I just love entertaining. It’s the perfect opportunity to share my passion for cooking, as well as test new recipes and share my tried and true dishes with my loved ones. But entertaining to me means more than just cooking! It’s all about incorporating my distinct Southern style.
When I’m entertaining, I like to ensure my home is as inviting as the food on my table, so you’ll find a lot of furniture that allows for gathering and talking to one another. All over my home, you’ll find sitting areas—whether in the living room, bedrooms, or kitchen.
The focal point of most of these sitting areas is, naturally, the sofa. I think a sofa should be beautiful, but more importantly, it should be comfortable. A soft, plush sofa invites guests to linger a little bit longer—long enough for dessert and coffee after a good meal. I often end up choosin’ sofas that are solid in color—a neutral or something soft; however, it’s also a great place to add in a little pop!
Gathered around the sofa, you will always find beautiful arm chairs. You will find that the availability of colors and patterns increases quite a bit when you start looking at chairs. Stripes, florals, paisley, plaids—there’s a pattern for everyone. Just pick whatever happens to speak to you!
If you prefer a more understated approach, you can certainly go with a solid-colored chair that maybe has a unique shape or interesting details, and try incorporating your color and patterns in with throw pillows. It’s the little touches that really finish off a space, so you won’t find a chair in my home that doesn’t have a pillow or two on it.
In the center of it all is the cocktail table. It’s where guests can find delicious appetizers to snack on throughout the evenin’. And it’s where they can rest their drinks when a story calls for a good hand gesture or two. You don’t need to carry around plates and drinks all evening! Cocktail tables just make the evening a little bit simpler.
But you know I can’t talk about entertaining style without talkin’ about the dining room table. I love simple, Southern elegance. You won’t find my china stuffed away in some cabinet because it’s too beautiful to be saved only for special occasions! I use it whenever I get the chance. I’m also a fan of gardening, so there is always an abundance of fresh flowers on my table.
If you want the feel of my home inside your home, take a look at my line of furniture with Universal Furniture. They take great care to craft high-quality furniture that matches my own personal style. And right now, you can save big with the Shop.Save.Shop event. When you buy a piece of my Paula Deen Home furniture, you can receive cash to my General Store. Plus, you can register in-store to win a 2-month subscription to the Paula Deen Network and a chance to be my special guest at one of my live appearances! Be sure to check out the Universal Furniture Facebook page for all the details.
