A Home Bar To Behold

At the bottom of the flight, you’ll be greeted by the ambiance of a spot-on reproduction of an authentic Irish pub.  Perhaps reproduction is the wrong word to use:  the combination of the Emerald Island’s inspiration and the couple’s talents have created an original gathering place that has become a favorite for family and friends.

Both Sean, a sergeant with the Exeter Township Police Department, and Melissa (nee’ Batulis), the director of communications and community relations for the Governor Mifflin School District and a former reporter with Channel 69 News/Berks Edition, are familiar Berks faces. Both, also, are transplants to Greater Reading – Sean hails from a large Irish family in Philadelphia and Melissa’s family and roots are in western Pennsylvania.

A Friendly Base 

With their families elsewhere, the thirty-something couple was determined to establish a strong network of friends in their own backyard. Their lucky charm, it turns out, was creating an in-home bar, the first one in their former Reiffton home.  

“That was the whole point – it was like a Field of Dreams thing: If you build it, they will come,” says Melissa.

Rec room sliding doors led out to the patio and, in temperate weather, neighbors would tap on those doors and join the Fullertons for some comfortable conversation, good music, and a few cold ones.

It was four years ago that the couple, on the brink of a life change, fell in love with and moved into their current house, also in Exeter Township.

Along with their faithful Basset hound Molly, the family settled into the two-story traditional home on a lovely wooded lot. Though there are neighbors, the lots are larger and a bit more far flung than in Reiffton. The Fullertons were determined to get to know their new neighbors as well as provide an even larger gathering spot for their extended and growing families and friends.

While one portion of the basement contained a small living area and complete bath, the other side was unfinished and a clean slate for the couple’s creation.

“I came in here and saw a wet, leaky basement,” says Sean. “I grabbed a bucket, sat on it for a while, and tried to picture what I wanted to do conceptually. I started with spray painting the walls.”

An Inspired Destination

His conceptualization was rooted in his past experiences and in his travel: As an arts student seeking an outlet for his photography passion, Sean left college in 2000 and spent the next couple of years living in Ireland.  

 “I needed an arts outlet,” he says.

He worked in a UPS corporate office in Dublin to pay the bills. In his off time, he roamed the countryside and towns, shooting the spectacular settings and selling photographs in gift shops.

And along the byways, a new passion developed.

“I fell in love with the Irish pub,” Sean says. “I found they’re not just about drinking; they’re a place to come and gather for the whole family.”

A gathering place was the focus, as noted, for the couple’s first home bar. It kicked into high gear for their second, this one a pub with a clear Irish flair.

“We took cues from our favorite pubs – Melissa and I both go back quite a bit,” he says. “We wanted to create that. I was never in a house that had that.”

The creative process was a long one, but once the couple mulled design features, Sean got to work.

Thrift Counts

First up was gathering the materials to build the pub. From near and far – often free or at incredibly low costs – Sean found what he needed. All totaled, materials for the project cost about $2,000, with most of the labor done by Sean, sometimes aided by a friend or family member.

The dissembling of the old bar at the Reading Country Club offered a slew of great items at bargain basement prices: the solid, three-inch diameter brass foot rail with fittings (only $28); four green barstools; and a drip tray for the beer taps.

From an Amish businessman in the Fleetwood area, Sean scored a front wooden kneeler with a cathedral design salvaged from a 110-year-old Carbon County church which now serves as the bar surround. Along church pew, cut into sections, provides wrap-around seating for a repurposed – and dramatically downsized – dining table from the country club. The table (2½ by 3 feet) was culled down from a solid, nine-foot-round polished wood table.

“I took a deep breath when I first sawed into that,” he recalls.

