(ARA) – Summer is in full swing and it’s really heating up out
there. Many people are finding themselves in the thick of planning
barbecues for family and friends.

While most of us can plan and host a summer barbecue with our
eyes closed, it’s easy to fall into a rut of whipping up the same
old menu and breaking out the basic decorations. This year, learn
how to put a modern twist on your summer fete.

Whether you’re in the midst of planning or getting ready to host
your first barbecue bash, Kelley Moore, lifestyle and entertaining
expert has ideas with the help of Bing.com on how to create a
modern barbecue that is sure impress your guests. You never know –
your chic barbecue may just be the envy of the neighborhood and
leave your guests begging you to throw another summer fiesta.

Decor with a kick: While you can never go wrong with the classic
red and white checkered table cloth, you may want to add some
unexpected elements to help create a light and airy atmosphere to
match the mood of your party.

* Freshen up your traditional red and white fabric with pops of
yellow and modernize by using bold graphic patterns.

* Cover your table with basic and inexpensive white linen. To
create more interest, sew your own runner and save on the cost of
store-bought options. If you can’t envision the pattern right away,
you can draw inspiration from Bing’s Image Search, where you can
peruse pictures of all kinds of fabrics, layouts, pattern sizes and
colors.

* Hang white paper star lanterns around your patio, in trees
around the yard or even clustered under a patio or canopy.

* Set up a swanky pillow lounge instead of the usual picnic
table. You can easily do this by sectioning off a corner of your
lawn, deck, patio or front walk way. Then use the space to create a
comfy, chic “daybed” filled with bright graphic pillows and draped
with cozy blankets.

Host and party too: If you’re the host, you’ve likely accepted
that you’ll be the one behind the barbecue grilling up food or
whipping up drinks in the kitchen all night. The problem is that
you may end up missing out on all the fun. Consider some of these
modern entertaining ideas that will let you be the host without
missing the party.

* Set up small tabletop grills for your guests to use
accompanied with a variety of meats and veggies on lucite trays, so
your guests can grill their own food. And, what’s the best part? No
one is stuck behind the grill, so everyone can have a blast.

* Create a unique lemonade bar by painting a child’s wagon
bright yellow and placing it on top of a table filled with ice. You
can stock the adult lemonade stand with flavored vodkas on ice,
iced tea and herbal infusions.

* If you’re tired of hamburgers, hot dogs and potato salad,
check out Bing.com where you can get recipes directly in the search
results from popular recipe sites like Delish.com, MyRecipes.com,
Epicurious.com and more. And, when you search for a specific food
or recipe, you can refine your results to see a full list of
recipes related to that search. What’s even better is that within
the list of recipes, you will get more details about each recipe
that can help you decide what to cook, such as user ratings and
nutrition facts.

Fun and games: You have the food, beverages and decor theme all
figured out, but what about the games? If you’re not good with
games or can never remember the rules, check out some of these
ideas that will keep your guests entertained and never bored.

* Put a twist on the old-fashioned ring toss game by customizing
glass soda bottles with unique labels featuring your family and
friends. Set the bottles up in a grid pattern and use them for a
ring toss. When the night’s over, guests can take the sodas home
with fond memories of the party. Use Bing Maps to easily find the
vendor that does custom labels closest to your home since you don’t
have a lot of time until your barbecue.

* You can’t go wrong with classic lawn games like bocce ball,
croquet, horseshoes and badminton. Print out the rules using
colorful paper and post the rules next to the lawn game. Now you
can keep competitive arguments to a minimum and focus on having
fun.

Check out more decorating and entertaining ideas from Kelley
Moore at kelleylmoore.com to help you plan your chic barbecue bash.
In addition, visit Bing.com to help you make important party
planning decisions on everything from recipes, decor to games.

Courtesy of ARAcontent