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Inspiration: Using An Old Card Catalog as A Bar

01_04.16.09_minibar.jpgWe love the idea of using vintage furniture in a completely new way. This practice is great for the environment and it can be a creative option to buying new furniture. Marni, an Apartment Therapy reader, emailed us pictures of her old card catalog that she now uses as a home bar. It perfectly holds most wine and liquor bottles and helps with keeping things organized. A few of the drawers are reserved for mixers. Marni's friend helped with the custom built base, so the top surface is at perfect height for making drinks. More photos after the jump...

 
 

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We posted about a similar idea using a card catalog a while back. The height of this one is more flexible and the two pull out writing/organizing surfaces provide extra space for mixing drinks. Cheers!

If you are looking for an old card catalog, you should definitely visit Bay Area's flea markets. Alameda Point Antiques and Collectibles Faire would be a great place to start. Also you might be lucky enough to find one on eBay, Craigslist, or Etsy. Good luck!

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Look!, entertaining, green ideas, inspiration, DIY, how to, repurposed furniture, minibar, old card catalog, wine celler

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Comments (12)

Sure hope those caps are on tight...

posted by bepsf on April 16th 2009 at 6:47pm
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Gods, I love this idea. "EB" for Emergency Bourbon and so many other fun possibilities.

Now if only I could get my hands on one that wouldn't cost an Arm and a Leg (filed separately).

posted by gmtruman on April 16th 2009 at 6:47pm
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Even though I'm intensely fond of old card-catalog cabinets, I find this use just a little too fey.

posted by shirley-temple-of-doom on April 16th 2009 at 6:59pm
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Guess it depends on the space it will occupy. Funny, though, I saw a neat-looking/vintage green metal version on a site called Cococozy http://www.cococozy.com/2008/06/vintage-index-card-file-cabinet.html. I want one but I don't know what I would do with it...or where I'd put it!

posted by Verbeana1 on April 16th 2009 at 7:26pm
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I also have a great fondness for the Index Cabinet... I would probably line the bottom with a nice wool felt and use it for jewelry or if I were a man and had lots of ties... stack each drawer full of ties... looks like enough room not to wrinkle. Having to lay the bottles down might seem a bit odd, but points for creativity!

posted by sfteri on April 16th 2009 at 8:42pm
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Hot!

posted by clampers on April 16th 2009 at 9:00pm
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I like sfteri's ideas about stacking these drawers with ties or jewellery. But bottles don't quite seem like the right thing to put in them.

posted by D or me on April 17th 2009 at 2:05am
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I have a similar use for old cassette tape drawers - you know those ugly-ass ones that have black drawers and the main part is covered in that plastic woodgrain veneer? They're pretty retro, they sually cost $0.50 to $2.00 at secondhand shops, and they're great for storing cotton thread, tools, and other craft supplies. Craft supply storage can be SO expensive.

posted by Julz on April 17th 2009 at 3:44am
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Love the idea! I agree with Julz, craft storage is terribly expensive, this would be a great way to manage that. I like the bar idea though... very tempting.

However find the outlet cover really distracting in this picture and I'm never sure why folks don't paint them the same color as the walls or baseboard.

posted by Rucy on April 17th 2009 at 9:18am
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I think it's a great idea, and it looks good too. It's nice to have booze at hand without having to display it all the time.

BUT, storing opened bottles of alcohol sideways can lead to heartache. I tried to store mine horizontally in a wine bottle rack, but the tops of most alcohol bottles, even the nice brands, are too cheapy to make a good seal when the bottles are lying down, so they slowly leak. The more viscous, sweet things, like peach schnapps, were especially messy to clean up, too.

posted by folara on April 17th 2009 at 3:00pm
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Love it! I've been deterred from buying an old card catalog for ages because... what the heck could you put in it? But it looks perfect for wine storage, and with wine you dont have all the cap issues...

posted by marie516 on April 17th 2009 at 3:46pm
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Wow! That is so awesome!

posted by jmcquary on April 17th 2009 at 4:16pm
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