As you are probably aware from my own home, I’m a massive fan of the bar cart.  Okay, so we don’t generally have lots of wild parties at our (old) age.  However, when we do have guests, it certainly provides a talking point and when we don’t, it’s a great place to display my vintage glass collection. And on those occasions (like most Saturday nights if I’m honest), when we do enjoy a tipple (or three), we definitely get use from it. And seriously, who cares about all the practical reasons, because they LOOK GREAT.

However, I’ve found I can’t just pile all my stuff on it and expect it to look the part. No, there are a few elements to start with to make sure your bar cart is not just practical (come on, it’s not a necessity but we can call it practical, right?), but also stylish.

So I thought I’d put together a little buying guide along with some tips to creating a great looking bar cart.

Now, there are just countless examples out there for bar carts done right (see my Pinterest board, Beyond the Bar Cart for loads and loads of inspiration) so obviously there is no ‘best’ way and you will no doubt want to put your own unique spin on things.

However there are a few elements that seem to crop up again and again…

1.  The Bar Cart:  Let’s start with the bar cart itself. I chose this gorgeous tray table from Alison at Home as the start of my stylish bar cart, not only for it’s stunning lines (check out those legs!!) but also for it’s practicality (the tray is removable) and it’s price (just £125 right now on sale!). Bargain.

2.  The Alcohol:  Now of course, you’ll want to add a few gorgeous bottles of alcohol. Yes, sometimes I choose alcohol for my bar cart simply for the aesthetics (don’t judge me) but you simply can’t go wrong with the icy turquoise bottle of Bombay Saphhire Gin*, the quirky two handled bottle of Kraken Black Rum* (which as a spiced rum lover, is a favourite of mine) and I’ve always coveted the gorgeous glass skull of Crystal Head Vodka*.

4.  The Quirky Item:  The Crystal Head Vodka is actually doing double duty on my buying guide by providing something a little quirky and fun to your cart.  I think it’s always nice to have something a little off kilter in every vignette to show off your personality and add some humour or whimsy.

5.  The Tray:  A pretty tray to corral your items is a must. I chose this one from Zara Home for my buying guide because I love the feminine colours but there are so many trays out there to choose from. Utilising something that really ties the look together in terms of your colour scheme is a great idea but a simple rattan or wood tray will add some texture and a gleaming lacquer tray will add sophistication so really, the sky is the limit.

6.  The Book:  While books on a bar cart are optional, I just had to include this rather lovely Little Book of Cocktails* which I recently bought a friend and wanted to keep myself! The cover feels like moleskin and is definitely meant to be shown off.

7.  The Decanter:  A crystal decanter, like this one from Debenhams, is a great way to show off your refined tastes, dahhhling. This one is only £35 but you can find similar ones on eBay or your vintage shops if you are looking for a bargain.

8.  Vintage Glassware:  I’ve included these fabulous (new) gold glasses from West Elm (sadly not yet on the UK site) but do keep an eye out for vintage glassware from the 50s-70s from your local thrift shop or eBay.  You’ll find a lot of great sets out there for not a lot of money which is how I’ve managed to collect so many of them myself!

9.  The Cocktail Shaker:   I have a rather fabulous brass cocktail shaker that I love so I’ve included this pretty one as well which is very similar in look to my own. Obviously the silver ones are available everywhere but as a lover of all things gilded, I think the brass ones make your bar cart a little extra special!

10.  The Flowers:  Oh my goodness, don’t forget the flowers! Nearly every bar cart out there has some kind of plant life on it. Don’t neglect yours and fill up a vase with some pretty blooms. Or, if you don’t want to worry about watering them, this lovely faux set from Bloomingdale’s should easily fool your friends (especially if they’ve already hit the cocktails).

11.  The Art:  A little bar cart art action just adds a little bit of whimsy. I really love this gold foil print from Etsy. Indeed, why should happy hour only last an hour? Who decided that anyway? Pfft. Spoil sport.

12.  The Non-Alcoholic Drinks:  And finally, let’s not forget our friends the designated drivers! Don’t make them drink flat boring Coke all night, give them something to sip in style like these beautiful fruit drinks from Belvoir*.  A few pretty stripey straws and they’ll be ready to party without any need for alcohol.

So those are my necessities for a perfect bar cart. What are yours?

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Meet Kimberly
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Amara IBA19 Winner Home Styling
Vuelio Top 10 2020
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Ad (Press Sample) There are few kitchen products that are considered absolute classics but there is one that I have lusted after for YEARS and that is the utterly iconic @lecreusetuk large casserole pot. 🤩

For nearly a century, Le Creuset has been trusted for its superior performance, lasting quality and iconic design and the enamelled cast iron allows incredible versatility - not only can you use it with just about any heat source (from induction, glass, electric etc), you can also do everything from stir-fry to slow cooking to baking a cake in it and more. 

