Blame it on Don Draper. Among the many things that “Mad Men” re-popularized, the bar cart has truly flourished. “It’s become a must-have element in the home,” says Heather Neubauer, retail marketing manager at Room & Board, which currently has four models in its collection. As an alternative to built-in wet bars, drinks trolleys are stirring up interest in an intoxicating array of styles from Old Hollywood Art Deco to Scandinavian Modern; from rugged wood rolling cabinets to refined Italian-accented carts with Roman chariot wheels that will go down smoothly in any décor scheme. Or add just the right twist.
With barely visible hidden wheels and concealed shelving, The Conti Folding Bar by Cisco Home looks like a three-foot cabinet but opens up to become a nearly six-foot wine bar and mixology station. Sporting a reclaimed wood look that fits beach houses and lofts, the Douglas fir piece comes in several finishes and is $3,235. Cisco Home at SoCo in Costa Mesa, 949.760.9150
:: ciscohome.net
Los Angeles based designer Westin Mitchell mixes Art Deco and streamlined automotive styling in the handcrafted Contour Bar, made of steel and leather with tiered walnut shelving and a built-in stemware and wine rack. It retails for $2,995 and is available by calling the designer’s Los Angeles showroom, 213.988.8335 :: westinmitchell.com
Designed by the famed Finnish architect Alvar Aalto for the World Exhibition of Paris in 1937, The Tea Trolley 900 from Artek is a classic, with a bent birch frame, the big plywood wheels, handmade rattan basket and ceramic tabletop. Equally suitable for poolside mojitos or tea and toast in bed, it sells for $3,434 at Jules Seltzer, Beverly Hills, 310.274.7243 :: julesseltzer.com
Restoration Hardware’s Mayfair Bar Cart resembles an old-timey leather trunk ready for an ocean crossing, and opens up to reveal stainless steel interior storage for bottles and barware. Lift up the hinged top and drop down the front panel and then mix up a batch of Salty Dogs. Shown in vintage cigar leather, $2,695, at Restoration Hardware, South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, 714.540.1445 :: restorationhardware.com
San Francisco interior designer Ken Fulk’s first collection for Pottery Barn includes this 1960s Italian-inspired Admiral Cart with spoke wheels and gallery rails made of iron with a brass finish. The top shelf is clear glass; the bottom is mirrored. It’s $599 at Pottery Barn, South Coast Plaza West, Costa Mesa, 714.966.2482 :: potterybarn.com
Crate & Barrel’s lean Prost Bar Cart is a minimalist’s dream, mixing a matte black tubular metal frame with rich lacquered shesham wood shelves for a midcentury look that has a French flair. (For a cocktail party conversational icebreaker, tell your friends it reminds you of the work of Jean Royere.) Right at home in modern interiors, it’s equally elegant for more traditional homes and agreeably priced at $599. From Crate and Barrel, South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, 714.825.0060 :: crateandbarrel.com
In the history of bar carts, no one surpasses Aldo Tura, the Italian midcentury designer who created fanciful trolleys with brass Roman chariot wheels and lacquered goatskin trim. His work can be found at the online design marketplace 1stdibs.com, where this cart from the Vermillion storefront is $4,500. :: 1stdibs.com
With an acrylic frame and glass shelves, The Ava bar cart, $2,250, is a clear nod to midcentury Hollywood glamour and can easily double as a small bookcase or powder room étagére. Also available in smoke-colored acrylic at HD Buttercup, SoCo, Costa Mesa 657.218.7100 :: hdbuttercup.com