Have you spotted the chic bar carts all over the DIY blogosphere? From IKEA hacks to industrial looking carts made from plumbing parts, there are a huge variety of them out there that have all had me inspired.
I tackled my own version, turning an old bookcase into a DIY bar cart.
Here is how it all started.
I already owned this bookcase, which had seen better days. It was made beautifully by my Daddio for my University dorm room, when I needed a space to store textbooks, but sadly it had been pretty neglected the past few years and it was showing. The wood had really yellowed and there was nowhere in the house where it made sense to use it as it was. Even painted, we just didn’t need a bookcase that size anywhere. And so, it made the perfect jumping off point for my new bar cart.
I started out by sanding down the bookcase to remove some of the old finish that had been on there. Once I had roughed up the wood, I applied some stain to take the colour from a golden yellow down to a cooler tone. I used Varathane Ultimate Stain in Sun Bleached and it is a milky gray colour that gives the wood a beautiful white-washed, beachy kind of aesthetic.
My stain process? Applying with a paintbrush, letting soak in for 2-3 minutes, then wiping off with a rag. Let it dry for at least 6 hours and then do another coat.
Once those two coats of stain had fully dried, I then applied a polyurethane as a top coat. This seals the piece and make it super durable.
For the inside of the bar cart, I grabbed some high gloss white paint I already owned and gave it a few coats. I really like that two-tone look and suddenly, the whole bookcase was feeling so refreshed.
To turn this bad boy into a legit bar cart, we added some casters to the bottom. You can buy these at any hardware store (usually in a pack of two) and then just drill onto the bottom of your piece. You want to put them in the far corners of the bookcase to ensure it’s stable.
While I was channeling my DIY skills, I grabbed some rope and made these rope coasters. Cute, hey?
The most fun part about a bar cart is styling it. A little San Pellegrino, some bottles of bubbly, fun straws, glasses, lemons, bling. All of these things MAKE a bar cart.
Do you guys have a bar cart at your place? If so, do you use it often? Ever come across one of those amazing vintage gold and glass ones? If so, I’m totally jealy over here.