On 2006-09-07 22:25, Lake Surfer wrote:
I see a Lake Tiki!
I would love advice/tips on the ceiling... I have to figure out how much stuff to buy. The basement in our future 1960's ranch already has a walled/wired basement with a bar... I'll just be adding on and converting to tiki.
Next time I deliver tikis to Tiki Terrace this fall I would love to see your bar... let me know if this is a possibility.
Have fun adding to it... you have so much great stuff going on already... bartop, waterfall, padded bar edge.
Let me know if you need anything carved in the future... I've got a ton of wood in stock! :wink:
[ Edited by: Lake Surfer 2006-09-07 22:45 ]
There is another Lake Tiki in the bar... a smaller one in the fountain pic hidden in the foliage near the parrots. The big tiki that you spotted was won back during a raffle at Tabu Tiki nights at Trader Vics. I posted it in the forums a while back. My brother from Montana was in town and he actually won it. He left it for me to take care of.
I learned a ton during the project. I have notebooks filled with sketches, ideas, thoughts, room designs, etc. of what I wanted to have as a tiki bar.
I just want to start out by saying tthat this website was a major factor in my bar design. I wrote so many people and gathered so much info from this site. Mahalo! Mahalo!
The fountain:
My original construction plan for the fountain was going to be concrete. My plan was to have a whole wall painted with a huge mural. I wanted the scene to be looking outside at a night scene in Hawaii where there was an erupting volcano in the distance. The lava flow would be making its way down to that corner where the fountain is. The fountain then was that lava that has now solidifed so the bar was at the base. I don't know, I could see it in my head and then tried to draw it out. By the time the fountain was done and some of the murals were painted, I thought that any more murals would just be brain overload. I then backed off that idea. If I ever move, how was I going to sell a house with a gigantic concrete fountain in the basement? How would I take it down?? I needed to construct a fountain that was easier to take down and lighter in material. I ended up using Great Stuff. I built a frame out of 2x4's and then covered it with screen, shaping the screen to shape the fountain. I used sheets of rubber where there would be water in case of leaks which would flash into the bottom basin. I started applying the Great Stuff. I would spray an area and as it was wet, I would lightly spray black spray paint. This would eat away the Great Stuff a little and create great pock marks like lava. After many many many cans of it, it was done. I would search all the craft stores for sales on silk flowers and plastic leaves. I just stuck their bases in the dried Great Stuff. I used a garden hose to test the water flow and bought a outside pond water pump to pump the water to the top to create the flow. A lot of tests and trials until I found the right combination. I searched the internet for lighting and found a company in California that specialized in outdoor ponds. I bought a lot of these small halogen waterproof lights that have three different colors. They each have settings like xmas lights that allow you to keep just one color lit or have then slowly fade through all the colors. I usually use the different glow setting. When the whole thing is on, it is truely relaxing and puts the mind at tiki ease.
The ceiling:
The ceiling is just rolls of lauhala matting and bamboo. I got some of the matting when Rock A Tiki closed. I bought as much as I could. I still needed a lot so I made a few trips to Hala Kahiki in River Grove, IL. They have such a great gift shop. I just used a staple gun to attach the rolls to the ceiling. To plan out the bamboo design, I measured and then just used masking tape on the ceiling as a template to where the bamboo was to be hung. I bought most of my bamboo from Hobby Lobby. The bigger pieces were from Rock A Tiki. To split it was a chore. I used a table saw. This was definitely a two person job. I just hung the bamboo with deck screws that were pre colored tan, perfect to match the bamboo color. I just found where joists were in the ceiling and then screwed the bamboo into them. Bamboo is light so only a few screws were needed.
Music:
I hate having speakers displayed in a bar. I think they take up precious space and the music seems very directional. I wanted music be part of the atmosphere so I bought in-wall speakers and built them in the ceiling during my drywall stage. I ran the wires behind the bar where I have a cd player. I can control the music when I am mixing drinks. I also have a microphone wired in so I can make "announcements" during the night. The mic is very cheap so it sounds like the sound from the Mai Kai. I love it
Atmosphere:
I have a lot of up-lights in the corners and behind things in the bar with colored bulbs. I have a lot of coconut scented candles lit for light and smell. Usually I have Martin Denny playing or maybe a mix cd of exotica. Its fun to have dinner down there!
Tipsy factor:
I have been collecting tiki for close to 15 years now. I have a ton of mugs. To display them, the only option was a ton of shelving. I just ran one shelf around three sides of the room. It is completely filled already but at least most of my collection is displayed. I ran red rope light behind the mugs to light them all up. They were really dark before. I couldn't really see the mugs. I have a few different carved tikis from Mai Tiki and Lake Surfer. They Rock!!!!
Well I got to stop. I will add more if anyone as more questions, keep them coming. I love to talk to about it. The bar is open to anyone who wants to stop in.
Just PM me and we can set up sumthin. I will post some more later and will get some in progress pics.
Thanks for all the kind words
Aloha
tiki junkman
