Category: Entertaining

How do you envision a perfect evening of entertaining at home? It’s possible that your experience has taught you that a special get-together has very little to do with fine china, polished silver and perfect decorations. Instead, it’s about sharing time with your guests and making them feel welcome in your home.

A casual, family-style dinner party is the perfect way to give your friends and family an evening to remember. Here are some tips for creating a cozy atmosphere where your guests can help themselves to delicious food, and feel comfortable laughing, talking and having fun with one another.

Set the Mood

Create the tranquil, informal atmosphere with simple decorations. Dot the table with pretty, understated floral arrangements of cut flowers. Instead of tall vases that interfere with your view and conversation, put flowers in short glasses or mugs, or even lay them on glass trays. Set candles around the area to create a dreamy, relaxed ambiance. Again, instead of tall candles, opt for some that are small, like tea lights, which will contribute to the soothing, laid-back ambiance without being obtrusive.

You don’t have to take out the fine china and crystal if you don’t want to. Set the table with an eclectic, colorful mix of everyday plates and glasses. It’s perfectly fine to use mismatched dinnerware—in fact, doing so adds to the casual feeling you’re trying to create.