Bar Carts from Restoration Hardware

Pretty, functional, and simultaneously old fashioned and modern...these bar carts from Restoration Hardware take an everyday dining room and turn it into a room for entertaining:

Above: Duncan, $649; In polished nickel or antique brass plating with solid steel rod legs

Gable, on sale for $478.99 (down from $599); brass and glass with stainless steel hardware

Comments (10)

I don't really understand how bar carts are "functional" why do you need to wheel your liquour around? It seems to me these kind of carts take up a lot of floor space with minimal return of function.... maybe I miss the point?!?

you don't HAVE to use them for liquor, this was especially in the fifties during the cocktail craze, for comfy interiors, often with or without maids. I would use them for taking things from the kitchen to the living room or the patio : tea, food when you have guests. Next to the dining table it always looks better than a tray placed on a chair and when its not in use it serves as a side table or something.

The first one is really lovely.

PrairieDawn, I never thought of it as wheeling liquor around.
I think these carts are more for atmosphere than anything.

I think the better question is *why wouldn't* you want to wheel your liquor around?

Point is convenient cocktailing: You want a G & T in the ladies room? Sure no, prob., be there in 2 seconds.

I wonder if it used to be the thing to have these loaded up with liquor and sitting to the side, and then when your guests came over you would wheel it into the livingroom and offer to make them a drink? 50s? 60s?

I think the first one is stunning, I'd love to use it as an end table in the living room, but I wish there were stops on the casters.

I want a trust fund so I can get one of those Duncan carts and wheel my liquor around...

I saw the first one in the store yesterday. So awesome in person too.

I see the Duncan as a really, really nice printer cart.

The point of a bar cart (or a tea trolley, or any wheeled serving furniture) is that the host(ess) need not leave the guests to refill drinks. Refreshments can be wheeled where they would ordinarily not be stored, like in the middle of a parlour, and guests can help themselves or be served with ease. When the party's over, the hooch goes back to it's place in the corner.