We love a good party. And now that we live in beautiful and sunny Santa Monica, with tons of indoor and outdoor space to entertain, we were itching to throw a little housewarming party to take our space for a test ride.

In typical Organic Beauty style, we focused on elevated entertaining — using sustainable party accessories, fresh local produce, and an affinity for organic style.

Check out my inspiration board for a sustainable summer soiree, then peep some photos and recipes from our housewarming party where we put it into action!

1. Invitations ($12 for 20-40 invitations on Paperless Post): Invitations and paper products can set the tone for a party, both in terms of palette and theme, as well as the feel of the event.  Whenever possible, we opt for the eco-friendly option of email invitations from Paperless Post for their always awesome customizable designs.  I just love this watermelon card from Mr. Boddington, which would make such a cute decorative touch on the bar or as part of the tablescape. Not only does it match our palette, but it also ties in the watermelon that was a big part of our seasonal spread!

2. Air plants ($28 for 5 on Air Plant Supply Co.): To set the foundation for our natural organic palette, we used air plants to decorate. Air plants last forever and require very little water, making them much more eco-friendly than flowers for party decor.  We scattered them around the serving ware on the table to create a wild (and very LA) tablescape, that didn’t detract from the beautiful vibrant colors of our culinary creations!

3. Sustainable Acacia Cutting Board ($99.95 at Williams-Sonoma): There is absolutely no easier and more elegant serving platter than a beautiful cutting board. We use our sustainable acacia wood boards for everything from cheese to desserts.  They impart a rustic and organic feel to a tablescape, and are the epitome of effortless entertaining style.  For a healthier spin on a traditional cheese board, we included both dairy and nut cheeses, along with whole grain and gluten-free crackers, quince paste and olives.

4. Local CSA Farm Box ($50 to $175 depending on size. Check out Out of the Box Collective in LA and NextDoorganics in NYC): We LOVE using our weekly CSA delivery to set the tone for our entertaining menus.  CSA’s give you the opportunity to enjoy weekly deliveries of local, seasonal, organic produce while supporting local farmers.  The week of our party, we had fresh herbs, peas, radishes, carrots, asparagus, and bell peppers, all of which made an appearance on our entertaining menu in delicious crostini with burrata, peas, and mint, and the most vibrant crudites served with beet hummus and herbed aioli.  Mmmm!

5. Biodegradable and Eco-Friendly Paper Straws ($11.99 for 100 on Amazon): Patterned straws are one of our favorite ways to create festive and beautiful drinks. We served a berry kombucha concoction (to be enjoyed with or without alcohol) that was perfect in tall glasses over ice with a pretty gold and white chevron straw peeking out.  This budget-friendly option is totally eco-friendly, and even compostable! So you can feel a-ok incorporating this paper product into your decor.

6. Organic Bamboo Appetizer Plates ($10 for a pack of 24 on Eco Party Time): We eschewed paper plates in favor of these organic, biodegradable and compostable bamboo plates a while ago, and have never looked back. Not only are they the earth-friendly option, but they look absolutely adorable, and fit in perfectly with our palette and the organic, natural feel of our tablescape.

7. Glass Beverage Dispenser ($49.95 at cb2): A glass beverage dispenser makes creating delicious, creative drinks a snap. We made a big batch of yummy kombucha mixed with sparkling water and infused with fresh, organic, local berries, thyme, and mint, which was perfect on it’s own, or mixed with vodka or gin. And I know our guests appreciated the healthy spin on summery cocktails!

8. Bright serving bowls ($2.95 each at cb2): Including some beautiful little serving bowls in your party decor and tablescape creates bright pops of color and vibrance, while giving your guests access to easy munchables like olives, nuts, or wasabi peas.  We’ve had our eye on these beauties from cb2 for a while, and loved that they fit perfectly into our party palette!

Click to see the recipes from our party!