If there’s one thing we never shy away from at EyeSwoon HQ, it’s a design challenge. We revel in the struggle and the uncomfortability of the tension that it brings because as the old adage goes, nothing in this life that’s worth anything comes easy—and therein lies the beauty! My mind thinks it yearns for serenity and calm, but truth be told it feels the most invigorated and alive when it’s amidst that push and pull, that friction, and resistance that only good design can summon. Our latest design challenge? How to style a bar cart.
Now, that we are re-emerging like a chrysalis from our quarantine lives and welcoming friends back into our homes for intimate gatherings again, it’s time to give our humble home bars a visual overhaul. When it comes to styling a bar cart, approach it as you would a room. Think about cohesion & contrast, tension, verticality, depth, and meaning just as you would any other space in your home.
Ready to get started? Follow these five tips for how to style a bar cart and welcome friends (and fun) back home!
- Consider Verticality
Height and scale are critical styling tools in design. They keep the eye interested by providing varying layers to land upon as they scan the room. This strategy can also be applied to your bar cart. Play around with different objects from short to tall to deliver that Alice in Wonderland effect that works so well in a room on each level of your cart. - Use Ingredients as Decorative Objects
It’s as Athena always says: Give me a surface and I’ll give you some style. Give me fresh ingredients and I’ll give you some flavor. Give me tequila and I’ll give you some fun. Anyone who knows Athena knows that tequila is her spirit of choice. I mean, what’s not to love really? Build your bar with the spirits, liquors, and aperitifs you love, and arrange bottles together with varying design appeal, shapes, and sculptural qualities to add that visual interest. Style them in groupings as you would decorative objects keeping height, texture, and tone in mind. - Add Natural Elements
As you know, Athena loves a branch. Placing seasonal verdant and sculptural clippings into your room brings color, texture, and connection to the world around you. So, when in doubt, always turn to Mother Nature for inspiration—yes, even when styling your bar cart! Think fresh flowers and foliage brimming out of a tall glass vase or small vintage vessel, a bowl of citrus or seasonal fruit for muddling and garnishing, and living herbs in a glass of water. - Don’t Dismiss Seasonality
We love to design and cook with the changing seasons and styling a bar cart is no different. Let the seasons be your guide when it comes to what you stock your cart with. Perhaps you prefer a port in the winter and a spritz in the summer. Switch out your liquor and spirits to suit the season. And when the flowers come out in spring, clip some from the garden or pick out some cherry blossoms from the local flower market then sprinkle a little of that natural magic into your bar cart. - Keep It Minimal
A bar cart doesn’t have to be fully stocked at all times. The key is to edit, edit, edit, and only include the things you really love (just like a room!). So add what you love and remove what you don’t, keep your cart clear of clutter and show off only the prettiest bottles and glasses.
I hope these tips help.
