Playing host in the summer months opens up so many fun possibilities. These pool party ideas will inspire you to host one of my favorite events – a relaxed yet elegant poolside brunch.
If you're looking for some summer table decor ideas that will crown you the hostess with the mostess there are a few key ingredients to nailing the pool party vibe. Instead of a more formal, sit-down lunch or dinner, opt for a brunch event, which affords you the luxury of creating something much more casual and whimsical.
This slow, sunny, and effortless yet unmistakably luxe and inviting. A hard balance – particularly when faced with all the challenges that outdoor hosting poses. So if you're looking for some guidance and inspiration, dive into these expert styling ideas and consider this your cheat sheet to hosting the perfect poolside brunch.
1. Set the scene (and the table)
While you don't need elaborate summer table decor ideas, for a relaxed meal, such as a brunch, they do help to establish a theme and give your pool party some direction. This could be a color, a motif, or an interior design style.
Designer Kathy Kuo recommends leaning into coastal decor ideas. 'Set your poolside table with coastal-inspired woven placemats and stylish melamine dishware and drinkware that is safe for use around the pool since it won't break like glass will,' she advises.
Whether you're serving scrambled eggs or something fancier, you want a mix of texture, height, and personality on your table. This is not the time to get out your best tableware. Paving or decking around a pool is not kind to dropped plates. For durable options, go for outdoor safe tableware, including unbreakable melamine or bamboo plates and bowls in bright colors, and choose outdoor table linens to fit the theme of your party.
'Mediterranean inspiration is big, think terracotta pots, olive trees, linen tablecloths, and handmade ceramics,' adds Leigh Lincoln, co-founder and principal designer at Pure Salt Interiors. 'People are blending formal dining styles outdoors with candles, centerpieces, layered place settings, and ambient lighting.' These are ideal for a more informal brunch event.
If there's one thing designers have really gone all out on for summer 2025, it's chic yet break-proof tableware. Perfect for hosting outdoors, this melamine platter from Shea McGee feels like a vintage thrift store find.
A new tablecloth can work wonders to upgrade an old table and elevate the entire display. And you don't have to spend loads either. Target has lots of lovely options, including this on-trend yellow gingham tablecloth, made from 100% cotton.
Put the paper cups away and upgrade your hosting finesse with some durable acrylic 'glassware' that is perfect for the patio and pool. This set of four from Anthropologie is simple yet stylish and comes in a myriad of colors.
2. Create a self-serve station for food and drinks
I think the key to stress-free outdoor entertaining is keeping the food simple, seasonal. When you’re swimming, you don’t want to eat anything heavy or overly messy.
Setting up a buffet or grazing table of grab-and-go snacks allows guests to help themselves at their own pace and keeps you, as the host, out of the kitchen. Set this all up on another table or outdoor kitchen counter with some tiered stands and pedestals – wooden fruit crates or low foldable tray tables are ideal for creating diffrerent heights.
Let texture and color guide your styling just as much as flavor – try adding artfully arranged figs and sprigs of fresh herbs amongst your dishes to bring it to life.
Everything should be easy to prep ahead of time and just as easy to eat without a knife and fork. This 29-Piece Charcuterie Board Accessories set from Amazon has everything you need to style a professional-looking table.
Designed exclusively for Anthropologie by Nathalie Lété, this delicately decorated serving bowl is ideal for piling high with fruits or Greek yoghurt for guests to help themselves to. Plus, durable melamine makes it worry-free for outdoor hosting.
Sure, you can lay the table with individual place settings for each guest, but if your poolside brunch is going to be a more relaxed affair, you're going to want something to store the flatware in for everyone. I love this braided rattan caddy designed with style icon Aerin Lauder.
Alongside playful linens and dishes, you can really have fun with your flatware in summer. This set of six resin spreaders is individually handcrafted to create the most unique knives for spreading butter or jams on pastries.
3. Combine comfort and style
As much as the overall aesthetic is important it's vital that your guests feel relaxed, comfortable and well looked after.
With that in mind, consider adding a towel basket near the pool for those who forgot to bring one or need extra. Ensure each lounger or outdoor chair is equipped with a side table for drinks, and have a few trays on hand for guests who might want to take refreshments from the table to the pool area.
'Set the scene for a laidback poolside brunch with a luxe outdoor umbrella to add some shade and to anchor your dining area,' adds Kathy. It’s easy for guests to lose track of how much time they’ve spent in the sun at a poolside party. The key to keeping everyone protected is to maximize shade with additional patio umbrellas, pergolas, or awnings.
You might even want to set up a sunscreen station so guests who are starting to feel the heat can protect themselves – I love this Citronella Hanging Coil from Terrain. And if the brunch drifts into early afternoon, try lighting a few citronella candles to keep bugs at bay and create ambiance with some portable lamps.
If your brunch ends up lasting well into the evening, portable lamps are a great way to add some ambient light to your poolside. This stylish rattan lamp doesn't require any plugs, and can be popped on side tables by loungers or on your tablescape - plus, it has a 4-way dimmer to suit your mood.
Provide plenty of unique and fun shade for guests with a retro-style patio umbrella like this one from Wayfair. Designed with a green and white stripe in pagoda style, this exudes style with a UPF+50 rating that is very effective at blocking UV rays.
Designed for many uses – from breakfasts in bed to a stylish work station – this rattan tray would also make a chic tray for serving up drinks or snacks to guests who are lounging by the pool. The inset tray also lifts out for extra versatility.
4. Keep it fun and colorful
As a host you will want to create luxe and chilled out vibe, but pool parties are also all about having a bit of fun. Conjure up that child-like spirit with vibrant pops of colour in outdoor accessories, such as lounger cushions, lilos and other fun talking points.
