Holidays & Entertaining Entertaining Host a Poolside Party Complete with Sunny Décor and Cool Bites By Krissa Rossbund Krissa Rossbund Krissa Rossbund is the style and design editor at Traditional Home. She covers decor, entertaining, and home tours and has experience writing about all kinds of design styles, from boho to nautical. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on June 29, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Laura Hull Summer. Pool. Good friends. For one L.A. design team, it all adds up to a party. 01 of 13 The Perfect Place for a Party Laura Hull Ron Woodson couldn't avoid entertaining if he wanted to. His backyard in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, with an alluring tiled pool and lush landscaping, seems to naturally call for a party. No doubt his friends with a social yearning love to get an invite "ping" from Ron on their devices. 02 of 13 Dream Design Duo Laura Hull When it was time to host a summer soirée, Ron teamed with his design partner, Jamie Rummerfield, to augment his colorful backyard with an effortlessly chic table scheme. (The duo, pictured here, owns the L.A.-based firm Woodson & Rummerfield.) 03 of 13 Cool Under the Canopy Laura Hull Ron and Jamie wanted the beaming sun to accessorize, not steal, the show. Their solution? A protective cabana-style tent trimmed in pool blue and tangerine. Underneath, the pair assembled a host of textures that range from chairs with a chunky, sweater-like weave to fabrics with geometric and paint-splotch patterns. A Boutique Tents cabana shades JANUS et Cie's "Tosca" armchairs and "Mirthe" table. Tumblers from Devine are as colorful as Bloom & Plume flowers and Inner Gardens kumquat trees. The "Commodore" lantern and rug are from Harbinger. 04 of 13 Coral and Gold Place Settings Laura Hull Those lucky guests who got the ping toasted with peach fizz cocktails, followed by chilled cucumber soup, grilled salmon with pasta primavera, and melon-basil granité. A runner in "Shiboni" fabric, placemats in "Splat," and napkins in "Basket Case," all from Perennials, dress the table set with metallic gold chargers and Wedgwood "Nantucket Basket" plates. 05 of 13 Vintage Style Laura Hull The blue-and-white glasses are vintage from Ron's collection. 06 of 13 Fashionable Lounge Chair Laura Hull The pillow (and Jamie's dress) are from Trina Turk. 07 of 13 Sitting Pretty Laura Hull The "Costa Mesa Medallion" pillow is also from Trina Turk. 08 of 13 Succulent Decor Laura Hull A wavy ceramic container from Inner Gardens holds succulents. 09 of 13 Refreshing Flavors Laura Hull The design team of Ron Woodson and Jamie Rummerfield beat the heat with a delightfully light and refreshing summer luncheon menu. Recipes are by Los Angeles chef Mary Payne Moran. Menu Peach Fizz CocktailChilled Cucumber-Cashew SoupGrilled Pasta PrimaveraGrilled Salmon with Thyme and LemonGrilled CiabattaGrilled Watermelon with Melon-Basil Granité Shopping List We've organized a shopping list to make shopping for this party menu easier for you. Package sizes are included so you have enough for duplicated recipe ingredients.Note: Unless specified, when we call for "butter" we mean the unsalted variety. When we call for "brown sugar," we are calling for light brown sugar. Check your pantry for these necessary items before shopping: Ground cumin (need 1/2 teaspoon)Kosher saltCoarse sea saltFresh cracked black pepperNon-stick cooking spray with olive oilGood quality olive oil (need 6 tablespoons, plus enough for Grilled Ciabatta)Granulated sugar (need 1 cup) Specialty grocery store Champagne vinegar1 small wedge Parmigiano Reggiano Produce 3 peaches (enough for 24 slices to garnish six cocktails)3 lemons (enough for 8 tablespoons juice and zest)1 large cantaloupe1 large seedless watermelon3 pounds cucumbers1 bunch green onions2 small tomatoes1 zebra eggplant or regular eggplant1 zucchini1 yellow summer squash1 red bell pepper1 large portobello mushroom1 bunch fresh thyme1 bunch fresh dill weed1 bunch fresh Italian parsley1 bunch fresh chive2 bunches fresh basil Grocery 1 (12-ounce) package dried spinach fettuccine or linguini pastaFiltered water, enough for 3 cups Baking aisle 1 (5- to 6-ounce) package roasted, unsalted cashews Seafood counter 6 (4- to 6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick Dairy 1 pint half-and-half 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream Bakery 1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta Alcohol 2 (750-milliliter) bottles Rosé Prosecco (to make six cocktails) 10 of 13 Peach Fizz Cocktail Peter Krumhardt A simple garnish of peaches and thyme changes a glass of prosecco into an elegant summer aperitif. Champagne cocktails with slices of fresh peaches and sprigs of thyme fill blown-glass "Barre" flutes from Simon Pearce. They are set on a handled seagrass tray from Target. 6 ounces Rosé Prosecco4 fresh peach slices, skin left on*1 sprig of thyme Add peach slices to sparkling rosé. Garnish with fresh sprig of thyme. Makes 1 serving. *Tip: Freeze peach slices before using to help keep wine cold. 11 of 13 Chilled Cucumber-Cashew Soup Laura Hull The combination of dill and cashews brings depth to this refreshing, light summer soup. 