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Tuesday, January 29th, 2019
Rachael Ray Home by Legacy Classic Furniture Bar and Game Room Bar Cart
Have you ever come to a point when you think that there’s nothing more exciting to serve during a party? If the casual beers are no longer making you happy, then it’s time to level up to an even more exciting concoction.
Bar carts are super hot in the furniture industry because they are minimal compared to setting up a full bar. And many of those who buy this interesting furnishing wonder how they could actually style their dining area or kitchen with them. So, how do you?
Styles range from the simplest to the ornate with all kinds of glassware and liquor collection. Some even use their bar carts as a coffee station, even a cake stand, so it’s up to you how you would want to utilize it. But if you want more tips, here are some –
Know Your Purpose
Just as you would when designing with another furnishing, you have to know the purpose of your bar cart. Are you a regular party host where you serve drinks to all of your friends? Or would you like to turn your cart to a fashionable end table?
Of course, if you’re going to host parties, then it makes perfect sense to serve alcohol and all its accouterments.
You can also create a bar cart that holds your copperware and your wine collection. Don’t pressure yourself into filling up the bar cart. Keep in mind that it does not have to be stuffed for it to be considered stylish.
Select and Store
Be sure to pare down the collections that you have and be able to store items properly. Not every bottle of hard liquor should be included in your bar cart. In fact, if the cart does not have a wine rack where you can horizontally store bottles, then you’re just going to destroy wines’ quality.
For all types of wine, proper storage means keeping them out of the direct rays of the sun. They must also be stored horizontally so that the cork will not dry up since it will always be touching the wine. Cork that dries up will eventually let in air, which will spoil the wine, and you wouldn’t want that.
Add Items That You Love
Keep bottles of tonic, club soda, a jigger, and other stuff that will help you concoct the drinks that you have on the cart. Don’t hesitate to add some things that are special. Sure, they may not be regularly served but come the time that you need something unique to serve, then you’ve got them.
Examples of these are liquors like Grand Marnier or St. Germain. Add the latter to champagne and it’s a level up to the usual cocktail. Use Grand Marnier with cranberry juice plus some fresh lime and what you have is a Grand Cran.
Basic Should Do It
If you’re in doubt about what to serve, then it is best to keep it all simple. The less cluttered the bar cart, the better that it will look.
That bare bones sort of bar cart could have a bottle of red wine, a bottle of white wine, one sparkling juice bottle, a bourbon or whiskey bottle, a single bottle of gin or vodka, of course a bottle of tequila, and a triple sec or more popularly known as the orange liqueur.
Those who love to have a nightcap should have a bottle of scotch that’s sublime whether neat or on the rocks.
For the Party Animal
If you wanna play the gracious host then have all of the above then add a Mezcal. A cool bottle of rum is also pretty cool as is sparkling rosé. For the witty conversationalist, there is always a finer bottle of wine out there that will surely be conversation starters.
Tags: bar cart, decorating a bar cart, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Fill Up the Bar Cart and Throw A Party
Tuesday, December 20th, 2016
FFDM’s RayLen Vineyard offers this traditional take on stocking wine.
What is a bar cart and where is its proper place? This furniture piece offers something that’s unique for your guests. It is not just your wine carrier, it too can be something that your guests would talk about.
Lately, it seems that the interior design industry has been talking a lot about bar carts. This is no less than a trendy décor that is also useful and beautiful. But did you ever wonder why bar carts are such popular pieces these days?
The Resurgence of Bar Carts
While it is impossible to point out a specific event that spurred the popularity of modern bar carts, one could deduce with some clues. The Cocktail Renaissance during the early 2000s possibly gave birth to more bar cart design ideas. How about the show Mad Men? Just imagine this show’s influence to the modern cocktail culture.
The bar cart actually began during the Victorian Era at about 1837 to 1901. This was not immediately associated with booze then. The bar carts then were trolleys for – guess what – tea! That’s a party trivia to remember. The bar cart has transcended Tea Time to where it’s at now – a cocktail party star – thanks to the ‘50s generation when entertaining became a necessity.
Nowadays, people all over the world are partying and celebrating whenever there’s a special event or occasion. Even homemakers are entertaining their friends by inviting them over to their homes and offering the best possible meals and liquor. Let us not discredit the role of Hollywood is glamorizing the home bar cart.
Well-stocked bar carts can easily take your imagination to the charming years of ‘50s and the ‘60s.
It was in the ‘70s when homebuilders began building built-in wet bars. These were often made of leather and dark woods which were lacking in style. Back then, people stopped buying bar carts and began to embrace the wet bar.
