Style a Gorgeous Holiday Bar Cart with Shea McGee’s Tips

‘Tis the season for decking the halls—and your bar cart. Popular interior designer Shea McGee (of Studio McGee) just offered a must-know guide for how she styled hers this year, whether you’re looking to decorate your dining room for the season or make it easy to serve holiday guests.

Before you do any styling, you need the cart itself: McGee chooses one with wheels, making it easy to move from space to space. As you can set up a drinks station in the kitchen or move the party to the living room later on in the evening, a rolling bar cart is a clever way to make sure you can have all your supplies on-hand in moments.

Shea McGee’s Bar Cart Style

So, what does McGee put on her bar cart? She stocks hers with essentials like a set of wine glasses, a decanter, and a set of coasters on the top shelf. This is also where you’ll find other utensils like a serving bowl for snacks, a set of small dessert plates, and an ice bucket to help keep bottles cold throughout the night.

The bottom shelf holds extra glasses and, of course, that’s where the drinks themselves are stowed.

The drinks you’ll be serving up depend on the type of party, but it’s always a good idea to have a small variety of common spirits. You may also want to add a bottle or two of wine or champagne. And don’t forget a non-alcoholic option that’s easy to reach for if any guests would prefer those types of libations. Add in a few mixers, and you’re good to go.

McGee also has a small stack of mixology books sitting on the base of her bar cart. Not only do these serve as decoration, they’re also nice to have for when you need a recipe to follow. Don’t forget to grab a few cocktail-making books of your own this season, so you can easily concoct whatever drinks your guests request.

If you’re planning on serving drinks like pitcher cocktails, place them on the top of the bar cart so they’re easily accessible. This allows you to turn the top of your cart into a mini beverage station, with glasses, coasters, and the drinks you want guests to choose from up top. 

Don’t forget to store any bar utensils you may need on the cart, too. For example, cocktail stirrers, shot glasses, and shakers could come in handy. You may also want to include a small array of cocktail garnishes for an extra festive touch.

McGee leaves a little room on both the top and bottom shelf of her bar cart for a few yuletide decorations. On the top surface, lighted candles add elegance and shimmer, and a faux potted tree echoes the wreaths and greenery she has on display in her dining room. The bottom contains presents wrapped in neutral wrapping paper for a touch of holiday cheer.

If you want to see more of McGee’s bar cart (and maybe snag a few of her bar cart products for your own space), you can find all the details on studio-mcgee.com.