Home Bar Essentials: How To Organise Bar Carts For Ease And Style
Whether you have a full-fledged home bar or not, a bar cart is an item that not only adds to your decor but also provides you with functionality. A bar cart can reflect your personal style as well as your needs. To organise a bar cart means to look at convenience and practicality as well as the aesthetic value it brings in. Its dual role as a portable (mini) home bar and centrepiece for your living room or kitchen/dining area should be considered a key factor while arranging it.
The Right Bar Cart
How do you know which kind of bar cart is the one for you? While buying a bar cart, take into account your drink choices, your personal style, and the kind of space available for the unit. Keep in mind the various glassware and other items that will be kept in it — from bottles, glasses, equipment for mixing drinks, objects of ornamental or sentimental value etc. Make sure your bar cart has wheels so that it is easy to serve your guests no matter which part of the room they’re in.
Arranging Bar Supplies
Get glassware, liquor, mixers, cocktail shakers, bar utensils, garnishes and any accessories that you need. Ensure you don't overstock as it would affect the functionality of the bar cart and also make it look messy. Place items in a way that the ones most used are also the most accessible. Also, think of the colour scheme, patterns and textures of the bar supplies so that they go well with the cart.
Utensils
Keep tools such as the shaker, barspoon, strainer, jigger and muddler accessible but also easy to put away. You can put them in a compartment allocated for these utensils. Some of these items can also be placed in a container or on hooks if your cart has them.
Glassware
Keep the glasses easy to access but also safe from breakage and dust. They can sit on a shelf or hang from racks. Place your glassware in such a way that it is visible, as it brings a pleasant visual element to the decor. A variety of glassware for different drinks and occasions arranged in a beautiful setting makes your bar cart more inviting.
Bottles
Now is the time to be choosy. Be selective about what you want to display and what goes inside a cabinet. Display your favourites by putting them in the cart's middle or bottom shelf. You can arrange them aesthetically, based on their sizes and shapes, or based on the type of drink. You can use the pyramid technique: tallest bottles go at the back and middle, and the shorter ones sit on the front and sides of the cart. Do ensure your cart isn’t standing in direct sunlight or a part of your home that gets very hot during the day as you would not want the contents of your bottles to be impacted in an adverse way.
Garnishes
Accessorise your bar cart with decorative containers for garnishes. Keep them accessible but safe from contamination. You can also place a small chopping board and knives in the cart.
Finishing Touches
Add graceful and elegant items on your bar cart: You can place a plant on the top shelf or if you like a more boho vibe, hang macrame wall art above the cart. If retro is more your thing, then place a vintage ice bucket on the cart. These elements bring out the beauty of the unit and ensure it goes along with the decor of the rest of your home.
Apart from the above suggestions, you can make your bar cart look refined by choosing stylish containers, neat-looking baskets that will hold tools and napkins, and ceramic bowls for garnishes. A bar cart is the way to go, especially if you entertain on a regular basis.