The seating area, located just to the left of the bar, is called a “snug,” echoing its Irish pub nomenclature and inspiration. On the walls above it are a variety of items that recall Ireland: a sign proclaiming “You Are Now Entering Free Derry”; two Irish license plates, a square one Sean found on the streets of Galway along with the more familiar rectangular one; a reproduction sign proclaiming “Help Wanted – No Irish Need Apply”; a hurley, a wooden stick used in the Irish sports of hurling and camogie; a photo taken by Melissa of Sean standing on a beach on the Dingle Peninsula looking at the North Atlantic Ocean; and a reproduction street sign pointing the way to Dingle.

“At that beach, there is a one-mile differential between high and low tide,” says Melissa. “It’s an amazing place.”

Really “Snug”

The Fullertons’ “snug” is as close to a facsimile of Mulligan’s on Poolbeg Street in Dublin as Sean could master, including the pub’s same wallpaper spotted on Amazon.

“They say – and I agree – that it’s the best pint of Guinness in the world,” he says. While a fan of the Irish beer, Sean usually elects to keep two local brews on tap to provide a proper draft for a thirsty visitor.

“Like Guinness,” he says, with a smile.

The top of the bar is pallet wood (salvaged from a trash pile) that was cut and stained, and to which multiple layers of epoxy were applied for a warm and smooth finish. The Chicago bar rail was purchased from a millwork business. Sean hung purse hooks under the rail to match the brass foot rail.

There are different lighting sources throughout the pub – and Sean has a story for each. The lighting above the bar consists of green cased glass pendant light shades purchased on eBay. Illuminating the back bar are deconstructed and reconstituted $4 metal cages with simple Edison bulbs. Recessed fixtures, spotlights directed on oversized photos, and free-standing lamps all contribute to the ambiance.

“I’m a super nerd about lighting,” Sean says, noting he tried five or six types of bulbs in the pendants before deciding on the correct look. “Lighting can change a room more than anything else.” 

Behind the snug, Sean created a brick column of sorts with recesses to accommodate a wine rack and a beer refrigerator stocked with micro brews. Above the fridge, “PUB” is a creation of large wooden letters purchased at a craft store and fitted with lights by Sean.

Built into another wall above the snug is a music system, boasting a turn table on which Sean plays records featuring his favorite Irish songs. A mirror positioned in a slant over the turntable adds to the lyrical nostalgia.

Cycle of Life

A highlight of the bar back is a large mirror found at an architectural salvage for $20. He found some “fancy appliques” and decals on Etsy and created the bicycle-inspired sign reading, “The Handle Bar and Lounge.”

The bicycle theme, the detail of which delves down to the design on the bar-top votives, is the result of a multi-generational passion. 

“I’m a huge bike nerd,” he says.

At the far right of the bar, Sean’s great-grandfather’s circa 1904 bike is mounted on the wall, accented by a string of lights; his bike seat is mounted on the opposite end above his photo. Daniel Cullin was a frame maker as well as a premier competitive cyclist.  

Sean, too, is a cycling enthusiast, competing for years in the annual Tour de Shore, a 65-mile charity bike ride from Philadelphia to Atlantic City, now in its 31st year. It benefits children's charities and the families of fallen first responders in the Philadelphia and South Jersey areas.

Saluting First Responders

Sean’s first responder roots also run deep in his Philly-based Irish Catholic family. His brother is also a police officer. His dad and his grandfather both served in the Philadelphia Fire Department – and their helmets, circa 1974 and 1944, respectively, hold places of honor in the room. His grandfather also gifted him an authentic Philadelphia fire hydrant, refurbished and a focal point of the pub room.  

Signs bearing the names of Philadelphia regional rail stops that ran through Sean’s old neighborhood – Fox Chase, Market East and Chestnut Hill – add to the City of Brotherly Love motif.

A soffit that Sean crafted runs across the room parallel to the bar, adds to the coziness, and is covered with more than 100 police and fire department patches from across the country – as well as an international one or two thrown in the mix. Not a one was purchased; all were given to him or his brother from fellow law enforcement officers.

“In the 1840s, those were the jobs the Irish got,” he says, “and we continue from generation to generation.”

