DIY bar cart transformation

In April 2019, back when we were renting our townhome, I decided to revamp my office space to work from home now. (If only I knew then what I know now.)

The result was a sleek and glam space was a handful of new items that served me really well. One stand-out item was a grey bar cart.

It has served a few different purposes since then, from a printer cart to a guest bedroom welcome wagon, and has recently felt like an eye-sore out of sorts with the color scheme and theme I’ve been trying to curate for our new home. Just before I was about to pull the plug on the cart and list it on my local Facebook Marketplace, I decided to see if I could fix it up with a quick DIY.

The Supplies

Metal bar cart. I got mine from Target, originally a grey color.
Matte black spray paint. I got mine from Lowes; I use the Rustoleum brand.

The Process

It was a quick one! I just removed all of the items from the cart, quickly wiped it down, and wheeled it out to our back yard. I placed it on a cardboard box (we have so, so many) before spraying it down from head to toe. My can of paint was left over from a previous project, so I ended up shaking and squeezing the nozzle until it was completely gone, doing my best to layer evenly.

After I totally covered it once or twice, I let it dry in the sun for a few hours. Even then, I wanted to be absolutely sure it was dry enough to handle, so I let it sit overnight in the garage. By morning, it was perfect!

The Result

Now, this updated little cart sits in our bedroom, covering up a missing piece of drywall that’s shaped like my dog’s mouth. 😉

Styling-wise, I opted for some gold planters from Wayfair (also coming from the old office), along with some faux greenery. It’s also a placeholder for a few small items, like books on my ever-growing to-read list, a blue-tooth speaker, and a scrunchie or two. I’m aiming for a minimalist vibe, but also one that functions well.