Bar Cart Living Room Ideas
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If you love entertaining at home, a bar cart is an essential piece of furniture for your living space. Previously seen as a relic of the past, the bar cart (also called a drinks trolley or serving cart) has become a fashionable way to display your favourite spirits and glassware, whilst having the functionality of a moving bar.
There are a few things to consider when buying a drinks trolley. Choose a size that won't take up too much space in your home, but one that will still enable you to serve in style, and think about how many shelves you want for bottles and glassware, or additional compartments to hold an ice bucket or garnishes, for example.
Also consider the material and design and how that correlates with your interior scheme. For example, a gold bar cart would probably look out of place amongst country and rustic-inspired interiors. While gold bar carts are all the rage (especially on Instagram) for adding the right amount of luxe to any space, don't rule out a more minimalist or vintage-inspired drinks trolley either. And, if you're hosting a garden party during summer, then invest in an outdoor drinks trolley.
Either way, we've rounded up some of the most stylish bar carts for your home, all with castor wheels so you can effortlessly move it around, without the restriction of having it in one space.
Gold Drinks Trolley
Jakson 2 Tier Gold Drinks Trolley
With a reflective rose gold finish, this sleek, two-tier drinks trolley on wheels is complete with black tempered glass.
Black Bar Cart
Cole Glass Bar Cart, Black
John Lewis & Partners + Swoon
£199.00
Sleek, refined and with an industrial-inspired edge, this bar cart is ideal for your next dinner party. Two mirrored shelves provide a reflective base for your barware and bottles.
Gold Drinks Trolley
Antique Style Gold Metal Drinks Trolley
Rockett St George
£225.00
This drinks trolley is made from gold metal with a mirrored surface on both levels. We love the gorgeous intricate detailing on the top shelf, which gives it a rather lovely vintage look.
Glamorous Drinks Trolley
Bronzed Venice Drinks Trolley
Ella James Notonthehighstreet.com
£590.00
With a nod to Art Deco, we love this glamorous drinks trolley in a stunning brass finish. Curate the shelves with your favourite wines and cocktails.
Black Drinks Trolley
Fine Bar Drinks Trolley - Black
Bloomingville amara.com
£229.00
This sleek Scandi style drinks trolley has two glass shelves and a large handle at the back for easy manoeuvrability.
Outdoor Drinks Trolley
Alfresco Rattan Outdoor Bar Drinks Trolley
Rockett St George
£250.00
Bring the party outdoors to your garden with this black and brown rattan effect drinks trolley. You can roll it wherever you need, and there are six compartments to securely store bottles without the worry of them toppling over.
Square Drinks Trolley
Aero Drinks Trolley, Brass
We love this squared, sleek and refined drinks trolley, with an industrial-inspired design. Perfect for barware and bottles - this small bar trolley is ideal to easily transport between rooms thanks to the metal castors.
Rattan Drinks Trolley
Bali Natural Rattan Bar Drinks Trolley
Bali oliverbonas.com
£275.00
With a circular silhouette and three woven rattan shelves, this vintage-inspired drinks trolley will create a bohemian style statement in your home.
Round Bar Cart
Luxe Round Bamboo Gold Drinks Trolley Bar Cart
This rough luxe gold bar cart boasts a mixture of marble and two burnished mirrored shelves, plus castor wheels.
Black Bar Trolley
Black Steel Bar Trolley
Ella James notonthehighstreet.com
£195.00
Perfect for a contemporary home, this black steel bar cart is both sleek and minimalist, and despite being compact in size, boasts three shelves for storage.
Small Drinks Trolley
Harper Drinks Trolley
Limited on space? Choose a small drinks trolley instead. This circular gold bar cart is perfect for keeping spirits and glassware close to hand. Crafted from metal and tempered glass, it comes complete with a convenient handle and castors.
Antique Drinks Trolley
Pimlico Antique Brass Drinks Trolley
Crafted from iron and mirrored glass, this drinks trolley is finished in an antique brass effect with a convenient handle and wheels for manoeuvrability.
Whether you're a mixologist, a great host, or both, the most important thing to remember is that bar carts don't always have to be used for drinks. They're great decorative pieces of furniture, and could also be ideal for storage, whether that's displaying your favourite coffee table books or a potted plant.
Swoon
It's important that your drinks trolley looks good too, so to ensure it's just as stylish as the rest of your home, we speak to five interior design experts on how to style a bar cart.
1. Incorporate statement glassware
Joules
Gin Glasses and Ice Bucket Gift Set, Clear, 5 Pieces
LSA International johnlewis.com
£80.00
No drinks trolley is complete without glassware, but think carefully about what you will be serving, and stock accordingly.
