When the weather starts to warm up, we start thinking about entertaining and having dinner parties. When we have guests over for an event, our goal is to ensure that our party is a lasting memory. It is always nice to cater the dinner party to the guests that will be arriving. We don't find ourselves hosting theme parties, but we do find interest in coordinating a tabletop presentation that has a consistent style and is fitting for our guests.
When hosting a dinner party for our younger, design friends, we switch out roses for vanda orchids. We turn off the Marvin Gaye love songs and turn up the Adele or Jamiroquai. However, our hospitality is still the same with a spotless home and welcoming scents. We spend the extra time to plan a party because nothing makes us happier than the soft laughter of a dinner party.
What steps do you take to prepare for guests to arrive? What are your favorite inspirations for a party?
Resources:
Top Row:
- Digital Placemat: Electrolux digital placemat by designer Rodrigo Wolff
- Float Glassware: Molo Design: Insulated, hand blown glassware from master glassblowers in the Czech Republic
- Tetris Dinnerware: The dinneware plates were designed by Seungyoub
- Open Air Flatware: Emmo Home: 24 piece flatware set for 6 in 18/10 stainless steel by WAT Design
Bottom Row:
- Water Pitcher: CB2: Stainless Steel Shiny Water Pitcher
- Flower Arrangement: Empty Vase: La Tour Magnifique
- Candles: Migration modular oil candles by Lichen Studio
- Oil and Vinegar Set: Unica Home: Double walled oil/vinegar pourer by Ichendorf
- Bread Bowl: Unica Home: Magppie 'chill zone' set by Troels Seidenfaden
Other Dinner Party Inspirations:
(Images: Yanko Design, Molo Design, Emmo Home, CB2, Empty Vase, Unica Home, 3 bp blogspot, walyou)
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Comments (6)
Jamiroquai? Really? I'm so out of it! But we do plan on having some outdoor dinner parties for High Point Furniture Market Week soon and I'll take some pics and post on my blog.
Place settings are nice but I'm not Colin Cowie or Sandra Lee and don't want to be. I do have several options at home that I have purchased/inherited over the years that I like. I don't need settings exclusively for one party (that is what rental is for).
I know my younger design friends don't expect me to be any hipper than I am (and they would probably just chuckle behind my back for posing).
or .... wait ..... was the whole party for cool people just a cover for the 'sales' pitch? I do really like some of these items - and I might buy one or two of them at some point ... but probably not for the premise of impressing 'trendy' friends. Just sell this stuff as really cool ideas for your dining room - let's not sell buying to impress others.
jamiriquoi? How 90's of you.
this topic is ridiculous - like in-the-poche said, buying new place settings to try to impress your guests is just LAME.
If hosting parties is your "indulgence" (as opposed to travel or dining out or Jimmie Choos...) then go for it!
I think it is actually quite hospitable to tailor the table to the event and to your guests, and not self indulgent or LAME at all.
The only thing stopping me from doing this is the room to store the options! Although I must admit I do have room to support my napkin ring fetish. :)
Thank god I get to live vicariously in client tabletop photoshoots!
FengShuiByFishgirl - I would love to see the pictures of your outdoor dinner parties. Can't wait to see them on your blog soon.
honey living - thanks for sharing information on your entertaining strategy