Building the Perfect Homemade Bar Cart for Your Space
The perfect blend of style and functionality, homemade bar carts are a great way to show off your unique design aesthetic when entertaining guests. From the cart itself to the bottles and glasses decorating the shelves, there are endless ways to enhance any space with a bar cart.
How to Build a Homemade Bar Cart
When it comes to bar carts, the options are virtually endless. While some homeowners opt to buy a readymade cart, others prefer a more customizable approach to fit their style. Opting to build your own gives you the chance to pick and choose your favorite features, resulting in the perfect piece for your space.
Material
Choosing a material for your bar cart is about both style and functionality. Metal, wood, stone and glass can all be used to create the perfect aesthetic to match your home. Remember that the surface will be in contact with liquids and other potentially staining substances on a regular basis. Finishing the surface accordingly will help keep cleaning and maintaining your cart simple. It is also important to take into account whether you will be using your cart inside or outside as outdoor pieces will require additional planning and finishing to protect the materials against harmful elements.
Shelves, Racks & Drawers
How many shelves do you want to showcase on your cart? Will you keep it simple with just one or add some variety with a few? You can even build you bar cart with adjustable or removable shelves to allow for added customization options as needed. Do not forget to incorporate a rack to keep glassware secure and easy for guests to reach.
Prep Space
Adding a cutting board and additional prep space to your cart ensures everything you need for the perfect cocktail is right there in one place. No need to run back and forth from the kitchen to chop up lemons, limes and other garnishes.
Ice
Ice buckets can take up a lot of space on a bar cart. Adding a built-in place for ice is both convenient for entertaining and gives you more space for other essentials without overcrowding the shelves.
Wheels & Handles
Consider whether you want your cart to be mobile or not. If there is more than one space in your home where you plan on entertaining, you will likely want to add some wheels to your setup to make relocation simple. Handles also make it much easier to maneuver your cart without risking a spill or break.
Even if you do not plan on building your own cart, compiling a list of desired features can help you narrow down available options to find the perfect piece!
What to Put on Your Bar Cart
Once you have built your perfect homemade bar cart, it is time to fill it up.
Tools
There are a few essential tools you should always keep on your cart for easy cocktail crafting. The perfect bar cart will include:
For an even more authentic bar feel, you can also set out a citrus juicer and a peeler to add that extra garnish to a cocktail.
Your bar cart tools are not just functional, they also add to the aesthetic of the cart. For example, opting for copper or gold sets will bring a different quality to the style than traditional silver. Consider the look you are going for and plan your tools accordingly for a more well-rounded design.
Glasses
Remember to keep your cart fully stocked with a good mix of glasses so guests can find the right option for their drink. A mix of high ball, rocks and wine glasses is typically enough, though you can add as many types as you would like.
Liquor
The list of what to put on your bar cart would not be complete without the drink ingredients—after all, what is a bar cart without the liquor? Most bar carts include the five basic spirits:
Once you have the core spirits, you can add any other favorites you have space for—brandy, amaretto, Kahlua, whatever suits your style. Be careful not to overcrowd the shelves, though.
Mixers
You will also want to make space for mixers, both liqueurs and non-alcoholic ingredients. Consider stocking your bar cart with:
Pick and choose which favorites to keep on hand or plan a cocktail menu for an event to make sure your cart has all the ingredients you will need.
Décor
Make it your own! You can choose to add a vase of flowers or some fun coasters for an extra pop of color. Or maybe you want to set out a book of cocktail recipes for a more functional decoration—the options are endless. Oftentimes, the liquor bottles, with all their unique shapes and colors, can serve as decorations in their own rite. Even the bowls you choose for ice, citrus or other garnishes are a great way to spice up your cart. Get creative with it!
With so many amazing spaces to choose from, your Britton home is the perfect place to entertain. For inspiration on the best spot to showcase your homemade bar cart, check out our gallery.