A bar cart is more than a place to store your cut-crystal decanter and matching glassware (but those highballs will look so good on those glass shelves!). This portable piece of furniture has so much potential. It could inspire your next theme party (martinis shaken, not stirred), become a focal point in your decor, or even help you enjoy a soothing spa day.
Take a look at the many ways you can use a bar cart in your home decor, then explore our favorite carts for every function.
6 Clever ways to use a bar cart
Many people buy this multi-functional piece of furniture and then confine it to a corner of their living room. But, it has wheels for a reason, and we think it’s going places. Here are some ideas about how to use your bar cart.
1. Become the host with the most
If you want a bar cart for all the classic reasons, then you can use this timeless piece as nature intended — to entertain. Put on a show with your bartending skills by wheeling your cart into the middle of the room for a little mixology. Or, set out batched drinks with a punch bowl and ice bucket.
Make appetizers more accessible by adding a removable tray to your bar cart. A tray will allow you to pass out snacks and then set them back on the cart when everyone’s had their fill. Basically, your bar cart will act as your co-host for the evening, greeting guests with food and refreshments.
2. Serve a different kind of beverage
A beverage cart isn’t confined to adult beverages. You can turn your bar cart into a juice station in the morning, or wheel it out to serve coffee and tea at the end of a long party. A porcelain tea set looks so beautiful on a vintage bar cart you may even want to make it a permanent part of your decor.
3. Make it a breakfast cart
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Treat it that way by making it an event — a breakfast cart will make you slow down and savor your morning.
Use your bar cart as a serving cart to display milk and cereal, bagels and cream cheese, or jam and toast. Wheel it into the dining room and enjoy!
4. Turn it into a relaxation station
This versatile cart can offer its services beyond the living and dining room. Bring it into the bathroom to create an upscale utility cart. Stock it with bubble bath, cotton balls, essential oils, and fresh towels. Then, keep it beside your bath or shower, and reach for it anytime you need a little pampering.
5. Create an arts & crafts cart
Most people don’t think of adding a bar cart to their child’s playroom, but as long as you don’t stock it with adult beverages, this piece of furniture is perfect for the kiddos. Top your cart with pencil holders and bins, and stock it with pens, pencils, chalk, and coloring books.
If you don’t have a dedicated playroom, the cart can serve as a play station. You can wheel it into the living room, dining room, or their bedroom, depending on where your little one wants to play each day.
6. Make a home for your houseplants
With its open shelves, a bar cart doesn’t just provide storage — it also creates a visual display. So, use it to display your greenery.
Place your bar cart beneath a window so your plants get plenty of sun. When the seasons change, you can wheel the cart to a brighter or dimmer window to ensure your plant friends get the right amount of light all year round.
8 Bar carts with an extra shot of style
Stocking your bar cart is half the fun. The other half is finding your favorite design. These carts range from traditional to art deco to mid century modern. Find one that matches your home decor and offers all the storage space you need.
1. 2-Tier Mirrored Serving Cart in Brass
If you love Gatsby-era elegance, add a little art deco design to your home with this retro bar cart. The geometric metal frame features a glamorous gold finish, and the glass top shelf is begging to be topped with a pyramid of champagne coupes — although, we don’t recommend rolling the cart around with a pyramid of glasses on top. Luckily, this design has locking casters to keep it in place while guests grab their drinks.
2. 2-Tier Serving Cart in Merlot and Brass
This rolling bar cart makes a beautiful addition to any traditional-style home. Two tiers of wood shelves offer space to organize your barware, and the three-bottle wine rack on the bottom tier gives you room to display your favorite vintage or your finest brandy. Roll this cart out when company comes, and everyone will feel like they’ve stepped back in time.
3. Glass Shelf Serving Cart With Casters in Chrome
The ultimate wine cart, this industrial bar cart has a wine rack with space for 24 bottles. Plus, it has three stemware racks for your wine glass and three shelves for all the cheese and charcuterie pairings you can eat. The clean lines and gleaming metal design look like they belong in a professional kitchen, so you’ll feel like a sommelier as you sip your wine next to this design.
4. Chanel 2-Tier Serving Cart in Brass and Clear
This glam bar cart harkens back to the Hollywood Regency era. It was a time of opulence and elegance, and this cart checks both boxes with its acrylic and gold frame. The combination looks like a piece of dramatic costume jewelry, ready for a lavish party.
With both style and substance, this cart offers multiple ways to organize your barware. Hang your wine glasses from the stemware racks under the top shelf, and organize your wine bottles in the wine bottle holders on the bottom shelf. It’s everything you need to host an Old Hollywood party that would make Katharine Hepburn proud.
5. Kitchen Cart With Granite Top in Black
If you’re worried your extensive collection of barware and booze is too much for a traditional bar cart, consider a rolling kitchen island instead. This island offers the convenient locking casters you’d expect from a bar cart, plus it has a wine rack and multiple stemware racks.
The ample storage space includes a bottom shelf, a storage cabinet, and two drawers, so you’ll have room for everything from your wine bottle opener to your aged whiskey and your craft cocktail books. The granite countertop, clean lines, and black finish offer a versatile design.
6. 2-Tier Serving Cart With Glass Top in Chrome and Clear
This bar cart sports contemporary style with its metal frame, glass top shelf, and mirrored bottom shelf. The curved design of the metal guardrails provide a romantic contrast to the cart’s sleek materials. With two open shelves, you have space to organize this cart however your heart desires.
7. 3-Tier Serving Cart in Chrome and Clear
Another metal bar cart, this 3-tier design has an elegant, old-fashioned feel that will look right at home in your traditional or transitional style home. The caster wheels in front and whimsical spoke wheels behind, give this model an extra smooth ride. Meanwhile, the three glass shelves provide more options for organization.
8. 2-Shelve Serving Cart in Chrome and White
The elegant, round shape of this cart will match your mid-century modern aesthetic. Made with a metal frame and two frosted glass shelves, this cart has a small footprint — you can squeeze into a tight corner when it’s not in use — but it also offers plenty of space.
There are two stemware racks below the top shelf, and on bottom, there are three wine bottle holders. You can easily pass around drinks and hors d’oeuvres all night long.
These carts set the bar
Whether you want your bar cart to have plenty of room for wine bottles or house plants, these options offer storage and style.
Bar carts are the perfect place to display your most treasured items. Maybe it’s your vintage stemware. Maybe it’s an antique tea set. Or maybe it’s a succulent that you’ve had since before you got your grown-up furniture. A clever little bar cart can handle it all.
If you’re ready to get a handle on your barware, browse our complete collection of bar carts and kitchen carts. These stylish pieces will keep the good times rolling.
CoasterEssence
Shepard Kitchen Cart with Granite Top Black
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