“It makes a big difference to bring some nature to the table,” advises designer Jenni Kayne, who entertains up to six times each month and looks to her garden for decor.
Designer Jenni Kayne has long proved that she’s more than just the name behind the cult-status mule. She’s branched into clothing, furniture, linens, tabletop and more, and counts A-listers such as Jessica Alba, Kristen Bell and Jennifer Garner among her legions of fans. It only follows that now she’s adding “author” to her list of accomplishments. Her first book, Pacific Natural: Simple Seasonal Entertaining ($45, Rizzoli), is an ode to the joys of playing hostess in California, with clever ideas for gatherings styled in the fashionably laid-back way that’s made the Golden State native famous. There’s a slew of ideas to steal (or pass on to your event coordinator), including swapping the formal vases of floral arrangements for wooden bowls and placing whole and cut citrus fruit on your tabletop as decor—as shown in this setup featured in her book that’s ideal for a Mother’s Day brunch. “The fact that we can eat alfresco most of the year is a true luxury,” the Angeleno says. “I truly believe being in nature grounds us. But inside or out, I always set a beautiful table, even if it’s just cutting some herbs from my garden for a centerpiece.”
Photography by: Angi Welsch
