LyonsLifestyle
Tis the holiday season, which means entertaining is in full swing!
The littlest things can create the BIGGEST style!
- Penny Lyons
For the past 35 years, Penny has approached entertaining with style, color, and excitement! She is on a “bring back entertaining” mission and it shows. Penny has a passion for taking the extra step to make life inside your own home extraordinary. When planning an event of any kind, she considers the five senses and guest interactions with each.
Focusing on sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste is a small cheat sheet for identifying what makes guests feel at home in your home. I greet every guest warmly upon arrival. I always have flowers and candles which set the tone. Music should ebb and flow with the tenor of the evening in tempo and volume. I often change the lighting throughout the evening. Most importantly, I gather together a well-thought-out list of guests with different but complementary interests I know will make for a great mingle and spark convivial conversation, ultimately creating a successful party.”
"There is something warm and welcoming about a burning candle which can also be magical and hypnotizing." ~ Penny Lyons
Where is the best location for your scented candles when hosting?
"I love to have candles scattered around my home. I always have one in the foyer, one in the living room, one in the study (for guests to sneak away if they need to answer a call), and one in the powder room.”
*We love Penny’s Tip for putting a scented candle in a room like the study for when guests might need to sneak away. It is an understated inviting touch that informs guests you’re more than welcome to step into this room.
Where should you avoid putting scented candles?
“In the dining room or kitchen as it’s best to keep fragrance and aroma separated.”
*We couldn’t agree more! Too many fragrances around the food creates confusion for the nose, and makes it difficult to fully appreciate specific aromas.
How do you choose a fragrance profile for different events?
“I love seasonal fragrances that conjure up beautiful memories from years gone by.” For example, “At Christmas there is always the scent of evergreen, spruce or cypress. These scents work well to enhance the wonderful fragrances of Christmas trees and garland adorned fireplaces and bannisters. When spring arrives, I find myself yearning for a clean fresh smell akin to wiping the slate clean in a "spring cleaning" kind of way, a rebirth if you will, and therefore tend to lean towards the crisp light scents of a cool citrus drink.”
As Penny recommends, using seasonal fragrances for your events is a tried and tested approach, and one we stick by at East Lane. It’s like using seasonal produce to create your menu! Embracing the time of year and season brings a well-rounded event.
PENNY'S CANDLE TIPS
No. 1 - WICK MAINTENANCE
This is something I'm all about. I always trim my wicks before lighting. It burns cleaner and prevents the unnecessary black soot on your container. It also prolongs the life of your candle by preventing uneven burn of excess fire on the wax.
No. 2 - KEEP AN EYE OUT
Be vigilant about monitoring your candles so they don't burn completely to the bottom.
No. 3 - HAVE FUN
Have fun curating your scents throughout the year. It's a creative art form in and of itself.
Lastly, we asked Penny for her favorite hosting tip, to which she quickly responded “As long as you’re hosting with open arms and love, you can’t make a mistake!”
Check out Penny’s website for more hosting advice, tablescape design, affordable finds, and recipes! Also, be sure to sign up for her incredible monthly email newsletter, it gets you right into the hosting spirit!