Spring Fling

How to throw one very stylish outdoor soiree

Ah, spring. We already know about young men's fancies. And cabin fever? Why, spring is the official cure! It's also the very best time to throw open the patio doors and invite friends — old and new — over to celebrate the changing of the seasons. Herewith, a primer on one terribly smart fair-weather fête, a mix of high and low, extravagant and humble. Now start thinking about that guest list — and don't forget to invite the fireflies.

Lawn Chairs Fit for a King

It's a veritable revolution! Indoor glamour meets outdoor durability with the Louis Soleil collection of alfresco furniture. It's rather like pulling your prettiest parlor chairs onto the lawn. Classic Louis XIV styling has been weatherized thanks to hand-carved teak frames, flow-through technology, Perennials Outdoor Fabrics, and noncorrosive, stainless steel upholstery tacks. Your guests will think you've gone mad. Through David Sutherland Showrooms, sutherlandteak.com.

Let There Be Light

Populate your patio with candles. Lots of them. Crate & Barrel's Sorbet Pillar Candles come in just that — delicious ice cream colors that say spring. They're hand-poured and unscented, which means no getting in the way of those beautiful natural blooms. (800) 967-6696, crateandbarrel.com.

Tables with a Twist

From the Italian design masters at Magis, the Yogi Tavolino, Tam Tam Tavolino, and Tam Tam Sgabello blur the lines between tables and stools. They're lightweight, yard-tough, and come in punchy pop-art shades. Perfect for holding up revelers and relishes. Through magisdesign.com.

Chic and Cheap

Spray junk-store chandeliers white and hang them in trees. (Pop classic white pillar candles into the empty light sockets.) Roll out the rugs — yes, outside — with inexpensive sisal or sea grass mats. (They'll lend an indoors-comes-outdoors air to your affair.) And hit your local hardware store for industrial-chic, galvanized metal buckets and tubs for icing down the good stuff. Plenty of good stuff.

Luxe Lounges

LoungeChair.jpgFor party guests with a modern bent, pull up a MoMA-worthy chaise*, conceived in 1966 by designer Richard Schultz and still handmade today in his Pennsylvania factory. The frames are aluminum (read: no rust ever) and the slings are a tough but tactile mesh. And no kidding about the Museum of Modern Art: Schultz's masterpieces are part of its permanent collection. (215) 679-2222, richardschultz.com.

After sundown — especially if there's still a spring chill in the air — cozy everyone around a crackling fire. Char-Broil's Porcelain Outdoor Fire Bowl is a modern multi-tasker: It works with or without its domed mesh screen. Marshmallows not included. At Target stores, or through grilllovers.com.

A Spring in Your Steps

Mix your own music! Think Antonio Vivaldi's "Spring" from the Four Seasons suite and "Joy to Spring" and "Spring Intermezzo" from the album Piano Portraits of the Seasons by Women Composers. Or let go of the spring theme altogether and spin some high-energy tunes by the trendy Scissor Sisters or The Roots. Gift your guests with take-home CDs of the night's music. They'll think of you every time they hear those Vivaldi violins.

Good Eats

In season at the peak of spring? Asparagus, salad greens, spinach, and strawberries. And who better than Martha Stewart to serve them up right? Log on to marthastewart.com, then click on her Everyday Food magazine link for fresh recipes for spring classics, from a shrimp-and-grapefruit spinach salad to strawberry pops.

Bloomin' Beautiful

Spread spring's flowers all around your patio — and in powder rooms, too. The most fashionable outdoor celebrations are festooned with hyacinths (think pink or purple), elegant French tulips, mini calla lilies (avoid the colored callas; stick to white), and showy aquilegia, which can attract some very charming party crashers: hummingbirds.

Toasting the Season

A full bar is best, but if you're not going all the way, have red and white wines, still and sparkling waters, and plenty of champagne. Considering cocktails? Have your local bartender mix you up something special ahead of time, then replicate your new "signature" drink that evening. Name it whatever you want: Spring Zing, Fair-Weather Fizz, Liquid Sunshine. Drink umbrellas allowed — just this once.

Light it Right

On party day (or night), switch all the bulbs on your patio to amber. It's very flattering. Use dimmers, too, especially for backyard fixtures, lawn lighting, and the like. Float votives in the pool. No pool? Float ‘em in some of those galvanized metal tubs you bought for icing drinks.

Pull Up a Chair

Arrange your snappy new chairs and lounges into small groupings, not one gigantic circle — too "family reunion." You want your guests to meet new people, learn new things. Bust up cliques. Encourage mingling. Make funny introductions. Wax rhapsodic about — what else? — spring.

Pomegranates are the new Cranberries

Here's an excuse for a cocktail ... you need your antioxidants. And what has more antioxidants than green tea or cranberry juice? Pomegranates.

Drink Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. Pomegranate juice
1 1/2 oz. Gin
4 oz. Lemon Pellegrino

To prepare: Build all the ingredients over ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a strawberry.

Dallas-based Rob Brinkley has turned his chair-collecting into a career as PaperCity's national home design editor. He has written on design, style, and architecture for Modernism Magazine and Esquire.com.

Choosing the Perfect Wine

What's the ultimate party without the ultimate wine? But how do you choose? Do you get the one with the cutest label, the one from Australia (you've heard that's the in region), or the one that costs the most (and, therefore, it must be the best)? Luckily, a little knowledge goes a long way.

What's Your Taste?
Remember, expensive vintages and rave reviews don't necessarily translate to the perfect wine. Keep in mind what you and your guests will like and heed these simple taste tips.

Muscat, Riesling, and Port are sweet, dessert-type wines.
White Zinfandel and Johannesburg Riesling are
examples of white or blush wines that aren't quite as sweet. Rosé, which is a little darker pink than White Zinfandel, is another.
Gewürztraminer and Pinot Blanc are light, semi-dry whites ("dry" meaning low in sugar).
Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are dry, intense, full-bodied whites.
Merlot (personally, we still love it) and Pinot Noir are examples of lighter to medium- bodied reds.
Zinfandel and Syrah are fruitier, medium-bodied reds.
Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied red.

Note: "Body" refers to how a wine feels in your mouth, how heavy it seems.

Go Where They Know
Wine shops, or retail stores with a large wine department, typically have knowledgeable staff who can give you recommendations based on taste, location, and food genre. And don't be afraid to mention how much, or how little, you want to spend. A reputable retailer will be able to suggest something for every price range.

Michelle Reneau