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The founder of Heather & March shows us how to throw an unforgettable summer soirée
Heather & March Focus
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
No summer feels complete without clocking in adequate hours by the pool. While hotel pool parties are always a lively affair, there’s nothing quite like an intimate get-together in the comfort of your own home, where you can lounge poolside and sip on homemade cocktails.
Hosting a pool party sounds exciting on paper, but the execution requires serious thought — providing your guests with an unforgettable summer memory is much more work than laying down a few dry towels. Wendy Siu, founder of home retailer Heather & March and an arbiter of French style and refinement, knows a thing or two about hosting such soirées. She invited us over to the elegant residence of the Consulate General of France to show us how it’s done, using stylish wares from her retail inventory. Read on for her wisdom on how to make a splash at the ultimate summer pool party.
Getting the Table Ready
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
A table serves as an important welcoming statement for any party — even a poolside one is no exception. The casual social setting certainly provides more creative leeway for a hostess, but the décor should still revolve around a theme. Siu suggests using elements from nature — such as plants and flowers in your surroundings — as an inspiration for a central colour tone.
“It’s always nice to pick refreshing and cheerful colours that evoke the ocean,” Siu says. In this case, she chose aqua tones and a coral motif over a sea shell one, since it’s a more tasteful alternative not too closely associated with the beach. Pool supplies you already own — including towels, candles and place mats — should also inform the overall palette, as seen in the colour symbiosis between the small plant and plates.
Turquoise stemmed glass, decorative coral, emerald forks and spoons, all by Côté Table; clear champagnes by Montbronn; champagne bucket by Ercuis; breakfast coupe, salad plates, dessert plates and bread & butter plate, all by Raynaud; placemat and linen table cloth by Noël
Drape and Cover
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
Fabrics and linens are a wonderful yet simple way to enrich the mood. Rather than draping towels over lounge chairs, Siu suggests using fabrics that can be easily refashioned as cover-ups. In this shot, the seats were styled with the “Lagon”, a soft and sheer refined cotton voile that can be easily wrapped around the body — the French version of a sari.
Don’t be intimated by mixing and adding bold colours: “the more, the merrier” is the modus operandi for the season. This simple white serving tray is given a tropical twist with a palm leaf as the lining.
Chair by Vent de bohème; Lagon turquoise and coral cotton voile by Noël; scented candles by Bougies la Française; tray by Côté Table
Prepare for the Weather
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
Serve your food with petite cocktail napkins — like these embroidered ones — so your guests can keep their hands clean and dry for a dip in the pool. To keep these flimsy pieces from flying away at the slightest gust of wind, Siu proposes using little objects as creative weights. The pebbles used in the photo above were gleaned from her journeys throughout France.
Cocktail napkins by Noël; tumblers by Montbronn; tea towel by Le Jacquard Français
Go Green
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
If you’re lucky enough to have foliage surrounding your pool, be sure to make full use of it by placing your chairs and tables close to the canopy. “This set up works particularly well in the evening if you have string lights or lanterns close by the greenery — it creates such a lovely ambience with the reflection of the water,” Siu says. Cover your planter with hemp netting to enhance the summery mood.
To keep your guests refreshed, assemble hand towels that have been chilled and scented. Top them with leaves and homegrown flowers for a luxury resort-like touch.
Cushion and chair by Vent de bohème; ice fruit juice jug by Ercuis; jam spoons by Sabre; jug, tumbler and tray by Côté Table; Bondi Beach plate by Genevieve Lethu; tea towel by Le Jacquard Français
Stabilise with Plants and Fruits
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
Tablecloth weights are an essential but oft-overlooked tool to help protect your setting from the wind. Garden ornaments, ranging from a big bouquet to a platter of fruits, are great centrepieces that can also secure the table. Pineapples are the prop du jour for enhancing the summer mood. “It’s a plant with a very interesting shape and matches very well with our colour theme,” Siu says. The portability is another bonus.
Tray and tablecloth trip by Côté Table; tumblers by Montbronn; tablecloth and tea towel by Le Jacquard Français
Cool Down in Style
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
Apart from reminding your guests to load up on SPF, have some elegant fans and hats handy so they are not suffering under the scorching heat. “French theatre fans are the perfect elegant touch for this type of occasion,” Siu says. Needless to say, these vibrant props are great for an impromptu photo session with your friends.
Hand fans by Vent de bohème; tea towel by Le Jacquard Français
Keep it Simple and Easy
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
“Simplify your process by not serving too many drinks and complicated canapés — a nice champagne that’s chilled in a proper ice bucket will do,” says Siu, who names the crisp and fresh Laurent-Perrier as her favourite summer drink. Lauded for her sophisticated eye and encyclopaedic knowledge of French etiquette, the entrepreneur was recently invited to the international supervisory board for the legacy champagne label.
Be ready to open your interiors for your guests to relax from the sun. It’s also an easy way to spread your guests around that way if space is limited. “However, just as a rule of thumb: don’t invite more people than you can handle. It’s nicer to have smaller crowd anyway.”
Placemats, napkins and cocktail napkins and linen tablecloth, all by Noël; clear champagnes by Montbronn; champagne bucket by Ercuis; breakfast coupe, salad plates, dessert plates and salad plates, all by Raynaud; decorative coral and bread & butter plate by Côté Table
Serve with Interesting Utensils
Photographed by Edgar Tapan; Styling by Wendy Siu
Offering simple bites means your finest utensils should be given their chance to shine. These clear knife rests evoke the varying colours of the sea and look magnificent under the sunlight — along with the translucent tumblers, they make a nice visual detail that will certainly impress.
Knife rests by Noël; tablecloth by Le Jacquard Français; emerald knife by Côté Table; tumblers by Montbronn
All products mentioned are available at the Heather & March flagship store, 216-218, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central. For more aspirational decor ideas, follow Heather & March on Instagram and Facebook.
Photographed by Edgar Tapan (Hong Kong Tatler); Styling by Wendy Siu; Special thanks to The Consulate General of France