So, imagine my delight when Le Creuset got in touch to ask if I'd like to shoot their brand new colourway 🍑 Pêche 🍑 in my kitchen. I mean, there couldn't be a more perfect colour match with that juicy coral shade which if you've followed my account for any length of time, you'll know is one of my all-time favourites (not to mention that beautiful soft gold knob! 😍). The matching petite casserole dish and mugs are the perfect companions but you could easily mix and match this colourway with Le Creuset's other designs (Might I suggest the Sea Salt, a soft blue-green which would be gorgeous with Pêche). This new juicy summer shade is currently available exclusively at Le Creuset Official. I'd love to know which colourway is your favourite in the range?

#lecreuset #kitchendesign #kitchenstyling #kitchinspo #victorianhome #englishhome
My little neglected makeup/dressing room has had a glow up 🥰

#swoonworthy #beforeandafter #dressingroom #makeupvanity #closetgoals
My new rug can't compete with that belly.

Rug is from @laredoute_uk (not an ad) not that anyone cares 😅

#kitchendesign
I've really loved making these pretty reusable Christmas crackers! I'm still in the process of finding cute bits for filling them but they'll definitely be a centrepiece for my table this year!🎄💕

Suggestions for what to fill them with coming soon!

(By the way, I'm not a skilled seamstress so I'm sure my techniques can be improved but just sharing what worked for me 🤗😅)

Let me know if this is something you'd try? ❤️

#swoonworthy #christmasdecor #christmascraft #diychristmas #diycrafts #easysewingproject
On 22 October 2022, I married my best friend! I can't believe it's been a whole year (and one day) I've been calling @2nilup my husband 🥰 We've been together for 15 years now and I simply can't and wouldn't want to imagine my life without him ❤️ 

#youandmeagainsttheworld #2222 

Photography: @violajayphotography 
Flowers: @primroseavenuefloral 
Dress: @camillawithlove
DIY REFILLABLE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS 🎄🎉

I've been thinking about making refillable crackers for so many years now - I just hate the waste the disposal ones create! So I'm so excited I've finally gotten around to starting this project!

I will be sharing more details on how to make them as well as ideas for what to fill them with too so stay tuned for more but in the meantime, what do you think? 

#swoonworthy #diychristmas #christmasdecor #christmascraft #easysewingproject #sustainableliving #ecofriendlyliving
Just wanted to introduce my latest plant baby in my dining room 🪴

It's from @botanique_shrewsbury and it's a Peparomia (I am probably pronouncing it wrong, I keep wanting to say
GUEST BEDROOM REVEAL 🌟

I decided on a whim, 2 weeks before we were expecting visiting family, that our guest bedroom was in desperate need of a refresh.

Well there's nothing like an impending deadline to light a 🔥 under my 🍑 and I managed to clear out the clutter, repaint the woodwork, ceilings and walls and hang wallpaper as well as restyle the room in one week 😅 (Meisha was zero help 😼)

I'm calling it Boho Vintage Victorian Grandma 😆

This wasn't sponsored in any way but the wallpaper and bedding is from @lauraashleyuk and the paint is @earthbornpaints Peach Baby - everything else I already had!

What do you think of the new look? ❤️

#bedroombeforeandafter #guestroom
#bedroommakeover
#beforeandafter
#bedroomdecor #cottagecore #vintagestyle #victorianhouse #ihavethisthingwithpink #bengalsofinstagram
🔥JOIN US ROUND THE FIRE PIT! 🔥

ad | One of my favorite things to do in summer is sit around the fire pit in the evenings with a cold beer 🍻 There's just something incredibly relaxing watching those flames and embers crackle, warming yourself up and taking the edge off falling temperatures as the sun sets!

Thanks to @homefireuk they've made the whole process incredibly easy and enjoyable with their Handy Firepit Bundle which include 2 bags of kindling, 2 bags of natural firestarters and 3 large bags of kiln-dried logs 🪵 for a really great price! 

No more standing around waiting for things to light properly or billowing smoke from wet wood, everything burns beautifully! ☺️ We literally sat around this for hours as the logs last so long, long after the sun set, just chatting and enjoying ourselves! 🥰🍻🔥

Do you love a good firepit in the summer?

#homefire #readytoburn #smokelessbyhomefire #heartofyourhome #logsbyhomefire #summerideas #firepit #gardenideas
San Sebastian photo dump - just a tiny selection 😄

We have had such a fabulous holiday to Basque Country - our first 4 days spent in the beautiful city of San Sebastian, land of pintxos, stunning architecture and some damn good wine.

