Bar Carts make for a great addition to your home décor. They are also perfect for entertaining. Many people believe bar carts are only for those who drink, but that totally is not the case. If you are a nondrinker or simply do not want alcohol in your home, their are many different ways to style your cart without them. Below are 5 helpful tips you can use when styling your bar cart.

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE

One thing you want to keep in mind when styling a bar cart is to keep it simple. There’s nothing worse then having too much going on with your bar cart or anything in life really. Some say less is more, I don’t agree with that when it comes to styling a bar cart. I think you should feel up the space, but simplify it so that others don’t become overwhelmed when they are looking at it . When styling a bar cart, such as this one, I like to section the shelves into 3 invisible sections.

Doing that allows me to measure the space I am working with and I am able to determine what items work best with what. For example, I am not much of a drinker but I do like entertaining guest,  I put items on the top shelf that are easily accessible to those that want to fix themselves a drink. Glasses, mixers and drinks are perfect for the top shelf of a bar cart because they are most of the items needed for someone to fix themselves a drink.

 2. USE ACCESSORIES

Accessories are a great why to allow you bar cart to stand out. They are also the things that make your bar cart your own. If you are into unique sculptures or cool sayings, add them to your bar cart. Trays make great accessories to your cart.  They are also a perfect why to organize the things on your bar cart, allowing the space not to look so cluttered. I personally love trays, I like to mixed them up when it comes to the shape. If I am using a square tray for my top shelf, I will more than likely use a round one for my top shelf.

I also like to mix up the colors. My bar cart is mostly acrylic and I love gold, so I purchased a gold tray and an acrylic in two different shapes. I really love candles so I added a few of them to my bar cart as well. When styling your bar cart think, opposites attract. I try may best not to but the same exact items next to each other on the cart.

3. GO GREEN

I think plants are a great way to make any space come to life. Adding a real or artificial plant to your bar cart will give it a nice touch and make it your own. I decided to go with an artificial small plant because I do not have a green thumb at all. If you do not have the space or simply do not want plants on your bar cart, try putting one next to the cart, it is a great alternative. Size is totally up to you, I like small so that I can add more items on my cart but going big is a great way to fill up space.

4. GOT BOOKS?

I am obsessed with books of all kind. I have books all over my home as decorative props and for reading. I think books are great way to elevate an area. They also give balance if you are looking to make your items the same height. When adding books to my décor, I usually stack no more than 3 but to each their own. I also try to get books related to the area I am decorating. Because this is a bar cart, I went with liquor related books. One happen to have great drink recipes which is perfect for entertaining guest.

5. ONLY THE GOOD STUFF

You know how the saying goes, if you got it, flaunt it. I definitely believe this statement is true, even for a bar cart. Your cart will be on display for others to see so you want to make sure you have “the good stuff”. Don’t get me wrong. that doesn’t mean breaking the bank in order to fill up your cart with expensive liquor.

What I am saying is display items that are aesthetically pleasing. I love when liquor companies partner with fashion brands to design limited addition bottles. I also support black owned brands like Ciroc and D’usse because their aren’t that many. I also like to buy popular drinks that I know others like, such as Hennessy and Crown Royal. But what about non-drinkers? Many people do not drink or don’t want alcohol of any kind in their home.

Instead of adding liquor to your bar cart, sparkling water, cider and even soda is great substitutes. I still say only the best, no off brand sparkling waters or sodas, in my opinion. Because those items are usually smaller than a bottle of liquor, lining this up in rows of 2 or 3 can feel your cart quicker. You can also mix both, liquor and non alcohol beverages to bring balance and give your guest more options to choose from.

However you decide to style your bar cart, remember to have fun with it and make it your own. There is no right or wrong way to do it. What is even better is that you can always change it up depending on the season, the space or your mood. Do you have a bar cart?