Sarah Michelle Gellar's unorthodox 'bar shelf' is 2025's fresh alternative to a classic cart – it's a versatile way to maximize your kitchen storage

The times they are changing, and so are the bar carts – the actress's industrial furnishing is a glimpse into the future

Sarah Michelle Gellar on the sea at Cannes
(Image credit:  Arnold Jerocki/WireImage via Getty Images)

The bar cart has been the premier way to display glassware and spirits for some years. In 2025, we're looking towards new ways to decorate and organize. Sarah Michelle Gellar is leading the charge.

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress shared an Instagram post in her dining room featuring an unconventional home bar idea: a bar shelf. Her six-level shelf features stylish glassware on the bottom four shelves and spirits on the top two. Open sides turn the contents of the shelves into decor for the bistro-style space. Gellar's furnishing features wooden platforms paired with dark iron for a modern, industrial look.

If you're wondering 'what's replacing the bar cart?,' the bar shelf is a wonderful candidate. Megan Slack, Head of Celebrity Style at Homes & Gardens explains: 'As we move away from minimalism, the push for more personalized interiors has grown, especially in celebrity homes. Remaking your bar cart into something more interesting that fits perfectly into your space can give a room this interesting and unique style.

To emulate her idea, first, choose a shelf that works with your dining room storage idea. For instance, Sarah Michelle Gellar has chosen an industrial shelf to add interest to her neutral space. If you have a more farmhouse-style space, wooden shelves might be a better fit. Modern shelves with curved edges could go well in a contemporary room.

Next, choose glassware that you would be proud to show off. A variety of glasses for different beverages can create a look with different heights and shapes to create visual interest. I also love the idea of sourcing spirits in beautiful bottles from local shops or places where you travel to feature on the top shelves, as Sarah Michelle Gellar has done.

Wood bar cabinet hidden inside a cupboard

Another example of an alternative bar cabinet, similar to Sarah Michelle Gellar's

(Image credit: Dieter Vander Velpen)

Homes are evolving, and so are home bars. A bar shelf is a versatile, visually interesting, and useful way to keep up.


Sophie Edwards
News Editor

Sophie is a London-based News Editor at Homes & Gardens, where she works on the Celebrity Style team. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly excited when researching trends or interior history. Sophie is an avid pop culture fan. As an H&G editor, she has interviewed the likes of Martha Stewart, Hilary Duff, and the casts of Queer Eye and Selling Sunset. Before joining Future Publishing, Sophie worked as the Head of Content and Communications at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens and furniture brand. She has also written features on exciting developments in the design world for Westport Magazine. Sophie has an MSc from the Oxford University Department of Anthropology and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.

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