4 min readIf you don’t have space at home for a built-in bar but you want a dedicated cocktail-making area, you have two options: getting a bar cabinet or a bar cart. Both do the same thing—they hold liquor bottles, glassware, and other bar accessories—though each brings a different vibe and overall look to an interior.
I’m a recent bar cabinet convert. In my previous space, I was gung-ho about our gold and glass bar cart. It fit in our prewar apartment beautifully, especially with an exposed brick backdrop. It did, however, collect a lot of dust, and every time I wanted a drink, I’d have to rinse off my glassware. I also realized when my partner and I moved to a different space that I didn’t really want the look of exposed bottles anymore; it felt very college. So, we retired our bar cart and bought a midcentury-style bar cabinet from Home Depot.
While I still believe a bar cart has its place, I greatly lean toward a bar cabinet in general. But what do the professionals think? If I have strong opinions about bar carts versus bar cabinets, surely they do too. Ahead, 10 design pros weigh in on whether a cart or cabinet looks best in the home, and all make some pretty compelling points. By the end of this heated design debate, who knows, maybe your opinion will change.
The Case for the Bar Cabinet
While most designers can appreciate a good bar cart, there’s a certain level of elegance and sophistication that comes from a bar cabinet.
“There’s something alluring about opening a cabinet and discovering what’s inside: the glassware, the bottles, the small rituals of entertaining,” Corbin See of Sees Design says. “It creates a sense of mystery and restraint that I think interiors benefit from.”
A bar cabinet tends to feel more permanent than a cart; it reads more like functional furniture rather than an accessory that can be moved around, adds Kelsey Matyas of Kelsey Deirdre Designs, and designer Hillary Cohen of HCO Interiors agrees with her. Opting for a cabinet shows you’re committed to a dedicated entertaining space within your home.
“It elevates entertaining from something temporary into something integrated into the overall design of the home,” designer Meridith Baer argues.
Also, it must be said that cabinets look tidier than bar carts. Closing away barware and bottles so they’re out of sight creates a less visually busy scene, explains Matt Donahoe of Bureau Interior Design. Carts can easily look too cluttered as one buys more bottles, even with the best styling, creating an almost unfinished look.
“At the end of the day, I’d rather look at other styled decor than bottles, which makes a cabinet much more practical,” says Becca Meyer of BB Meyer Design.
The Case for the Bar Cart
What the above designers dislike about a bar cart happens to be what these four other professionals prefer: there’s a casualness to a cart that you don’t get with a cabinet.
“It feels collected rather than installed,” designer Philip Thomas Vanderford of Studio Thomas James says. Vanderford explains that if they’re not installing a fully built-in bar, then a cart brings a jewelry-like touch through furniture, whereas a bar cabinet runs the risk of falling in an awkward middle.
Because bar carts are typically smaller than cabinets and have wheels, they’re more versatile in their capabilities.
“You can easily move from room to room to adapt to any occasion—whether you’re hosting a party in the living room or enjoying a quiet evening on the patio,” explains Ashley Alexander, the senior merchant at Grandin Road. Hospitality expert Fran Berger agrees, arguing that a mobile cart is more thrilling as you can move it wherever the party is happening. “It’s a remarkable canvas for curation and readily changeable for any and every celebratory experience,” Berger adds.
Though the glassware on top can get dusty since a bar cart is open to the elements, it does create a more curated, almost bejeweled look. That’s one of the reasons why designer Abby Gruman of Abby Leigh Designs would almost always choose a bar cart over a cabinet. That, plus they’re great at filling unused or awkward corners in a room.
“Because they’re relatively small and versatile, they can work almost anywhere—from a living room to a dining room or even a bedroom,” Gruman adds.
So, Which One Wins?
When it comes down to the winner of our debate, six of the 10 designers we polled favored bar cabinets for their sophistication, permanence, and ability to make a room feel more elevated.
Of course, the right option depends on the look you're trying to achieve and where your bar area will live. Even many of the designers who preferred cabinets were quick to praise bar carts for their charm and versatility, with Baer even explaining that they “can feel playful, glamorous, and flexible, particularly in smaller spaces or homes that lean more eclectic or midcentury in style.” Donahoe even recommends bar carts for covered porches, offices, and any secondary lounge far from the main bar.
Whether you prefer the polished presence of a bar cabinet or the easygoing appeal of a bar cart, the most important thing is choosing a piece that feels right in your space.
