7 great ideas for creating an outdoor bar

1. St Mawes bar table

For those of you with plenty of outdoor space, the St Mawes bar table with drinks cooler (above), H110xW120xD90cm, from Garden Trading, is an excellent option. Made from reclaimed teak, it has space to stand drinks and small bowls of nibbles. In the centre is a sunken tray that can be filled with ice and hold a selection of beers, wine and champagne bottles – ideal for those who want to entertain a lot of guests.

2. Garden trolley

If you don't have space for a large bar table, this drinks trolley on wheels is just the thing to deliver cold drinks to thirsty guests. Easy to move and with a sleek design, the Garden trolley (above), H96.W80xD50cm, by Swedish brand Röshults is made from powder-coated stainless steel and teak.

3. Bells outdoor side table

No one wants to keep rushing inside on a hot summer's day to get more ice and a plastic bin filled with cold water just doesn't quite cut it. Luckily, we've found a stylish multitasker that doubles as a table and ice bucket. The Bells outdoor side table (above), H50.5xdiam40cm, from Gloster, comes in two versions: one with a handy removable tray for storing all your bar essentials and another with handles that makes an excellent ice bucket, ready to fill up with cold drinks. With its curvaceous aluminium body topped by a hardwearing teak lid, this smart little table will happily sit outside in all weathers.

4. Retro drinks urn and mason jars

For glassware with a difference, this retro drinks urn and set of four bottles with straws (all above) are ideal for serving your homemade cocktails and cool beverages. The large drinks urn can hold 3.5 litres and comes with a gingham-style lid, and there's also a matching set of reusable mason jars in a handy wire storage rack. This set would be perfect for serving a fruity summer punch and Pimms has just brought out a new flavour, strawberry with a hint of mint. It has all the taste of the original Pimms, but with a strawberry sweetness that goes down a treat! Simply mix with lemonade and it is perfect as a refreshing drink on balmy summer evenings.

5. Bar accessories

Before you serve your drinks, you need the tools to facilitate making them and these two pieces from Alessi are both practical yet stylish. Whether you prefer a sweet Sex on the Beach or a crisp Cosmopolitan, be then envy of your friends by mixing up a storm in this stainless-steel cocktail shaker (above left) from Ufficio Tecnico Alessi. It is based on a minimalist design from the 1920s and holds 0.48 litres. For all you wine connoisseurs, open your favourite vintage with the Socrates corkscrew (above right) by Jasper Morrison. It has a smart, simple design and is humorously named after the Athenian philosopher and his art of extracting answers from people.

6. Lulu cocktail glasses

Sip your drinks in style with these sophisticated champagne and cocktail glasses (above) from LSA's Lulu collection. Mix and match the mouth-blown artisan shapes for different cocktails and add a luxe feel to your drinks party. Martini anyone?

7. Jewel champagne flutes

No garden party is complete without a bit of fizz. Whether your tipple is champagne, prosecco or sparkling wine, show it off in these Nina Campbell jewel-coloured champagne flutes (above), which are available in amethyst, aquamarine, diamond, peridot, pink sapphire and topaz, and will add a splash of colour to your drinks table.

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