It’s getting to that time of year when we’ll all be gathering our friends and family together around for some winter entertaining and what better way to welcome people than with a beautiful, well-stocked bar trolley or drinks cart. Not just for those partial to a cocktail (or two?), these versatile, multi-functional pieces of furniture are great for displaying favourite books, magazines, trinkets, vases and plants. You can get slim designs for small spaces, decorative ones for fancier moments and big, utilitarian styles for storing larger objects.
I have two such designs in my home – one (below) for piles of books and a tray of gin bottles and another in the kitchen for cookbooks, napkins and all the things that normally clutter the worktop; salt and pepper mills, the toaster, the Nutribullet and the like. They can be wheeled out of the way when needs be and they help store everything neatly in one, easily accessible place. I also like that they’re lightweight pieces with thin frames – being able to see through or underneath furniture gives a greater illusion of space to a room.
They’re clean, simple and minimal but can be curated to suit your personal style, whether you like your home filled with lots of interesting objects or if prefer just a few, choice things to tell the story.
Here I’ve rounded up 12 of the best minimal bar trolleys. Prices range from £100 to just over £600, with everything from high street to high end designer. All are on wheels, most come with at least two shelves and some have handy, extra features such as a rail to hang items or a rack to display magazines. Industrial-style designs with thin, black metal frames are all the rage at the moment, but I’ve included some warmer wood designs and clean, white trolleys as well.
1. USM Haller Serving cart, £480.65, Houseology
2. by Lassen Anoon trolley, £473, Skandium
3. House Doctor serving trolley, £151, Nunido
4. Bauhaus trolley, €524, Kristina Dam Studio
5. Block side table, £205, Insidestore
6. Klasen trolley, £100, IKEA
7. House Doctor white office trolley, £208.50 Trouva
8. House Doctor trolley, £280, Amara, also comes in smaller version here for £159
9. Kaymet Modern Tea Trolley, £349, John Lewis
10. Gubi Mategot trolley, £639, Utility Design
11. Sunnersta trolley, £22, IKEA
12. Carrello bar trolley, £179, Swoon Editions
House Doctor should probably be your first port of call if you’re looking for a minimal bar trolley. They have lots of Scandinavian-inspired designs with elegant profiles and accessible price points, starting from around £159.
Then there’s Normann Copenhagen’s bestselling Block Side Table, which comes in several different colours and retails for £205. They’ve just released a new, round version, which is sure to be popular. Originally designed in 2012 by Simon Legald, the Block Side Table was inspired by the classic trolley table. Legald used rounded shapes and contrasting materials to create his simple, signature design. Use it as a serving trolley or side table, in a child’s bedroom to store toys, a bathroom to display bottles or even as a bedside table.
At the higher end of the spectrum is Kristina Dam Studio’s stunning Bauhaus Trolley. As the name suggests, it was inspired by the famous art school – visible in the design’s lightweight appearance and streamlined, graphic lines. The Bauhaus Trolley comes in black and white powder coated steel and includes two trays – one in hardened glass and one made of perforated steel. Beautifully simple and timeless.
Which is your favourite and what would you store on your bar trolley?
First and last image: Cate St Hill, all other images courtesy of brands mentioned
