There’s no denying there’s been a massive resurgence in the home bar in the last few years. Drink trolleys and cocktail carts have been dusted off and revived for the ultimate style statement. Our request from Cat is to make more of a feature of her extensive alcohol collection so let’s see what we can do.

We have just moved into a new flat and I would love to ask the lovely RMS readers for some help with a particular piece of furniture. We are yet to decide what form this piece will take and totally open to suggestions! My husband is somewhat of a whisky fan and has a growing collection of bottles. I also have a habit of buying random liqueurs whenever we travel abroad so between us we have managed to accumulate rather a large number of bottles (not to mention the usual staples for weekend cocktail creations!). There is a small alcove in our living room (about 3 and a half feet wide) that would be perfect for some sort of drinks cabinet. We have been looking at various sideboards but they all seem a bit old fashioned and fuddy-duddy. I love the idea of a bar trolley but the alcove is by the window and the bottles will need to be out of direct sunlight (plus I would rather not have to dust them all!). We are very into Scandi style interiors at the moment – lots of whites and greys so any suggestions for modern, stylish drinks cabinets or an alternative storage solution would be great (or maybe we should just drink the lot and solve the problem that way….hmmmm!) xx

Bespoke

Going custom doesn’t necessarily mean a hefty price tag. It’s worth chatting to a recommended local carpenter to see if they’ll create you your own bespoke bar. The benefit here is you can have shelves made to suit your own bottle and glass heights to truly make the best use of your space. The image above is taken from the very stylish home of Michael Minns. His blog 47ParkAvenue is well worth checking out if you like sleek, glam and moody interiors.

Upcycle

If bespoke seems too daunting then the upcycle avenue may be a better road to go down. Repurposing a cabinet with the right dimensions can make a great bar. Paint the exterior, change the handles, paper the inside or alternatively change the doors or remove panels to give a hint to the tipples inside.
Antique stores and charity shops are always good places for a rummage or you could buy something brand spanking new and customise. The doors on the tall scandi style unit from Housing Units could be customised to block out the light, and shelves tailored to make it more similar to the Crate and Barrel design on the right.

Tray

At Cat mentions, it’s not ideal to have your alcohol sunbathing in rays but making a display is a fabulous way to add interest to an otherwise dull area. Grab a tray and corral together glassware, a cocktail shaker and a corkscrew. Hide away the rest of your collection out of sight underneath as demonstrated in the slider above with images from Design Sponge and My Scandinavian Home.
A Scandinavian style cabinet similar to the Scott Mango unit from Swoon Editions could work storing bottles underneath and pretties on top, or for brighter modern look try this Danish style white sideboard from Interior Addict. I also found a Wooden Buffet over at PIB Home but fear it may be a little too wide for the space.

Just for fun

Finally I had to share the new ultra glam bar cart coming to Rockett St George this spring. Even though it doesn’t fit Cat’s brief it’s too stylish not to share with you all. I’ve also let a rather flashy and glamorous cabinet sneak in too from Out There Interiors.

Please can you help Cat find a suitable piece of furniture for her new pad? Any gems you’ve seen recently that would make an ideal bar cart for a compact space?