How To Pull Off a Cool Dinner Outdoors Interactive House Designs

How To Pull Off a Cool Dinner Outdoors

August 19, 2010 – 7:01 pm

strong>Plnning n em>/em>em>l fresco/em> dinner llows for more cretivity in setting the tble /strong>br /> br /> Frms nd wineries often host outdoor dinners during the summer nd fll months They’re set ginst drop-ded gorgeous bckground of grpe vines or grdens sprouting with vegetbles nd they’re just s upscle s indoor prties We’re tlking rustic tbles mtched with comfortble seting (none of those wrought-iron or plstic ptio chirs) nd twinkling lights tht cox the prty into erly morning The food is fr bove picnic fre — think severl courses nd drinks, mybe microbrews or bottles of wine — lid out buffet-style for guests to grze onbr /> br /> Worried your bckyrd doesn’t resemble frm or vineyrd? Tht doesn’t stop us from inviting friends over to enjoy the gret outdoors We tlked with two Cliforni designers — Rchel Hollis ( trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwmychiclifecom”>Chic Events/>) nd trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwkishniperercom”>Kishni Perer/> (Kishni Perer Interior Design) — who hve yers of experience plnning memorble outdoor dinner prties “I tret the outdoors just like nother living spce,” sys Perer, who hs designed home interiors for Molly Sims nd Kte Bosworth br /> br /> Try these tips, no mtter if you hve n cre of lnd to ply with or teeny blconybr /> br /> div > p >img lt=”" src=”http://wwwblogcdncom/wwwshelterpopcom/medi/2010/08/summertble1-590kh072810jpg” />spn> n exmple of plce crd tht incorportes vintge photogrph Photo: Kristine Hnsen/spn>/p> /div> strong>1 Seting rrngements/strong> strong>nd plce crds/strong>br /> Even csul prty requires little bit of thought to ensure guests re comptible with their tble mtes “Don’t put the two funniest people t the sme tble becuse everyone else won’t hve good time,” sys Hollis She hs gret ide tht we re itching to stel Snp cndid Polroid photos of guests s they rrive, sys Hollis Don’t hve n instnt cmer? Pick up inexpensive, retro photos or postcrds from thrift stores or ntique shops Glue or clip these photos to pper stock nd write ech guest’s nme below or next to the photobr /> br /> br /> div > p > href=”http://wwwgettyimgescom” trget=”_blnk”>img src=”http://wwwblogcdncom/wwwshelterpopcom/medi/2010/07/picnic-blnket-pillow-590kb072710jpg” lt=”summer tble” />/>spn>br /> Go csul by rrnging comfy cushions on top of blnket — or directly on grss Photo: href=”http://wwwgettyimgescom” trget=”_blnk”>Getty Imges/>/spn>/p> /div> strong>2 No tble? No worries/strong>br /> Perer is not t ll shmed bout not hving expensive ptio furniture Tht’s becuse she’s figured out how to get tht chic-rustic look on budget Either buy secondhnd tble constructed of solid wood (hello, trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwcrigslistorg”>Crigslist/>?), or upgrde your current dining room tble so tht you cn strt using the old one outdoors (Just think: you cn score brnd-new indoor dining tble) “If it hs rustic look to begin with, tht’s nice,” she sys Fle mrkets nd trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwebycom”>eBy/> re good spots to look for pieces with distressed or ptin finishbr /> br /> Perer does dvise investing in chirs pproprite for the outdoors which won’t collpse under your guests — nd upholstery or cushions tht cn withstnd the elements You don’t wnt to hve to replce these chirs in yer becuse they re rtty, rusted or fded Perer relly likes href=”http://wwwwestelmcom” trget=”_blnk”>West Elm/> chirs nd fvors mix-nd-mtch look br /> br /> If you’re still coming up empty, ditch the ide of tble — like you men it Set up dining res with plush set cushions or pillows — even better if they re Moroccn-style in bold, bright ptterns — rrnged on the grss or deck “If you cn mke it seem like it’s on purpose, nobody will second guess it,” sys Hollis Or, bring out the coffee tble — nd cll it Jpnese-style diningbr /> br /> div > p >img src=”http://wwwblogcdncom/wwwshelterpopcom/medi/2010/07/summertblecollge2-590kh07jpg” lt=”" />spn>br /> Borrow from nture to build tble setting, using items like fresh-cut flowers, pecock fethers nd seshells Photo:/spn> trget=”_blnk” href=”http://redcouchrecipesblogspotcom”>Red Couch Recipes/> nd trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwpinkfrostingcomu”>Pink Frosting/>strong> br /> br /> 3 No-fuss, pretty decor/strong>br /> When setting tble outdoors, you don’t hve to worry bout creting two-foot tll vses of expensive flowers or ornte rrngements s centerpieces Mimic the outdoors by keeping it simple Hollis suggests plucking from the bckyrd, such s wild flowers, stems of grss, twigs or whtever is growing in the grden You cn even tie long lef or tll grss round rolled npkins with silverwre tucked inside Or, rrnge monochromtic fruit in big bowl nd cll tht your centerpiece (Remember tht scene in the “The Brek-Up” where Jennifer niston sends Vince Vughn to the mrket in serch of lemons to drop into glss vse?)