MIX AND MINGLE
Ah, summer, the best time of year to entertain. As long as the weather is on your side, poolside mixers are the way to go. They’re a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, and cleanup is always a breeze. Whether at your folks’ or friends’ place, on your condo’s rooftop or in your own backyard, a pool party is sure to be a happy addition to your summer calendar.

The key is to create a casual vibe—we’re not just talking bikinis and beach balls here. A menu of mini-apps and refreshing drinks served on bar-height tables will create a relaxed atmosphere and encourage guests to mix and mingle. It’s also a good idea to keep the food options varied: Offer a mixture of lighter items, such as antipasti or salads, alongside more substantial dishes like mini-burgers or maple Dijon scallops so that guests can decide for themselves when and how much they’d like to eat. Have fun experimenting with different flavours and culinary styles. Bite-size appetizers will entice guests to branch out and try something new.

When it comes to drinks, fruity cocktails are a poolside must, of course, but be sure to provide your guests with plenty of non-alcoholic beverages as well so they stay hydrated in the summer sun.

WHITEOUT
Ethereal fine bone china by Wedgwood (above) is the perfect choice for your outdoor affair. The clean white palette allows your food to speak for itself, but the inspired natural texture of each piece—feather-like clouds, pooling water—feels like it has been pulled straight from your surroundings and may prove to be a conversation piece in its own right.

SALT AND SOUR
Nothing beats sipping a slushy, ice-cold margarita by the pool on a hot summer’s day. The new Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker will have you pumping out restaurant-quality cocktails in no time. Unlike a blender, the Frozen Concoction Maker shaves ice and mixes it with your favourite ingredients for consistent results every time. Just fill the ice hopper with ice, add the ingredients to the blending jar and fire it up. It does all the work, but you take all the credit. Sweet!

From there, it’s all in the delivery. Dare to be different and serve up your guests’ margaritas in Siren stems by Waterford Crystal rimmed with their choice of exotic sea salts, such as Himalayan Pink. Its 84 trace minerals make it extra healthy (selsisearocks.com). Display salts in Aura votives by Jasper Conran for Waterford Crystal alongside sliced starfruits, lemons and limes in a Vesta segmented platter by Vera Wang for Wedgwood.

ED’s DRINK TIPS

• Indulge your inner child with pear-vodka snow cones. The Rival Snow Cone Maker is easy to use: Add ice cubes from your freezer, press the lid and watch as your glass fills with fluffy snow. Pour a shot of freezing Absolut Pears over the top and enjoy! Other flavoured liqueurs or even chilled, sweetened espresso work well too. For the real little ones, use fruit nectar or Rival syrups instead.
  
• Repurpose your existing outdoor accessories as ice buckets to keep bottled water, wine and beer cold and accessible to your guests. Planters, a fountain, an outdoor fireplace or a wheelbarrow are all fair game. Be creative and think outside the bucket!
• Set up themed drink stations, each stocked with a different beverage. Offer a selection of wines at one, frozen drinks at another and pitchers of Hpnotiq martinis and/or non-alcoholic punch at another. Your guests will stay refreshed—and out of the kitchen!

LIGHTS, PLANTERS, ACTION!
So you’ve secured the pool, and that’s half the battle. But don’t stop there. With a few simple decor ideas, you’ll find yourself in a sophisticated backyard oasis.

First step: Stash the noodles and the inner tubes in the shed and turn your pool into an instant water feature using sprinklers. Their spray will sparkle in the sunshine, create interesting patterns in the pool’s water and fill the air with the soothing sounds of a fountain.

While you’re cleaning up the pool toys, put away the patio furniture as well and replace it with some cocktail tables. No need to buy anything new: Chances are you already have everything you need. Tall planters make great table bases. Ed used a GlucksteinHome blue resin planter topped with a shadow box frame for one table and square woven planters, also from GlucksteinHome, with glass tabletops for the others.

To add some texture and intrigue to the decor, Ed hung fabric sails behind a cluster of cocktail tables. They’re also a great way to mask air conditioners, sheds or other unsightly areas of your outdoor space. After dark, up the drama by placing some outdoor spotlights (available at most hardware stores and building centres) behind them to set the sails aglow.

Lighting is not only an important atmospheric element, but it can also help you to keep your guests safe as they hop between drink stations. Line your pool’s edge with votives or lit cans of chafing fuel so no one falls in.

PAPER CHIC
Forget the leftover holiday serviettes and cheapo children’s-birthday-party fare and opt for some paper party accessories that are not only practical but also stylish. Paper Table offers table mats, napkins and coasters in 12 bold, graphic designs, each punchier than the last.

ED’S HOT TIP!
Impress your guests with colourful canapés like refreshing feta and watermelon skewers; they’re super-delish and easy to prepare. It’s a cinch: Skewer a melon ball, a mint leaf and a cube of feta on a toothpick and voila! Instant hors d’oeuvres. Or for truly effortless apps, stop by your local grocer’s deli aisle for ready-made treats like the provolone-stuffed sun-dried tomatoes pictured above.

KITCHEN HELPERS
Air exposure causes food to lose nutrition and flavour, leads to freezer burn and enables bacteria and mould to grow. But you can enjoy leftovers long after the party with the FoodSaver V2490 Advanced Design. The FoodSaver vacuum-packaging system removes air and seals in flavour and quality, keeping food fresh for up to five times longer.

The Oster 6-Slice Digital Toaster Oven has the brains and the brawn to meet all your convection needs. Built-in pizza, toast, bake, warm and broil functions take the confusion out of cooking, while double-wall construction ensures spot-on heat retention, no matter the temperature. Come party time, relax with guests while your hors d’oeuvres cook away. And no worries: The 90-minute timer with auto shut-off and bell signal will let you know when they are ready to serve.