or you can build them. Once you get your lighting in, the bottles and glasses will look spectacular, and you have everything you need at your fingertips.

Okay, bartender. You now have your basic supplies for your basement bar idea. Now, here is a really fun theme and what you might need to make your basement bar idea come to life.

Tiki Bar

Are you thinking something really tropical? Perfect, then this is the article for you. You can add a top to your bar, which will extend on chains or hooks from the ceiling. This will be like a little ‘roof' to your bar. Then get some great raffia or straw and staple it all over the top. If you do it in rows, it will look much neater. You may be able to find these already made.

Another great thing you can do for your basement bar idea is to get some small palm tree plants. This goes great with the tiki bar theme. You can get fake ones or real ones, whichever you choose.

Hang a hammock in one corner for a really cute look and a great place for a nap! You can also hang surfboards, tiki god masks, and tropical flower leis. These are some really great decorations for a tiki basement bar idea.

Some other really great decorations are candles, hula skirts, or paper lanterns. These will really dress up your basement bar idea, and look really cool. For sitting areas, try to find some wicker furniture to stay with the themed look.

If you want to go way out there, make one corner a sand floor. You can block it off with stones - the kind you would use outside around plants and things. You could get a local artist to paint a sunset mural on one wall for you. This would look really great.

This basement bar idea is great for a place to unwind and entertain. Be careful, though, you might not be able to get your friends to go home.