Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a picnic in the park, or a candlelit soiree, a 4th of July party can take many forms. You don’t even have to be that on-theme—a summer party is a summer party—but if you want to pick up a few new pieces to celebrate, choose wisely so you’ll get use out of your haul all season long. Spin the color wheel for a palette that ranges from cherry reds and deep maroons to electric aquas and cobalt blues, setting the scene for your outdoor fête with airy linens and woven wicker. Choose subtlety, with scarlet-hued ice cream coupes from jewelry brand Completedworks, or all-out Americana; Heather Taylor Home’s latest tabletop collection provides plenty of inspiration.
Vogue’s Guide to the Best 4th of July Decorations
Still stuck? Take a page from designers, and use food to guide your party table. Elizabeth Lake’s Lily Lanahan is all about a high-low mix: “It’s a great pleasure to serve something like hot dogs on my Pinto Paris wedding china—[it] makes guests feel like kids on summer holiday.” (She rounds out her menu with nostalgic desserts like Coke floats and ice cream sundaes.) Clare Vivier—who will be hosting her 4th of July celebration in France this year—sets the scene with bright linens from Heather Taylor Home and chilled wines in a big ice bucket. “One the sun goes down, we’ll have fresh salads and grilled meat,” she says. “We always have a summer playlist setting a good vibe.”
No matter what you’re serving, everything tastes better on a pretty plate. Below, all the Fourth of July decoration essentials to host your own fête, from speckled tumblers to candy cane-striped napkins.
The Servingware
Turn a simple snack into a conversation-starter with the right dinnerware. Why not serve a strawberry pavlova on berry-dotted plates from Zara? For a more understated serving vehicle, opt for a blue-rim serving platter or a set of red-and-blue bordered dinner plates; the latter is part of a collaboration between Valsa Home and New York-based brand Big Night.
