The Ultimate Guide to Styling Your Bar Cart
By: Misty Butcher / la Petite Maison
Bar carts are one of the most versatile and chic design elements you can add to your space. Whether you live in a cozy studio apartment or a grand chateau, a well-styled bar cart can elevate any home. It’s not just for serving drinks—it can transform into a decorative focal point that complements your style and serves multiple purposes.
Why You Need a Bar Cart
A bar cart can be used in a variety of ways during your soiree. Place it near the entrance of your home to serve cocktails as guests arrive, set it up in the living room for a casual nightcap, or keep it in the kitchen to avoid crowding. Beyond just cocktails, a bar cart can double as a charming display for flowers, a sundae bar, or even a small patisserie setup. The possibilities are endless!
Stocking Your Bar Cart
When styling your traditional bar cart, start by deciding which cocktails you’ll serve at your gathering. From there, make sure you have the right essentials:
- Glassware: Choose the appropriate glasses for the drinks you’ll be serving—monogrammed glassware adds a personal touch.
- Bar Tools: Include all the necessary tools such as a cocktail shaker with a strainer, stirring spoon, jigger for measuring, and plenty of fresh ice.
- Garnishes: Add a variety of fresh garnishes like citrus slices or herbs to bring color and flavor to your cocktails.
Other thoughtful touches include pretty cocktail napkins, a small dish of mixed nuts or dried fruit for guests to nibble on, a stylish tea towel for spills, and an elegant ice bucket (which can also be used to hold a fresh floral arrangement). If you’re really feeling extra, a cocktail recipe book can inspire creativity.
A Tip for Extra Elegance
For a more polished look, consider transferring your spirits into crystal decanters instead of leaving the original bottles on display. This can help eliminate any clutter and elevate the overall aesthetic of your bar cart.
Styling Tips
- Top Shelf: Keep the most used items within easy reach, like bar tools, a decanter filled with your signature spirit, cocktail napkins, and garnishes. You can also add a mini bouquet of fresh flowers or a small dish of mixed nuts and dried fruit.
- Lower Shelf: Reserve the bottom shelf for things like glassware, additional fruit or garnishes, a cocktail recipe book, and a tea towel for quick clean-ups. If your bar cart has the space, stash a few bottles of wine here too.
Time to Host
Now that your bar cart is perfectly styled, it’s time to plan your next gathering! Roll out your bar cart, dress it up with beautiful glassware, decanters filled with your favorite spirits, fresh flowers, and all the necessary bar tools and garnishes. Your guests will appreciate the effort, and you’ll have everything you need for a fabulous evening.
Cheers!
-Misty Butcher
About the Author:
Hi, I’m Misty Butcher, the founder of La Petite Maison. My small business offers decorating services with a personal touch, inspiring and guiding clients to live beautifully in a way that resonates with their unique style and vision.
As a wife, mom, passionate female founder, and home décor blogger, I’ve always prioritized living beautifully. This concept can mean different things to different people, and La Petite Maison is here to help you realize your unique vision. When you surround yourself with what beauty means to *you*, you begin to live beautifully. I’m thrilled to share this journey with you, and I can’t wait to see how we can create beauty together.
Ever since I was a young girl, I’ve been “designing.” Whether it was my Barbie Dream House, my own bedroom, or helping my mom and Nanie with their seasonal decorations, I was always creating something. I grew up in a charming little bedroom with gingham wallpaper-covered walls, old wood floors, a canopy poster bed draped in sunny yellow eyelet fabric, and a girly white wooden dresser. My mom recalls that several times a year, I would ask my dad to rearrange the furniture in my room to create a fresh new space. I often remember clearing my dresser of trinkets, stashing certain things away in the closet, and rearranging things—repeatedly. This passion for design and living beautifully has only grown as I’ve gained more experience and knowledge over the years.
I invite you to take a peek at @la.petite.maisonnc on Instagram, where I share everything related to Home and Garden, Entertaining, Recipes, and Travel. Your interest and support mean the world to me, and I can’t wait to share more with you! Don’t forget to hit that follow button to stay updated with the latest home décor and lifestyle inspiration.
Photos provided by: Misty Butcher
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