'Bar carts create a sense of occasion in any sitting room as they are a perfect accompaniment for entertaining guests, but no bar cart is complete without beautiful glassware,' says Ivana Allain, Studio Director at Helen Green Design. 'We recommend a statement decanter or two for airing wines, and simple but practical wine glasses and tumblers. The longer and thinner the glassware, the nicer it is to hold and the more elegant its appearance.'
2. Use the top and bottom of the bar cart
If you have a multilevel bar cart, it's important to use both the top and bottom to balance its décor. Too many bottles on one side can make it appear cluttered, so place bottles of similar weights at opposite sides on different levels. Of course, this doesn't have to be a perfect symmetry.
'Always put bottles on the bottom and glassware at the top of a bar cart,' says Eva Leone, Studio Director at Lawson Robb. 'This is both practical, as it is safer to put heavier items at the bottom. Bar carts do not have to be used exclusively for drinks and glassware. You can place accessories such as vases, small sculptures or flowers to create an alternative use for your bar cart that focusses on sculptural art.'
Arteriors
3. Leave space for flowers
The easiest way to create a casual but charming bar cart is to incorporate natural elements into it. Whilst bar carts can be busy in terms of d̩cor, leaving room for flowers can make the drink station seem approachable instead of intimidating Рchoose tall vases and smaller bouquets to conserve space.
'When you are styling your bar cart don't just think nice whiskies and fancy glasses, plants and flowers bring character and life to your display and soften all that glass and shiny surfaces,' explains Alexandra Laird, Design Manager at Burbeck Interior. 'You could use a hardy succulent or aloe vera for a long-life addition, or you can try a more feminine arrangement of your favourite colourful florals. Also, don't forget herbs as some fresh rosemary snipped from the garden in a nice short vase or even jam jar is not only pretty but adds the perfect flourish to your 6 O'clock G&T!'
FTD.com
4. Use cocktail ingredients as décor
Cocktail garnishes add the finishing touches to your drinks, but why not use the ingredients as décor as well? For example, a mint plant could help liven up the drinks trolley, both visually and through smell, whilst a bowl of citrus may aid visual interest.
'Cocktails have made a real comeback recently. People love to mix drinks at home, so it's important to have different garnishes to add that final touch to any drink,' says James Ashfield, Studio Manager at Rigby & Rigby.
5. Match the season to the choice of drink
So that your bar cart always remains in fashion, match your choice of drink to the season. Not only will this keep your bar cart updated and fresh, but you can centre your designated colour scheme around the colour of the bottles. For example, the autumn season is defined by colourful shades of red, orange, yellow, purple and brown, so it would be good to style the bar cart with bottles of bourbon, fall spices and cranberries.
Alternatively, 'if the season is spring, you could accessorise and style your bar cart with pastel colours to match the alcohol on display,' says Nicki Rodriguez, director of LHR Design. 'For example, rhubarb gin with pieces of rhubarb in the dispenser, would work great in spring. For the warmer, summer season, Pimms is very popular whereas autumn promotes enriching oranges, red and browns, like those found in a whisky or cognac.
'Lastly, Christmas is a fantastic time of the year, with seasonal drinks such as mulled wine. During the festive season, decorate with bowls of cranberries, mistletoe, orange segments and cinnamon sticks.'
FTD.com
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18 small dining tables perfect for compact spaces
Fold and Store
Adler Butterfly Drop Leaf Folding Dining Table and Four Chairs
John Lewis & Partners johnlewis.com
£229.00
This folding dining table and chair set is ideal for smaller kitchens or dining room spaces. Crafted from wood with a natural lacquered finish, it comes complete with four coordinating slatted chairs that can be stored conveniently. It also sits on castors so that you can simply move it around and adjust it to suit your needs.
Table: H75.7 cm x W32-132 cm x D85 cm
Extendable
Padstow Square Extended Dining Table
marksandspencer.com
£399.00
Constructed using sustainable wood, this table is great for compact spaces as it's extendable from 80cm to 160cm. It's finished with a low-sheen lacquer for extra durability.
Dimensions: H73 cm x W80 cm x D80 cm
Wall Mounted
MADE Essentials Izzy Wall Mounted Dining Table, White
This clever little table in an ash veneer with a soft blue interior acts as concealed storage – the interior shelves can hold your tableware and kitchen essentials. Come dinnertime, it folds to seat two people. It's multifunctional furniture at its best.
Dimensions: H78 cm x W56 cm x D17 cm
Console To Dining
Heath 2-4 seater walnut folding table
Look out for clever designs that have another use like this stylish oak dining table that converts into a console table! Even at full size – it seats 2-4 – it's still perfect for smaller homes and it also comes in oak. This is a really practical choice and will look great with bright accessories.
Size: W45 cm x H75 cm x L120 cm
Smart Square
House by John Lewis Crescent 2 Seater Dining Table, White
House by John Lewis johnlewis.com
£59.00
Neat and tidy, this contemporary white square table for two is perfect for small open plan spaces and it's lightweight design will give you an uncluttered feel. The table is made from MDF with a lacquered finish and the black metal frame legs gives a stylish statement.
