Geoff and I recently got the cutest little bar cart without actually trying! Well, the truth is we had been looking for one for a few years but never found the right style to suit our decor. Geoff's taste is more masculine and he likes natural wood finishes and clean lines. I, on the other hand, love shiny finishes like mirror, brass or silver and it's not unusual that I'll decorate (and dress) with mix metals in mind. Through trial and error, we realized the mid-century modern aesthetic suits us both beautifully so that's what we lean towards with home decor. We also have an unspoken rule, if we don't love the piece in question then we don't bring it home. I have to admit, this rule is much easier when it comes to my closet because it's just me who has to be happy. With home decor, Geoff has to love it too so it always feels like a triumph when we find a piece that makes us both happy.

So back to the bar cart.

We did some cross-border shopping the other day and went to Target. There was our little bar cart, displayed on the top of a shelf in the home aisle waiting for us. But no really, it was actually the last one in store and we were freaking out a little because the sale price was too good at $68 USD! All of the other bar carts we had previously looked at were $200 upwards and it didn't even remotely leave a lasting impression on us like this one. Long story short, it's ours now.

Once we got the cart home, I started to work o the setup. Geoff knew he wanted all of our booze bottles on display and I knew I wanted to get some cute quirky little decor bits and bob.

Decorating without the help of Pinterest was interesting, to say the least. I thought I had a good grasp of how I wanted to style everything but I got overwhelmed quickly. That's when I took out the iPad and hit my Woahstyle Home board on Pinterest. From there it took me minutes to get everything in order and I was able to move in with my day. 

Here's with the perfect bar cart should look like. 

The Perfect Bar Cart

Start with the perfect bar cart that will suit your home and your personal taste. Think about how it'll flow with the rest of your decor. Do you prefer a metal finish? Wood? Brass? Silver? Acrylic? Like I said in the intro, Geoff is more keen on natural wood finishes and I prefer metals like brass. We found the ideal cart to suit both of our needs and the overall style of cart blends perfectly with our mid-century modern aesthetic. If you're more on the minimal side, look for something with clean lines a sleek finish.

Think Green

Back in the day, I was a stylist for a television channel and every time I dressed my sets I would incorporate plants. They happen to be fake because we were under hot studio lights that were only on while we were filming and otherwise the lights on set would be off. Having real plants wouldn't have worked in the TV environment but I was adamant that plants, fake or not, were necessary for livening up the sets. I use the same philosophy at home, and my living room is sprinkled with cacti and snake plants throughout. I figure my new bar cart shouldn't be any different so I added a real plant on the top level and a faux orchid that my mom gifted me on the bottom level where it gets less light. (Also I don't have to worry about my cats munching on it.) If you're curious about what plants are excellent for low light settings, make sure to check out my post on 10 Low maintenance indoor plants.

Art

It's no surprise that I love art - everything from abstract to whimsical, animated and Renaissance, I love it all. I'm also very lucky because my brother is an artist and I have a few of his paintings displayed around my home.

Whether your into photography or paintings, hanging artwork above your bar cart will give it some life and personality and it'll provide your guests with conversation starter as they pour themselves another drink!

Make it Personal

Just like fashion, your home decor should reflect your personality. In the entire three years of WoahStyle I've always said "forget the trends and buy what you love". This holds true to home decor as well and in particular, styling your bar cart.

Here are the three key things I went for when styling our bar cart: 

1. Something shiny (the mirrored tray I laid down on the first level of the bar cart)

2. Something scented (my seasonal candle and diffuser from Nest! Right now I love the Pumpkin Chai scent which was gifted to me by the brand.)

3. Something whimsical (the gold pineapple and brass alligator head that I've had for ages!)

Sure, the pineapple and the alligator head don't exactly go together and if you want to be technical, neither does the scent of Pumpkin Chai but I could care less. These little trinkets make me insanely happy and they reflect my personality. 

The mirrored tray serves well too. The reflective surface brings in light and femininity to an otherwise masculine bar cart (because of the wood grain). It also acts as an excellent surface for my guests to pour their drinks and I don't have to worry about spills. 

Bar & Glassware

I LOVE classic glassware. There was a time when Geoff and I were trying to go the more modern route with stemless wine glasses but we never ended up using them. We also never used the martini glasses, shot glasses and cocktail shakers we had so we ended up donating them all! These days we usually reach for the classics, a good old wine glass from Riedel and some lovely tumblers that were a gift by a family member. An ice bucket is a non-negotiable and we have a simple clear glass one that we keep in storage until it's ready to be used. Other things that could be helpful are tongs (for said ice bucket), napkins and stir sticks. At the end of the day though you have to create your bar in mind with how you and your guests prefer your drinks. As I mentioned before, we used to be fully loaded with a variety of glassware that proved to be useless for us.

I hope this helps you in styling your own bar cart at home or at least gives you some ideas on how to decorate a corner in your living room. I've also included the above image which helped me tremendously when putting mine together. If you aren't already on Pinterest, you need to get on it! It's such an amazing resource for ideas, decor, and fashion. Make sure you add me @woahstyle!