Cocktail Culture

Imagine getting together at the end of the day (or before the end of the day, or even mid morning) for something that adds more style and chic to your day: the cocktail hour.

There was a time, pre-social media, when NYC ad men and other business types who followed the chic society of Europe did just this. Business partnerships, love affairs, and the careers of artists were launched during these glam breaks for chilled drinks. But there was more to it. Sparkle, elegance, and glamour ruled.

Artists met their public, when fashion’s real-life runway was in motion. It wasn’t something you could do from behind a phone screen and Instagram wall – nor would you want to. The chance to explore new décor and venues, refine the art of the international affair, and make the big business deal was the delectable core of the cocktail hour. A pause for a White Russian launched business partnerships and artists. It was too good to miss, too filled with possibility to ignore.

The cocktail hour sparkled like gold, and ignited life.

It’s cocktail hour somewhere: time for glamorous pieces, a touch of gold and mirror-like sparkle

Now a fresh modern take on furniture and accents from the heyday of cocktail culture is trending big again. Maybe it’s a response to the last few years of strictly functional, raise-the-family, work-long-hours living, or as a step up from wine tastings at the local wine shop (or aisle ten at the grocery store), there’s a desire to put more sparkle and social fun into the week.

Bringing the glam cocktail hour alive in our home with friends embraces our creative food and drink culture. Cocktails-and-Netflix parties are fun, too. Hosting a cocktail benefit at home is another trend and calls for a little more effort to make a stylish event of it, and that means elegant consoles, cocktail tables, and bar carts.

It’s the perfect moment to brighten your party space. The sass, light, and sparkle and functionality of metal and glass drinks tables and cocktail tables or bar carts make things more comfortably social for everyone. Or add a sense of more dimension to a room by placing an open, airy glass-and-gold metal console table against a wall where it adds a shiny, optimistic note to the space, and use it as a bar station during a party. Clear acrylic accent tables work the same way in a modern space for entertaining.

And when not in use, some drinks tables and cocktail tables can stack cleanly, like little dots of sculpture, and simply make the room look more modern and a little cooler and charmingly guest-ready.

We like all the combinations out there:

1. Silver and glass

2. Antiqued gold finished metal with glass

3. Sculpted and wiry shapes

4. Marble-topped or mirror-topped (ultimate glam)

5. Modern clear acrylic

It’s easy too. Metal and glass pair easily with most furniture styles, without adding weight to the look of room. They adapt as little side serving tables for lunches and casual get-togethers too. Once you have them, it’s hard to imagine living an active social life without them. Adding a few glam furniture pieces or art, even a particularly gorgeous rug, takes the room’s look up a few more levels.

Whether you’re into wine or Moscow Mules, dirty martinis, fresh green juice served in crystal tumblers, or getting onto the beer pairings train, you’re just a cocktail table away from a party. Cheers!