Shea McGee's holiday bar cart is a lesson in luxuriously rustic style – and you can shop the same look with 25% off right now
A bar cart is a staple over the holidays, and here designer Shea McGee talks us through how she styles hers
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Twice a week
Homes&Gardens
The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.
Once a week
In The Loop from Next In Design
Members of the Next in Design Circle will receive In the Loop, our weekly email filled with trade news, names to know and spotlight moments. Together we’re building a brighter design future.
Twice a week
Cucina
Whether you’re passionate about hosting exquisite dinners, experimenting with culinary trends, or perfecting your kitchen's design with timeless elegance and innovative functionality, this newsletter is here to inspire
Since Shea launched McGee & Co in 2016, we have been following every holiday collection enviably and this year is no different. This season's selection will make a perfect addition to any home, especially while hosting Christmas get-togethers over the holidays. We love getting tips from Shea on how to style her collection, and her most recent video is all focused around one of the hero pieces of the holidays – the bar cart.
Bar carts are no new trend, they have long been a staple accessory in dining rooms across the globe. It's also a piece that features frequently in Shea's helpful holiday prep videos – notably in her recent Instagram video in which she treats us to some really simple style tips using McGee & Co's Dorothea Bar Cart.
Shea starts her video by explaining that while a bar cart is a holiday staple, it's not just for Christmas. 'Yes, it's great for entertaining, but I think bar carts work as a piece of furniture to live in your dining space all year round,' she explains.
Also, note how Shea has grounded the piece in the room with the mural above so it looks like more of a zone and establishes the bar cart as a permanent part of the room.
As with so many holiday displays, Shea starts with the candles. She explains 'We have styled [the cart] with this really cute taper candle holder, and it has these twisted tapers.' This style of holder, that groups candles together, just elevates something simple into more of a styling piece.
To give the cart more of a nod to the holidays, Shea says, 'I love the addition of presents below as you're getting pattern, color, and a bit more holiday to the feel.' She layers these with books and glassware to add in some different shapes and textures. Bring items you already have around the home, and use smaller trays to corral bits of decor or bar accessories. You could also up the holiday feel with a garland or string lights wound throughout the glassware and bottles.
Next, it's the all-important greenery that really ups that festive feel and adds a lovely rustic touch. 'When styling with greenery, I always want to mix the levels and types of greenery throughout a space. We did this little potted tree. This was a best seller last year,' she explains, referring to the Potted Cypress Tree. 'I have it in my own house and will be placing it in the bedroom, or in my kitchen. I love the terracotta and just how natural it looks.'
Shop Shea's bar cart look
So much of Shea's beautiful, rustic look is shoppable over on McGee & Co., and bonus, there's currently 25% off many of the pieces in the Seasonal Dining Sale. These are the key pieces to pick up to recreate the look.
A bar cart needs glassware, and these twisted designs with a festive gold rim would double as decor as well as something to serve your chosen tipple in.
Plates are a useful addition to a bar cart too if you plan to serve snacks alongside your drinks. Shea has stacked these small plates on her cart they add some rustic texture, in amongst all the glassware.
Don't forget the napkins. And as with everything that comes near a bar cart, make them pretty as well as practical. These green linen cocktail napkins are woven finely and finished with an embroidered edge.
This style of glitzy garland is a great accessory for draping around your bar cart really effortlessly. You can weave it through the glassware and bottles for a quick festive flourish before your guests arrive.
These are the glasses featured on Shea's bar cart. They are so delicate, designed for entertaining and to be on display.
A wooden platter is a nice addition to a bar cart to add in some natural textures and create those layers that Shea mentions in her video. They are also handy for chopping fruit for garnishing drinks.
Shea's styling tips are super easy to replicate in your own home, elevating your bar cart so it becomes a piece of decor as well as a handy spot to serve your guests drinks.
