Lydia Millen’s Top Tips For Seasonal Hosting

Eke out the last of summer with Lydia Millen’s guide to seasonal hosting, featuring home grown food, thoughtful details, fine wine and fun

Lydia Millen’s Guide To Summer Entertaining

Known for her timeless sense of style, from capsule collections with Fairfax & Favor and Karen Millen, and as the author of Evergreen, Lydia Millen brings that same eye for beauty and detail to entertaining. From end-of-summer soirées to early autumnal feasts, here’s her take on hosting at home, from setting the mood with music and fragrance to celebrating the simple joy of mismatched crockery, garden flowers, and a perfectly chosen tipple, this is hosting done beautifully. 

‘Hosting is my love language, and I am so thrilled to share my guide to summer entertaining with one of my favourite magazines, Country & Town House,’ she says.

Her top tips are:

Begin with abundance, not perfection

‘The vibe is everything. Who is present, and the dynamic of the group is super important. Think about the people you are bringing together, and if you’re offering a meal, where to sit them. Aesthetically, I don’t want to just create a beautiful event, I want it to feel wonderful too. Mismatched crockery, home grown/arranged florals, antique silverware is magic. I like well-loved and cherished over curated and styled for picture perfection.’

⁠⁠Set the scene seasonally

‘I use whatever foliage is on offer in the garden, so, bud vases of roses or a pot of basil in summer, bowls of home-grown tomatoes, figs and as autumn approaches big branches from the old oak tree to really make a statement. This feels effortless but indulgent and thoughtful whilst blurring the lines between the outside and inside.’

Home grown and homemade produce

‘I find the best dishes aren’t the most complex. Sometimes it’s about the love and hard work that’s gone into them. A simple homemade sourdough with home churned salty and herby butter has had more excited gasps than anything else!’

⁠Seasonal fragrance

‘The scent of a home is something I treasure, and creating it, even more so. A beautiful candle paired with bundles of herbs around the kitchen in summer or the added scent of woodsmoke from the fire in early autumn is perfection, thinking about all the senses when it comes to hosting is key.’

Music

‘It’s not just what you are playing but I find the volume too is an art form. The playlist of choice has to fill a space but not overwhelm the room and conversation, and dependent on the vibe of the evening, may grow and change as it gets later. I love a relaxed vibe in the summer, and perhaps an old jazz playlist as we move to autumn/ winter.’

Wine

‘My best friend would put me in the bin if I didn’t take wine seriously! And whilst I’d usually turn to her for help with this, I truly appreciate the impact a good bottle of wine has on the senses and really adds another layer to the depth and experience to an evening. If it’s a crisp white wine you’re serving in the summer, remember some people like theirs with a cube or two of ice. Rosé is always another summer wine delight. If it’s a red, remember to decanter it to let it breathe.’

Gift

‘Homemade, homegrown gifts are my favourite, and they don’t have to be complex. They’re made with love, and there is truly nothing better. A posy of herbs, box of eggs, a homemade written card etc. It’s more the thought!’

Games!

‘Good board games and fun, slightly cheeky quizzes! Something to get people engaging and working together or competing always adds for a great evening. It can also help break any ice if you’re bringing separate groups of friends together.’

Get more inspiration via Lydia’s Instagram