You might remember around this time last year I posted ‘Project Bed Head’ a 'How To" story about my 17 year old daughter Charlotte choosing a ‘Parisian theme’ for her bedroom refurb. (When we moved to Jakarta Charlotte was 12, I can't believe how the time has flown and my eldest daughter is nearly all grown up!) Ok, back to the post!  Since then, Charlotte has been slowly adding to this theme; including a new lamp and a new rug.

Today I'm revealing the latest and the last edition to her room .... an Art Deco inspired and bespoke Bar Cart, a piece Charlotte has had on her mind for a while. Thanks to Pinterest and Instagram, I've discovered Bar Carts are having a huge revival right now! They look amazing stocked with stunning glassware and bottles from your top shelf, and equally fabulous doubling as functional solutions for storage and displaying items.

When we couldn't find a piece like this in Jakarta, our best option was to have the Bar Cart made. It's not always possible to find 'exactly what you're looking for' for your home in Jakarta, but you can almost always find a talented local craftsperson who'll give it their best shot to make that special piece for you.

The benefits are these; you can choose your exact dimensions, the materials, and most importantly the design. So that's what we did. Charlotte designed her Bar Cart with the purpose of using it as an occasional and side table for her bedroom and the project has been a huge success! Read on as I share the full Bar Cart story ...

This is how it was achieved!

Inspiration 

Pinterest

Pinterest is always a great starting point for project inspiration. For this project Charlotte searched 'Bar Cart'  'Side Table' and 'Drinks Trolley' for inspiration.

Choosing a maker

Armed with hand drawn sketches and images from Pinterest  I set out to meet with reputable Jakarta metal worker  Pak Denny  whose show room is in Cilandak Selatan.

Pak Denny had never made a Bar Cart before, but he was confident he could deliver on the brief. And he did! Pak Denny stayed in direct contact with me throughout the whole project which took approximately 3 weeks, from initial discussions to the final delivery.

Choosing the materials

Charlotte was after an overall vintage look. For the Bar Cart frame Pak Denny recommended using steel with a gold painted finish, 8 millimetre glass and swivel casters with rubber wheels, allowing the cart to pivot. Meaning you can move the cart with much more ease should you need to turn a corner.

The finished product

Tips for making your bar cart look pretty

• Add decorative accessories that have meaning to you

• For example, a jewellery box, candles, books, a vase with a few flowers or leaves from your garden, or a plant

So ... what do you think? Does a project like this inspire you to launch into a bespoke furniture project yourself?

Let us know in the comments what you're dreaming up for your house at the moment or your latest success story! 

Pak Denny - Metal Craftsperson
The Iron Workshop
Jl. Madrasah No. 31
Cilandak Selatan

Phone: +62 0813 2320 7711

Words Liz McClean  Photography a journey bespoke

For more ajb home and design posts, check out :

How to bring the outside in : Using leaves and flowers from your garden to decorate your home
How to make flowers last longer in Jakarta
ajb's 5 easy steps to create your own batik bed cover
How to make a marble trivet and style it 7 ways
The tale of one bench, three kitchen stools and a happy home
How to shake up your look with rugs