Get into the spirit of entertaining, during the holidays or throughout the year, by glamming up a bar cart or bar table. From repainting to selecting colorful accessories and beverages, designers and DIYers shared some of their favorite bar cart set-ups.

VINTAGE MIX

Add bubbly and metal accents for an instant update to a bar cart when entertaining. Interior designer Jade Joyner, co-owner of Metal + Petal in Athens, Ga., paired a foxtail fern in a gold pot with vintage-looking amber decanters. For height and an eclectic accent, she selected a larger decanter with a brass bug cap.

FOR HOLIDAYS AND BEYOND

“Cake stands are a fun way to add height and layering,” says interior designer Jade Joyner, co-owner of Metal + Petal in Athens, Ga. She ties the red hues in the cake stand to the bottom level with Asian foo dog statues. For texture, use plants and glassware, like these vintage hobnob glasses. Don’t forget the greenery, either, with houseplants and low-maintenance plants, like the bird’s nest fern on the bottom level and a glass cloche terrarium with a succulent. 

GO FOR THE GOLD

A couple of coats of a high-quality gold spray paint makes an affordable table ready for a party. “Our bar area is clean and simple with plenty of personality,” says Atlantan Amanda Macy Hall, who blogs about home decor and DIY projects. “We keep an edited mix of liquors and a fresh selection of add-ins, such as herbs grown in our garden, lemons and limes.” She tucked chic faux fur stools—an IKEA hack—underneath for additional seating.

PLAYFUL PAIRINGS

Accessories, such as retro stirrers and striped straws, add a shot of excitement and whimsy to the bar table. The addition of flasks, shakers and barware passed down by Atlantan Amanda Macy Hall’s grandparents give a hit of heritage and a taste of playful pastimes.

BAR CART CHIC

Take a utilitarian kitchen cart and spray paint it gold to create a festive and functional serving station. Give it a focal point in a room with string lights and party decor, such as a banner with tassels.

SETTING IT UP

An antiqued wooden wine console table acts as a second bar area in DIYer Amanda Macy Hall’s Atlanta home. She selected bottles and napkins with style, with artwork from an illustrated recipe and a cookbook by Atlanta’s Kevin Gillespie, a 2016 James Beard Award nominee.

ASSEMBLING YOUR LIBATIONS

Grouping favorite small-batch bourbons and a go-to simple syrup puts a console table designed to hold bottles of wine to work as a bar. To make the libation collection even more impressive, stack the bottles on chargers. DIY blogger Amanda Macy Hall used these wooden chargers made by her parents and then brought in a touch of softness and glam with a set of copper-trimmed linen cocktail napkins by Dot & Army.

GATHER THE ELEMENTS

For a put-together look on the top shelf of a bar cart, group small items, such as syrups, succulents and a cocktail shaker, on a charger or tray. Then reuse holiday items, such as a Christmas card holder in the shape of glossy black nutcracker, to list beverage choices or give a seasonal greeting or welcome to guests.