Entertaining by Design: A Guide to Creating Meaningful Gatherings

Discover the art of effortless entertaining with 16 seasonal parties made simple, stylish, and soulful, complete with 18 recipes and fabulous decor tips.

From interior designer and style maven Lorna Gross, Entertaining by Design is a collection of accessible parties, organized by season, from a small dinner to post-Christmas breakfast celebration. Each party is designed to be instructional, inspirational, and doable for anyone by using tableware and decorations you may already have along with carefully chosen decorative items like place cards or serving platters that can cost as little or as much as your budget allows.

Each party includes suggestions for the best way to invite your guests--sometimes, that’s just a well-thought-out email--types of tableware, music suggestions to set the mood, and a color scheme to tie everything together. Lorna has shared a few of her favorite recipes that are easy to make, delicious, and certain to get the party started. In a world where we’re constantly busy, it’s easy to think there is no time to plan a party, but Lorna proves that with her simple instructions, streamlined tips, and a little planning, any of these gatherings can be accomplished. Whether you believe you don’t know how to throw a party or you just think you don’t have the time, gorgeous photos throughout the book encourage readers by showing how easy it can all be.

Lorna Gross is an accomplished interior designer, speaker, and lifestyle authority. Her work has been featured by Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, among others. Lorna’s designs have graced homes throughout North America and London. From childhood, she has been a lover of delightful gatherings for family and friends. Her path has taken her from bone China dinners in New York to raucous crawfish boils in Louisiana to political soirees in Washington DC and she wholeheartedly embraces every single one. She is sought out for her design aesthetic and adored for her savvy but down-to-earth disposition. She resides in suburban Maryland and writes from the perspective of a businesswoman and working mom.