If you have the advantage of a spacious garden, then here are decor essentials for a scintillating outdoor entertaining experience this season! GoodHomes Expert Panellist Nisha Jamwal tells you just how to make the most of your outdoors!
Garden parties are my all time favourite and I do believe that to optimise a sprawling bungalow by entertaining is a luxury that must be celebrated! And what better time than now, at the onset of all the exciting celebrations?
Sparkle with candlelight
Candles are still a very big part of creating a festive holiday atmosphere. Create groupings displayed with other accessories like ornaments, greens, pine cones, star shapes upon the table. When the lights are turned down, the flickering candlelight is magical. If that doesn’t enhance your holiday spirit, I don’t know what will! Of course, placement is always important, especially if young children and pets are in the mix. Never leave your candle displays unsupervised. You could also have glass ‘chimney’ or encasements to protect the candles and also make them look more twinkling with the glass enhancing the light.
Festive lanterns
Light diffusing paper lanterns hung from the trees in corners or above the round tables in clusters of two or three at different levels are affordable, attractive and ecologically friendly. In different colours, they also create a colourful, commemorative ambiance. Moroccan lanterns with tea lights in them with interesting lattice work placed on side tables in clusters look festive.
Colourful focal point
Enhance the natural element of your holiday decor by including some nature-based items such as realistic looking jewelled pears and red berries nestled among the serving dishes. This makes the dining table look more festive and luscious. These days, glass pears, apples, pumpkins et al are available and a dining table looks only more festive with table ornaments.
Dramatic centerpiece
For a centerpiece, you can also fill a large, clear bowl or vase with colourful fruits and vegetables to infuse a burst of exciting colour on the dining table. Sculptural branches painted gold and placed in clear vases in the centre of the dining table will add a lot of character to your table.
Wrap it up
If you have your gift shopping completed well before Durga Puja, Diwali or Christmas, you can use the items as decorating accessories until your intended recipients open them. Wrap them in beautiful paper, ribbons and trimmings. Then stage them around the lawn in clusters to create a feeling of plenty and gifting, which is the central theme of all celebrations, be it Diwali or Christmas.
Round tables and holiday sparkle
To start with, tiny round tables with four to six chairs around them should adorn the lawn. A party for twenty to sixty is manageable and for these, ten tables of six each is perfect. The diameter could be from 36” to 44” depending on the space available in the lawn. You could hire these tables and cover them to look dramatic and festive. Layer the table in white, gold, orange, fuchsia, red and other jewel tones. The arrangement of your stem glasses also in dramatic colors and layered dinner ware with mats, chargers, napkins and napkin holders in dramatic themes add to the drama and festive pizzazz, working together to create the perfect celebratory dining atmosphere with perfect holiday sparkle.
Fairyland festivities
Enhance the greenery, trees, shrubs with lights and candles. Fairy lights in the trees always hit the spot and create a dream-like stunning atmosphere that has the power to transport you to a magical world altogether. There is something very warm and festive that is added to an environment, especially when greens are accentuated in holiday decoration. So work with the trees available in the lawns to make them a part of the decor.
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Content courtesy Good Homes India
