5 Bar Cart Essentials
One of my favorite home decorating touches has always been a stylish bar cart. When my boyfriend and I finally moved into our own apartment, it was one of the first purchases I made because it’s a fun way to put your style on display and add a special touch to your living space.
After an extensive search (Bar carts are expensive, y’all! Who knew?), I found the perfect cart at Target. I love this one because of the mixture of wood, brass, and leather. Three of my favorites all wrapped into one vintage-looking, yet affordable cart. Target is nailing it with their home collection these days, have you noticed? Once it was assembled, it was time to decorate! I thought it would all be simple enough, but then I really got to thinking, “what the heck do I do with this now?” Cut to me googling “how to style bar cart” and scouring every design blog I could find. So now I’ll share my top 5 bar cart essentials.
1. Booze- This one is obvious, of course. At first, I wanted to go to the Costco liquor store and buy every type of liquor and vermouth and bitters that I could find, but I resisted. Mostly because I knew if it was sitting there all day I’d just want to drink it, and that probably wasn’t a good idea. So I settled on a couple basics that can please a crowd and got vodka and whiskey. Don’t feel like you have to be a super host and have every type of liquor imaginable for your guests, they can be appeased with a few options plus it never hurts to have a few bottles of wine as a backup.
2. Glassware- In my case, I have these amazing vintage Diet Coke highballs from my grandparents, that are the biggest conversation piece. I like to think of my style as a mix of classic and retro antiques with a splash of Joanna Gaines farmhouse, so these glasses fit perfectly with the retro vibe. I love using these when I whip up a Moscow Mule or whiskey ginger. Then I have these gorgeous rocks glasses with matching decanter from Crate and Barrel as featured on my Whiskey Alex post (check it out for a simple whiskey recipe!), and these GORGEOUS Waterford Crystal shot glasses gifted to me by my amazing friends Clare and Ryan. One more bonus is the crystal sweet tea pitcher that I serve water out of when I have company because we all have to drink responsibly and stay hydrated! Highball, rocks, shots, water. Check, check, check, and check!
3. Bar accessories- This was a fun one for me, because of this retro straw dispenser! Growing up, my parents always had one at our bar at home, and I loved playing with it, so I had to find one for myself. It’s not something you see every day, so it adds a quirky yet classic touch, and these awesome gold paper straws complement the brass accents on my bar cart. I’m also a dirty martini guy, so I had to have a shaker for those nights when you really need a stiff drink.
4. Something Green- My poor spider plant was starting to die in the window because it has been such a cold New York winter, so at first I just moved it to keep it away from the cold, but I ended up loving it on my bar cart! It adds a little life and color to all the booze and is a great place to put a plant if you’re running out of space on your windowsill like me! I got this planter years ago that fit perfectly (similar linked here- I love the ones that come with stands!). Plus these days you don't even have to leave your house to find the perfect plant baby! My favorite online plant destination is The Sill, and I'm dying to add their Pilea Peperomioides to my collection!
5. A quirky touch- Now it’s time to have a little fun and add something outside the box! In my case, a vintage camera from my grandparents. The camera has a leather case that vibes with the leather-wrapped handle on the cart, and it’s fun to have a non-booze related tchotchke to liven things up. It would also be fun to have a brass figurine, like these brass objects from West Elm. I'm obsessed with anything brass.
Who knew I had so much to say about bar carts? In the end, I wanted something that looked cluttered but curated and had a distinct style, and I’m loving the way it turned out! Let me know if you have any tips that you have for styling your cart! ✌🏻
