23Veteran hosts from Suzanne Kasler and
Danielle Rollins to Julia Reed reveal their
style secrets to author and tastemaker
Ronda Carmen in Entertaining at Home:
Inspirations from Celebrated Hosts (Rizzoli,
$45), releasing this month. From easy-to-
master recipes and killer playlists to advice
on stocking the pantry (or butler’s pantry),
it’s the new essential new guide to enter-
taining, from the everyday to festive fêtes.NESTLED BETWEEN ROWS OF Peegee
hydrangea trees in Atlanta interior designer
Suzanne Kasler’s rear courtyard sits a long,
wooden trestle table set for a leisurely
lunch. “The people, the stories told, and the
memories made are what make gatherings
special,” remarks Kasler of the idyllic set-
ting in which “whimsy and beauty abound.”
The French-inspired fete she’s host-
ing is, in fact, fodder for Ronda Carmen’s
just-released book, Entertaining at Home:
Inspirations from Celebrated Hosts. A re-
nowned interior designer, product designer
and author, Kasler is no stranger to host-
ing gatherings, whether it’s a seated dinner
for design-industry darlings or a crowd of
community stalwarts. “I believe your house
absorbs positive energy from entertainingfamily and friends,” she says.
For this particular occasion, Koelreuteria
branches set the scene (and the palette),
their pale-pink hue adding a grace note to
each place setting. For centerpieces, Kasler
suggests “placing objects together, en
masse” to magnify their visual impact; here,
Pink Modial and Quicksand roses spill out
of miniature Louis Vuitton trunks collected
from her travels for a bespoke look.
Kasler’s entertaining advice: pay equal
attention to the food and the presentation.
To make your house party-ready, keep lin-
ens cleaned and pressed, and don’t skimp
on the details. It’s happy moments like
fragrant guest soaps (she loves Savon de
Marseille Extra Pur Coton) and silver trays
at the bar that convey thought and care.PHO
TOS
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