How Do I... Set-Up and Style a Bar Cart?

Blame it on Mad Men, blame it on the rising popularity of whisky bars, but bar carts have become an entertainer’s must-have in recent years. It’s easy to see the appeal – a bar cart not only offers a practical way to organise and serve drinks, it adds an instant injection of glamour to your home. And who doesn’t love cocktail hour?

How do I choose a bar cart?
Choose a style that blends in with your decor and brings a smile to your face. Vintage and retro-inspired designs in gold and other metallic finishes are my favourites. For an extra-luxe look, seek out a style with a stone top (think marble and granite), and a dark timber body.

You’ll also need to think about storage when choosing a bar cart, as the styling should look ordered and intentional rather than messy and cluttered. Do you drink wine and need space to hang wine glasses? Do you need shelves to house bottles or cocktail accessories? Closed storage, such as cupboards, will allow you to hide bottles, glasses and bar paraphernalia away, while open shelves or cupboards will mean that everything is on display.

Castors are a nice addition as it means you can move your bar cart closer to the action during parties or when you have guests over.

How do I style it like a pro?
When it comes to styling your bar cart, resist the urge to fill every centimetre. Leave some breathing space between items on the open, horizontal surfaces of your bar cart – somewhere for the eye to rest. Three or four bottles on display is plenty (the rest can be stored in the pantry). Then add in beautiful cut glassware and cocktail accessories.

Finish off with in a few touches of colour, pattern and texture to excite the eye, such as a small vase of fresh flowers, a pot of herbs, some vintage cocktail stirrers or two or three colourful cocktail books.

Where do I put it?
Set up your bar cart near to where it’s going to be used. This will generally be the living or dining room. Position it against a wall in a spot where no-one is going to bump into it, and be sure to leave some space in front of it so that you’ve got room to fix drinks.

Which glassware would you recommend?
You can’t go past beautiful classic tumblers – I adore their weight and detailing. Some of the latest designs incorporate elements of bright colour, which creates even more impact.

Be careful not to clutter up the horizontal surfaces of your bar cart with glasses. I’d suggesting having around four on display (depending on how many guests you’re expecting over), and keeping the rest stored away. Add in a pair of wine glasses, champagne flutes and snifter (brandy) glasses, if space on your bar cart allows.

What makes for a well-equipped bar cart?
Bar tools, including:

• jigger
• shaker
• bottle opener/corkscrew
• tongs
• muddler
• cocktail spoon
• coasters
• ice bucket
• vodka
• gin
• tequila
• whisky
• rum
• mixers
• juices
• sodas
• tonic water
• bitters