The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

Styling tips to get the party started

Yes the food is important, but it's how you style the spread that really sets the tone.

Sarah Wormwell

The skinny on dips: Bowls are not required this season - just smear dips on the platter in generous proportions. Food by Gastronomy (gastronomy.com.au); from top, semi-dried tomato and roast eggplant dip, chunky guacamole and Syrian red pepper, walnut and pomegranate dip.
1 / 10The skinny on dips: Bowls are not required this season - just smear dips on the platter in generous proportions. Food by Gastronomy (gastronomy.com.au); from top, semi-dried tomato and roast eggplant dip, chunky guacamole and Syrian red pepper, walnut and pomegranate dip.Edwina Pickles
Be bold: Take a break from white china with these beautifully enamelled Moroccan bowls. Available for hire, in 12 colours ($2 a bowl) from Pages Events, pages.id.au.
2 / 10Be bold: Take a break from white china with these beautifully enamelled Moroccan bowls. Available for hire, in 12 colours ($2 a bowl) from Pages Events, pages.id.au.Edwina Pickles
The platter matters: From crudites to petit fours, wooden boards are the serving tool du jour. Artfully line them with paper (brown, then baking) and add a handwritten menu note for extra style. Food by Gastronomy; white chocolate bites, with saffron jelly, orange confit and walnut caramel tart with compressed apple.
3 / 10The platter matters: From crudites to petit fours, wooden boards are the serving tool du jour. Artfully line them with paper (brown, then baking) and add a handwritten menu note for extra style. Food by Gastronomy; white chocolate bites, with saffron jelly, orange confit and walnut caramel tart with compressed apple.Edwina Pickles
Get crafty: GP tongue depressors, but not as you know them. These medical staples have countless uses - sturdier than regular sticks, cheaper than cutlery. They're $2 for a bag of 100 from your local $2 shop. Sticks were hand-dipped in Murobond paint, $10 per sample pot, murobond.com.
4 / 10Get crafty: GP tongue depressors, but not as you know them. These medical staples have countless uses - sturdier than regular sticks, cheaper than cutlery. They're $2 for a bag of 100 from your local $2 shop. Sticks were hand-dipped in Murobond paint, $10 per sample pot, murobond.com.Edwina Pickles
A moveable feast: Marcus Longinotti from Gastronomy sets the record straight. "The noodle box has earned its place in culinary history, but its time is not now." Tinbuckets, $2.55 each, koch.com.au. Food by Gastronomy; Tunisian brik parcel of lamb and quail egg with harissa yoghurt.
5 / 10A moveable feast: Marcus Longinotti from Gastronomy sets the record straight. "The noodle box has earned its place in culinary history, but its time is not now." Tinbuckets, $2.55 each, koch.com.au. Food by Gastronomy; Tunisian brik parcel of lamb and quail egg with harissa yoghurt.Edwina Pickles
Action stations: "We are using jam jars as decorative tools this season - not for drinking or eating," says Kay, of Georgeous Occasions. From left, birch knives and forks, $8.95 for a plain pack of 20, wheelandbarrow.com.au; cutlery was hand-dipped in Murobond paint, $10 per sample pot, murobond.com; straws, $6.50 for a pack of 25, qualitytimepartysupplies.com.au; toothpicks, stylist's own, similar available from pureandgeneral.com for $25 a pack.
6 / 10Action stations: "We are using jam jars as decorative tools this season - not for drinking or eating," says Kay, of Georgeous Occasions. From left, birch knives and forks, $8.95 for a plain pack of 20, wheelandbarrow.com.au; cutlery was hand-dipped in Murobond paint, $10 per sample pot, murobond.com; straws, $6.50 for a pack of 25, qualitytimepartysupplies.com.au; toothpicks, stylist's own, similar available from pureandgeneral.com for $25 a pack.Edwina Pickles
Subtle style: It's not all about colour. The other massive styling trend this season is rustic marble, metal and wood. Ecology dimple bowl, for similar try kitchenwarewonderland.com.au; copper charger plate from Mexico, for similar try amazon.com; Porto spoon, $8.95 (in Oslo Black) from Myer. Food by Gastronomy; carrot cake and cream cheese ravioli with apple and carrot sorbet. Props provided by Gastronomy.
7 / 10Subtle style: It's not all about colour. The other massive styling trend this season is rustic marble, metal and wood. Ecology dimple bowl, for similar try kitchenwarewonderland.com.au; copper charger plate from Mexico, for similar try amazon.com; Porto spoon, $8.95 (in Oslo Black) from Myer. Food by Gastronomy; carrot cake and cream cheese ravioli with apple and carrot sorbet. Props provided by Gastronomy.Edwina Pickles
Perfect perspex: We love the fuchsia, but these perspex trays can be custom ordered in any colour, $US70, stylebrief.bigcartel.com.
8 / 10Perfect perspex: We love the fuchsia, but these perspex trays can be custom ordered in any colour, $US70, stylebrief.bigcartel.com.Supplied
Colour-coated candy: If you have the time, then DIY is an easy way to inject colour. The Little Miss Craft blog has loads of colourful ideas, blog.papierdamour.com.au
9 / 10Colour-coated candy: If you have the time, then DIY is an easy way to inject colour. The Little Miss Craft blog has loads of colourful ideas, blog.papierdamour.com.auSupplied
Bright idea: Liven up your white platters with removable wall dots. Each canape gets a new coloured sticker. Pen the menu item on the dot. Fruit salad polka dots, $45 for a pack of 40, onehundredpercentheart.com.au.
Get the party started!
10 / 10Bright idea: Liven up your white platters with removable wall dots. Each canape gets a new coloured sticker. Pen the menu item on the dot. Fruit salad polka dots, $45 for a pack of 40, onehundredpercentheart.com.au. Get the party started!Peter Rae

