Hosting can feel intimidating -- but it doesn't have to be.
Chloe Crane-Leroux, a visual storyteller, cookbook author and photographer, has mastered the arts of tablescaping and hosting.
In an interview with “Good Morning America” Crane-Leroux shares her tips for creating the ultimate dinner party, highlighting the three pillars that together create a formula for achieving a successful gathering.
Crane-Leroux's insight will help to three get-togethers -- Galentine's Day, Valentine's Day and a spring brunch -- complete with seasonal tablescapes.
Read on for more!
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“Hosting really doesn’t have to be super expensive or time consuming,” Crane-Leroux says. “It can be simple. It just needs to be inviting -- and the atmosphere truly is key.”
Crane-Leroux says to begin planning with your guest count and the style of the evening. Group gatherings are great for family-style dinners or potlucks, she says, and smaller parties, like date night at home, can be made special with a multi-course, formal dinner.
From there, choose a theme or a color scheme to define what the dinner will look like, which can also include a dress code or mood board for a fully inspired affair.
With atmosphere, food and decor well-planned, you're on your way.
“I think hosting is for everybody," Crane-Leroux says, especially those who are interested but just don't know where to start. If hosting a dinner is intimidating, try inviting people over for an apéro, Crane-Leroux says, or a happy hour with small bites.
Decor and tableware
Crane-Leroux begins a tablescape with a base and a centerpiece. A tablecloth base, for example, with a centerpiece of florals and food or candles and candlesticks. After, layer with plates, dinnerware and cutlery.
"I always say the centerpiece and the tablecloth is how you dress the table, and then the cutlery, silverware and plates are more like the jewelry of the table," she says.
Throughout the year, Crane-Leroux will adapt the tablescape based on the season.
"I’ll choose a flower that is in season and then a vegetable or fruit that is in season, and combine them together to create that centerpiece so it always feels different," she says, adding that she's banked different colored decor to diversify the displays.
Putting together a beautiful tablescape shouldn't be exclusive to special occasions.
"I feel like people do just set the table when they’re having people over or hosting, but it’s so important to set the table for yourself -- even when you’re alone," she says.
And don't forget to use the pieces you love.
"Sometimes people buy things and they think they’re so precious that they don’t want to use them," she adds. But "it’s all about using our beautiful things every day and making moments important and special.”
Food
Crane-Leroux, who's latest cookbook, "The Artful Way to Plant-Based Cooking," is filled with share-worthy recipes, takes inspiration from an evening's theme to plan her menu.
For those who aren't confident cooking, or don't have the time, Crane-Leroux says "presentation really, really goes a long way."
Find fresh vegetables at your local market and display them on a nice platter, she suggests, or buy something at the store you can "zhuzh up to make beautiful."
Below, find Crane-Leroux's ideas for Galentine's Day, Valentine's Day and a spring brunch.
"Celebrate love in all its forms," Crane-Leroux says, whether you're hosting a Galentine's Day or Valentine's Day meal.
Bring in colors like red, burgundy and black, with florals of your choice. Roses, of course, are a great option, but consider tulips, too. They are "something a bit more fun" for a playful Galentine's Day vibe.
Crane-Leroux repeatedly brings up candles, and suggests pillar candles and candlesticks at the center of the table for dim lighting, which she finds best for hosting or a date night at home. You can also incorporate fruits, like grapes, into your centerpiece.
Another tip? Turn on a pre-prepared playlist to set the mood as soon as people arrive.
Next, the menu: For a formal dinner, Crane-Leroux ideates starting with champagne, a red radicchio salad, pasta or risotto and focaccia on the side. "Something that feels comfortable but also sexy in some ways."
Finish with a dessert like red wine poached pears on a Pavlova cup.
"What I love about hosting is having those unexpected moments," Crane-Leroux adds. For example, she will add a question into each guest's place card at the table. Throughout the evening, you can invite people to answer their question at the table, "creating conversations that are deep and meaningful."
“I think people come alive in the spring," Crane-Leroux says. "I always want to host more in the spring."
We asked Crane-Leroux for ideas to plan a spring brunch.
"I only do family style for brunch," she says. "To me, brunch is supposed to be light and comfortable, and not too stuffy.”
Have an assortment of sweet and savory foods, she suggests, “that way you can graze around the different options and you can taste everything.”
Crane-Leroux will incorporate seasonal blooms and greenery to "welcome this new time of year," and elements like a linen tablecloth in a neutral color or a pretty pastel (think pink, green, light blue) for a pop of color.
Make it special by incorporating floral dinnerware or antiques from your mother's collection, especially when hosting family. Heirlooms create key moments that "will make everybody happy at the table."
“I love to have a dress code theme, especially if it’s more of a formal evening," she says. She's particularly fond of a dress: “There are so many ways to go about it, but I think a dress is always really nice when you’re having an evening and it feels special.”
Shop Crane-Leroux's picks below.
Valentine's Day
Picks for spring
