Summer is the time for outdoor entertaining. It wasn't so long ago that outdoor entertaining meant a picnic in the park with a drink cooler, paper plates and plastic forks. If entertaining at home, it meant throwing hamburgers on the backyard grill.

Thanks to today's growing trend of outdoor kitchens and rooms with all the comfort of interior spaces, backyard parties have become much more sophisticated. There are high-end grills that allow you to prepare food on a stovetop and exterior kitchen islands that create space for food prep and storage. Refrigerators, wet bars and sinks also are available for outdoor installation.

The secret is to bring your favorite indoor decor items outdoors and to have fun decorating with them. Think about how you want your space to look when planning an outdoor get-together:

Lay out the basic space: Planning the space before the party is key. First, decide if guests will be seated at tables or will be eating while standing or seated in the nearest lawn chair. When I had my family over recently for a Sunday afternoon get-together, I pulled out some of my favorite Oriental rugs in smaller sizes that I had rolled up for the summer and created seating areas under shady trees for relaxed dining.

Dress the tables: Use paper for cocktail napkins only; for dining, use cloth napkins. Arrange silverware in inviting "take-one" containers like planters or cachepots. To add color to the table, invest in mix-and-match china pieces in colorful hues.

Centerpieces can be as simple as small containers of Gerbera daisies or impatiens, along with greenery, or even bowls of summer fruit or veggies. I like to use a row of glass canning jars to hold cut flowers from my garden.

Choose food suitable for outdoors: Place buffet tables in shady areas because direct sunlight will cause even the freshest salad to wilt and dairy-based dishes to curdle. Foods that contain lots of oil or gelatin also don't do well in direct heat; be sure to cover them with waxed paper or old-fashioned netting baskets. A good choice for buffet fare is dishes that serve well at room temperature, like vinegar-based salads, grilled kebabs, beans and noodle dishes.