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews1-1/4 cups half-and-half3 pounds cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped1/3 cup chopped green onions3 tablespoons sour cream3 tablespoons lemon juice3 tablespoons champagne vinegar1 tablespoon fresh dill weed, chopped1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped1/2 teaspoon ground cuminKosher salt and fresh cracked black pepperFresh dill, cucumber, and lemon peel for garnish In 2-cup measure, combine cashews and half-and-half. Let stand 20 minutes. Add half of cashew mixture and half of cucumber to blender container. Cover; blend until very smooth. Strain through fine mesh sieve. Add remaining cashew mixture, remaining cucumbers, green onions, sour cream, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, dill weed, parsley, and cumin to blender container; cover, blend until smooth. Strain; combine with first mixture. Discard solids. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover; chill 2 hours or until thoroughly chilled. Garnish with fresh dill, julienned pieces of cucumber, and shredded lemon peel, as desired. Makes 6 (3/4-cup) servings. 12 of 13 Grilled Pasta Primavera Peter Krumhardt Grilling the vegetables for this primavera gives this classic dish a new twist. Nonstick spray with olive oil2 small tomatoes, each cut into 4 slices1 zebra eggplant or regular eggplant, sliced 1/2-inch thick on bias1 zucchini, sliced 1/2-inch thick on bias1 yellow summer squash, sliced 1/2-inch thick on bias1 red bell pepper, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rings1 portobello mushroom, stemmed and gills removed, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slicesJuice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)1 tablespoon champagne vinegar4 to 5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided1 (12-ounce) package dried spinach fettuccine or linguini pasta2 teaspoons kosher salt1 tablespoon snipped fresh Italian parsley1/2 teaspoon snipped fresh chives1/4 teaspoon snipped fresh thymeKosher salt and fresh cracked black pepperShaved Parmigiano Reggiano Spray vegetables with olive oil spray; season with kosher salt. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill vegetables 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until grill marks are dark and vegetables are just tender. Remove vegetables; transfer to sheet tray. Toss grilled vegetables with lemon juice, champagne vinegar, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; transfer pasta to very large bowl. Immediately toss pasta with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons salt. Cool slightly. Add grilled vegetables, parsley, chives, and thyme. Toss gently to combine. Season to taste with additional salt, pepper, and olive oil. Top with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano to taste. Serve with Grilled Salmon and Grilled Ciabatta Bread. Makes 6 (2-cup) servings. Grilled Salmon with Thyme and Lemon 6 (4- to 6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick1 tablespoon olive oilSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon snipped fresh Italian parsley1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves2 teaspoons grated lemon zest Rinse fish; pat dry. Brush both sides of salmon with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Top salmon with parsley, thyme, and lemon zest. For charcoal grill, place salmon on greased rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily, turning fish once halfway through grilling. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish on grill rack. Cover and grill as above.) Halve fillets by cutting crosswise. Serve salmon alongside Pasta Primavera with Grilled Ciabatta. Makes 6 servings. Grilled Ciabatta 1 (16-ounce) loaf ciabatta bread, cut into 12 slicesOlive oilCoarse sea salt Lightly coat bread with olive oil and salt. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Grill bread 2 minutes on each side or until lightly charred and toasted. Makes 6 servings. 13 of 13 Grilled Watermelon with Melon-Basil Granité Peter Krumhardt A granité is basically a shaved ice dessert. It can be made at least two days ahead and kept covered and frozen. Dessert is served in Villeroy & Boch's "Flow" bowl. 3 cups filtered water1 cup sugar2 cups cantaloupe, diced, then pureed2 cups seedless watermelon, diced, then pureed1 cup packed fresh basil leaves2 tablespoons lemon juice9 quartered watermelon slices, grilled*, rind left onSmall basil leaves In medium saucepan combine water and sugar. Cook and stir on medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Stir in pureed cantaloupe, watermelon, 1 cup basil leaves, and lemon juice. Let stand 30 minutes. Use slotted spoon to remove and discard basil leaves. Pour liquid into 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Freeze 2-1/2 hours. Use the tines of fork to scrape mixture into ice crystals; flatten down ice crystals. Place granité back in freezer another 30 minutes. Repeat process until mixture is light, fluffy, and can be scooped like ice cream, about 2-1/2 hours more. Scoop granité onto each grilled watermelon slice. Garnish with additional small basil leaves. Makes 9 (1-cup) servings. *For Grilled Watermelon, dry each slice of watermelon well. Spray each slice with light nonstick spray. Heat grill to very high heat and sear watermelon quickly on one side. Remove; allow to cool before serving granité on top. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit