How to Revive the Lost Art of the Drinks Trolley

In reality, I still don’t have a drinks trolley or cabinet at home—but I do have one in my office. A friend of mine found it in a junk shop off the Wandsworth Road, but it’s actually an Aldo Tura lacquered goatskin affair on wheels; a total find. Technically, I’m meant to be selling it for her, but it’s such a great addition to the working environment that I just can’t bear to part with it—and where most people tend to place them in their dining rooms or living areas, I’ve learned to like it in more surprising places, like a bedroom or an office.

Because if you’re willing to test your creative skills, pretty much any old cupboard can be turned into a drinks cabinet. Some friends of mine recently turned a redundant tallboy wardrobe into an enormous home bar: not only does it look utterly charming, but it also makes for a pretty serious piece of statement furniture. But you don’t have to go big to go boozy, either. In my eyes, there’s no better spot for a drinks cabinet than a modest, wall-mounted corner cupboard; something that looks impressive in a home of any size. You might have one already in boring, basic pinewood that is in need of a spruce up, and what better excuse to do so than to transform it into your very own minibar?

At that point, it’s time to whip out the gloss—because for me, a drinks cabinet should be shiny and fabulous on both the inside and the outside. When it comes to the interior, I would opt for a silver or aluminum leaf, or even a cheap and cheerful metallic paint: go all out. Think of Elizabeth Taylor, who, let’s face it, was the queen of drinking. (Apparently, while filming Boom! she was so drunk she repeatedly mistook the film’s set for an actual property and kept asking if she could buy it—but I digress.) Now all you have to do is fill it with your preferred poison, and don’t forget the cocktail umbrellas: the kitschier the better.

If you fancy yourself as more of a trolley dolly, I personally love a metal and glass combination for a lighter, more elegant touch. As a rule of thumb, anything on feet—or in this case, on wheels—that you can see underneath makes a room feel larger than it is. (Things that sit solidly on the floor, conversely, make spaces feel smaller: don’t ask me why, but it’s true.) My ultimate dream of a trolley is anything by Jacques Adnet, who masters the mix of glass and metal beautifully, although you will need a fair few spare quid to own an Ardent original.