Progressive | Sleek | Functional

Why a bar cart?

Throughout the generations, the bar cart has continually proved its worth as an essential, portable and economical piece of furniture that serves as a centerpiece where people gather and entertain. My goal was to build a Bar Cart that is progressive for modern-day society.

{Progressive is defined as the versatility of function, location, and enjoyment in multiple spaces.}

The bar cart is a classic piece of furniture that has character, sleek style and quite a history. Inspired by the original tea trolley which debuted in the Victorian Era, the bar cart morphed into a cocktail cart after Prohibition ended in 1933.  It truly hit its stride in the 1950s after World War II was over. More recently, the TV series, Mad Men, has boosted a resurgence in the bar cart's popularity. It continues to serve as a functional, portable and multipurpose piece of furniture.

History

Ideation

My ideation process began by focusing on the word “progressive”: to build a bar cart that is both timeless and multi-functional. I began with gathering design inspiration from the past while looking forward to the future. The Bar Cart needs a functional and aesthetically pleasing update. I began developing a mood board followed by sketching my designs and finally I modeled and rendered my prototype. I repeated this process multiple times in order to achieve the final product.

Mood Board

Sketching

Renderings

Prototypes

In the design process, I planned for the steps of manufacturing, packing, and shipping. The entire design disassembles for ease of shipping.

Refinement

Through user testing and feedback I modified some of the key features. I updated the handle from two to one to operate more seamlessy. I also changed the steel support from single to double for a more aesthetically pleasing look. I also changed the wheels to a more simplistic look. The hardest part was the design and the completion of the buckets. The compound angles tapered proved to be a difficult element of the design. This made the final glue up process difficult.

The Final Product

The end product was unique, functional, and progressive. I achieved the goal of my design project.