ENTERTAINING
AFTER-DINNER ENTERTAINING
As a dinner party winds down, coffee service is the last chance to make a fabulous impression. Decorator and entertaining maven Joe Nye shows us how to give the evening a stylish sendoff.
SETTING THE COFFEE TABLE
To create a chic display, anchor the table with a big antique silver tray, add a stack of linen napkins, a pretty footed glass filled with stirring spoons, and a coffee set that is uniquely yours.
EASY ARRANGEMENTS
Joe's favorite flowers you can find for a steal at your local market
- Baby's Breath
- Gerbera Daisies
- Carnations
- Gladiolus
- Hydrangeas
Pick your favorite varietal and place a big bunch in a silver mint julep cup; common flowers always look fabulous in profusion.
COFFEE AND CHOCOLATE
To pull off coffee service without a hitch, you've got to have good beans. "There is nothing worse than cheap coffee," says Nye. He makes sure to serve the good stuff in regular and decaf with his favorite Tuescher truffle placed on the saucer.
Los Angeles interior decorator Joe Nye is a regular on House Beautiful's 100 Best Decorators list and the author of the handy and inspiring book, Flair: Exquisite Invitations, Lush Flowers, and Gorgeous Table Settings.
FRESH AND COZY SPACE
"When dinner is over, I like to reignite the party with coffee in the living room," says Nye. Have the coffee table preset with votive candles and flower-filled bud vases. The cozy setting will make coffee hour feel like a time for intimate conversation, not a slow goodbye.
"I'm a big proponent of using mismatched dishes."
MIX AND MATCH
As long as there is a common color between the pieces in a coffee or tea set, "there is no wrong way to mix and match," says Nye. "The cups could be in an antique floral pattern and the saucers in a modern, solid green."
"I'm totally into mugs. For serving anything—coffee or dessert. When seated around a sofa, they are also just easier to hold on to."
JOE NYE