10 Great Locations for Your Bar Cart
Save yourself a trip and tip money by playing bartender at home
Michelle Gage
May 21, 2016
Michelle Gage is a Philadelphia-based interior designer with an affinity for playful prints and whimsical designs. Her career began as a buyer for Anthropologie Home where she was tasked with selecting everything from art and antiques to decorative textiles. In 2015, Michelle embarked on her own and founded Michelle Gage Interiors.
*** Please note, as of 2019, we have stopped sharing our new work here. To view our recently-completed projects, please visit michellegage.co.
Michelle Gage is a Philadelphia-based interior designer with an affinity for playful... More
Since having a built-in bar at home isn’t always practical or affordable, a bar cart is a great alternative for entertaining friends and family for not too much space or dough. While parking your bar cart in a living room or den is a popular and perfectly fine option, there’s no need to limit yourself. Here are 10 other spots to consider when playing bartender at home.
1. Entryway welcome. Depending on how rough your day’s been, a bar cart might be the first thing you’d like to see when you walk through the front door. Consider placing a mirror above it, to open up the space and for last-minute primping.
2. Small wall filler. If you’re having a hard time finding the right spot for your bar cart, search your walls and look for the smallest one. Chances are it’s already in need of a little extra love and attention.
3. Below-art standout. After hanging your favorite piece of art, it can be difficult to decorate the space below it. Seating encourages people to face away from the art, while a bar cart allows them to study the piece while also contemplating their next cocktail.
4. Stylish corner. A corner of a room can be a notoriously difficult spot to decorate. A potted plant or an old chair that no one ever sits in are common choices, but a bar cart can add instant interest. This gilded beauty against a wallpapered accent wall creates a captivating vignette.
5. Tucked under the stairs. The space under the stairs is a gold mine for all sorts of uses, from an office space to a powder room to this cozy little nook outfitted with an armchair and bar cart to warmly draw you in.
8 Clever Ideas for the Space Under the Stairs
8 Clever Ideas for the Space Under the Stairs
6. Dining area delight. A bar cart in a dining area can perform double duty. It provides an extra surface for side dishes during dinner and then for a selection of aperitifs during dessert.
7. Kitchen knockout. Let’s face it, as much as we try to make other rooms in our house alluring, when friends and family gather, it’s often in the kitchen. A bar cart makes perfect sense there, not only for hosting guests but for storing the cooking sherry to boot.
8. Office party. Having a bar in your office has a distinct Mad Men feel to it, but you don’t need a swinging midcentury pad to pull it off. A classic bar cart in the corner can be a good way to unwind after a stressful day pushing paper.
9. Take it outside. With summer quickly approaching, there might be no more enjoyable spot to roll out your bar cart than a patio or porch. Feel the warm breezes wash over you with a cool daiquiri in hand.
10. Built-in bar butler. Having a built-in bar is a luxury, but during a busy house party the line there can get pretty backed up. Having a cart on hand allows you to spread the cheer throughout the room.
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A bar cart is a great piece to have in your home. You don't have to be an experienced entertainer to appreciate its value. The design of the cart can be enough to create a statement in your space. Try layering functional accessories on top, mixed with decorative items like plants or figurines.