DIY: Ikea Bar Cart Hack

I don’t want to brag, but I am pretty much obsessed with my latest Ikea hack – a bar cart for only $29.99!!!!!

I absolutely love the bar cart trend, but I have yet to find an affordable option for someone 1) with a small place and 2) who doesn’t really drink (obviously I am not counting prosecco and wine). Even when Target released a somewhat inexpensive $120 version, I still felt like it was too expensive and too large. I just wasn’t willing to sink hundreds of dollars into a trend that I love the look of, but at the end of the day, isn’t super practical for my lifestyle.

But then the other day I was in Ikea (picking up frames for my prints, of course) and I saw the Bygel utility cart for $29.99. Yes that’s right, 30 bucks! I was completely willing to invest thirty dollars into the bar cart trend. Another bonus was the cart’s size, which makes it ideal for small spaces and less costly to fill.

All I did to transform the cart was spray paint it gold! A quick tip – assemble the cart half-way before spray painting. Then, let dry and finish assembling. It is also helpful to have some gold craft paint for touch ups.

To fill my new bar cart, I simply gathered some of my glasses from the kitchen and added this gorgeous square tray, this acrylic wine holder (which will look great when I finally get around to filling it), and these adorable straws (on clearance!).

This was seriously the cheapest and easiest bar cart ever! Eventually I would love to add an ice bucket and shaker, but for now I am super happy with the result.

I thought it was only appropriate to hang my degrees over my new bar cart,
since I often joke drinking is the only way you survive grad school!

Peony print from my printshop!
But how perfect would this recent freebie be on your new bar cart?

Gold glasses from West Elm

What do you think? Anybody else excited about this hack?

Comments

Traci Mcdaniel says: April 27, 2015 at 10:11 pm

I love what you did with that cart! Spraying it gold made it look so much more stunning. It now fits very well on your apartment, which is chic and definitely very fab. Gold spray had never been so handy. In any way, thanks for sharing that, Ashley! Kudos and all the best to you! 🙂

Traci Mcdaniel @ Carolina Material Handling, Inc

Sarah-ann says: August 20, 2015 at 3:36 pm

Love this! Have look at my blog!
xoxoxooxox
http://couturegal.com

Rene'e says: May 4, 2016 at 1:22 pm

So, nothing like being up to date on my leisure reading…
This is the best IKEA Hack ever, Miss Ashley!

PinkNayNay

Diana So says: May 27, 2016 at 5:05 pm

This is awesome! I keep eyeing the cart every time I pass it when I go to Ikea. Now I need to figure out can it fit into the room layout. It did when I first moved in…

maaparker says: October 31, 2016 at 10:32 pm

love the hack, fellow UT Alum 😉

Delaney Miklos says: June 12, 2017 at 8:32 pm

Oh. My. Gosh. I l o v e this bar cart hack! Thinking of making one for my apartment. Never thought getting a high-end bar cart would be so easy & cheap. Thanks for sharing!

Kylie says: December 28, 2017 at 8:49 pm

So cute! Just wondering, how did you attach the acrylic wine holder to the cart!?

- HistoryinHighHeels says: January 2, 2018 at 7:32 pm
  
  It is not attached!