The cart...sorry the pics are dark.

I think it looks great as is, especially against the wall and especially if you might put a plant or two on it. I can see something like a blue and white transferware bowl or vase on there.

I've been looking for a vintage or antique faux bamboo piece like that for the bathroom to store towels and such with no luck, so I'm jealous!

Thanks Beckysharp! I will leave it as is for now to see how it feels in the space. I always keep my eyes open for bamboo furniture and accessories but they can be difficult to find.

I’ve been playing around with it a bit....the bowl below has a collection of beach items I have collected, that normally sits elsewhere in the room. You can see a bit better than the top shelf doesn’t look so great - it has grease damage or something. (Don’t mind my dying topiary! I need to replant it. And I need to put some candles in the lantern.)

I also have a bunch of blue and white ceramic jars and such I will experiment with.

That looks great, and I like Gargamel's suggestion too. Either fabric or a piece really nice wrapping paper (there's some gorgeous Italian stuff).

I was going to suggest a piece of something brass and then held myself back lol. But I see we have very similar tastes : ) .

I always keep my eyes open for bamboo furniture and accessories but they can be difficult to find.

You are definitely a kindred spirit!

Oh I like the idea of fabric or wrapping paper. I have some fabric that could work in my stash, and I will definitely check out wrapping paper, too. Either way I could change up the look occasionally. Thank you both!

Becky, I guess we do have similar taste. :)

Love the cart and the idea of using wrapping paper or fabric!

I just looked up an Etsy purchase from several years ago, I bought several blue and white Carta Varese sheets. The paper is Italian and the Etsy store is in Germany, though if you don't live in the back of beyond as I do, you might be able to find the paper closer to home : ) ,

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/buchundbox?section_id=10259519

Thanks, Becky! Gorgeous paper. I hadn’t thought to check Etsy. Will spend some time there looking at the options. I found a few contenders on Amazon but they’re pretty expensive.....like $40 a roll when I don’t need very much. I also checked michaels because they used to sell small amounts of repositionable wallpaper but it is no longer on their web site.

I am so jealous! I have been looking for a tea cart that has a viable second shelf for a long while. Modern ones tend to be more bar carts, with the bottom shelf real low and smaller, to accommodate the tall booze bottles. But that's not how I want to arrange my tea cart with a tea set and pastries. I've seen a few antique ones on Craigslist but so far nothing that floats my boat and most would need some work and we have zero storage right now and I'm not driving 1.5 hours to look at something meh.

Antiqued mirror would look pretty cool on those shelves.

Nice find!

Antique mirror could be cool, too, Justereilynn! Thanks for the idea.

Thanks, I pink, it is a pretty good find! I can’t believe it’s been sitting in our basement collecting dust for 3 years. I knew it had potential when I bought it, but my indecision got the best of me.

We are having a bbq here on Saturday for family, so I think I will decorate it with a patriotic theme and set up a mini candy bar (red white and blue tootsie rolls and such) for my little nieces and nephews.

My mom had one similar to this one, but black coated steel that had accumulated some rust over time. It might have been possible to rehab that one, but I can't find it so either my dad took it and stashed it somewhere or it got scrapped. Unfortunately I got this off of a UK web site. I've been keeping my eye out for something that has a middle shelf or else as second shelf that is not down at floor level. Also something wood. I know that there is more than one table like yours in the world! But anyway, glad to hear you're enjoying and using it! Please post any updates. Not sure if I am the only tea cart aficionado around here!

Your bamboo cart is lovely. The wallpaper inset is a great idea. It help protect the cart as well.

We are in the process of getting my mom’s house ready for an estate sale, she has an colonial style cart in her family room. So early 60’s. It is in great shape, hoping it finds a new home where it will be appreciated.

Oh gosh I would spray paint that a beautiful high gloss COLOR....It will be so pretty and would really brighten up that space...

You can put anything on it....a tea set, pitchers, flowers, plants, books...just treat it like a table...

I'd paint the whole thing black...despite your color scheme...and I'd take the casters off of it.

I second a high gloss color. You mention you use blue in your decor, so go with a bright blue. That would bring attention to the plants or tchotkes you put on it.

My girlfriend has a similar cart. She spray painted hers a bright glossy orange, it’s fabulous. Although I think she put glass shelves in as the wooden ones were warped.

Thanks for the additional ideas! I’m going to live with it as is for a bit, with the addition of pretty paper or fabric and glass on the shelves, but I am leaning toward a glossy color.

In the old days, not only were they painted black, but the knurls on them were highlighted in gold, like with a rub n buff.

I'd leave it as is, as I love that tone of wood. It looks vintage but still sophisticated. I think painting it would detract from that. I also love your crazy topiary!

Feather, that topiary started as a really cute, healthy herb topiary a few months ago. A friend gave it to me and I knew with one look it wouldn’t last. The top is rosemary, and a few too many herbs were packed into the pot below the rosemary - the ones in the pot are dying, so I really need to remove them but I keep nursing it along.