Planning to host summer get-togethers to beat the heat? These versatile essentials from Crate and Barrel will help you create moments that are nothing short of refreshing.
Months are passing quickly, but it looks like summer is here to stay (at least for a little while longer). Feeling the biting heat and longing to escape it? Now is as good a time as ever to host those fun-in-the-sun gatherings you’ve been meaning to—all the more before the dreary rainy season arrives. Who wouldn’t want those picturesque, golden snapshots with friends sipping on homemade refreshments or indulging in delicious food?
Remember, there’s no “right” way to host your summer get-togethers, but there is an art to it. Seasoned hosts will tell you that success lies in the details: that is, the aesthetics and functionality of your space. It’s not just about what you have, but also how it fits the vibes and needs of your event.
Does your home need a teeny bit of sprucing up? If so, you’ll find just about everything you need to put together memorable gatherings at Crate and Barrel, our top pick for entertaining pieces. The brand brings effortless style to summer entertaining with thoughtfully-designed, classic pieces that will help you host with ease, all season long. Here are some must-haves for every kind of summer party.
READ ALSO: Sip, Chill, Repeat: 5 Summer Cocktails You Can Make at Home
The Space
What’s a summer party without a cozy space? The type of dining table you use can really set the mood of an entire occasion.
For a modern, sandy beach look, the Point Dune Dining Table offers a spacious blank canvas for all your food and beverage options, with a round configuration that still keeps get-togethers intimate. (Inviting someone special over? Well this table might just be the key to getting you two closer—you’re welcome.)
The Tate Dining Table and Basque Dining Table sport rectangular shapes and elegant wood finishes that are testaments to why the basics endure. The Rituelle Dining Table also lends a warm, woody touch to a summer gathering, and serves as a good option if you frequently host smaller parties among friends and family (or if you’re an introverted host, which is basically the same thing).
The Table
You don’t have to keep dreaming of that perfect, candlelit dinner; you can create one yourself. If you’re hosting a summer soirée, set the mood with some ambient lighting. The Venezia Candle Holders are whimsical yet stylish accessories for any evening. Looking for something more understated? Try the Isla Hurricane Candle Holder, which also doubles as a flower vase.
To say Crate and Barrel has an extensive line-up of dinnerware would be an understatement. From bowls and plates with homey, organic designs to vibrant yellow crockery that will remind you of summers spent in European coastal towns, the brand offers all kinds of pieces that will leave hosts spoiled for choice.
Let’s not forget the napkins (to be paired with matching napkin holders) and tablecloth, those eye-catching and practical accent pieces for your overall tablescape. It might seem like overkill, but it’s always worth going all out for those special celebrations. Whether it’s neutral shades, vibrant summer hues, or tropical patterns, the brand’s collection of premium cotton and linen napkins are great for any celebration. Meanwhile, the Marin Checkered Tablecloth brings an elevated and charming summer picnic vibe to a space.
And if you’re searching for a place to store your cutlery without it looking like a mess or haphazard bodega, shelves from the Petra Collection make for sleek fixtures that’ll keep everything tidy, organized, and within reach. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to show off your most prized crockery pieces, and even some tastefully-placed coffee table books for that cultured appeal.
The Food
Now we move onto the food—or rather, where you’ll be serving it. Sure, dishes ought to taste good, but plating them nicely will make you look like the Martha Stewart of your generation.
Chilled seafood, anyone? Crate and Barrel’s Two-Tier Seafood Tower fulfills a very specific yet crucial role on the dining table, whether you’re serving fresh oysters, plump shrimps, or juicy Main lobster tails. Then there’s the Oven to Table Two-Tier Server: a handy piece suitable for breads, pastries, hors d’oeuvres, and other little treats guests can snack on throughout their stay.
Looking for something that’s opulent without being gaudy? Anything from the Crate and Barrel Tuscan Kitchen Marble Collection will do the trick. Place your drinkware on top of its marble tray; keep wine bottles chilled with its marble cooler (Can you live without it? Maybe. Do you want to live without it, though? Definitely not!); and serve that charcuterie spread with a bit more panache using the marble pastry slab.
The Refreshments
Last, and probably one of the most important aspects of a summer gathering, are the refreshments. Keeping your guests cool and hydrated in style is easy if you have the right pieces. For instance, Crate and Barrel’s drink dispensers keep the beverages flowing (and that includes the alcoholic ones wink wink), and look great on different surfaces. Chill and serve your wine, beers, and sodas with added flair using the Bash Silver Beverage Tub.
A selection of drinkware in various shapes and colors keep things exciting, ensuring your choice of beverages look just as refreshing as they taste. The Kuruwa Drinkware set, for instance, offers playful color combinations and shapes for the tablescape. Crate and Barrel’s Schott Zwiesel Tour 19-Oz. Multicolor Outdoor Stemless Wine Glasses are a modern take on your traditional wine glasses, capacious and also useful for holding water (which means you only need one glass to keep you company for an entire evening—and by the way, they’re acrylic!). Then there’s the Hatch Drinkware collection, which offers retro designs for those who like a more old-school, distinguished look (you’ll definitely impress your tito-coded friends with these ones).
If you want to stand out, nothing makes a statement more than a bar cart. With its woven basket and light, natural finishes, the Wicker Park Natural Oak Wood and Marble Bar Cart makes a fitting addition to the dining or entertainment space. It seems like quite the statement, but hey—it’ll definitely make your summer party one for the books à la Great Gatsby.
Both timeless and versatile, Crate and Barrel’s pieces adapt to any style and setting whether minimalist, rustic, coastal, and everything in between. Just a change of accessories or accents yields endless possibilities. This way, you can take the smaller pieces and turn them into something entirely your own—just what you need to create unforgettable memories for those bright days ahead.
Find all these essentials and more at Crate and Barrel stores at SM Aura, SM Makati, SM Megamall and Power Plant Mall pop-up., and the brand’s official website at https://crateandbarrel.com.ph/. For more updates, follow its official Facebook and Instagram.
Photos courtesy of Crate and Barrel.
