Media >The Plain Dealer
Full House
6/1/09
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Decorating your outdoor space for summer parties: Full House
by Susan Condon Love/Plain Dealer Homes Editor
Monday June 01, 2009, 5:05 PM
Are you planning an outdoor bash and already stressing about how to re-create a Polynesian paradise in your tiny back yard?
Relax. Not planning your party down to the multicolored toothpicks is, believe it or not, a surefire way to ensure your event is the most successful one on the block.
Simplicity, common sense and a few elegant accouterments are key.
"The more simple [the party] is, the more time you'll have with your guests, which is the whole point of having a party," said Jennifer Sypeck, national product and trend developer for Smith & Hawken. "A little goes a long way" when it comes to creating the perfect ambience.
Sypeck, Hudson interior designer Pamela Bayer and David Stein, owner of Plantation Home decor store in Lakewood, all agree that by following a few guidelines, outdoor entertaining can be as easy as, well, hanging out in your back yard with a few friends.
"Treat it [the outdoors] like you do your interior," said Stein. "Think comfort, just as much as when you choose furniture for your interior."
"Look at all your options," for furniture and accessories, instead of just going to one store and buying something quickly, he said.
His advice counts especially when you are buying the big-ticket items -- like chairs, lounges and tables -- for your outdoor "room." Remember that all successful events, including parties, are built on good foundations such as practical, comfortable outdoor furniture.
Always think about the tone being set -- keep things easygoing, added Sypeck. "Don't stress by overdoing things," she said. "The emphasis should be on the gathering of friends."
Here are some of their tips that will make your party the talk of the season -- at least on your block.
David Stein, owner of Plantation Home, Lakewood:
Monday June 01, 2009, 5:05 PM
Are you planning an outdoor bash and already stressing about how to re-create a Polynesian paradise in your tiny back yard?
 This three-piece, wooden folding bistro set is from Home Goods, with stores on the East and West sides of Cleveland. |
Relax. Not planning your party down to the multicolored toothpicks is, believe it or not, a surefire way to ensure your event is the most successful one on the block.
Simplicity, common sense and a few elegant accouterments are key.
"The more simple [the party] is, the more time you'll have with your guests, which is the whole point of having a party," said Jennifer Sypeck, national product and trend developer for Smith & Hawken. "A little goes a long way" when it comes to creating the perfect ambience.
Sypeck, Hudson interior designer Pamela Bayer and David Stein, owner of Plantation Home decor store in Lakewood, all agree that by following a few guidelines, outdoor entertaining can be as easy as, well, hanging out in your back yard with a few friends.
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"Treat it [the outdoors] like you do your interior," said Stein. "Think comfort, just as much as when you choose furniture for your interior."
"Look at all your options," for furniture and accessories, instead of just going to one store and buying something quickly, he said.
His advice counts especially when you are buying the big-ticket items -- like chairs, lounges and tables -- for your outdoor "room." Remember that all successful events, including parties, are built on good foundations such as practical, comfortable outdoor furniture.
Always think about the tone being set -- keep things easygoing, added Sypeck. "Don't stress by overdoing things," she said. "The emphasis should be on the gathering of friends."
Here are some of their tips that will make your party the talk of the season -- at least on your block.
David Stein, owner of Plantation Home, Lakewood:
- Think out of the lawn-chair box with your outside decor. "Mix things up," he said, by combining a glass-topped table with Parsons chairs upholstered in durable, fade-resistance fabrics (Sunbrella, he noted, makes great outdoor fabrics).
- Look at the construction of outdoor furniture before buying. Teak is a top choice for durability.
- Bugs are a fact of life. Invest in citronella candles. Stein stocks 100-hour citronella candles for $32 each.
- Add a touch of elegance with higher-end paper napkins. They don't have to be plain white squares or feature palm trees. Plantation Home stocks nice napkins as do stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond.
- When arranging outdoor furniture, "think scale," said Stein. "People tend to think small and they shouldn't." Artfully arranging a few larger pieces of furniture is a better idea than cramming the space with small tables and folding chairs.
- Accessories, accessories, accessories. Buy lanterns and hang them from trees. Heck, buy small candle chandeliers and hang them from branches, said Stein.
- Draperies aren't just for the house. Hang them outside on fences, on decks, even on the side of a garage to give the space an elegant look. Just make sure they are made from durable outdoor fabric.
 A hanging, battery-operated lantern will shed classic light on any nightime outdoor dining. Get this one as part of a set of three, $12 for the set (green, blue and pink), from Pier 1 stores and online. |
- Proper lighting is vital. "The first time I had a party at my new house, I forgot about lighting," said Sypeck. "When it got dark outside, you couldn't see people's faces." She suggests stringing lights in trees and around the conversation areas. Candles are also a good option.
- Again with the bugs: Sypeck suggests having citronella candles and bug spray handy. Nothing ruins a party faster than swarms of biting (or nonbiting) insects.
- Keep it simple -- and that includes a buffet-style food presentation -- so you are able to mingle and enjoy your friends. "You don't want to be spending the whole time in the kitchen," she said.
- Don't over-theme. "You don't have to be head-to-toe one style," said Sypeck. For example, instead of a whole beach-party theme, simply go with beach colors in your accessories.
- Take advantage of the gorgeous, durable picnic items currently on the market, particularly plates and glasses made of melamine.
- Start the outdoor party about 4 to 5 p.m., so guests can enjoy your garden, if you have one. Serve dinner around 6:30, while it's still light, and then serve the cocktails when it's nighttime. Then, "send everyone home," said Sypeck, laughing.
- Keep seating accessible and easy, with space for people to walk around the chairs, and tables for parking drinks and plates.
- Solar lighting is getting better and better, said Sypeck. Look into some of the newer outdoor lighting systems. And put string lights everywhere.
- Buy an outdoor fireplace. "[It's] the chicest way to enjoy dining outside well into the fall," she said. "A more casual but equally effective approach is a fire pit."
This permaglass lemonade pitcher, $20 from Smith & Hawken, is durable and practical for outdoor dining. - Create heat with lamps, said Bayer. An alternative to a fireplace or fire pit, tall stainless-steel heat lamps, such as those found at Target, Smith & Hawken, and the big-box stores, can add class and keep outdoor parties cozy.
- Again, use lanterns and candles. "Paper lanterns with whimsical patterns from Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft stores add color and character to evening get-togethers," she said. "Tea lights and votives from Pier 1 bring an alluring fragrance and a touch of romance."
- Size your table to your party size, she suggests. Find an outdoor table that expands and contracts to fit your number of guests. Try a racetrack (oval) table with a pedestal base.
- Use armless side chairs. This helps to accommodate larger groups around a single table more comfortably, said Bayer.
- Set up small tables for larger parties. "Tables seating four to six create a personal setting at bigger events."
- Give your outdoor entertainment area a spa look by accenting with lounge chairs and ottomans or a sofa and love seat.
- Keep cool with hinged umbrellas. Offered in a variety of sizes and colors, directional table umbrellas provide shade for daytime gatherings.
- Even though you are outdoors, you can help Mother Nature a little bit by adding freshly cut flowers and lush perennials in pots to the party area. Accent your tables and the corners of your patio or deck with lovely floral hues, scents and textures.
- Fill large, white enamel buckets with iced wine, beer, champagne, soft drinks and bottled water. Keep another bucket close by just for ice, and have chilled mugs and glasses ready.
- Finally, think out of the box by putting down outdoor carpets or rugs, said Bayer. "Banyan Tree [in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood] offers an assortment of area rugs that are water-resistant and that soften the look of pavers and decking material," she said.
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