How To: Style A Chic Bar Cart

An easy guide to styling a bar cart. Up the style quotient at your next party and at home everyday.

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I bought a bar cart (the one pictured above) a couple of years ago and it is one of the best purchases I’ve made. It serves as a piece of decor that really elevates my living room and it’s also functional. I can use it as a serving station for cocktails or wine during parties and on a day-to-day basis it helps me store some of my glasses. This one is from Pier 1 and is called the Champagne Round Bar Cart. It has space to hang glasses underneath the top. Styling a bar cart is highly personal and may even depend on whether you’re using it as everyday decor or a specific get together, but without further ado, here are some of my tips for successful and chic styling:

Choose the primary color scheme

I went for metallics, white, and added in some bright accent colors – namely, the Wolffer Estate’s Summer in a Bottle and the Greenhook Gin bottle which has the great lime green color that also picks up the lime green in the wine bottle. The vibe I’m going for is feminine and glam with the gold-rimmed glass and bottle coasters. Another fantastic color scheme would be black, silver, and a deep red. You could also peruse Pantone’s Instagram feed for some color inspiration.

Manners & Manhattans Tip – Don’t get stuck in a rut; change things up with the seasons. In the winter, I may be displaying a bottle of Grey Goose rather than a summer rosé and gin – which are much more summery. You’re actually seeing a bit of a transition here as this photo was taken at the very start of Spring when it was still a bit chilly in New York. I had some Woodford Reserve leftover in the decanter (I’m not a big whiskey drinker although I enjoy an old-fashioned every now and then. This was leftover from my holiday party in December), mixed in with the Summer in a Bottle, and the remnants of my winter candles – Diptyque Feu de Bois my favorite!

Don’t feel you need to break the bank

I’ve mentioned this so many times, but Amazon is a wealth of great home finds including glassware. I also love Home Goods. They’re not displayed here, but I got really great, sturdy old-fashioned glasses for less than $20. Also, the coasters you see – Amazon!

Show some personality

I think it’s fun to display some eclectic knick-knacks. In my case, it’s the gold cat miniature (which is actually a ring holder – you’re supposed to put the rings on his tail!) – since I love cats, the hot pink geodes I found on One Kings Lane, and the crystal bottle stopper that was gifted to me by one of my best friends last Christmas. You could also add a fun ice bucket or trinket tray. The key is to still stick with your overall color scheme.

Play with varying heights

Use bottles of varying heights. If you’re displaying candles – show different sizes; I like a group of three with one large candle and two smaller ones – as I’ve probably mentioned on my previous post about cocktail party essentials. It’s much more interesting, when every item isn’t on the exact same visual plane.

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