Outdoor Entertaining Made Easy

As the weather heats up, entertaining moves to the backyard. Entertaining outdoors doesn't have to be complex or over-the-top. Keep it simple with an easy food menu and table settings.

Here are 12 Tips to Make Outdoor Entertaining Easy:

1. Skip the Good China: Use melamine plates, silverware, and glasses because they are heavier than paper goods and won't blow away in the wind. Bed Bath and Beyond, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Frontage, and Horchow have some beautiful options to choose from.

(Image via Frontgate)

2. Serving Bowls & Trays: Decorative melamine serving trays are great to put all the cooked burgers and hotdogs on for guests to grab. I also like to prep a tray with extra dinnerware and napkins just in case. Serving bowls can be used for all salads, snacks, and even fruit for dessert.

3. Skip the Table Cloth: Instead of using a table cloth, use vinyl placemats instead to complete the look of your table setting. Vinyl placemats are easy to clean/wipe down too!

4. Provide Shade: Protect your guests from the sun with an umbrella or canopy. Not only do umbrellas shelter your guest with shade from the hot sun but it defines your dining area.

(Photo via Trendir)

5. Create Stations: I like to create "stations" for guests with tables designated for serving food and drinks with all the necessary supplies and tools. It's a "Do it Yourself" service for the guest but it takes pressure off you in the kitchen when your trying to do a million things and plate food for guests. This technique works great for BBQ's and large gatherings.

6. Keep Food Covered and Drinks Cold:  If keeping drinks outside, keep them cold in a cooler or chilled in an ice bucket. Cover food using a mesh colander to protect food from outdoor pests.

7. Beverage Dispensers: At your drink station, set up pitchers or beverage dispensers for guests to refill their drinks. I loved infused waters. It is so refreshing on a hot summer day. I grow mint in the backyard, so I like to add fresh mint to my water - Delish! Here is an entire list of infused waters that you can try.

8. Divided plates: I like serving platters that are divided into sections. It's perfect for serving veggies or fruit.

9. Outdoor Centerpiece: Create an outdoor centerpiece for your table. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. It could be as simple as a few mason jars gathered together with flowers inside and a burlap bow around the top of the jar. For more outdoor centerpieces, check back next Tuesday on the blog for more ideas.

(Photo via Style Me Pretty)

10. Outdoor Lighting: When the sun goes down, illuminate your seating areas with paper lanterns or candles for ambiance. I like to add a strand of lights underneath an umbrella or hang on the fence.

11. Bug Repellant: Protect your guests from getting bug bites with citronella candles and other bug repellent. I love this DIY citronella candle idea that I found on Pinterest.

12. Prep the Night Before: I always prepare the night before. All the foods that can be made and sliced ahead of time and get out of the way. For example, making pasta salads, potato salads, veggie platters with dip, and infused drinks like Sangria. Being prepared a day ahead makes your entertaining much easier. This way you get to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with friends and family.

I hope you have enjoyed these tips and styling ideas. If you loved this post, share it with your friends! :) Happy summer!

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Small Balcony, Large Style. How to Deck-Out your Deck

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen a small and stylish balcony that truly inspired me. Hours later, I spent the rest of my night on Pinterest gazing over many more trendy decks. So I figured, why not share my lovely findings with you?! As the weather continues to warm up, we start to spend more time outdoors. Your backyard is an extension of your home to relax and entertain. If you live in an apartment and don't have a backyard, why not deck-out your deck? By adding the right elements, you can create a charming outdoor living space that you can retreat to by yourself or with friends.

How to Deck-Out your Small Deck or Balcony:

1. Conversation Seating - Create a comfortable seating arrangement that encourages conversation between guests. If you balcony is tiny, try adding two chairs with a small table in between.

2. Scaled Furniture - Finding furniture that fits a tiny balcony is a challenge. The furniture needs to be scaled to fit the space both in size as well as visual-space. The photo below is the perfect example. The furniture is light-weight and airy. The chair and sofa has an open base and back which draw your eye through the furniture making the space feel more open. If the furniture had a solid back and base, this balcony would feel heavy, small, and cluttered.