#sansebastian #travelgram #photodump
A little kitchen reshuffle today so I thought I'd share 🥰

It's been 4 years since we created this space and it's still one of my favourites ♥️

#kitchendesign #kitchendecor #kitcheninspiration #kitchenideas #openshelvingkitchen #kitchenstyling
Ad 🩷 Before and after Deck makeover! 🩷

This little decked patio was looking worse for wear after a wet winter but @frenchicpaint came to the rescue with their beautiful Dusty Blush Alfresco Paint, perfect for all your outdoor projects!

The deck has been a few colours over the past few years but this is definitely the most fun and gives the whole space such a tropical vibe - even in Shrewsbury! 🏝️ 🦩🍹😄

The paint has incredible coverage and was so nice to use - I loved the tools they provided too, especially the oval brush which got into all the nooks and crannies easily!

Let me know what you think of the new colour! 

#frenchicpaint #beforeandafter #deckmakeover #gardeninspiration #gardeninspo #outdoorproject
So on a whim I decided to paint the bedroom pink yesterday 😅🩷

This room has been neglected for so long as I've wanted to fully redecorate for about 3 years now but there are always other bigger priorities or a lack of time/energy/money so I keep putting it off 🙃🙃🙃 (tell me I'm not the only one) but happily this didn't cost a penny as I used what I already had although it did take me the best part of a day!

I went through my paint stash and found that I had extra @coatpaints Percy from when I did the living room early last year -- well I'm not one to let something this good go to waste (honestly this paint is absolutely wonderful to work with and has amazing coverage) and my goodness it's just so pretty in here 🥰 I also moved my pink curtains from my office into here and the whole room just glows!

I might actually be able to live with the mural a little longer until the room gets the attention it deserves! Let me know if you like the change ♥️

*For those who are wondering, it used to be white walls and I had grey curtains! 😅

#swoonworthy #bedroomdecor #bedroommakeover #bedroomdesign #pinkpinkpink #pinkinteriors
A little photo dump from my recent living room shoot because I still love to dig into the details of a still photo 😄💕

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #photodump
ad How to De-stress at Home in 6 Simple Steps 😊

April has been #stressawarenessmonth and so I've teamed up with the wonderful @frenchbedroom to share a few simple tips in creating a cosy sanctuary at home!

One of my favourite ways to add a feeling of comfort and relaxation is with glorious touchable textures and the stunning Mulberry Silk ruffled cushion from French Bedroom not only looks spectacular but feels incredible too! Pairing this with other feel-good fabrics will add depth to your design and will beg you to sink in and unwind 😍

French Bedroom are also now stocking my own home fragrance brand @swoonworthyscents candles, adding another element of calm with scent to your home. I chose No 02 Sunday Morning for my living room with rejuvenating Jasmine and refreshing pine and lemon notes 🥰

Check out my latest blog post for more tips on creating a relaxing sanctuary in your home via the link in my bio!

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #frenchbedroom #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #calming #aesthetic #cottagecoreaesthetic
Who needs pancakes when you can have Lemon Drizzle Cake with Lemoncello glaze?! 😉🍋

I've had such a craving for this cake for a while so figured I'd make it today! This is a recipe from @bbcgoodfood and it's rather gorgeous 🥰

#baking #lemondrizzle #lemoncake #bakewithlove #shrovetuesday
Are you lucky enough to be owned by a cat? 🐈🐾

#bengallove #bengalsofinstagram #bengalcat #bengal #catsofinstagram #catlife
Finally managed to get the gallery wall completed in our hallway!

I couldn't have been happier with @violajayphotography capturing our little intimate wedding in October and knew as soon as I saw the photos I had to print them for our home! I admit, I've never been one to hang photos but it's probably because all we ever had after 14 years together was selfies 😂🤷🏽‍♀️ I'm so pleased we finally have some lovely shots of us together 🥰

Do you have photos of you/your partner/your family up around your home?? 🤔

#gallerywall #autumnwedding #hallwaydesign #hallwayinspo
✨These little vintage copper pans needed some TLC! ✨

After searching for a while for vintage copper pans, I found these on eBay - they looked quite grim on the ad but I knew they could be shined up nicely! A little @barkeepersfriend later (not an ad!) and I'm loving how they look in my kitchen 🥰

Let me know if you like the new addition ❤️

#kitcheninspo #kitchendesign #vintagestyle #kitchenstyling
Oh hey living room, nice to have you back ☺️

I always feel very ready to remove the excess of Christmas decor pretty much as soon as the 26th arrives but I've been later than usual this Twixmas as we've both been unwell the last couple weeks 🤦🏽‍♀️ Nevertheless, I've managed to get things packed away and I styled this little faux arrangement today for my coffee table so ya know, small victories 😄🙌🏽

#livingroom #livingroominspo #fauxflowers #coffeetabledecor