The copper-colored “tin” ceiling is really a copper-toned Styrofoam composite found on Amazon. The wool plaid carpet in the pub room – something so authentic to Irish pubs – was a super-clearance item from My Dad’s Carpets, while “hardwood” floor around the bar is really an inexpensive laminate from Ollie’s.

Penny Wise

A highlight of the bar is a backsplash Sean made during a family gathering. As Melissa notes, the $10-backsplash is really that – with 1,000 pennies comprising it.

The two bar cases, holding and displaying liquors and glasses, were literally pulled out of the neighborhood trash. One was a gun cabinet. Sean refinished them, backed each with a mirror, and installed glass shelves. Both appear made for the space.

Sean also created three stained glass windows for the small basement window well openings. One is an homage to St. Cecelia’s, his boyhood church in Philly; another salutes biking; and the one closest to the bar bears the name Claire, in honor of the county and someone very near and dear to the couple.

Melissa’s roots also show in the pub.

A framed telegram was the official notification that her grandfather was captured by the Nazis during World War II. Thankfully, he was released when the war ended to come home and raise a family.

Western Pennsylvania scenes bring to mind her family and growing-up years. A coffee table fronting two comfy wing-back chairs, comprised of rescued (free) pallets, is a creation of Melissa’s for her first home.

Ever the artist, Sean takes inspiration even as he serves as an officer of the law. Long hours logged in court were the inspiration for the paneling that lines the pub room.

“I call it ‘the judges’ paneling,’ and it was inspired by the Berks County Courthouse,” he says.

Lining the wall are oversized black-and-white photos of scenes of the Dingle Peninsula – from fishermen returning to the dock to Melissa, umbrella in hand, walking down a narrow, rain-soaked cobblestone street.

And what’s a cozy bar without the ambiance of a fireplace? Well, you won’t find one here, but glance at the flat-screen TV above the bar and you’re likely to see a roaring blaze, courtesy of YouTube.

For the Fullertons, the pub has become the heart of their home, a place where family and friends gather for pizza and drinks, where the laughter of little cousins rings through the basement playroom and pub. It is, they say, where lifetime memories will be made.

Tackling a home project like this is very rewarding, they say.

“Don’t be afraid to try things in your own home,” says Sean. “Steal ideas from your inspirations. If you’re creative and motivated, you’ll do it.”

Melissa focuses on detail and, like Sean, on thrift.

“Our whole house philosophy is a treasure hunt,” she says. “Look around and there’s a story behind every object.” 

Home Bar Basics

So, how do you go about stocking a home bar? Berks County Living turned to some experts – a group of regulars, Boomers and Millennials, who shared their thoughts on a chilly early spring afternoon at Mike’s Tavern in the Riverside section of Reading. Following the lead of proprietor and popular barkeep Pete Cammarano, here are their suggestions:

Equipment: Strainer, mixing glass, mixing spoon, muddler, bottle opener, corkscrew, small cutting board and paring knife, stirring straws, ice bucket, martini shaker, toothpicks, napkins, coasters.

Glassware: Martini, rocks, Collins, and shot glasses; red and white wine and champagne glasses; pilsner glasses and mugs.

Beverages: Selection of beers (draft if possible) and wines, sweet and dry vermouth, rum, vodka, gin, whiskey (Scotch and bourbon, too) and tequila.

Mixers: Club soda, tonic, sour mix, simple syrup, cola, 7UP, ginger ale, and orange, tomato and cranberry juices.

Additional ingredients: Lemons, limes, oranges, maraschino cherries, olives, bitters, cocktail onions (“Does anyone still use them?” asks Pete.)

Munchies: Pretzels were the overwhelming favorite of the regulars (Pete always has some on hand), but there were also shout-outs for nuts (think Peanut Bar).

“It has to mature into the kind of bar you want,” says Pete. “You start small. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

And one more piece of advice from a regular: “When you have that housewarming for your bar, ask everyone to bring their favorite beverage. That way you’ll always know what to keep on hand for your friends.”