Cover Kifu Augousti ready for cocktail hour, posing by a hand-dyed, metal mesh butterfly installation by Coard (Photo: Meetkeso)
Kifu Augousti ready for cocktail hour, posing by a hand-dyed, metal mesh butterfly installation by Coard (Photo: Meetkeso)
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Furniture designer and all-around creative Kifu Augousti shares her tips on how she and her husband curate the perfect gathering
When it comes to good old hospitality, especially with hosting guests for a dinner party, there’s a fine line between creating a comfortable environment and implementing elements that spark excitement and conversation. For Kifu Augousti, a furniture designer and Asia’s Most Stylish honouree, making guests feel welcome is all about crafting unexpected things that delight the senses. As part of an artistic pair, she, with her husband and fellow designer Patrick Coard, goes above and beyond to surprise guests with unique touches, perhaps a bespoke art installation or even a specially choreographed flash mob to break the ice.
Brainstorming these experiences always depends on the occasion. She shares, “If it is a big party or special occasion, my husband and I will start a creative process a couple of weeks before to determine what will take place in our home for our guests.” For intimate dinners with close friends, Augousti plans a menu of their favourite foods. With larger dinners, she seeks out caterers like Margarita Forés, Kazunori for an Omakase spread, or selections from Chef Jessie.
More from Tatler: Labour of love: Martine Ho turns her Victorian home into her family’s oasis
Above Kifu Augousti poses for a family portrait with her husband, Patrick Coard and daughter River
Above Augousti and friends strike a pose in the hallway
Kifu Augousti poses for a family portrait with her husband, Patrick Coard and daughter River
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To make sure everything goes perfectly, the duo makes sure to plan these gatherings to the finest detail. “We definitely always think A to Z. Whether it is a great choice of wine or fun cocktail, or a home-cooked meal, or catering, at the end of the day, [a host] is the one who sets the tone of the evening.” She also mentions a “very spicy” Picante as her and Coard’s new favourite drink. For ambience, the couple crafts playlists from disco to French music. As larger events require larger ideas, they are also inclined to hire a DJ to get everyone dancing to a mix of 90s R&B and Eighties classics.
The couple’s Makati apartment, where they have been residing for two years, is intentionally designed to be welcoming yet invigorating. The sweeping, curved space with windows overlooking the city, the river and the distant mountains immediately drew them in.
Their aesthetics align with a preference for organic shapes, which they believe create a positive flow, enhancing the feng-shui of their home. An open-plan kitchen and living room welcome casual evenings with close friends, and Augousti describes her enjoyment at sharing a glass of wine with guests as she cooks. The apartment’s third bedroom, which Coard calls the refugio (refuge, and to Coard a little artistic haven), also opens up to the living room, which makes the space feel larger than it is.
Above A game table in shagreen and bronze-patina designed by Augousti's parents, Yiouri and Ria
Above A sophisticated table set-up by two creative minds
A game table in shagreen and bronze-patina designed by Augousti's parents, Yiouri and Ria
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My husband actually has a running joke that for each big party we host, he designs or curates a new piece of art or design element to add to the apartment.” Considering Augousti’s vocation and background, furniture plays a crucial role in her entertaining style.
See also: The design game: Join Patrick Coard in his design adventures through ‘King’s Gambit’
“It’s a great conversation starter,” she declares. She credits her parents, interior designers Yiouri and Ria Augousti, with honing this passion. Her love for entertaining is deeply rooted in childhood memories of the Parisian home where she grew up.
The younger Augousti reminisces, “My parents always threw grand parties when I was growing up. Something I always admired is how they could mix a [diverse] crowd in their home and create such a lively and dynamic ambience.” In the most organic and exciting way, Augousti and Coard both consider entertaining as another creative outlet for them.
Above As a dancer herself, Augousti is known for incorporating the art at dinner parties and get-togethers
Above Art installations in Augousti and Coard's Makati home
As a dancer herself, Augousti is known for incorporating the art at dinner parties and get-togethers
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One standout piece is a game table designed by Augousti’s parents. “It’s an incredible piece in shagreen and bronze-patina brass and there are interchangeable game boards to play chess, backgammon, checkers and cards,” Augousti continues. “Not only is it aesthetically beautiful, it is a great way to sit and engage with guests, grab a drink and indulge in some friendly competition.”
She shares advice on optimising a space for hosting visitors, or how standout pieces shouldn’t overcrowd the space. “For us as a couple, less is more. Think of a special or show-stopping piece that can breathe on its own. [You can also] create different seating areas in your home so guests can create their own little pockets when they come.”
Augousti and Coard are both celebrated creatives, but to surmise, a love for art is not the only thing they share in common. She muses, “After meeting my husband, I think my approach to entertaining organically changed. When you share a home with the person you love the most, I think you are able to offer more to your guests and share that [beauty with them]. An ever-evolving setting has definitely been a difference in my approach to entertaining.” As their home continues to manifest with this passion for curating a nuanced ambience, each gathering turns into a unique experience
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Credits
Photography: Meetkeso
About
Julianna has been interested in leading a literary life since she first read Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess at eight. Before working with Tatler, she was an archive intern at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York. She is a textbook Pisces who devotes most of her spare time to her crochet projects, watching classic films, and going through her never-ending pile of unread books. She studied creative writing, global literature and art history at Sarah Lawrence College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2022. Toni Morrison, Nora Ephron, Clarice Lispector and Jia Tolentino are among her all-time favourite writers.
Work
Julianna writes about fashion, beauty, sustainability, and the arts. She is always keen on conducting interviews with talented women who are changing the game in their respective fields.
For event invites and story leads, hit her up at julianna.cabili@tatlerasia.com
