Presetting a bar in your living room—be it on a bar cart or sideboard—means you don't have to scramble when you want to invite guests over for an impromptu visit. All you need is some stunning glassware, an ice bucket (a shaker if you plan to mix cocktails) and some spirits.

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Jennifer's Design Tip: Nothing livens up a bar cart, or makes a party more festive than colored glassware. Why drink out of a clear glass when you can sip wine out of a scarlet one, or enjoy champagne out of a blush-colored flute or a cocktail in a cut blue tumbler? Every element in a room adds to the others to create the ambiance.