3. Flower Garden - Flowers and plants not only add color to your balcony but create privacy as well. By adding a few tall plants along the edge of your railing you can obstruct the view from nearby neighbors. I love the hanging pots on the railing.

4. Herb Garden - If you like to spend time cooking in your kitchen, why not have your own outdoor herb garden? The picture below is a great example of use of wall-space and I also enjoy the pop of color from the flower pots.

5. Outdoor Rug - Make your balcony feel warm and inviting by adding an outdoor area rug. Rugs add interest and also ground furniture groupings.

6. Lights - I love using lantern Lights with candles outdoors. It creates a very warm and inviting setting. If you don't want to use candles, consider the battery operates votives and tea lights. For a similar feel, you could also add string lights and drape the railing or underneath an umbrella.

7. Umbrella - Protect yourself from direct sunlight by adding an umbrella for shade on sunny days.

8. Mesh Canopy - For buggy nights, add a mesh canopy to your balcony.

9. Privacy - Create privacy from nearby neighbors by adding a decorative screen or even draping fabric along the railing.

10. Outdoor Art - Add art to your space that can withstand the weather such as metal or glass wall hangings or sculptures. You can even add wind chimes to add whimsy to your balcony.

I hope you enjoyed this post on how to deck-out your deck. Enjoy the warm months ahead and spend more time outdoors. If you loved this post, share it with a friend who has an apartment or a small balcony.

For more design inspiration, follow @byamadesigns on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Want more design tips? Join "The Designed Life" monthly e-magazine, filled with tons of inspiration for the home and life. Also, receive a free Home Design Checklist to make your next shopping trip for your home easier.

How to Prepare for Spring

As we make the slow transition into Spring, we naturally turn our attention to cleaning and updating our homes. This is the time where I flip my home inside out and upside down for a major cleanse. To help prepare you for the always-busy months ahead, I've created a Spring Cleaning Checklist to use as a guide:

• Purge Closets - Separate your items into piles as you pack away winter clothes. Donate or toss the items that you will no longer need or will not wear next season.
• Organize - It's time to tidy-up. Store toys in storage baskets/bins. Keep your desk neat with drawer organizers and file storage. Add hooks near the front door to hang those easy-to-lose keys. Find a home for everything to make life easier.
• Office Update - Freshen up your work environment by organizing your files, archiving old files, and even deleting unwanted files on your computer. Organize receipts by store so you can easily find them later. Shred paperwork that has personal information on it. Invest in a planner or other stationary, that you can use to jot down ideas and To Do items.
• Living Update - Your family/living room is very active. To preserve your furniture longer, flip and rotate seat cushions so they can wear evenly. Don't forget to fluff back pillows too! If your throw pillows have seen better days but the casings are in good condition, consider purchasing new pillow inserts.
• Clean Window Treatments - Remove dust from blinds and wash curtains to breath easily this Spring. Don't forget to clean screens daily during high pollen weeks.
• New Bed Linens - Revive your bed with new bed linens and sheets. Swap out your winter-weight duvet with a light-weight comforter or quilt.
• Fresh Scent - Enjoy walking into your space with a fresh scent. There is something about a nice smelling candle that instantly makes a room feel clean (doesn't mean you can skip cleaning tho!). Use reed-diffusers or display potpourri in a decorative bowl.
• Replace Doormats - Your door mat took a beating this winter. Freshen up your entry with a new door mat or hallway runner.
• Revive Exterior - Power wash the siding on the exterior of your home to remove winter debris.
• Prep Outdoor Spaces - Don't get stuck cleaning your porch the day of your first BBQ. Prep and clean your patio and outdoor furniture now to enjoy all season long. You will be happy that you did!
• Outdoor Entertaining Items - Keep your outdoor dishes and utensils near your outdoor dining set or where you prepare meals so you can serve guests with ease. Stop yourself from running in and out of the house during a party by storing entertaining items in a convenient place.

I hope you have found these tips helpful while you prepare for Spring.

What are some tasks that help you prepare for the warm months ahead? Share your favorite tip below.

Do you love AMA Designs? Want more design tips? Join "The Designed Life" monthly e-magazine, filled with tons of inspiration for the home and life. Also, receive a free Home Design Checklist to make your next shopping trip for your home easier.