Now You're Partying! Issue #40

Bash Eco Events retro-refits a rustic terrace into a kitchy retreat. Now you try it.

By Justina Blakeney
Published: June 1st, 2009 | 12:00pm

Crafting the perfect outside space is key to a successful summer soirée, but how do you trick out your terrace, porch, rooftop, garden, or fire-escape without busting the piggy bank? Just take a few cues from our party planning pros and you’ll be sending out those e-vites in no time!

Paige Anderson and Kaela Wells of Bash Eco Events envisioned a party where preppy Lily Pulitzer could mingle effortlessly with California surfer style and retro panache. Sounds rad, but where do they start? From the ground up:

Faux Gras

In rentals, outside spaces are often neglected — overgrown with weeds or plagued with gum-laden cement. Why not turn up the kitsch dial and lay down a syn-lawn? Synthetic lawn is high-class astro-turf — somewhere between a ‘60s shag rug and a pristine suburban lawn. And if you go to your local home and garden improvement store and ask if they have any remnants, they might just break you off a piece large enough to fit your outside space, all for the convenient price of zero dollars.

Upward Mobility

Mobiles add personality, movement, and a splash of color to your outdoor party space. Create a butterfly mobile by twisting and tying silver floral wire into a sphere and using hot glue to attach faux butterflies all over the surface.

Create a trims mobile by gathering up all of your ribbons and fabric remnants. Using an embroidery hoop as the mobile base, place a ring of double-stick tape around the perimeter of the hoop and drape the ribbon and fabric strips over the hoop. Use a length of extra ribbon onto the mobiles to hang them in place.

Fake Furniture

No need to shell out for a fancy bar or upscale patio furniture. Prop a surfboard onto an upside-down saw horse (they cost about $18 at home-improvement stores) and you’ve got yourself an instant buffet that breaks down for easy under-the-bed storage. For a quick patio furniture facelift, get crazy with fabric. Cover benches, drape windows, and wrap plant holders in bright fabrics. Check out reprodepot.com for patterned fabric with a vintage flair — and don’t be afraid to use tablecloths as curtains or curtains as tablecloths.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Throwing the perfect outside party is all about the last-minute details. From where to put those fresh-cut flowers to DIY place settings, Paige and Kaela share their five fave finishing touches.

1. Grab a case of mason jars, they’re great for corralling flowers, housing votive candles, and sending leftovers home with your guests.

2. Store ice and chill wine in a cheap garden pail — you can find brightly colored versions at your local garden store, or scout yardsales for a retro take.

3. Party flags make any space look festive. Buy the ones shown here from hipfromholland.com or craft your own by cutting triangles from fabric scraps and sewing them to a ribbon.

4. Hang wallpaper, gift-wrap, or contact paper to add color and depth to the space — Paige and Kaela went with “Butterfly Jubilee” from modgreenpod.com.

5. For a pretty table, cut out squares from a piece of cotton fabric and zig-zag stitch the edges to create matching eco-napkins and use vintage postcards as place cards for your guests.

Visit Paige Anderson and Kaela Wells of Bash Eco Events at basheco.com