Cocktail carts are all the rage these days by instantly inviting a festive mood into any room. I had hoped to find one to paint or update, but have reminded myself countless times, I have two obstacles. The first is lack of space and the second is Angus (aka the puppy wrecking ball). I decided to continue using my sturdy kitchen bookshelf as the bar keep area, but improve the function and appearance.
My approach to this project was to give the bookcase an industrial feel. The sides of the shelves already have exposed bolts holding it together, so I decided to paint the bars and top shelf to mimic the look of metal. I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in graphite. The grey blue is very close to the same metal color of the bolts. By simply painting a few key features, the mission style was converted into an up-to-date industrial vintage bookshelf.
The white trays are ideal for organizing bottles and protecting the wood finish from drips. When I ordered the trays from West Elm, I had different plans for them until I discovered by pure coincidence, they fit perfectly side by side on the bookcase. The tray on the right holds Scotch whisky and the tray on the left holds everything else.
By relocating photos and cookbooks, I now have room to display bar glasses and mixers on the shelves.
On top of the bookcase, I arranged a framed Scotch tasting tour print by leaning it against the wall and added a beautiful orchid in a birch container. The picture adds a bit of fun to the bar keep area, and hides the unattractive white intercom system rarely used. The white ceramic serving tray is perfect for (the not so secret) ingredients of a special cocktail, an Old Fashioned. Recipe upon request, of course!
The bookcase now has great potential with a new festive industrial look.
Cheers!
This post was linked to Making Broken Beautiful | No.26 – The Curator’s Collection