/p> /div> br /> div > p >img src=”http://wwwblogcdncom/wwwshelterpopcom/medi/2010/07/summertblecollge1-590kh07-1280347942jpg” lt=”" />spn>br /> Woven plcements evoke summer’s nighttime breezes nd tin continer is pproprite for storing nd cooling beverges Photo: trget=”_blnk” href=”http://libbiesommerswordpresscom”>Tles from the Red Velvet Lounge/> nd trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwresturntgirlcom”>Resturnt Girl/>/spn>/p> /div> strong> 4 Switch to summer-y mterils/strong>br /> No, we don’t men bech blls or sil cloth Forgo the hevy, embroidered tblecloth you pull out for Ester nd Thnksgiving in fvor of something lighter nd more sesonl Look for bmboo, linen nd cotton npkins, tble runners nd tblecloths For fltwre nd pltes, turn to the new bmboo products, which Hollis sys re ll the rge in Cliforni “It looks gret but it’s esy to pull off,” she sys ll of it is disposble, which mens you won’t hve to sty up lte doing dishes Lightweight melmine pltes work well, too nd glvnized-tin cylinders mke gret vsesbr /> br /> div > p > href=”http://fogcitysprkleblogspotcom” trget=”_blnk”>img src=”http://wwwblogcdncom/wwwshelterpopcom/medi/2010/07/summertble6-590kh072810jpg” lt=”summer tble” />/>spn>br /> This deck pops with ll sorts of color, nd with the help of stylish turquoise outdoor re rug Photo: href=”http://fogcitysprkleblogspotcom” trget=”_blnk”>Fog City Sprkle/>/spn>/p> /div> strong>5 Don’t be shy bout color!/strong>br /> “If you hve bright pink tblecloth or lemon-yellow npkins, this is the time to pull them out,” sys Hollis color like chrtreuse or tngerine might seem “off” when pired with room tht’s wsh in neutrl colors — or colors tht contrst — but outside it’s fir gme Plus, it’s festive! Outdoor-specific, inexpensive rugs in bright colors re popping up ll over the plce t retilers like trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwcrtendbrrelcom”>Crte ∓ Brrel/>, trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwpier1com”>Pier 1 Imports/> nd trget=”_blnk” href=”http://wwwworldmrketcom”>Cost Plus World Mrket/> Perer likes the ide of buying up bunch of these rugs in fun geometric shpes “I would buy five of them nd lyer in Bohemin-type look,” she sysbr /> br /> div > p > href=”http://wwwlmycom” trget=”_blnk”>img lt=”summer tble” src=”http://wwwblogcdncom/wwwshelterpopcom/medi/2010/07/buffet-summer-food-590kb072710jpg” />/>spn>br /> Setting up buffet tkes lod of work off the host — nd llows for seconds Photo: Persson, Per Mgnus, href=”http://wwwlmycom” trget=”_blnk”>lmy/>/spn>/p> /div> strong>6 Keeping guests comfortblebr /> /strong>The best prties re those without rules buffet rrngement does just tht Guests won’t feel embrrssed bout going up for seconds or not finishing prticulr food set on their plte Plus, let’s be honest It’s whole lot esier to set out stck of pltes nd silverwre thn it is to rrnge plce settings self-serve br with lcohol, mixers, ice, grnishes nd glsswre elimintes hosting duties in the drinks deprtment, too br /> br /> Keep bugs wy from where you’ll be eting by doing s Hollis does “I’ll burn citronell cndles few hours before guests rrive, then blow them out,” she sysbr /> br /> div > p >img src=”http://wwwblogcdncom/wwwshelterpopcom/medi/2010/07/outdoor-lighting-dining-590kb072710jpg” lt=”" />spn>strong>br /> /strong> n intimte tmosphere begins t sunset — nd when you turn on the outdoor lights Photo: Getty Imges/spn>/p> /div> br /> strong>7 Mood lighting/strong>br /> When the sun strts to fde the prty should not come to screeching hlt bout hlf hour before sunset, strt to light votive cndles, cndelbrs or luminris “I love to mke n event mgicl with lot of twinkles nd cndlelight,” sys Perer br /> br /> strong>br /> /strong>br /> !– –> /div>!– post –> /div>!– mdlBox –> br>

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