When I moved to my second New York apartment, I was dating a college guy. I’d been pretty proud of my home decor skills, but I remember visiting his on-campus apartment and noticing the bar cart he’d placed in a corner. It was cute, sophisticated and interesting — and it made me a little jealous. How had I, a bona fide adult, neglected to fill my home with this obviously mature thing when my college-age boyfriend hadn’t? This was a wrong that needed to be righted immediately.
I set to work to find and buy a bar cart for myself at once. But I quickly realized that was only half the battle — figuring out how to decorate it was a challenge unto itself.
For starters, what do you put on it — liquor and wine? That’s an obvious place to begin, but I usually only have a few bottles at a time. The buy-drink-restock cycle doesn’t lend itself well to filling a shelf (or several).
OK, maybe glassware, then. But that raises the question of how to organize it. A circular bar cart fit into my space better than a rectangular one did, so I was denied the opportunity to arrange things in lines. Instead, I had to get creative — arcs, semicircles and clusters became key. But trust me when I say it takes a lot longer to put things in cute, appropriately sized clusters than it does to arrange them in straight lines.
Then, of course, there’s the question of color. All glass and a little liquor make for a pretty dull corner — especially if your bar cart is made from metal, glass or some other neutral. I ended up adding candles, iridescent bar accessories and some colorful glasses in an attempt to make something interesting happen.
To save you the heartache I didn’t save myself, I’ve perused Pinterest and pulled 29 of the most stunning bar carts I’ve ever seen. Consider browsing this list before buying a bar cart — it might lead you to preferences you didn’t know you had regarding things like shape, color and additional features.
And even if you’ve already committed to a cart, it doesn’t hurt to have a little decoration inspiration. (Been there, done that — let’s be real… still doing it.)
Originally posted on StyleCaster.
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Image Credit: Honestly WTF. Who said greenery, books and candles had no place on bar carts?
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Image Credit: Ginger Snap Jordan. Wine glasses, Pellegrino, fruit-infused water and more. Basically, a party on wheels.
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Image Credit: Charissa Fay/My Domaine. Your favorite bouquet would look great next to your favorite liquor — don't ya think?
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Image Credit: Pineapple and Prosecco. All the more reason to stock up on cute glassware (and even cuter straws).
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Image Credit: The Everygirl. In lieu of a cart, a portable bar tray will certainly get the job done.
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Image Credit: Chronicles of Frivolity. Because filling up two whole shelves with alcohol can be tough, and sometimes, it makes sense to sub in a record player instead.
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Image Credit: Mobile Home Living. Your favorite plants will match your lime garnishes perfectly.
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Image Credit: The Every Girl. Excellent for corners that feel a little bare but don't offer much in the way of decor space.
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Image Credit: Pinterest. Coordinate your bar cart with other home accessories, like the huge statement mirror in your living room.
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Image Credit: The Every Girl. That pineapple canister you weren't sure what to do with will be the cherry (mmm, pineapple?) on top of an already cute bar cart display.
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Image Credit: Pinterest. Level up by placing your bar cart in front of a similarly themed painting.
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Image Credit: One Kings Lane. Not sure why you'd own a bust. But if you do, it'll take your bar cart from cute to memorably unique.
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Image Credit: Architectural Digest. Worried your favorite wine doesn't fit your carefully curated home palette? Use your bar cart as an opportunity to infuse your space with a pop (or a few pops) of new color.
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Image Credit: Arsenic Lace. Pro tip: When it comes to woven bar carts and trays, the beachier you go, the better.
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Image Credit: Monica Wants It. Hanging a cute teal towel off the side of your bar cart will make you look impressively prescient in the case of an inevitable spill.
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Image Credit: Society Social. If your liquor comes in bottles of the same color, commit to an achromatic display and go all out.
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Image Credit: The Fox and She. A great place to store all that party decor you wanted to keep just in case.
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Image Credit: Blondie in the City. Proof bar carts don't have to be meticulously organized to look great.
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Image Credit: Paper and Stitch. Flowers, plants, fruits, straws, art — this display has it all.
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Image Credit: Little Big Bell. If you own a letter board, now's the time to whip it out.
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Image Credit: Gold Bar Carts. Make your spread feel distinctly beachy with pineapples and pictures of paradise.
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Image Credit: Murphy's Law. Getting a tiered cart, like this one, will offer easy access to both shelves. Plus, you won't have to worry about making sure your decor looks vertically balanced.
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Image Credit: apartmento_203/Instagram. Neon signs: Always a plus.
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Image Credit: SF Girl. In case you still weren't convinced books look great on (and behind) bar carts.
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Image Credit: Domino. Shorter glassware is the perfect thing to slide into über-short shelves.
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Image Credit: SF Girl. When in doubt, add flowers.
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Image Credit: The Glitter Guide. A pitcher you can mix cocktails in is a very nice touch.
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Image Credit: Ashley Nicole Interiors. Not super-into the glitter sign, but the upside-down glasses are incredibly cool.
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Image Credit: Visions of Vogue. Figuring out how to organize disparate elements can be tough. The genius behind this bar cart completely nailed it.
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