Watson's Bay of bones (first ever post)

First off please be open to some straight up dumb-assery on my end I'm 21 and Ive just gotten deep into this hyperfixation rabbithole that is tiki culture. Second I know the photo is lackluster Im only just beginning, trust the process :) Im surprising with my family while they are across the ocean on vacation. Im building a backyard tiki bar, mostly inspired by Fijian art with some other pieces from other places, (Trying to keep it traditional I promise) and don't judge me but some small bits of horror insparation as well, my family runs and operates a haunt in Sacramento California where i grew up for 14 years (heartstoppershaunt.com) we now have been living New South Wales Australia for 7 ish years I'll be posting updates here as I go so far I've got a few things going, I also work at a cocktail bar so Im working on a custom menu ;) Inspired by the real bay just a shortish drive from our home Watson's Bay will become Watson's bay of Bones.

[ Edited by leevigraham on 2025-10-09 00:35:42 ]

Welcome!

You'll find heaps of great inspiration for your own tiki bar in this forum. There's also https://mytiki.life/home-tiki-bars

This looks like it will be a fun thread

I've got some great updates for you all. I'll start with my mini haul from a vintage shop today :) by the way, this bar needs to be presentable by the 21st of October, when my family gets back (less than 10 days from now) so wish me luck!

first I got this great mask from PNG for $45 and decided he was a perfect centerpiece for the bar front so he's mounted their for now. Second I got this amazing little fella (apparently named Alfredo) that doubles as my new "tip" jar. you put a coin in his hand and pull the lever on his side, the arm raises, his eyes open, and his one empty eye socket takes the coin. He was just to amazing to leave there but he was $70, luckily my lovely girlfriend split it with me so he's all mine now :)

heres my full mask collection i think I'm done for now haha. Also if anyone knows where the black mask with the shell eyes is from that'd be awesome, I'm a little lost myself. All the others are Fiji or PNG. oh and PS I installed 2 nautical jacket hooks/bag holders at the front of the bar, I found them (and a third one ill use later) for a cool $10 on facebook. This idea was inspired by my local tiki bar (Scoundrels Rest) and double PS I got these old bed posts I'm planning to use as posts for the roof of the bar, hopefully I'll do a very rudimentary tiki-aligned carving on them myself. Thanks for reading everyone, more to come very soon! Any comments, suggestions, Etc, always welcome!

~Haut_Gouture (hand drawn bar logo based on my father's first tiki mug gifted to him by his father.)

[ Edited by Haut_Gouture on 2025-10-12 06:08:03 ]

my first attempt at dremel-carving these posts into totem-ish designs, less tiki more skull focussed. you can see the plan on the paper on the left, i went a bit out of my plan but thats ok i always do haha. let me know what you think I'm only using two for the build so I have two extras if yall think I should try something else, personally pretty happy with it, i know it should be sanded and stained too.

found this piece of white painted wood then had the idea for a sign out front of the house. Used the dremel and a kitchen blow torch to mark the wood, pretty happy with it :)

5 days left till my family gets back well see how presentable it is by then.

After a very busy saturday, the bar was completed. (for now haha) I'll post a ton of pics taken during the construction. My mom and little brother absolutely loved it! I hope you kind people do too :)

I started by mounting my carved roof supports, Then my friend and I started on the back display wall, pretty simple just two pallets, with a bamboo curtain mounted over the front. its only mounted with on support screw into the garage, were renting after all. Don't worry its structurally sound, you'll see. starting the roof here, thank god my friend had some wood from another project its cool to me that 85% of the bar was reused timber from, pallets, crap on the side of the road and old furniture. ill show off the one thing we needed to buy fresh material for later. roof structurally finished, mounted to the back wall and the front carved supports. alos started decor on the back wall just for fun. and here is why we needed to buy fresh timber, a custom shelf mounted above the minifridge, the shelfs were measured to fit the pirate ship, large rum bottles and my exceedingly large Fijian bowl now onto some horror/skeleton themed decor to better match the name. and finally some lighting, got these part string lights for 30 bucks on FB marketplace it was absolutly perfect as they were compatible with these light bulbs ive had for about 5 years, also looking for the proper use, so freaking glad i finally do, in this context they look like a sea urchin, or kind of a play on a pufferfish lamp. (hopefully one day ill get some float lamps) also take a peek at all my tiki mugs, I know some are cheesy but I've only been collecting for a little over a month give me a break lol. and to finish up, my menu featuring some tweaked classics, and some orginals inspired by the loved ones in my life. Speaking of loved ones, my mom got me a gift from Trader Sams while on her trip so I had to have my first drink at the bay, the zombie western, the recipe might sound like sacrilege but I have limited supplies here in Australia so again give me a break haha.

singing off for now, the temporarily completed, Watson's Bay Of Bones!

Honestly, this is what Tiki is all about. Creative construction, DIY, making a special place in your life that is somewhere to escape to. This already is enough to make someone smile. Love the posts, love the thought process, love that you're 21 and doing this. Great work, looks fun and exciting already. Keep going!