How to throw a dinner party your guests won't be able to stop talking about

If the living room is the heart of a home, and the kitchen is like its belly, then the dining room embodies its celebratory spirit.

This is a space that brings people together in conversation and laughter, gathering them in a great big hug.

A dining room should be fun, joyful and genial, whether you’re throwing a grand, glamorous soiree or a tiny gathering with just a couple of friends and a takeaway.

No matter its size, the dining room is a place to introduce a touch of theatrics and playfulness, to bring out tantalising details that will get the conversation started long before people have even sat down to dinner.

How to find and style unique pieces for your dining room

Durable duality

Style a space with things that can be both useful and attractive. I like the duality of accessories where something can look great by itself but can also function in practical terms as a vase, plate or serving platter.

Have cleverly thought-through objects and accessories to hand, as these are great tools for styling memorable tablescapes.

A lived life: opt for pieces with a story to tell

For a space to feel layered and multifaceted it needs to have a sense of history.

Adding an antique Chinese or Japanese vessel, a worn timber console or chair, or an old silver tray – each full of old soul – lends another layer of texture and tone to a space, playing off its otherwise cleanlines, as well as providing a sense of place and travel.

Favourite tabletop sources

I pick up old and new pieces wherever I travel:

• In Paris I love Simrane for handcrafted Indian textiles, from quilts and tablecloths to cushions, and the ever-evolving lifestyle collections at Merci Paris.
• In New York, I love the quirkiness and originality of the pieces at John Derian in the East Village, as well as the kitchen staples and homewares at Williams Sonoma and Crate & Barrel.
• In the UK, I always head to the one-stop Daylesford Farm shop in the Cotswolds for everything chic and understated, from linen tablecloths in soft hues to wooden cooking spoons and chopping boards.
• In Italy, I seek out handmade ceramics by Ceramiche Mennella, Ischia’s oldest ceramics shop, and Ceramiche Nicola Fasano in Puglia.

At home, I am always scouring Greene & Greene in Sydney for antique silverware and seeking out colourtastic  serving bowls and jugs at Dinosaur Designs.

Online, I look for unusual finds from around the world at Moda Operandi and vintage pieces via Etsy.

Creating an atmosphere your guests won’t be able to stop talking about

Stylish entertaining 101

Even if I am having a few friends over for a casual Sunday dinner, I always have one clear concept in mind to carry through the whole event.

It could be as simple as using the dish that kick-started the menu to filter through to the flowers on the table, deciding what space to host the gathering in, the music to play and even the scent to subtly burn in the background.

This conceptual “mood board” brings all the best elements of a gathering together: food, music, tablescaping, drinks and even what you will wear.

Inviting the right people (here’s my dream dinner party guest list)

• Beyonce to delve into her incredible creative process;
• Maya Angelou for her wisdom;
• Oprah, because, Oprah;
• The late Queen Elizabeth ll to ask if I can visit behind the scenes in her palaces;
• Elsie de Wolfe for her brilliant decorating insights and gossip about the legendary parties she used to throw;
• John Pawson to learn more about his minimalist design ethos;
• And my friend Donna Hay to whip up my favourite chocolate fudge cake with ganache icing.

Music to bring life to the party

A great playlist is essential for inspiring the right mood, whether it is humming away in the background while you are cooking up a storm in the kitchen or creating the perfect atmosphere for entertaining family and friends over a long languid lunch or a dressed-up dinner party. Some of my favourite tunes to spin are:

• Via con Me – Paolo Conte;
• Quando, Quando, Quando – Tony Renis;
• Parole Parole – Mina;
• Volare – Domenico Modugno;
• Sway (Quien Sera) – Dean Martin;
• Buona Sera – Louis Prima;
• Mambo Italiano – Carla Boni;
• ’S Wonderful – Diana Krall;
• Everything Happens to Me – Samara Joy;
• Yes Sir, That’s My Baby – Etta Jones;
• It Might as Well be Spring – Caity Gyorgy feat. Kyle Pogline;
• Stompin’ At the Savoy – Teddy Wilson;
• All of You – Ella Fitzgerald;
• It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) – Ernestine Anderson;
• It Had to be You – Bobby Darin;
• Cheek to Cheek – Sammy Davis Jr. & Carmen McRae;
• Get Happy – Rebecca Ferguson;
• You Send Me – Sam Cooke … and anything from the soundtracks of Nancy Meyers’ films Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated.

This is an edited extract from Moments at Home: Interior Inspiration for Every Room by Steve Cordony, published by Hardie Grant Books. In stores nationally from February 6.