Summer Entertaining Made Simple
Party expert Jenny Batt on how to throw a chic, low-key summer bash
By Jenny Batt August 8, 2014
It’s definitely not too late to throw a summer bash! But how do you do it easily and simply? We tapped Jenny Batt, the decorations designer, craft stylist and creative mind behind the blog Hank & Hunt, to whip up a charming (and affordable!) party spread that just about anyone could pull off.
“Keep it low key and easy with BBQ and cocktails,” Batt says. “Use things around the house to spruce up your bar cart, which will maximize your time with your guests. Relish in the gorgeous sunshine before it’s gone!”
So, herewith, a step-by-step guide to throwing a simple, yet chic party this summer:
1. Snag a few branches from your garden for a great summer arrangement. Lots of greenery keeps your floral feeling fresh and modern.
2. Buy a big bottle of liquor but pour it into a pretty decanter.
3. Grab a few yards of home décor fabric for a quick and summery tablecloth. Just trim to fit your table and finish the edges with pinking shears for a quick, no-sew table cover in minutes.
4. Use summery and naturally lush colors for your palette and create a garden feeling inside where your drink station is located. Continuous palettes help your outdoors and indoors feel like one big room.
5. Create one or two specialty cocktails just for the occasion. Try these refreshing options to cool down on those hot summer nights.
Coconut Cooler:
1.5 oz coconut flavored rum (Malibu)
4 oz lime sparkling water (La Croix)
Limes
Cut thin wedges of lime and then in half for lime confetti. Add a handful to glass. Add rum and sparkling water. Stir and enjoy. Great as is or with ice.
Elderflower Spiked Lemonade:
4 oz elderflower lemonade (Belvoir)
1 oz elderflower liqueur (St. Germain)
Pour lemonade into glass, add liquor. Stir. Garnish with lime slices. You can also swap the elderflower liqueur for vodka for a softer elderflower flavor.
Remember a great host always has a little bit of everything, so keep some sparkling water, a splash of whiskey and a few cold beers always on hand. Just keep a few on the cart and the rest stashed away so you have space to actually mix your drinks!
SHOP THIS LOOK:
Fabric – Swaying Palms Aloe by Tommy Bahama
Mirror – Anthropologie
Gold planter – Anthropologie
Pink planter – vintage
White tall planter – vintage
Wine glass – Crate and Barrel
Follow Us
Better Together
This Seattle project presents an out-of-the-box model, where investors are also residents, and the design focuses on longevity and tenant retention—not profit.
Growing up in rural Detroit, Chad Dale spent many after-school and weekend hours playing with neighborhood kids in an open lot near his house. It’s an experience he always hoped his children would have someday, but by the time he became a father in Seattle, land was at a premium: either already developed or prohibitively…
A Different Kind of Mattress Store
Photos courtesy of Bedrooms and More. If you’re looking for the best mattress shopping experience in Seattle, the right choice often comes down to materials, transparency, and expert guidance – not just price or brand names. Bedrooms & More specializes in natural and organic two-sided mattresses and offers a no-pressure showroom environment where customers can…
Joint Effort
Rooted in the Northwest craft tradition, Mory Homes offers thoughtful furniture and storage solutions with an architectural point of view.
After more than a decade as the executive director of local lighting company Graypants, one of the cofounders, Jonathan Junker, decided to return to his architectural roots. In 2019, he was raising a family on Bainbridge Island when he opened his namesake studio. At first, Junker enjoyed the holistic approach to residential design; a few…
Your Land, Your Legacy: A New Way to Build at Suncadia
For those who believe that where you live should reflect how you live and how you’ll be remembered Suncadia invites a deeper kind of ownership. It’s an opportunity to create a home that is entirely your own, on some of the most desirable homesites in the Cascades, while benefiting from the ease, support, and long-term…