A curated selection of inflatables in stylish designs will instantly up the fun factor. Consider adding clusters of balloons tied to parasols or gazebos for a party feel, or scatter brightly coloured beach balls around in baskets or fill your pool with them for your guests to grab and throw around. Encourage some friendly competition with a pool volleyball net from Amazon.
We absolutely love this floating bar, which comes in six colorways and puts a grown-up twist on inflatable fun. It features four cup holders and two large ice holders and the canopy will keep your drinks cool.
This is a bit of an investment piece, but it can be used for lounging out of the pool as well as in it. You can even get double ones for floating around with friends. It's UV and fade resistant and comes with a portable rechargeable pump.
Fill your pool with these pastel-hued beach balls for a stylish look that will also encourage your guests to have fun and interact with them. This 18-piece set includes a mix of three sizes in appealing candy-colored stripes.
5. Serve drinks on a stylish bar cart
Instead of crowding the dining table or having guests constantly head back to the kitchen, a curated outdoor bar cart feels both playful and polished. Trust me, it'll quickly become one of your most-used and most-admired outdoor accessories.
'I also love the idea of adding an outdoor bar cart for carafes of coffee and juice, and ice buckets of champagne for mimosas,' agrees Kathy.
No pool party would be complete without a suitably summery cocktail to offer people on arrival. Prepare as much in advance as you can. Chop the fruit beforehand and make up big jugs to store in the refrigerator (where possible) so you’re not having to be a bartender all the time once the guests arrive.
Stock the top shelf with a few carafes of beverages – think fruity cocktails, sparkling water, and fresh juices as well as dishes of garnishes like sliced citrus, sprigs of mint, and edible flowers. Below, you can line up acrylic tumblers, cocktail napkins, and a tub with ice for bottled drinks and cans that guests can grab and go.
The beauty of the cart is that it keeps everything contained but mobile – you can roll it closer to the shade, tuck it by the loungers, or park it poolside for easy access.
Business & Pleasure Co. is up there with one of the most stylish beach brands out there. Their designs focus on nostalgic Californian style, which this retro-style bar cart exudes in buckets. Made from steel with a high-grade coating and finished with scallops, you won't find a prettier design.
Created by Joanna Gaines' Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia range at Target, this vintage-style drinks tub and stand is designed for serving bottles and beverages on ice – and even comes with a bottle opener at the front.
Made from a woven polyurethane for durability, this French bistro-style bar cart is going to be the talk of the neighbours. I love the stylish finish and the fact that the top shelf doubles as a removable tray for serving. Plus, the wheels lock to keep it from rolling away.
6. Consider (or make use of) a pool house
Where to put everything, particularly if your pool is far away from the kitchen, can be a dilemma, and a pool house really comes into its own as an extra space for a pool party.
If you already have one, use it as a bar, to house your food serving station for food, to keep it out of the sun or as a quite shady area for guests to relax in. If you don't, a wooden-framed or less permanent fabric gazebo will work equally well. If you are considering investing in a poolside structure, now could be the perfect time to do so, ahead of prime summer hosting time.
This permanent, hard-top sunroom will instantly elevate your poolside if you have the room. It comes in smaller sizes (without the sides), too, if your budget or space won't stretch and is made from UV and rust-resistant galvanized steel.
An ideal pop-up solution if you don't want to commit to a the cost of permanence of a built structure is a fabric gazebo. This one offers 100 square feet of coverage, is PU coated for durability in the elements and has mosquito-netting sides to keep those bugs away from food and guests.
A wooden gazebo provides shade (and rain cover, should the heavens open) but feels less of a commitment than a structure with four walls. Decorate with pretty string lights by night for added atmosphere.
7. Create a post-food relaxation area
Once the plates are cleared and the mimosas are topped up, your guests may want to retreat to a casual outdoor living room area where everyone can linger and enjoy the sun, so make sure you've considered the best outdoor furniture for optimum comfort.
'Create an outdoor ‘living room’ with rugs and cushions for your relaxed poolside brunch,' suggests Kit Kemp. 'Taking the atmosphere and comfort of a living room outside will extend your home into the garden, essentially creating another ‘room’ to enjoy. Even a small patio or terrace can be instantly transformed into an extension of your home with the simple addition of an outdoor rug.'
If you don’t have a dedicated outdoor lounge area, no problem. Something as simple as a pair of floor cushions, a vintage deck chair, and a low woven coffee table can instantly transform an unused area into a chic chill-out zone. And don't forget to introduce some pattern – stripes, plaids, and fun geometrics will create a welcoming look for a pool party as well as bring softness to the hard corners of a patio or poolside.
While you can definitely steer clear of nautical, sea-themed motifs and pick some chic florals or stripes instead, an 'underwater' theme is really on-trend this summer, and I can't get enough of this playful crab pillow from Serena & Lily.
Created to withstand the outdoors and ensure longevity, this rug has been made out of 100% polypropylene that looks like a natural sisal in texture and color while being extra practical. You can even wash it down with the hose to clean it.
One of the most versatile styling pieces in your home and garden is the little ceramic stool. This one from Amazon has been finished with a traditional yet chic floral motif, and makes the perfect drinks table or plant stand.
By layering in little luxuries like a well-set table, a self-serve menu, and shaded yet stylish lounging spots, you can turn a simple poolside brunch into something rather special.
And even if you're looking for more pool ideas these tips and suggestions are just as useful if you’re on vacation at a house with a pool, or gathering guests around a hot tub for an lazy afternoon supper party.
