Once popular in midcentury decor, bar carts are back with all-new looks.
Bar carts have experienced a major revival lately, moving out of the 1950s and 1960s and into contemporary homes decorated in myriad designs. While Lisa Gutow Berman of local firm Lisa Gutow Design notes that they’ve always been in style, she says that the current resurgence could be attributed to the renewed interest in mixed libations. Craft cocktails dominate restaurant drink menus and many aspiring mixologists are inspired to bring the trend home. “Mixology is such a big thing right now and people are trying to create signature cocktails for dinner parties or go-to drinks that are not just your typical wine or beer,” she says. Bar carts provide the perfect opportunity to store the tools of the trade, while also presenting them in a way that contributes to a room’s overall design aesthetic. “If you set [things like liquor bottles] out on a bar cart, it instantly makes them look a little more inviting and interesting,” Berman says. Bar carts are also incredibly versatile. When not being used for entertaining, they can be moved throughout the house to serve a variety of functions. For example, just swap the liquor and glassware for books and a lamp, and they act as nightstands or end tables; place a small TV and collection of favorite DVDs on one, and it’s transformed into a chic entertainment console. Berman is partial to vintage designs, but the diverse options available now have added to the mass appeal. Stores in and around Laguna are offering modern, rustic and internationally inspired styles—just to name a few—ensuring that there’s a look to complement any space.
Section by Katherine Duncan
