Decorative Bar Cart Styling Ideas
But have you made the most of your bar cart? There are so many ways in which form can be as important as function. So, if you want to add some glamor and create a real talking point, here’s 13 bar cart ideas to help you personalize yours.
Your choice of drink
Choosing which drinks to have on display is an important decision. To get the best out of your bar cart, a theme to tie everything together is a great idea. And one way of doing that is to match the seasons. Matching your choice of drink to the time of year keeps it in fashion. Every few months you get to update it and keep it fresh.
You can center your color scheme around your bottle colors. For example, in autumn, you’ll want colors like red, orange and brown. So you could deck out your bar cart with bottles of bourbon. Or in the spring, keep things light with a pink-hued rhubarb gin.
Cocktail tools
While some of these bar cart ideas are about adding sparkle, function and form should be equally important. You need to make sure your bar cart has the right tools for making cocktails.
Items you may want to consider on your bar cart include a jigger. This is a two-sided shot glass that adds a touch of class and professionalism.
Choose wisely when it comes to a shaker. Some of the prettiest just aren’t built for the job. Stainless steel looks cool and would fit in with most themes, while glass shakers with gold-plated lids add an Art Deco vibe to your cart. In general, choose tools that complement your theme, whatever you choose.
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Lime squeezer
An effective squeezer is an essential part of any bar cart. For limes and lemons, you want a large, high-quality tool that will stand the test of time.
The best ones to buy are around the $20 mark. They’ll save you a lot of time and energy when you’re throwing a party. Nobody wants to see a frustrated host struggling in vain to get the juice out!
Muddler
Another important implement in the art of cocktail making. A muddler smashes and mixes drink ingredients. They’re used on some of the most popular drinks, including mojitos. Usually six to eight inches long, they’re generally made of three different materials.
Depending on the color scheme and theme you go for, you have wood, plastic, or stainless steel to pick from. Wood is going to look great with an autumnal theme, but they need more looking after. Stainless steel is a great all-rounder.
Strainer
Any bartender worth their salt needs a good cocktail strainer on their bar cart. Strainers are needed to filter out solid materials such as ice and fruit seeds after a shake.
There’s a few to choose from. The Hawthorne is the most recognizable. It’s cheap, adaptable, and durable. Use a fine mesh strainer if you’re making seriously smooth drinks. Or if you’re new to cocktail making, a Julep strainer is easy to control.
Mixing tin
Planning on leaving your guests shaken, not stirred? In that case you’ll need a mixing tin for your bar cart. A mixing tin, also known as a Boston shaker, usually consists of a shaking tin and mixing glass. They open easily and are relatively cheap to buy.
These are great for beginners as you can check what’s happening while shaking it. More confident would-be bartenders may want to consider an all-metal mixing tin. They’re useful for temperature control and less likely to break.
Decanter
No bar cart is complete without a liquor decanter. Bring the enduring image of a bar from the 50s and 60s to life, adding style and sophistication. Cocktail ingredients like whiskey, rum, and tequila look beautiful when inside glass.
But a decanter is not just useful for aesthetic reasons. They can open up the flavor of some drinks and give them a chance to ‘breathe’. Take your pick when it comes to shapes. You can buy round, square and teardrop-shaped decanters. And there’s plenty of materials too – wood, crystal, and stainless steel.
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Set of glassware
Obviously you need glassware for your bar cart. But have you thought of the fun you could have with it? You can buy glassware in bright hues to stand out loud and proud, like pink or yellow.
You can make subtle choices to make your bar cart look sophisticated, too. Long, thin glasses look modern and storing them upside down looks very chic. But however you decide to display your glasses, keep them on top. Save the bottom part for heavier items, for safety.
Use accessories to add style
Accessorizing is probably the most fun way to decorate your bar cart. It gives you carte blanche to have a bar cart that’s totally unique and very you. The possibilities are endless.
Consider plants (real or faux) to add beauty, books for sophistication and candles for moody lighting. Snacks will go down a treat. A vintage record player for some laidback tunes or party classics would look great on the bottom too.
Practical accessories should be considered too. A bar towel in case of spills. A corkscrew. A bottle opener if you’re busy shaking cocktails. And you have to have ice on hand, so an ice bucket and tongs.
Use the books (cocktail recipes)
Having books on your bar cart gives an intellectual feel on appearance alone. But if you place some cocktail books there, you’re on to a real winner.
There are lots of excellent cocktail recipe books full of fantastic ideas for new drinks and old favorites. And a collection of cocktail books on your cart lets your guests know you take cocktail making seriously.
Table decor
You don’t have to use a bar cart purely for cocktails. A bar cart could also double as a side table. Simply add a lamp and family photo on the top, with books on the bottom. It will look great by a sofa or even a bed. And then when it is time for a party, you can always reconfigure and wheel it into your party room.
Art pieces
You can indulge your creative side and get arty with your bar cart. Tie it in with your home decor and add a similar print to it or above it. Or maybe a bust on top? They’re a great way to stay on trend and would get people talking about your swish party vibe.
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Use your cart for additional storage
People always need more storage. You’ve got two shelves waiting right there on your bar cart. Store party decor in your hallway to make people feel welcome. Or a bar cart full of books adds quirky appeal to a study.
It doesn’t even have to have an overarching theme. If you’re the kind of person who throws everything at a bar cart – a letter board, fruit, art, plants and more.
If you want to create more space in your home for an impressive bar cart to wheel out at your next dinner party or get-together, consider a storage unit. Sort through furniture and clutter to decide what you won’t need for a little while, like winter jackets and skis in summer, and store them away.
