Bar Cart Ideas That Deserve Three Cheers

A space for serving wine, cocktails, and beverages is a welcome addition to most homes, especially during the holiday season. Luckily, there are many bar cart ideas you can consider for your own space. There’s sure to be something that fits your own home design aesthetic, whether it’s an antique wooden bar cart or a real mid-century showstopper. Best of all, you don’t even need an actual bar cart (although adding one to your furniture wish list is always an option). An acrylic tray positioned on a bookshelf or bar cabinet or on a side table or console table can serve as a makeshift but functional and stylish bar cart.

Making a pit stop of glasses and libations for a celebratory soiree requires just a few supplies—many of which you probably already have on hand. Assembling a bar cart doesn’t take hours either. This is an easy DIY afternoon project to curate and style. “Entertaining is all about the experience,” says designer and HomeGoods style expert Beth Diana Smith, who follows a three-step formula when preparing a bar cart: “Set the stage, provide drinks and accessorize.”

How do you decorate a bar cart at home?
Good designers know that sometimes less is more, and this saying also applies when it comes to home bar and bar cart ideas. “You don’t have to fill every inch of a bar cart,” says Roxy Owens, founder and designer of Society Social. “You don’t have to adopt a minimalist aesthetic, but cramming too many items into the room can be intimidating for guests and make your space feel crowded.” Malka Helft, principal of Think Chic Interiors in New York, prefers to group bottles by the color of the alcohol and the bottle itself rather than the type of alcohol.

You should also consider the design of the bar cart or the surface you are using. Are you designing a rattan bar cart for an outdoor bar? Then shatterproof barware and colorful straws and stirrers may be in order. However, if you’re creating a vignette on a stately piece of furniture, a bar cart design with glass carafes, an eye-catching wine rack, or a collection of stunning coupe glasses might complete the design better.