Tips for setting up your home bar for New Year’s Eve and beyond

The bar cart, once relegated to chic hotels and scenes in old movies, exploded in popularity in the 2010s.

Holiday entertaining cooled during the pandemic, but as people carefully welcome friends and family back into their homes, they seem to have turned their attention back to their home bar setups — searches for glassware, drinkware, or barware increased 146% in the last year, while searches for bar carts and accessories are also up, notes Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy’s trend expert.

A well-appointed bar cart adds style and function to your home. Here's how to put one together.

You don’t need every liquor, bitter or simple syrup for a party. “If you’re trying to replicate what you can do in a restaurant, you’re never going to be able to do it,” said Chad Spangler, cofounder of D.C. cocktail spot Service Bar. Focus on the building blocks of drinks you personally enjoy and ones you’d like to share with your guests.

To avoid being trapped at the bar mixing drinks all night, offer a drink that can be prepared in a large batch and served in a pitcher or punch bowl. Stock at least one bottle of vodka, gin, whiskey and Scotch, and a tequila or mezcal to cover the bases for popular stirred drinks such as martinis, Manhattans, old-fashioneds and negronis.

Expect to spend at least $30 a bottle, and start with legacy names if you’re unsure what to get. “Don’t buy the cheapest thing, but you don’t have to buy the most expensive thing,” Spangler said.

Once you have the basics, add in funkier, more specific choices, such as a bottle of Bailey’s for holiday cocktails, or something unexpected, such as sherry or port. Don’t forget to have nonalcoholic drink options.

Tonics are versatile mixers. Keep other mixers, simple syrups, vermouths and bitters in the refrigerator; Have garnishes that match the drinks you want to serve, such as olives, Luxardo brandy cherries for Manhattans, and citrus fruits such as limes and lemons.

Many bar tool sets come with lots of pieces, but a small stable of well-made tools will do the job. A one/two-ounce Japanese-style jigger, which is more elongated and narrower than other types, is the "most necessary piece of barware," Spangler said; it's used to measure and pour ingredients. A shaker is essential for any home bartender who likes shaken drinks; get a two-piece set of weighted shaking tins. Avoid three-piece cobbler-style shakers that come with a built-in strainer, Spangler said, because they can get jammed easily.

A Hawthorne strainer, a mixing glass with a wide base, and a cocktail spoon with a thin handle will round out your collection.

Glassware depends on your favorite drinks, but Spangler said a core of wine glasses with a stem, rocks glasses, and V-shaped martini and Collins glasses can be adapted for most cocktails.

Decide whether the cart is mostly for display, storage, or drink mixing and serving. Look for carts that contain shelves and organizational aids. “I recommend three shelves if you’re going to functionally use it, but if you just want a fun, cute accent in the corner of your apartment, I think two shelves would be fine,” said Abby Price, founder of New York home decor store Abbode. Multifunctional pieces are best; some might have flaps that expand for serving or come with built-in storage racks.

The best home bar might not even be a cart. Consider wall-mounted, shelf and credenza/cabinet bars, or even a small dresser.

Glassware, decanters, vases, bowls, ice buckets, pitchers and plants can all play a role in your setup, but don’t crowd the top. Group glassware, decor and liquors together to make it easier on the eye, said Roxy Owens, founder of furniture and decor company Society Social.

Arrange items on larger trays to keep everything organized and easier to move around, Price said. Display drink garnishes in pretty bowls. Everything on the cart should serve a purpose, because "when you crowd things and have stuff spilling everywhere, it detracts." And don't pack it with bottles. Keep the back stock tucked away.

Pick any accessories that serve a purpose. Coasters protect your home’s surfaces and can add patterns and colors. Martini drinkers might display unusual olive picks or stirrers. Etsy’s Isom Johnson suggests drink charms or labels to make sure everyone’s glass remains their own. Anna Franklin, interior designer and founder of Stone House Collective, likes seasonal cocktail napkins when entertaining at her home outside Milwaukee.

Natural elements such as greenery and florals add an easy holiday touch. Louder accents include string lights, tinsel, garlands, ceramic or paper trees, and holiday figurines. Break out family heirlooms and vintage pieces.

Glassware doesn’t have to be plain or boring. An interesting decanter, pitcher or ice bucket can be a conversation piece. Turn to local thrift stores, estate sales, neighborhood groups, and relatives for vintage glassware and bar accessories.

Above all, don’t fixate on making a photo-ready display at the expense of having fun, Isom Johnson says. Remember: “The main goal of a bar cart is to bring joy to you and your guests.”