Finder’s Fi
There’s no need to spend a fortune on a new bar cart when you can bring a vintage trolley back to life. Here are two we prepared earlier…
Bring a vintage trolley back to life as a stylish bar cart
Bar carts are trending, and the great news is that it’s easy to find a secondhand version, which will save you some cash and guarantee you an authentic vintage look. Bar carts were a mainstay in many households in the 1950s – although they possibly played the more demure role of tea trolley in your parents’ or grandparents’ house! The popularity of mid-century style, thanks in large part to Mad
Men, has wheeled them back into the spotlight. Look for trolleys in vintage shops, op-shops and on Trade Me or Instagram. There are plenty of styles to choose from, including wooden, brass and cane numbers.
Gold glamour
We found this three-tiered trolley at the Dove Hospice shop in Glen Innes for just $30. It was in great condition, but the black plastic wheels didn’t fit with the gold tones. We found four brass castors to replace them with. Both the brass and plastic wheels had grip-neck fittings so they were easy to swap, making this a simple but effective upcycle.
Art deco dream
Our wooden trolley was purchased on Trade Me for $50. Although it needed a bit of work, we could see it had potential. It was painted dark brown and had a number of scratches and marks, so our resident handyman Bevin Mabey sanded back the paint. Two of the tray-top fixtures were rotten so Bevin shaped new ones to match the originals. The castors were rusty and not turning well, so Bevin took these off, brushed them with a wire brush and oiled them. He then finished the trolley with two coats of satin varnish. GOLD GLAMOUR
+ Gold trolley from Dove Hospice $30 + Brass castors from Furnacc $79.40
ART DECO DREAM
+ Wooden trolley from Trade Me $50 + Sandpaper Approx $5
+ Varnish Approx $15