Gina Speed
Your liquor cabinet can be one of the most hospitable setups in any hostess’ home. Thoughtful bar cart styling can showcase your goods and keep things handy for guests. A properly stocked cart will include specialty glassware, mixers, and more. Here are a few quick tips to get you started.
Man Men Bar Cart Styling
A vintage cabinet might be a good choice if you love mid-century modern decor and Mad Men. One of the best bar cart styling techniques is to keep fun essentials organized into groupings. Put all of the liquor in one space, mixers in another, and fun extras dotted throughout. You can accomplish the same effect without alcohol—just display your favorite mocktail gear instead. Add a standing plant for visual interest and a lovely portrait as a focal point.
Party Time
Display party goodies in a little unused nook or corner before the event. You can create a beverage station using bar cart styling and extend your table space to another area of the room. This is a little hostess trick to get guests to move about and mingle.
The Brown Stuff
Whiskey drinkers and the like might enjoy a more conservative setup. Give some bar cart styling to an end table that is within reach of your favorite easy chair. A rack of high ball glasses and a few coasters are usually sufficient for the discriminatory type. Add some sultry bossa nova beats and you are in store for a night of chill.
Cabinets Made For This
Another favorite idea is to invest in a beautiful lacquered cabinet (this one is from Anthropologie) that safely stores delicate glassware. You can create some simple bar styling on top of the cabinet and store the rest behind closed doors. Use bar trays to keep things organized and together. We love the mirrored backdrops because they really make that glassware sparkle. Opening up this cabinet feels like you’ve found a treasure trove!
Rustic + Vintage
Old school Bohemian types should use vintage cabinets and every craft cocktail staple known to man. Bar cart styling can be as simple as all of the alcohol on one shelf and dishware tucked beneath. Use our Bohemian eclectic tablescapes for more inspiration. Add an antique mirror to double the maximalism effect. Perfect for a Spanish-themed party way into May.
Modern-day Hutch
Remember grandma’s hutch full of delicate china? You can get the same effect with a little bar cart styling in a smaller cabinet. Add vintage tea cups to the mix and crystal that you actually use. Store everything in a mid-sized cabinet and use our console styling tips for the top. This would be a perfect place to add an antique landscape painting or something similar.
Keep it Stylin’
Once you’ve got your cabinet set up, it’s important to keep it regularly stocked. There is nothing sadder than bar cart styling that withers and wanes throughout the months. Adding one or two often-used items to your shopping list will keep things fresh and fun. Experiment with new mixers and invest in glassware that will make your guests swoon.