Marcus Longinotti, creative director at Sydney's Gastronomy, and Georgie Kay, owner of Georgeous Occasions in Melbourne share their tips for this season's hottest party looks.

There are two on-trend colour palettes this season, Kay says. It's either bright pops of colour or metals, marble and wood. Add some theatre. Food trucks arriving at the end of the night or stand-alone stations such as the slider diner, hot-dog stand or soda bar add interactive fun.

Be consistent and keep it simple. Don't mix themes and don't complicate food on a platter. As a rule of thumb, one style of canape per platter.

If you've got a sideboard or kitchen island, put it to use. Buffet style is big news. Guests love to choose their own; it lets them mingle and refill at leisure.

Advertisement

1. The skinny on dips
Bowls are not required this season - just smear dips on the platter in generous proportions.

2. A moveable feast
Marcus Longinotti from Gastronomy sets the record straight. "The noodle box has earned its place in culinary history, but its time is not now." Try mini tin buckets as an alternative.

3. The platter matters
From crudites to petit fours, wooden boards are the serving tool du jour. Artfully line them with paper (brown, then baking) and add a handwritten menu note for extra style.

4. Bright idea
Liven up your white platters with removable wall dots. Each canape gets a new coloured sticker. Pen the menu item on the dot.

5. Be bold
Take a break from white china with beautifully enamelled Moroccan bowls (see an example in the photogallery above).

Advertisement

6. Action stations
"We are using jam jars as decorative tools this season - not for drinking or eating," says Kay, of Georgeous Occasions.

7. Get crafty
GP tongue depressors, but not as you know them (pictured above). These medical staples have countless uses - sturdier than regular sticks, cheaper than cutlery. They're $2 for a bag of 100 from your local $2 shop. Sticks were hand-dipped in Murobond paint, $10 per sample pot, murobond.com.

8. Subtle style
It's not all about colour. The other massive styling trend this season is rustic marble, metal and wood.

9. Colour-coated candy
If you have the time, then DIY is an easy way to inject colour. Buy or create lolly recepticles and match them to the colour of the sweets.

10. Perfect perspex
Perspex trays can be custom ordered in any colour.

Advertisement

Win a dinner party in your home cooked by French chef Guillaume Brahimi!
What styling tips do you incorporate to make your parties sparkle? Share a photo of your shining home entertaining moment and be in the running to win this great prize plus a Samsung Sparkling French Door fridge. Details: www.goodfood.com.au/sparkling-parties. Entries close December 19. #sparklingparties


The best recipes from Australia's leading chefs straight to your inbox.

Sign up

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement