Summer Party

Memories are often made when friends and family crowd around a colourful tablescape. For lively dinnerware, you can’t go past In the Roundhouse’s vivid collection of tinted glassware, technicolour napkins and homewares featuring everything from fruits and vegetables, to botanical motifs and charming Italian phrases. Use your characterful dinnerware to serve fresh, seasonal produce like mangos, prawns, asparagus, grapes and peaches. La dolce vita, indeed!

Be the host with the most in effortless but elevated silhouettes. The key is to look dressed up to mark the occasion, without overdoing it. After all, there’s no place for a ball gown or tuxedo in your own living room. All-linen is a classic summer look that always nails the brief. Relaxed, breathable, but refined, pair our Smith Chino Pant with the Yarn Dyed Linen Shirt in teal. In womenswear, the Leslie Linen Dress in raspberry, or the Jo Flounce Sleeve Maxi Dress are understated but elegant choices with lots of room to move.

There’s nothing more Australian than a friendly game of backyard cricket, and there’s no reason why a party of adults should miss out on the fun. Lay out games of bocci, ring toss, croquet or the recently popularised game of Finska. A casual game like lawn bowls is not only easy to play, but it’s also the perfect ice breaker to get your guests mingling.

Choose the perfect playlist by considering the theme of the evening, the time of day and the tastes of your guests – if you can guess them. If you don’t want the pressure of crafting your own, Spotify has thousands of playlists to choose from, including folksy ensembles like Summer in the Garden, and more upbeat mixes like Pool Party, Aussie BBQ, and Ultimate Summer Party.

In Australia, summer is always going to be scorching and if forecasts are right, this season will be no exception. Keep guests cool with a plentiful array of water, juice and soft drink. Specialty cocktails with cooling ingredients like lemon, lime and mint always go down a treat. We’re talking of course, of the classic mojito. Easy to make in large quantities and ultra-refreshing, simply add torn fresh mint, lime juice, rum, sugar syrup, a splash of soda water and mix. Add watermelon or passionfruit for a fruity update. And of course, make sure there’s plenty of ice on hand.