Dimensions: H73 cm x W70 cm x D70 cm
Small Bench
Compton Ivory Dining Table and Bench Set
This is a great space-saving idea because the benches fit neatly underneath the table when not in use. Crafted from a combination of solid oak, oak veneer, pine and MDF, this is a good solid set that would be great for families. Debbie Drake, Head of Design at Dunelm, says: 'Bench dining tables, whilst being both stylish and practical, are a great option for saving space in your kitchen or dining room. Opt for a square or rectangular table, which can be pushed flush against a wall and used as a side board when it's not dinner time.'
Dimensions: H76 cm x W 135 cm x D80 cm
Coffee to Dining
MADE Essentials Rhys Dining Into Coffee Table, White
If you don't want to choose between a coffee and dining table, this ultra-modern gloss-white finish table with powder coated black legs will offer you the best of both worlds. From a low-level coffee table, simply pull the table upward and extend come dinnertime.
Dimensions: H76 cm x W120 cm x D90 cm
Scandi Style
Maison – Extendable Dining Set – Grey
It can be useful to have a table that does extend, so if you do move to a large space you can use it. This stylish Scandi-looking design with a white resin-based laminate top gives a light and airy feel and looks great against a white wall as it blends in, helping to create an illusion of space. The wood effect legs pair well with the contemporary top giving it a modern feel and it's available as a set with four chairs.
Table: L.106-136 cm x W.80 cm x H.75 cm
Small and Round
New Starburst 120 cm Round Dining Table
Circular tables work brilliantly visually due to not having any edges. A top tip is to look out for styles that have cleverly placed legs so that you can easily tuck in chairs. Karen McLaughlin, Head of Category Furniture at Very, explains: 'If your dining area is small or limited a round table will help keep the space open rather than constricting you and will avoid protruding corners.
'Armless chairs can visually enhance the space and enable you to easily store them underneath the table. Keeping the tones light will allow the space to feel airy and bright.'
Dimensions: H74 cm x W120 cm x D120 cm
Flip Table
4-8 seater oak flip top table
Made from solid American oak and oak veneers, this flip top table converts from a small four-seater square table to an eight-seater rectangular one in an instant.
Dimensions; W90 cm x H76 cm x D90 cm
Foldable
Alfreda Folding Dining Set with 4 Chairs
With this neat and functional space-saving dining set, the chairs can be folded and stored inside the table, which can also be extended.
Overall table dimensions when fully extended: H120 cm x W80 cm
Breakfast Bar Style
Argos Home Stone Effect Bar Table & 2 Bar Stools
Argos Home argos.co.uk
£133.30
Perfect to use as a freestanding breakfast bar in the kitchen, this bar table creates an instant worktop and dining space. The two metal stools tuck under easily to make the most of your space.
Table size: H105 cm x W60 cm x L120cm
Sleek
Argos Home Lyssa White Gloss Table & 2 Grey Milo Chairs
Argos Home argos.co.uk
£66.00
Perfect for smaller spaces, the high gloss finish and angular silhouette of this table reflects the light. The easy-wipe surfaces are also a dream to keep clean – win-win!
Table size: H76 cm x W80 cm x L80 cm
Circular
Cambourne Stowaway Dining Set
If space is at a premium, this circular dining set might just do the trick, thanks to a sturdy wooden construction and fabric covered bench chairs that neatly tuck underneath when not in use.
Table: H70 cm x W90 cm x D90 cm
Bistro style
Reenan Dining Set with 2 Chairs
Perfect for breakfast, this bistro table features an underneath shelf for magazines and newspapers. The compact design ensures less space is taken up and it's ideal in a kitchen.
Dimensions: L80.5 cm x W38 cm x H74 cm
Streamlined
Means Dining Set with 2 Chairs
A great space-saver, this compact table – made from MDF – is cleverly designed for the chairs to nest neatly within the table frame when not in use.
Dimensions: L90 cm x W47 cm x H 72.5cm
Drop Leaf
Extendable Dining Table
Small yet perfectly formed, this round solid hardwood dining table has two small leaves that mean you can pop it against the wall in a corner when not in use. It could also be used as desk outside meal times if you work from home.
Dimensions: H74 cm x W120 cm x D120 cm
Glass Topped
Helena Glass Dining Table & 4 Grey Chairs
Argos Home argos.co.uk
£200.00
The advantage of a glass topped table is that it allows light to flow through it, not only does this give a contemporary feel, it also makes it an ideal choice for small dining areas. The beech-look legs add a contrast. Choose dining chairs that have similar style to create a cohesive look.
Table size: H75 cm x W80 cm x L120 cm
Source: https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/decorate/display/a31904667/drinks-trolley-bar-cart/
