THE COCKTAIL PARTY
‘A LITTLE TEQUILA ALWAYS GETS A PARTY STARTED’
Kitten Grayson’s amazing floral installations are the centrepieces for any party. For her, an opulent scene is essential and the food and drink can be more laissez faire. ‘I love creating a magical setting when entertaining at home,’ she says. Here’s how she does it.
THE FOOD
At drinks parties, I serve delicious cheeses, a selection of beautiful freshly baked breads, seasonal chutneys and fruit displayed on pretty plates. The ultimate dream is to have tableware from Astier de Villatte: I think the brand creates exquisitely elegant yet wonderfully tactile ceramics, which are handmade in Paris. Beautifully displayed produce can help set the scene. Hosting a party for me is about being around a table adorned with seasonal flowers, vegetables and fruits. My favourite canapés are carrots and parsnips roasted in local honey, seasonal crudités with aïoli and zucchini fritters with garlic herb yogurt sauce.
THE DECOR
I love a festoon of delicate hanging garlands made with gold asparagus fern and bleached ruscus to create a magical feel. I source vintage fabrics, such as napkins and tablecloths, from car boot sales and then sew dried flowers on for a lovely effect. A mantelpiece is always really fun to decorate. It’s a fab way to set the scene. Look at it as a blank canvas. Think about a colour palette and shape before you start – you could even do a rough sketch. A bit of gold or sliver spray helps give it a festive feel.
THE MUSIC
I think it’s lovely to ask your guests to send you about eight songs each a few days before the party and then mix them into a playlist, starting with more relaxed songs for the arrival and then building towards an evening of dancing.
THE DRINK
I serve Tommy’s margaritas, invented by Julio Bermejo from Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco. Tequila gets a party started, and a Tommy’s is delicious!
TOMMY’S MARGARITA Makes 1 50ml tequila blanco 10ml agave syrup Freshly squeezed juice 1 lime
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over a chilled glass. Finish with a slice of lime.
THE TABLE
One of my favourite combinations for a table that is both abundant and chic is bud vases of varying heights filled with flowers. For fresh, I would choose paperwhites and small catkin branches, or for dried, white statice, white helichrysum and some catkins for height and movement. I also love elegant tapered candles; at the flower studio, our favourites are Ester & Erik and we love Matilda Goad’s ribbed beeswax candles, too. A beautiful vintage linen tablecloth is always a good idea: choose a colour that can be complemented by the candles and flowers, such as rose pink or pistachio green.
THE GUEST LIST
I am all about bringing people together, people who could collaborate and create together. I love making creative plans with friends and then seeing them become reality. We have loads of exciting projects lined up for next year that started this way. Each guest leaves with a handmade incense bundle to use at home, which includes some of the flowers and herbs used in the arrangements. When they burn them, they’ll be reminded of the evening.