Before long, people realized the limits of a wet bar. Talking about mobility or saving more space for entertainment means a lot to people these days, hence, were quickly re-embracing the home-friendly designs of bar carts. The greater news is that there’s almost an endless array of options in terms of bar cart design.
Maitland-Smith Accessories Rattan Bar Cart 3041-032
How to Decorate with a Bar Cart
Call it a comeback – the bar cart is now showcasing the personalities of homeowners worldwide.
When using the bar cart, make sure to use the nooks in your home. It can also be placed between couches, by the side of your kitchen island, or in your pantry. Since it is mobile, you can take it with you wherever you would want to hold your cocktail party.
‘Wanna take the party outdoors? Then just wheel away the bar cart from your kitchen and bring the fun to your guests outdoors.
No matter what theme you’ve chosen, don’t fret, there’s always a bar cart that would match it. Look for faux vintage pieces or the sleek metal and glass designs. There are designs for men and women. Plus, even the intricately-designed pieces have a certain level of masculinity in them so the missus doesn’t have to worry about feminizing their home’s style.
For a well-stocked bar cart, be sure to have these fundamentals –
The bar cart is truly something that will make you the perfect host (or hostess) to your guests so it’s time to shop for one soon.
Tags: bar cart, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | No Comments »
Thursday, July 7th, 2016
1586-75160-BL2 When in Rome Accent Bar Cartbar
Every homeowner should look into setting up a home bar. This is something that you should look into especially when you have guests come over now and then. This becomes a necessity if you love cocktails and spirits especially when you know how to mix the most exotic drinks. Learn these essential tips that will help you set up a beginner’s home bar in no time –
Arranging the Beginner’s Home Bar
So, let’s help you arrange that home bar. Begin by learning the essentials such as the spirits, bar tools, cocktail books, mixers, glassware and garnishes. Before long, you would realize that this project isn’t that daunting after all.
Okay, so do you own a bar cart? If not, then it’s time that you had one. The bar cart is one of the hottest furnishings that you should have in your home bar. If your space allows a huge home bar, then the bar cart should have its own dedicated area. These should be placed in a corner where the guests will be able to lay their eyes on your beautiful, new possession.
Organize the bar cart so it doesn’t look cluttered.
You can also transform any sideboard, console table or a credenza into a simple bar. Just top it with a tray, some bar tools, and other essentials and you’ve just created a small section of your home as a home bar. Go ahead and corral your decanters, bottles, glasses and bitters all on that tray. Store the bar tools in a drawer or in any storage unit.
If your home comes with a built-in dry bar (these are the ones that weren’t installed with a sink), then prepare to have shelves set up instead. Think of mixology and how messy it would be minus the sink so have it situated nearby. Store the less used spirits and glassware inside a cabinet. The go-to bottles should be more accessible.
A wet bar in your home signals you sharpening your mixology skills. Apart from the bar essentials which you will need, make sure that a bar towel is handy. A small trash bin is also necessary in case you’re using fresh ingredients or washing glasses.
Add the Bitters
Bitters are high-proof alcoholic beverages. These are infused with roots, herbs and spices. They are used in dashes and are botanical additives. It’s a no-no these days to hold just a single bottle of bitters behind your bar. You can have anything nowadays from coffee bitters to rhubarb bitters. These can be bought at any local liquor store.
Try experimenting with different flavors. Stock your bar with classic tastes and unique flavors which you can concoct to equally unique cocktails.
Learn about each bottle that you buy.
Invest in Cocktail Books
You were advised to level up on your mixology skills and the simplest way to do this is to buy a cocktail book. Behind all those great bars in the country are books that have explained the spirits, mixers and cocktail foundations to learners.
Buy the Spirits
Make sure that you buy only the run, gin, vodka or whatnot that you love to drink. Don’t buy just because the bottle looks lovely or because a friend likes it. There is no point in buying whiskey if you’re not a whiskey drinker.
Remember that using the right techniques which you learned from the books and the best spirits will yield the best beverages.
When it comes to brands, pick only the premium ones. Base your decision on the past cocktails that you liked. If you’re a vodka drinker, then make sure that you would buy premium vodka only.
Lastly, quality should come before the price so make your choices best on flavor. Stock up on tools like the jigger, bar spoon, muddler, citrus peeler and handheld citrus press and you’re more than ready to set up your beginner’s home bar.
FFDM’s RayLen Vineyards Collection
Tags: bar cart, decorating a bar cart, designing a home bar, home bar, home bar design, home bar essentials, home bar necessities, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, stocking home bars
Posted in Interior Design 101, Special Rooms In Your Home | No Comments »
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