5 Bar Cart Styling Tips: How to Style a Bar Cart

A bar cart is a portable multi-level table designed for storing liquor bottles, glassware, ice buckets, bar tools, garnishes, and cocktail napkins. You might place your home bar cart in a den, dining room, or living room. You can purchase a chic bar cart from a retailer or, with a little elbow grease, you can fashion an existing table into the perfect bar cart. As a general rule, bar carts sit on wheels and have two shelves: a top shelf for glassware and bar accessories and a bottom shelf for liquor bottles. These are only loose parameters, however. Depending on your interior design taste, you can turn almost anything with shelves into a DIY bar or bar cart.

Consider adding these essential items to your home bar cart.

1. 1. Liquor bottles: You can make a host of cocktail recipes if you stock your bar cart with vodka, gin, bourbon, Scotch, tequila, rum, and vermouth. Other options include rye whiskey and flavored liqueurs like triple sec. Depending on your preferences, it might make sense to keep shelf-stable mixers like club soda or tonic water on your bar cart.
2. 2. Ice bucket: Stock your ice bucket with fresh ice before entertaining and keep a pair of tongs close to it.
3. 3. Glassware: Keep a mixture of wine glasses, Martini glasses, and tall and low glasses for various cocktail recipes.
4. 4. Glassware accessories: This category can include items like coasters, cocktail napkins, and straws.
5. 5. Barware: These items will help you prepare mixed drinks. Among your various cocktail tools, be sure to include a cocktail shaker, a strainer, a jigger, a muddler, a bottle opener, and a decanter.
6. 6. Garnishes: In advance of a party, lay out various garnishes like lime wedges, cherries, and olives.

Ramp up your home bar cart decor by adding elements of flair. Here are some bar cart ideas to inspire you.

1. 1. Choose a bold color. To glam up your bar cart, start by picking one with a jewel-toned color or a metallic finish. Gold bar carts are popular and relatively easy to find, while silver bar carts are timeless. Since your bar cart will likely be a focal point in your living space, opt for a finish that complements your interior design style while still standing out.
2. 2. Add greenery and fresh flowers. Bar carts are a great place to keep a fresh bouquet or even sprigs of greenery—particularly greenery that doubles as a garnish for drinks. Rosemary, thyme, and lavender are all great options.
3. 3. Redecorate your bar cart for specific occasions. Change the look of your bar cart depending on the holiday, time of year, or special occasion. If you’re hosting a party on New Year's Eve, consider adding gold decorative elements and extra garnishes for champagne. Change your bar cart's look for Valentine's Day by swapping in pink glassware and candy hearts. Even if you don't plan to entertain, you can add cheer to your room by changing up your bar cart every few months.
4. 4. Add under-lighting. Light up your liquor bottles from below using under-lighting. LED light strips offer a relatively affordable way to create the look of a high-end bar right in your own living room.
5. 5. Include some vintage items. Some of the prettiest bar carts are those that include vintage items from classic eras. The mid-century modern period was a golden era for cocktail culture. Search for a few items from that era—like an ice bucket or tongs—to add flair to your bar cart and make it a true focal point of your living space.

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