How to entertain outdoors Part 1: the picnic aesthetic
With the sunny days upon us, it’s time to make the most of our outdoor spaces.
Living in London, I’m blessed with a small city garden. But just because it is small, it doesn’t mean it’s not fit for entertaining. I love thinking of creative ways of using the space I have and transforming it into something totally unexpected.
In this 3 part blog post series, I will show you 3 different outdoor settings to host your friends in style, even in a small outdoor space.
Today let’s talk about setting up a picnic style gathering in your garden, Boho style.
1- Create a comfy and cosy backdrop
a- Use textiles as a base
The first thing I use to create this look, after clearing out the existing furniture, is a lot of different fabric and textiles: rugs, blankets, throws,… If it can go on the floor, I put it there. I like using a mixture of patterns and colours for a boho chic look.
Weaver green throw - £50
For example I absolutely love this blanket by Weaver Green, made for recycled plastic bottles. Perfect for a sustainable picnic.
It’s also stain and water resistant and easy to clean.
I use it as a starting point as it’s the perfect accessory for any picnic and add layers of other fabrics on top of it.
Mix colours and texture to achieve a Boho look
b- Cushions aplenty
If you are like me, you probably have a lot of cushions in various colours, laying around the house. This is the perfect opportunity to use them all and create a lavish middle-eastern feel to your gathering.
Place the cushions in a circle around the edge of the blanket area so your guests can sit at various ends of the garden.
Don’t worry too much about have a lot of mismatched patterns and colours. Once they are spread out around the edge of the blanketed floor, they will look good.
Here, I’m working with a very colourful scheme but you could also go for earthy tones, using lots of whites and linens, in neutral colours such as grey, beige and brown. Use whatever you have in your cupboards and go with it.
The finish look would have a totally different vibe but will also be stunning.
c- Play around with accessories
I like to use lanterns and soft lightings, dotted around the edge of the picnic area.
If your feast lasts until the sun comes down, it will be easy to light them up and create a more intimate ambiance.
I also like to bring my house plants outside for the occasion and bring lushness to the overall look. On a sunny day, your house plants will be happy outside and will add interest to the party.
2- Use colourful homeware and crookery
A picnic is all about celebrating the return of the warm sunny days with your friends. You want this occasion to be fun and joyful. That’s why I always use mismatched colourful plated and trays when styling my gathering. It adds to the eclectic look I’m after.
I’m lucky enough to make trays I can display the food on and I always have some ready to go. You can find them in my shop and I can even make them in the colour or finish you want.
Colourful trays by A Softer Edge, from £35
I also pair my trays with colourful plates. For example, I absolutely love these animal plates by Yvonne Ellen
They would look absolutely gorgeous for a fancy picnic at home.
Plates by Yvonne Ellen, £45 for a set of 4
3- Create vibrant food displays
There is nothing more appealing that a gorgeous plate of food.
For a picnic at home, I like to use large trays to make food arrangements. I try to arrange the food in fancy patterns to make them look really yummy: mixed vegetables, mini sandwiches, cured meat and cakes. Plus plenty of dips and crisps of course!!
For my picnic food displays, I have 3 rules:
Made it colourful
Make easy to eat with your hands
Have an array of foods to satisfy everyone
Terrazzo tray from A Softer Edge
Large tray from A Softer Edge
Small tray from A Softer Edge
4- Have plenty of drinks at the ready
I like to go big and create a drink area with tall glasses and a champagne bucket… the whole shebang.
Just because this is a picnic, it doesn’t mean we can’t be fancy 😉
My drink trolley is on wheels so I can just roll is outside. I fill it with plenty of drinks and cocktail accessories.
I also have small side tables I can easily move outside and used to hold glasses, drinks, whatever is needed.
Rolling bar cart by A Softer Edge, £250
5- Watch me setting up
This is how I set up for the day. I hope you enjoyed watching the video.
Now, ENJOY!!!
Thanks for reading and please let me know in the comments if you have any questions.
Check out my other blog posts for more home decor tips and inspiration.
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