Former Miss Universe and style icon Olivia Culpo has earned a reputation for hosting effortlessly beautiful dinners. In her Better Homes & Gardens feature, she reveals how she balances elegance, comfort, and personality for gatherings that feel both polished and personal.
- The Core Setup: Essentials for an Elevated Table
Culpo distills her table style into three essential categories:
A quality, visually unified dining set.
Specialty glassware—her go-to choice: fluted coupe glasses.
Thoughtful decor like candles and greenery at varying heights for added dimension.
She always layers charger plates with simple white porcelain dinner plates and selects napkins and tablecloths tailored to the event’s mood. Vintage-style flatware and creative napkin rings—like twine tied with a thyme sprig—are her finishing touches .
- Personal Touches That Resonate
Culpo insists on gifts or decor that reflect intention and story. For one dinner, she personalized linen napkins for each guest. On another occasion she left a curated book at each place setting for guests to take home.
These gestures add layers of meaning and create moments guests won’t forget .
- Grounding with Nature and the Right Lighting
Her advice: bring in greenery—branches, flowers, or herbs—to tie the tablescape to the season. Natural elements provide subtle fragrance and visual softness.
Lighting plays a pivotal role. Culpo favors taper candles at varying heights to foster warmth and visual rhythm, especially suitable when overhead light is already soft .
- Hosting Tips to Enjoy the Evening Too
Preparation is key. Culpo recommends planning as much as possible early, and cooking dishes you already know well to avoid last-minute stress.
Drinks should be easy and accessible—consider a self-serve station. Finally, curate a playlist and sprinkle in low-key entertainment like puzzles or small games to help guests feel at home .
- The Le Creuset Dutch Oven: Form Meets Function
Olivia’s must-have kitchen tool? Her Le Creuset Dutch oven—a versatile workhorse that works on stove or tableside and doubles as décor. Its creamy, elegant finish is visually appealing even when serving comfort food or hot dishes .
Why These Secrets Work
Intentional layering—place settings built from neutral basics plus thoughtful accents feel polished without strain.
Personal touches show love and make guests feel seen.
Natural décor and lighting create ambiance, calmness, and dimension.
Preparation equals presence—stress-free hosting lets you engage with your guests, not just manage logistics.
Quick Takeaways
Use versatile neutral dinnerware and mix in statement glassware or flatware.
Incorporate greenery and candles of varying heights to add warmth and texture.
Add one meaningful personalized element per person to elevate the experience.
Plan ahead, offer self-serve drinks, and choose recipes you feel confident making.
Keep functional beauty in mind—like that Dutch oven that doubles as décor.
Final Thought
Olivia Culpo’s hosting style shows that a chic table doesn’t need to feel stiff or overthought. By combining neutral basics, scatterings of nature, layered lighting, and personal stories, she creates evenings that are warm, elegant, and memorable.
