Viva la brunch! Weekend brunch is our favorite meal anytime of year — especially during the summer. Produce is at its peak, the sun is shining, and bubbly cocktails feel at home on any menu. Plus, it’s the perfect entertaining opportunity — with a little overnight prep, you can whip together a casual brunch in no time.
(Photos by Davide Luciano)
We’re kind of obsessed with how the talented team of Lonny Magazine put together this fresh take on a summer brunch with our new Mediterranean-style outdoor product. Lonny editor Kaylei McGaw hosted this shindig at a Brooklyn loft, using our colorful dishes and table linens as a base for a playful, lively and delicious group brunch.
Read on to get Kaylei and the Lonny team’s decorating ideas & entertaining tips so you can host your own festive summer brunch! Stay tuned for recipes & more later this week.
DIY Decor:
To set the mood for this casual Sunday brunch, McGaw arranged cushion seats on the floor for her guests and served the meal on a low coffee table. Our rainbow-stripe tablecloth created a graphic backdrop to the saturated mix of ceramic serving platters, glass stemware, and patterned melamine.
Blue-and-white dice, a nod to the party’s retro inspiration and a perfect match to the Ocean Blue margarita glasses, were repurposed to create cheeky coasters for the midcentury bar.
TIPS:
Pick your battles in the kitchen. To cut down on meal prep, concentrate your cooking efforts on one or two standout dishes and supplement your spread with prepared foods you can shop for:
• Dress up store-bought fruit salad with a drizzle of fresh honey and chopped basil.
• Amp up a basic bagel and cream cheese bar with fresh lox, herbs and chopped veggies from your local store.
• Order any pastries, breads or muffins beforehand to save yourself time and stress.
Consider your menu while choosing your dishes. A cleverly edited amount of bold color around the table — be it bright yellow dishes, a striped table runner, or red ceramic appetizer plates — will bring out the meal’s aesthetic appeal.
Play with varying heights. Add interest to your buffet table or sideboard by using tiered trays and footed bowls. If you don’t have any taller platters, stack a few books on your tabletop and cover everything with a tablecloth.
Set everything out in advance the night before. Set the table, put out dishes and stock your bar and buffet the evening before your big brunch to cut down on morning chaos right before the guests arrive.
See Lonny’s full feature on PotteryBarn.com here, and read more about their fabulous brunch at Lonny.com here.
