Entertaining, Styled: 'Wrapped in a Bow Which Feels Pretty Polished, but With Frayed Edges' – The Duo Behind Lifestyle Brand, Gardenheir, on Their Unique Approach to Hosting

Meet Gardenheir

You'd be forgiven for thinking the founding duo of Gardenheir, Alan Calpe and Christopher Crawford, had always been green-fingered. In fact, the New Yorkers' backgrounds are in the visual arts, retail, and fashion. When they stumbled across a 4-acre Catskills plot less than a decade ago, little did they know it would become the inspiration for the luxury home, garden, and lifestyle brand, that they run today.

Our Gardens Editor recently wrote about the Garden Diaries of Gardenheir, but as I found out, the brand is about far more than just gardening. It captures a nostalgic and romantic aesthetic, inspired by the natural beauty of the outdoors, which feeds into all aspects of the home and, of course, hosting.

So, when Alan and Christopher were invited to collaborate with Auberge Collection's Wildflower Farms (in the aptly named Gardiner, in the Hudson Valley where they have a Gardenheir retail space) on a series of Harvest Dinners, it seemed like a natural fit. It also provided the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their fall table decor ideas and the breadth of the Gardenheir collection, from their classic olive Gingham French Linen Tablecloth, which they laid over long refectory-style tables in a stunning outdoor setting, to the heirloom and foraged objects that punctuated the tablescape with character and authenticity.

I caught up with Alan and Christopher to discover how they bring their unique – if sometimes conflicting – style to entertaining, and wrap it up in an imperfectly perfect package.

Table Decor That Blends Formal & Fussy

'Rather than having a clear brief for a tablescape, we like to get a lot of things out and play around, moving and editing different elements, much like we do with a garden composition – that's how we discover different and surprising combinations,' explains Christopher.

The pair admit to being pretty impulsive and intuitive about what's working and what's not. While Christopher is always attracted to something more formal, like a crisp French linen napkin (Gardenheir) – 'that really speaks to me,' Christopher says – Alan prefers things that are a little less polished. These combined forces create a nice tension that leads to a relaxed, yet exciting tablescape. 'It'll be all wrapped up in a bow that feels pretty polished, but with frayed edges,' laughs Christopher. Their top tablescaping tip, though, is to take a photo of how everything looks together. 'It helps to understand what you're looking at and how other people might see it differently,' Christopher explains.

For the Wildflower dinner, the pair picked some classic, unadorned off-white porcelain and clear glassware (this Red Barrel Studio Dinnerware Set and set of all-purpose wine glasses both from Wayfair are brilliant basics) and built on that with the French linen tablecloth. 'It felt rustic enough to carry the vintage pieces that we added,' adds Alan. And this is the crux of the Gardenheir look – combining classic tableware that anyone might have at home with collected items that bring a nostalgic and storied feel.

'We like to bring in things that we've collected over time, like a serving platter from Deep Black, which might have a particular color or motif that holds everything together, but they could also create a clash, which is fun, too,' says Alan.

Wild & Foraged Botanical Accents

'There's always something botanical from the garden that makes it play,' Alan adds. 'It creates a bridge between what you're seeing in the larger landscape, and something that feels more intimate on the table with you.' Alan and Christopher incorporated architectural stems and soft foliage into botanical centerpieces for this tablescape.

'We love the drama of fall, and tend to be loose and untamed with our arrangements,' continues Alan. Heading to the garden to see what might be in bloom at the time acts as their seasonal guidance, and for fall, that includes the likes of rich dahlias, late season asters, ironweeds, and eupatorium. They also look for plants that offer interest, such as seedpods for structure, ornamental grasses for softness, and even flowers from bolted vegetables. 'For us, a fall bouquet is like a small forest in transition – earthy, textural, moody, and always a bit wild,' Alan muses.

To contrast with their botanical displays for the Wildflower dinner, Alan and Christopher picked out pieces in contrasting terracottas and pinks, such as their Gardenheir pots and planters and the Gardenheir lychee and cream French linen napkins to bring a wonderful richness to the table.

Food & Drinks Inspired by the Land

'We feel lucky to be upstate, where there is a bounty of really interesting chefs and restaurants, such as Stissing House, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Matilda, Julia’s Local and Casa Susanna to name just a few,' says Alan.

The duo is very much aligned with the farm-to-table concept, and shared dishes of roasted seasonal vegetables are always on the table when they host, which also leans beautifully into Gardenheir's home-grown and foraged philosophy. 'One of our favorite cookbooks is Vegetable Revelations: Inspiration for Produce-Forward Cooking by Steven Satterfield,' says Christopher. Alan's Filipino heritage also feeds into the pair's cooking style, and they are fans of In the Kusina: My Seasonal Filipino Cooking by Woldy Reyes, for Woldy's reinterpretations of some of their favorite dishes.

Christopher continues: 'There's something nice about the ritual and choreography of a plated dinner, but we tend to do more relaxed, sharing plates'. One of their go-to kitchen-to-table pieces is a Field Company double-handled cast iron skillet, which is perfect for large servings and makes a dramatic statement on the table.

As for the drinks, guests at Alan and Christophers can expect anything whiskey-based, variations on martinis, or mocktails with interesting botanicals and garnishes inspired by shrubs from the garden. 'The Mother Shrub Cocktail botanicals from Gardenheir impart a kombucha-like sourness that I really like in a cocktail,' explains Alan.

Smokey Scents & Nostalgic Playlists

'We don't have any concrete rules when it comes to the finishing touches, just the healthy pressures of hosting and creating an atmosphere that feels warm and engages everyone together,' explains Alan.

An eclectic and nostalgic playlist always sets the scene, and Alan and Christopher's features everything from Francoise Hardy, Nina Simone, Margot Guryan, and Blossom Dearie, to the Zombies and even the Beach Boys. But there's one thing they never play at a dinner party, and that's jazz. 'There's there's something a little hokey about serving dinner and listening to jazz – it makes it feel like a movie that we haven't been cast in,' says Christopher.

From the auditory to the olfactory, scent is a big part of creating the right atmosphere for welcoming guests, and the smoky and leathery notes of Trudon's Ernesto candle make it the duo's absolute go-to for fall, both at home and in the Gardenheir stores. 'We think the vessels are exceptionally beautiful, and people always come in and ask what it is,' says Christopher.

However, at the table, they like the dishes (as opposed to the scent) to take center stage, and that always means creating height and interest with taper candles that enhance, rather than dominate, the table. 'Nothing really has the impact of a beautiful taper candle,' admits Alan.

Essentials for a Gardenheir-Style Gathering

Here's the Homes & Gardens edit of everything you need to host in the style of Gardenheir, with a mix of Alan and Christopher's must-haves, and our own selections to get their look.

In our Entertaining, Styled series, we spotlight tastemakers known for their effortless hosting style. Each feature opens the doors to their rituals of getting party-ready – from the linens they lay to the music that sets the mood and the finishing touches they swear by – with resources from their little black books of expertly-sourced designers and brands, so you can recreate the look at home.