Drinks Cabinet or Drinks Trolley - Which is best for your home?
The home bar is having a moment.
Cocktail culture has well and truly hit our homes and with summer entertaining in full swing, creating a dedicated area to mix a drink and display your favourite glassware can make hosting that little bit more special.
The good news is you don’t need a separate bar room or acres of space to create one. A right piece of home bar furniture can turn an overlooked corner of a living or dining room into the heart of a gathering.
But what should you choose: a drinks cabinet or a drinks trolley?
Both are great for looking beautiful and having your favourite bottles close at hand, but they are suited to slightly different homes and styles of entertaining. Here's our guide to help you find your perfect match.
The Drinks Trolley: Made for Hosting
There is something undeniably glamorous about a drinks trolley.
Maybe it’s the association with cocktail hour and old-school entertaining, but a beautifully styled trolley instantly makes a room feel more sociable. And best of all you can roll the party anywhere you need to go.
At Mi Casa Home we have drinks trolleys ranging from the more traditional oval shapes to eye-catching contemporary shapes, so you can choose to make your home bar as subtle or statement making as you like.
Antiqued Silver Metal Trolley
Our silver oval trolley is perfect if you want your home bar to blend naturally into your existing interior.
The mirrored two-tiered design offers plenty of space for bottles and glasses without making the piece feel bulky, and the traditional shape adds a hint of classic cocktail-bar glamour.
Style the top with your best looking bottles, a decanter and a couple of glasses then use the lower level for bottles and accessories you reach for less often.
Our Antiqued Silver Metal Trolley is a perfect choice for a living room or dining room with limited space.
Antiqued Gold Round Metal Bar Trolley with Mirror Shelves
If you are going to have a home bar, why not make it a feature?
Our gold round drinks trolley is much more of a statement piece. Even before you’ve put any drinks on it, the large curved frame and mirrored shelves make the trolley decorative in its own right.
This is one we'd be happy to put in a empty corner and let it do the talking.
Decorate with cocktail glasses, a beautiful ice bucket, your favourite spirits and maybe a quirky ornament or small lamp. The trick is not to fill every single inch. Give it a bit of breathing room so the Antiqued Gold Round Metal Bar Trolley still looks elegant rather than crowded.
Why choose a drinks trolley?
A trolley is ideal if you:
Love to entertain and move drinks between rooms.
Have a smaller living or dining space.
Want your bottles and glassware be part of the decor.
Like changing your style throughout the year.
Want a home bar without the commitment of a large piece of furniture.
A drinks trolley is also particularly useful for summer entertaining. Style yours for a garden party and you can have glasses, mixers and cocktail essentials at the ready before your guests arrive.
The Drinks Cabinet: Your Own Bar Behind Closed Doors
The drinks trolley is about showing off your cocktail collection, whereas the drinks cabinet is about curating the full home bar experience. Open the doors and everything is waiting for you. Close them again and the room is instantly tidy.
A drinks cabinet is particularly useful if you have accumulated a good collection of spirits, wines and glassware or if you prefer a less cluttered interior.
Black and Antique Gold "Orwell" Wine Storage Cabinet
Create a modern home bar with our black metal drinks cabinet for a contemporary interior that won’t take over the room.
The arched doors with glass fronts mean you can see your collection, but the dark frame and gold detailing give it a smart, slightly industrial feel.
Dedicated bottle storage, shelving and space for glasses means everything has a place.
We love this Black and Antique Gold "Orwell" Wine Storage Cabinet against a darker wall for a moody cocktail-bar feel, but it would look just as striking against a light neutral backdrop where the black frame becomes the contrast.
Langham Gentleman’s Extra Large Leather Bar Cabinet
And for a more traditional option, our Langham leather-look drinks cabinet brings the feeling of a real cocktail bar into the home.
Open the doors and you’ll find room for bottles, hanging glasses and all those little cocktail-making essentials. Close them and behind a classy piece of furniture, everything just fades away.
The warm leather finish makes it particularly suitable for classic living rooms, dining rooms and country-inspired interiors.
And there's something really lovely about opening up your own bar when friends arrive.
Why choose a Drinks Cabinet?
A cabinet might be your better match if you:
Have a larger collection of glassware and drinks.
Would rather hide bottles away when they're not in use.
Want a permanent home bar area.
Have room for a bigger piece of home bar furniture.
Love the ritual of opening up the bar when guests show up.
Want dedicated storage for glasses, bottles and cocktail accessories.
Drinks Cabinet vs Drinks Trolley: The Quick Guide
If you are still undecided, think about how you actually use the space.
Choose a drinks trolley if you want something flexible, decorative and easy to move. It is particularly useful in smaller spaces and for more relaxed entertaining, especially if you enjoy displaying your favourite bottles and glassware.
Choose a drinks cabinet if storage is more important. Cabinets are better suited to larger drinks collections and create a dedicated home bar while allowing everything to be neatly stored away afterwards.
And of course, there is no rule that says you can’t have both.
A drinks cabinet can be your main bar and a smaller trolley can be your serving station when friends and family come over.
How to Style Your Home Bar
Whatever you choose, don't treat your bar as simply a place to store bottles. Treat it like any other part of your interior and add some personality.
Begin with your favourite bottles and glassware, and add a few decorative touches. A small lamp or candle holders give off a lovely glow in the evening, while a decorative tray can gather bottles together and stop things looking cluttered. Add cocktail books, an ice bucket, a decanter or one of your favourite quirky Mi Casa Home accessories. Animal-inspired ornaments and bottle holders can also add some character to a home bar without taking over the display.
For summer entertaining, add fresh citrus fruits, colourful glassware or a little vase of flowers for summer entertaining.
Christmas is the time to swap these out for more luxurious glassware, candles and metallic accessories. It’s a little area of your home that you can have some fun with.
So, Which One Is Right for You?
The best home bar furniture is ultimately the one that fits your lifestyle. There’s nothing quite like a beautiful drinks trolley for easy entertaining and flexibility. A drinks cabinet wins for serious storage and the feeling of having your own bar at home.
Even if you’re not a dedicated cocktail maker, having a special drinks area can make serving a simple glass of wine or mixing a Friday-night drink feel like an occasion. And isn’t that half the fun of entertaining at home?
Shop the Mi Casa Home collection of drinks cabinets, drinks trolleys and home bar furniture and create a cocktail corner ready for summer parties, friday night drinks and everything in between.