When you think of the Old West you can’t help but conjure images of the saloon. You can picture Wild Bill Hickok playing a game of poker at a beaten up wood table, or cowboys popping in for a shot of whiskey at the bar. Every western you have ever watched has the saloon featuring prominently as the good guys and bad guys face off. If you have always been a bit enamored with the old west and would like to incorporate that style into your own home, then let’s show you how you can build your own western saloon right at home.
Getting Started
There are two things that are an absolute must in your saloon the first will be the swinging doors that are an iconic part of the saloon. The second part is a beaten up old wooden floor that looks it has been scuffed up by many pairs of spurs. How you proceed with the rest of the décor will depend on your budget and how much space you have to work with. One thing is for certain you can have a grand adventure hunting down the décor to create your saloon.
Décor
Aside from putting in the bar itself the rest of the décor can vary dramatically, some saloons were pretty modest with just a couple of wooden table. The more elaborate saloons had everything from floral wallpaper, chandeliers and brass spittoons. As for finding the right furniture or decorative items you can scan your local thrift stores and antique shops for vintage chandeliers, some antique glass bottles to go behind your bar. Keep an eye out for old tables and mismatched wooden chairs. The more distressed looking the chairs are the better. Some of the more affluent saloons may have had an old piano for nightly entertainment. Almost any piece of décor from the period can work.
Wall Art
Back then the walls of a saloon had the quintessential deer heads or the bleached skull from cattle. The photos on the walls would have been black and white in wooden or silver frames, bear in mind that no one smiled in pictures much back then. There may have been the occasional wanted poster, you can make those types of prints yourself using family members and an app. To hang behind the bar you should get yourself a saloon sign, on wood with an old font, it will be the best piece of art on your walls.
The old west is such an iconic part of American history that we’re still obsessed with that era more than 150 years later. You can create a piece of history right in your own home with an old west style saloon.