Do you have enough storage for all of your supplies behind the bar? I might put a bar cart on one side of the bar with framed art above it, and a club chair in the corner on the other side (if you can slide the couch down a bit to make some room). Other option would be to flank the bar with club chairs. I would add open shelving in wood or glass behind the bar (where the painting is). I actually wouldn't do wallpaper or an accent wall behind the bar because you have the bulkhead on that wall. I would instead paint the walls and the bulkhead the same color. I like dark masculie blues or greens for a bar area, depending on how much light you have in the basement.

Hopefully someone will have a tried and true method to share .... I’m just kind of thinking out loud here — I wonder about paint thinner or other similar solvent to get it cleaned off. (Testing it on a very small area to see, of course.) And then using a good spray polyurethane after. It’s such a great piece! Good luck!

I decided to return, and look at the wall again... :) well, the bar of course will extend some feet into the room. Idk if I came across -- that tv side could bump out its little depth, framed and drywalled, with whatever unit or such works. The door I suppose could be left unaltered, except it'd be flush with wall bit above door. Paint color, if a new color, could go above door too. Add a cute flush/ semi above the little entering spot.

self made, using a blend of wood , metal and epoxy.