7 Tips For Easy Summer Entertaining

by Carlisle Homes

Your Carlisle home is made for entertaining, but you can simplify things even further by doing a little pre-party prep ahead of the day.

With light-filled, open-plan living, smooth indoor-outdoor flow and a designer kitchen at its heart, your Carlisle home is designed to make entertaining easy and enjoyable. And with a little smart planning ahead of the big day, you can ease the stress even further. Read on to find out how to make summer get-togethers a breeze.

1. Choose make-ahead dishes

Simple, fuss-free recipes such as salads, cold meats, seafood, bread and cheese are the way to go when you’re entertaining on a hot day. Or, opt for a barbecue to create that quintessential Aussie summer experience.

Get as much meal prep done as you can ahead of time – think vegetable chopping, sauces, dips and meat rubs – so you can spend more time with your guests, and less in the kitchen.

You can pick up some great, healthy summer recipes in this article.

2. Add a wine fridge

Entertaining outside? Including a wine cabinet in your outdoor kitchen set-up can be a smart move. It means guests can help themselves to icy cold drinks, so you don’t have to make endless trips back and forth to the kitchen.

3. Stock a bar cart

If a cocktail night is on the agenda, ease pressure on the host or hostess by setting up a self-service drinks trolley where guests can make their own. Choose a style on casters and you can easily cart it inside when the party’s over. Pack your trolley with everything guests may possibly need, from liquor and cocktail shakers, to straws and citrus slices.

4. Keep it cool

Your Carlisle entertaining area is covered so that you and you guests can relax outdoors all year round, whatever the weather. You can beat the heat on those searing summer days by adding a ceiling fan, portable outdoor fan or mister so everyone can chat, dine and mingle without breaking a sweat. 

5. Make it comfortable

Encourage those long, lazy afternoons in the sunshine by decking out your terrace with comfortable, upholstered sofas and lounge chairs topped with cosy cushions, and durable natural-fibre outdoor rugs underfoot. Arrange seating to encourage mingling and to accommodate different group sizes. When it comes to furnishing colours, think summery tones such as pale blue, pale green and white, with touches of warm timber.

Keep pesky insects away with citronella candles, insect repellent and, if necessary, some screening.

6. Prep some music

A few good tunes will get your guests in the party spirit. Splash out on a wireless outdoor speaker, and prepare a playlist ahead of time. Tailor your tunes to your guests – are they into the classics or the latest hits? A mix of the two is likely to be a crowd pleaser. Estimate roughly how long you expect guests to stay, and make your playlist long enough to suit.

7. Don’t forget lighting

Lighting is the quickest way to add ambience to your outdoor space. String fairy lights from the trees, pop lanterns on your outdoor dining and coffee tables, and install a few solar-powered lights to illuminate the garden.