Now that we’re well into Fall, it’s a great time to start thinking ahead toward the holidays. If you plan to entertain this season, today’s entertaining guide shares party planning tips on hosting a unique and memorable dinner party that’s both glamorous and a bit gritty.

To inspire you to host a fun and fashionable dinner party this holiday season (that’s truly different than any holiday party you’ve ever been to), celebrity event designer Andrea Freeman of Andrea Freeman Events has the perfect holiday color scheme and party-planning tips to help you host a holiday soirée.

One of the coolest dinner party themes she’s ever shared with us was inspired by the novel idea of “graffiti glam”. This winter dinner party incorporated renaissance-revival style with dark green velvet linens, matte black flatware, and exotic floral centerpieces. To add an artistic accent, a graffiti artist drew names on each Lucite chair, adding a playful touch to the evening. Here’s how she created this eye-catching and entertaining holiday party.

Choosing a Venue

When choosing a venue for your holiday dinner party, take your party theme into consideration. Are you going for a colorful, contemporary look? Or do you want a dark, moody, and dramatic vibe? These are things to think about when choosing an appropriate venue.

Since the “graffiti glam” dinner party theme is both edgy and elegant, The Gramercy Park Hotel in NYC was the perfect venue for this particular party. It has a renaissance revival style – so, as you can imagine, a lot of dark wood with velvet couches. The art is very contemporary and in your face, which gives it a dramatic effect. 

Create a Playful Seating

Instead of traditional place cards, a graffiti artist did names on contemporary Lucite chairs. Each one looked like a custom piece of art. Some guests liked their personalized chair so much that they asked to take them home! Try this for your next dinner Holiday party to get guests talking and keep the buzz going long after the party ends.

Decorative Details

In an effort to play off the hotel’s decor, long parallel tables were draped with dark green velvet linens. Matte black flatware and gold chargers elevated each place setting nicely. These decorative details added an eye-catching mix of interesting textures, deep Fall colors, and a sultry, moody vibe.

Adding Floral Accents

Caroline from L’Atelier Rouge did a wonderful job with the floral pieces. Right away she understood that the arrangements needed to push the boundaries and challenge the concept of a traditional arrangement. She incorporated elements like terrarium-inspired centerpieces spilling over with exotic plants and colorful flowers. The effect was both whimsical and Wonderland-like.

Elevating The Food 

Giving this lively group a chance to connect was the focus of the evening so a menu to support mixing and mingling was selected. For passed appetizers during cocktail hour, there were tuna tartare sesame cones and mini lamb merguez with spicy mustard.  Guests had a choice of seared Bronzino or duck with sides being served family style.  A decadent French silk mouse cake – dark chocolate mousse, bourbon whipped cream, sugared pecans was the final sweet touch.

Entertaining Guests

And even if you aren’t planning to host a dance party, a fun way to get guests to relax and loosen up is to ask each guest to “dance in the new year” during dinner by busting out their best dance move (like doing the “wave” at a sporting event). This is a sure-fire way to get your guests laughing and having fun. 

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