With the new year fast approaching, many people are taking down their trees and turning their attention to the next big holiday that’s soon to follow…New Year’s Eve. If you’re planning to host this year, then you’ll need to be ready to celebrate!

One of the best ways to prepare is understanding how you can style your living room bar cart. This simple piece is instrumental in making sure everyone has something festive to ring in 2022. Let’s get started on all the basics.

Where to Put Your Bar Cart

Not everyone has a built-in bar in their home and creating one isn’t always practical or affordable. For this reason, you’ve likely purchased a bar cart. Now the questions come of where to put it and how to style it.

For the first question, feel confident that there are numerous different ways to do this correctly. There’s no one “correct” location. Consider all the following spots:  

·      Entryway

·      Small wall

·      Below art

·      Stylish corner

·      Under the stairs

·      Dining area

·      Kitchen

·      Office

·      Outside

Only you know which the right pick is based on the layout of your house and where you plan to have guests.

What Can You Put on a Bar Cart Besides Alcohol?

You’ll want to fill some of the space on your bar cart with drinks, but it doesn’t all have to be alcohol. Consider a coffee or tea station and decorate the cart in fun festive ways.

Here are some other fun ideas that you can keep on your cart.

·      Colorful straws

·      Custom napkins

·      Greenery (i.e., flowers, succulents, festive plants, a growing herb)

·      A book with drink recipes

·      NYE props like streamers and party hats

How to Style a Bar Tray Instead

If you simply don’t have the square footage for a bar cart, consider a bar tray. This allows you to store all of your supplies on a rimmed tray that can be placed anywhere. People often store a bar tray on a bookcase, side table, deep window ledge, etc.

 When styling a bar tray, you’ll need to be a bit more selective about what you put on there. You likely won’t have as much room for accessories. We’d recommend placing a few pre-made beverages, some garnish, and any must needed supplies (i.e., cocktail shaker, ice bucket, napkins, etc.). Everything else can be stored in the kitchen or out of sight.

Final Thoughts

Preparing and styling your bar cart or tray in advance allows your guests to access drinks whenever necessary. For more bar art inspiration, check out our blog on Redesigning a Vintage Bar Cart.