Serve With Style — The Bar Cart

Grid Lock Bar Cart

With August right around the corner, summer is in full swing, which means an abun­dance of bar­be­cues to attend and soirees to host! Cock­tail hour has been trans­formed into an all day event and nothing is quite as refreshing as an ice cold drink to relieve you from the blis­tering heat. Guest, host, or even the one-​​and-​​done party planner, everyone needs to know how to style the per­fect bar cart. Make sure to pick up all of our must-​​haves and jot down some notes to ensure for the hassle free, never dry, summer gathering!

Rupert Bar Cart

1. THE Bar Cart- It’s not dif­fi­cult to realize that at a party, people like to drink, and it is your job to supply them with said bev­er­ages. What many people do not reg­ister is how the pre­sen­ta­tion of drinks can set the tone for the party and is a dis­tant reflec­tion of them­selves. The actual cart is the base for the rest of the sup­plies, and without a solid base the latter can crumble around it. While looking for the cart keep in mind the look you want to achieve. If you con­sider your­self to be a cre­ative person, try an acrylic cart! The clear acrylic allows for every­thing else to come to the center of atten­tion, so it takes someone with vision and a cre­ative out­look to style it with col­orful and fes­tive offer­ings. If you err towards a more casual look that is ver­sa­tile enough to remain in your kitchen, look for a wooden cart. Wood fin­ishes can vary so pick some­thing that speaks to you and run with it! For the classic host, look for a metal finish. The slight shine adds just the right amount of flare to your oth­er­wise, simple but under­stated, arrange­ment.

2. Glass­ware- Once the foun­da­tion is set, the next pur­chase should be glass­ware. Aside from liquor, this will take up a large por­tion of your cart, so you want to make sure it’s some­thing you can work with and like to look at! Stick with a clear pitcher in order to let the guests fully appre­ciate the home­made cock­tail you have made for the night! Glasses are some­thing that can be based off of per­sonal pref­er­ence. At Clayton Gray Home, we rec­om­mend investing in one nice set to always have on hand and then for a themed/​ pop of party, you can search for a cost appro­priate set, since you most likely will not be using them again. As far as mate­rials, think prac­ti­cality. While glass will lock in the cool­ness, it is also fragile, so think about your venue and crowd before leaving out the “good stuff”. Don’t forget an ice bucket!

Rattan Bev­erage Dispenser

Guardian Angel dish towel

3. Extras- The fun part! Incor­po­rating extras is the per­fect place to add your per­sonal touch to the cart. Funny tow­elettes, pat­terned nap­kins, slightly tacky (but in a tasteful way) stir straws, the options are end­less! Although they seem irrel­e­vant, these are the things that can make or break your cart. It is the per­fect way to show people you are sup­pling their needs but you still have a sense of humor and a fes­tive side. Extras are also the things that pop out in pic­tures, so when guests are snap­ping a quick shot out of jeal­ousy (and so they know exactly how to rearrange their’s when they get home) you want them to see them!

4. The Cock­tail- A.K.A: The thing that lures people in, The sea­son­ally appro­priate bev­erage, The item that will appear in all candid pic­tures of guests “cheering”, The drink that you want to embody the evening. When high­lighting a spe­cific cock­tail at your party think of some­thing that can be tai­lored (some­what) to each guest. For example, it’s taco tuesday and you throw an impromptu gath­ering for tapas and mar­gar­itas. Create two to three dif­ferent bases for the mar­gar­itas and then from there, guests can add the rest! Offer var­ious types of tequila, salt and sugar dip for the per­fect rim, and lime wedges for top­ping. Having a cock­tail that people can cus­tomize keeps everyone happy, allowing them to con­trol what they’re drinking while still enjoying new twist on classic drink. Remember to pro­vide other alter­na­tive as well. Leave out a couple bot­tles of beer, one other liquor for simple drinks, and some­thing non-​​alcoholic.

Shown above (from left to right): The Cock­tail Club book, Cham­pagne Flutes, The Essen­tial Bar Book, Kivita Coasters, Ice Bucket, GQ Drinks, Serving Tray

One last tip before you are ready to impress people with your per­fectly styled and well stocked bar cart, don’t stress! Being the host of a party can be a stressful job trying to please all of your guests, but it shouldn’t be. Having a basis for your bar cart at all times allows you to only need to run out for the extras as your party draws near. Be the envy of your friends and remember to let your­self enjoy a drink!