Make the most of the long summer days and relaxed nights. Our Design Director, Siobahn Farley, shares her tips for laid-back outdoor living
Updating your glassware and crockery collection is an easy way to inject a summer feel into entertaining. Serving platters, salad bowls and cutlery are small pieces that can instantly refresh your table setting. Linen napkins and table runners in crisp white, pastels or rustic patterns work well for outdoor dining.
Coloured glassware, such as our Rosendale Highballs available in amber, amethyst and grey, is having a moment, too. Try mixing shades, using one colour for water glasses and another for wine, for an eclectic, laid-back look.
A drinks trolley is great for showcasing a curated collection of spirits and barware. It adds visual impact inside, and out on a terrace, too. No trolley is complete without an ice bucket and the essential extras such as our Collins cocktail strainer. For standout style, our crystal-cut Barwell range is a timeless addition, ideal for both long and short drinks. And the Nancy Bistro glasses, inspired by Soho House Hong Kong's fern wallpaper, add a relaxed element.
Try serving a selection of simple salads in large sharing platters, so that guests can help themselves, and add a twist to a jug of cold water with mint and cucumber. Arrange some throws on outdoor seating to ward off evening chills, and keep the candles burning late into the night for a perfect alfresco gathering.
