Life

SPRITZUATION ROOM

I can’t get enough of my bar cart setup in my apartment. I’m big on entertaining and hosting friends for wine nights and cocktails, so devoting a little corner of my living room to keep all of my drinkware, napkins, and other supplies in order has always been necessary. And given that I love to style my space just-so and showcase my favorite glassware, books, and accessories, a bar cart has always been an aesthetic must, too! 

Summer gatherings are in full swing which has inspired me to give my bar cart a little makeover. The first cocktail that I celebrated my bar makeover with is one of my favorite warm weather drinks, the Hugo Spritz. This cocktail is so simple to make yet tastes so refreshing and will instantly transport you to your favorite European destination.

To make the drink, you’ll want to pour an ounce of St. Germain into a glass and top with Prosecco. Mix in mint leaves and lime and top off with sparkling water if you wish. I always keep St. Germain on my bar cart but grabbed all of the other ingredients while shopping for groceries at Dawson’s Market in Rockville. They have an extensive alcohol selection and I also love scoping out their large array of beers when I’m not in a wine mood! 

Ok, now for my bar cart makeover! Any well styled bar cart should include a few key items: a tray (or two!), some books, chic drinkware, and fun napkins.

When it comes to books, you don’t want to display just any on your bar cart, of course—rather, opt for those that you’ll want to turn to prior to entertaining. Amazon Books has a vast selection of cookbooks and cocktail making books, and I showcased a few favorites from the store on my bar cart along with other related titles that I hope to dive into further this summer. They’re functional, of course, but they also add a fun pop of color to my bar cart shelves.

I always love to serve small desserts or other treats when hosting cocktail parties, so I grabbed a fun cake stand from Anthropologie and am using it to display colorful macarons. Seriously, what more could a girl want than macarons + bubbly?! After visiting Anthro, I popped into The Paper Source next door and knew I couldn’t leave without the witty napkins pictured above. They describe my personality to a T! 

In terms of basics, I grabbed a set of four glasses at TJ Maxx along with a small juicer that is key for squeezing lemon or lime juice into cocktails.  The glasses I found are too pretty to keep behind cabinet doors and will therefore have a permanent home on my bar cart. At Ross, I picked up a petite marble tray that makes for the perfect drink prep station (but I could see using it to create a mini cheese board sometime in the future!). Any good host also knows to keep coasters on hand for guests. I picked up a set of four brass ones at West Elm that look super luxe but actually only cost $18 total! 

Last but not least, I had to add a pop of rattan in the form of two adorable nesting trays from Ross. They’re holding extra glassware for now, but they’re perfect for easily transporting drinks out to my balcony once guests arrive and mix their preferred libations. They’re so on trend that I can’t see myself running out of uses for them, honestly. 

So what are you waiting for? Get your bar cart into tip top shape then text your friends to plan a sunny weekend soiree. Cheers to summer spritzes and all things bubbly!


Sarah Lyon is a freelance writer and interior design enthusiast who currently lives in Washington, DC. Her work has appeared on websites including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest Clever, Lonny, and MyDomaine. Additionally, Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine. Follow her on Instagram @sarahlyon9.