We partnered with Drees homeowner Tara Berger from One Stylish Party  to illustrate how to best utilize your Drees kitchen and dining area when hosting a festive spring brunch. Tara beautifully styled the kitchen and dining area of her home, our Ash Lawn floor plan.

Read more – Vineyard views: The Berger family closes on their dream home

Tara, who is an expert in setting up and executing perfect parties, offered the following tips to ensure your spring brunch is beautiful, memorable and easy! 

Entertain near the kitchen

Tara said she tries to keep the party near the heart of the home so that she can keep a pulse on her guests while facilitating the food and refreshments. 

“One of my favorite parts of entertaining in my Drees home is that my dining table is directly adjacent from my kitchen, which makes it easy to entertain without missing out on spending time with my company,” Tara shared. 

Drees kitchens are the base upon which we build our signature living triangles, an open space that allows the host (and guests!) to see the kitchen, dining room and family room. The Drees living triangle makes everyday living more functional, and it makes gathering for brunch perfect! 

Use your kitchen island as a buffet line

Setting up a buffet on your kitchen island is a win-win for both hosts and guests; guests are able to serve themselves and make the perfect plate, and hosts are able to enjoy themselves and mingle.

Tara said utilizing her kitchen island provides a stress-free dining experience that allows guests to graze after the meal is finished while they are hanging out in the kitchen. 

Layer your table with seasonal pieces

Repeat after us: You do not have to buy brand new decor for every holiday. 

Tara’s secret? Use classic dinnerware layered with seasonal pieces, such as floral print linens, bunny figurines and cute signage. 

“For this table design, I decided to use chambray blue as my main accent color, which helped to keep the design cohesive when adding in various details to the tablescape that complemented this color,” Tara shared.

Fresh florals complete the look and add an element of elegance. You can go as simple as grocery store flowers in a glass pitcher to a styled centerpiece arrangement from your local florist.

“I used an array of ivory, blush, peach and pink blooms accented with soft greenery to really try to evoke the feeling of spring with my floral centerpiece,” Tara shared. 

Make food ahead of time 

Top-of-the-line appliances, ample counter space and working pantries make Drees kitchens ideal for meal prep. (Some homeowners even opt for two kitchen islands – one for prep and one for serving!) 

Tara’s tip for hassle free hosting: Try to make food ahead of time so that you can enjoy brunch too! If you’re serving a crowd, consider keeping things simple with gourmet muffins, yogurt parfaits and fresh, seasonal berries and fruit. 

“Incorporate brunch food into your tablescape design with the use of platters and cake stands in varying heights to create visual interest,” Tara shared. 

Don’t forget the refreshments! Tara chose to display several juice options, along with prosecco and sparkling water, allowing guests to mix up their own brunch refreshment to their liking.

A mimosa bar is also a popular choice for a spring brunch. (Tap here to see the gorgeous mimosa bar Tara set up for Galentine’s Day.) 

Tara plans to continue documenting her new home journey as she fully settles into her Ash Lawn. You can following along for future home tours and entertaining tips on her site One Stylish Party and via social media (@onestylishparty). You can also check out Drees spaces she has styled below:

• Patriotic parties at home
• Fall in love with autumn entertaining
• Savvy Thanksgiving setups
• Fan favorites party approaches for the big game
• Valentine’s Day at-home date nights and Galentine’s Day entertaining

To learn more about building a Drees home of your own, visit dreeshomes.com and select your location.