Styling a Bar Cart

Bar carts have been around forever but they’ve recently gained more popularity than ever. They’re such a stylish and versatile piece of furniture – my Nonna used hers to serve desserts to guests during business dinners, my mom uses hers to display drinks upon entry to a party, and I use mine to store extra platters and glasses that my kitchen cabinets can’t accommodate. If you don’t already have a bar cart, you need one in your house ASAP! These are so fun to style because they serve a functional purpose but it’s not something you’ll likely use every single day. This allows you to use more decorative items because they won’t get into your way. Styling a bar cart is an art that takes time to master so read along for my favorite tips!

The Perfect Cart

The first step is obviously finding the perfect bar cart for your room. This depends on the design aesthetic in the rest of your home and the function you’ll be using it for. If you’re looking for something to hold a lot of bottles and glasses, look for one with a wide open surface area. If you’re going to be moving it around a lot to serve drinks and desserts, make sure your cart has sturdy wheels and a handle that you’re able to push. Also consider the material – stay away from lacquer surfaces in high traffic areas to avoid scratching, look for a glass-top if you don’t mind dusting/cleaning often. I found this particular one at an antique shop – a great place to look – for less than $100. I love the rustic look of the worn wood and the classic traditional style. I knew I would be using it more as a table than a mobile cart so I didn’t worry about the rickety, old wheels.
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Play with Trays

The best way to make your bar cart look styled but not cluttered is to keep your bar accessories on a tray! This allows you to display your items without them being scattered randomly all over the surface of your bar cart. Having everything on one tray gives the illusion that it’s one cohesive accessory – rather than a bunch of different things. I opted for a round tray to call back the big, round wheels and to contrast the rectangular top. I also moved the tray to the back left corner to avoid it looking too perfect and symmetrical. If I used a long rectangular tray, I would be more likely to put the tray front and center and use other accessories surrounding it. Make sure you put a variety of shapes and sizes on the tray to add dimension! I mixed textures and heights – the mixed metals and delicate glass are nice complements to the solid wood bar cart.
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Accessorizing Appropriately

When searching for accessories to put on your bar cart, it should be the perfect mix of fashion and function. The things you choose should serve a purpose and look chic! I decided to keep everything bar-related – a cocktail shaker, a whiskey decanter, and a set of glasses. Make sure you’re keeping all of your accessories relevant so that your bar cart doesn’t turn into just another accent table. Make pretty choices and look for a cocktail shaker that makes a statement or a champagne bucket with an added flair.
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Stay Balanced

After accessorizing the top of the bar cart the way I liked it, I needed to address the bottom shelf. With the top shelf fully styled, leaving the bottom shelf empty would leave the bar cart looking unbalanced and awkward. The bottom shelf is the perfect spot to store extra serving platters and water bottles for me due to the close proximity to my dining room. It’s really convenient to have the platters so accessible for when I need them. And let’s face it, it’s fun to display all of my favorites! I am not a big alcohol drinker so this is really the cart’s main purpose. Adding these to the bottom shelf makes the bar cart look complete!
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Do you have a bar cart in your house? Tell me how you’ve styled yours!

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