The Sexy Bar Cart

If you missed my 12th & Broad post Valentines weekend, here’s a chance to catch up. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Photo via Glitter Guide

The famous bar cart – serving beautiful libations and serious style in the home and workplace for decades.

Popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s, this vintage gem is finding its way back into the home and office. The resurgence of mid-century décor, fashion and home bars began as AMC’s hit series Mad Men dazzled us each week on the television. This year, you will be seeing a plethora of modern and vintage bar carts in home décor. Accompanied with beautiful bar and glassware in stunning designs. The demand for this functional and swanky home accessory is at its peak once again, making it one of the hottest items for 2015.

From industrial to Hollywood regency, there are lots of styles this year for the bar cart. No longer are you limited to vintage shops and high dollars, the bar cart can be found in numerous stores in a wide range of prices. Whether you choose a simple or over the top design, this home décor accessory will bring a lot of style to any space. And if you are not sold on aesthetics alone, these beauties are very functional as well as stylish. Versatile, mobile, time savers that showcase your treasured high-balls and limited edition whiskies.

Bar Car Must-Haves:

1. Daphne $499 2. Luiza $310 3. Threshold Bar Cart $129

4. Wooden Bar Cart $498 5. Ivanna Bart Cart $325 6. Three Tier Cart $179

7. Josef Bar Cart $499 8. The Coleman Bar Cart $1,199.00 9. Workshop Bar Cart $699

Once you’ve chosen your bar cart, you’ll need to learn the art of stocking the bar. Otherwise you’ll end up with a haphazard liquor collection, mismatched glassware and a short supply of bar tools giving you an aesthetic reminiscent of a frat house. One of my favorite bloggers, Design Love Fest, has a gorgeous tutorial on “Setting Up Your Bar“. There is no point in purchasing a beautiful cart if you’re not going to set it up properly. If you desire the swankiness of the 60’s, you’ve got to dress up that cart and give it the attention it needs.

Glassware and Bar Accessory Must-Haves:
1. Orb Metallic Barware $9.95-49.95 2. Noctua Wing Corkscrew $28-32
3. Lusa Glassware $78 (set) 4. Hemingway Print Price TBD
5. Gold Cocktail Picks $18.95 6. Sculpters Glassware $16-78
*Psst! You can’t go wrong with Cocktail Kingdom. It’s an excellent one stop barware shop.

Now that you know where to buy and how to set-up a sexy bar, it’s time to make a damn good drink. Enjoy the Long Kiss Goodnight, a refreshing winter cocktail created by the talented Prairie Rose (author of Bit By A Fox ) for Design Sponge’s Behind the Bar .

Photo by Kristina Gill

The Long Kiss Goodnight by Prairie Rose

1 1/2 oz Bourbon
3/4 oz Grand Marnier Liqueur
3/4 oz Blood Orange/mandarin/clementine juice
Sparkling wine
Pomegranate seeds for garnish

In an ice filled shaker, combine the first three ingredients. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a large, chilled coupe glass. Top with champagne and pomegranate seeds.

Craftcourse Nashville – Geometric Baubles

If you attended the 2014 Porter Flea Holiday Market last December, you likely saw the stunning geometric baubles displayed throughout the event. I actually stopped dead in my tracks and just stared for a solid ten minutes in the entryway. Who made these gigantic gems?! How did they make them?! And where can I buy them?! I was in serious awe and could not wait to find out more.

I quickly found out it was the dynamic duo, Mandy Pellegrin and Emily Edwards of Craftcourse Nashville . If you haven’t heard about these lovely ladies and their crafting magic, you are missing out. A pair of high energy, charmingly neurotic creatives who are mad about color, retro vibes and modern design. They specialize in making ‘cool things’. Because as they often say, cool things don’t make themselves. Over the top displays to the tiniest of details, these ladies are rocking the party, wedding, workshop and retail scene.

When asked to create a fun display for Porter Flea, the concept was like any of their other events – temporary design. But after Instagram blew up with photos of these geometric baubles and a bidding war began between local retailers over who gets to buy this one set, the ladies knew that they had something special. The geometric baubles had no choice but to go to the marketplace.

Overnight, they re-branded their company and created an online store for their own creations, starting with the geometric baubles. The mobiles are now available for purchase and come in singles, sets and a variety of colors and sizes. They range from $25-70 and can be shipped anywhere in the U.S.

Often asked “what in the world are these baubles good for?!”Their response “Um…what AREN’T they good for?” And I tend to agree. These mobiles would look amazing in modern, retro and even bohemian home décor. For interior design, pair multiple baubles with Edison bulb lights and hang over a dining room table for a beautiful light or create a focal point in your living room with a single strand. I would love to see the ladies at A Beautiful Mess pick up a few and place in their studio. Wouldn’t they look fantastic?!

Photo’s via A Beautiful Mess and Craftcourse Nashville

For parties and weddings, they would look gorgeous as a backdrop to a photo-booth or a little bling to a buffet table or entryway. I love the idea of a black and gold party with the pink or gold mobiles. So flirty and fun.

Photo’s via Collin Cowie Weddings and Bajan Wed

And don’t get me started on retail displays. My first thought when I saw these mobiles was Kate Spade needs these in her flagship store (see below photos). Or how about Anthropologie? Couldn’t you see them dazzling customers in one of their window displays? The designs, colors and construction are so fresh, and right in line with the 2015 home décor trends. The possibilities are endless, and I am really excited to see how people display them.
Kate Spade via Daily Mail UK and Lonny

So, forget the depressing winter weather and feast your eyes on these bold beauties. Get inspired, throw a party and have fun trying something new in your décor scheme.