How to be the perfect party hostess and set up a perfect bar cart

Serve your guests in style

By Natalie-Elizabeth Tan - 8 Nov 2022

Credit: @audenzahome, @societysocial/instagram

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Aspiring to be the perfect dinner party hostess? A well-stocked bar cart is just what you need to raise your game. Convenient and stylish, a bar cart doubles up as furniture and decor, perfect for showing off your favourite tipple. It’s a conversation starter too — just imagine rolling one of these out at the end of a meal.

You may not even have to purchase a bar cart, as you probably already have a trolley lying around at home which you can easily repurpose. (If you don't, stay tuned till the end to see some of our favourite picks!)

Anyway, it's time to dust that trolley off — we’ve got some suggestions on how you can start your own bar cart, along with ideas for fun ways you can dress the cart up! During a dinner party, you can even turn it into a lil’ cocktail station with some mixers, simple syrups and shakers. How cute would that be?

You need: Cocktail recipe books

Credit: Amazon

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These cocktail recipe books serve more than one function, as they not only contain helpful information but will also look pretty sitting on your bar cart as decor. We especially love these books about making simplified (but no less yummy!) cocktails at home.

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You need: Wine cooler

Credit: WMF

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Alcohol aside, the second most important thing you’ll need for your bar cart would be a wine cooler. WMF’s Clever&More stylish double-walled wine cooler is perfect for serving any wine or bubbly at the perfect temperature throughout your meal.

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You need: Cocktail bar tool set

Credit: WMF

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Transform your bar cart from a pretty storage space to a convenient cocktail station with a bar tool set. This sleek WMF set consists of a shaker with an integrated strainer, a cap that serves as a measuring cup, toothed ice tongs and a handy wooden pestle — so you won’t forget to muddle the mint if you’re making a Mojito! Whether it’s an Aperol spritz or a gin and tonic, you’ll serve up cocktails in no time.

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Dress it up with: Drinks — alcoholic and non-alcoholic

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What’s a bar cart without any drinks? Take this opportunity to show off your top-shelf gin, vodka, champagne and more. And while you’re at it, showcase your selection of seltzers and mixers too!

Dress it up with: Framed art

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Turn an otherwise ordinary bar cart into a statement piece of furniture by tying everything together with a framed art piece. Bonus points if the art matches your bar cart!

Dress it up with: Statement lighting

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With a statement lamp like this, your bar cart is guaranteed to be the light of the party. Pun intended.

Dress it up with: Fancy glassware

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If you’ve got it, flaunt it, so show off the pretty silhouettes in your bar cart. This way, it’s more convenient to whip up a drink as well.

Dress it up with: Swanky whiskey decanters

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Ditch the boring (and dare we say) ugly bottles that whiskey comes in, and pour it into these swoon-worthy decanters instead. Doing so also encourages oxidation, giving the whiskey additional depth that some love. You can also do the same with other types of liquor, even if it’s just for aesthetic reasons.

Dress it up with: Fruit bowl

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A fruit bowl is a great way to add a pop of colour to the cart, and you can even use them when making cocktails.

Dress it up with: Gorgeous blooms

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Adding some pretty fresh flowers to the cart is a great way to breathe some life into the bar cart.

Dress it up with: A theme

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One look at this bar cart, and it’s obvious what the theme is. You can easily do the same with your own by adding two or three pieces of decor in the same colour.
Don't own a bar cart just yet? Try one of these stylish options: