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Interior and architectural designer Sarah Giesenhagen, founder of The Bureau, knows how to set the scene for an outdoor soiree. Her Sonoma, California, backyard is as lush as they come, a veritable stage for flowers, fruit trees, and al fresco dining and lounging. Recently, Giesenhagen invited several California-based artists and designers to produce new works in response to the unique setting—and what was made became the basis for an exhibition in the same space titled Verdant Phenomena (featuring 2026 Good Design Award winners Sun Set Furniture, Gantri, and Orca, among others). To celebrate the opening, the designer and her partner John Umbanhowar hosted a dreamy dinner among the objects on display.
Ahead, Giesenhagen shares all the little details that go into hosting a lounge-y outdoor party.
My case for rugs as seating: The low vantage point changes your perspective in a way that chairs with an 18-inch seat height cannot. Being low to the ground has a way of lowering your blood pressure. It is tied to being a child, where everything is bigger than you and awe-inspiring. A few current favorites in play are Nomadory (we have a couple of collaborations in the works with them currently); Armadillo for gorgeous, natural neutrals; and Marc Phillips—the Psychedahlia rug by Rachel Shillander is over the top.
My best advice for building an edible centerpiece: Decide your ideal color palette first then consider what is available. I like to treat them like any design composition. If there aren’t enough elements available in the palette colors, then pivot to a new one. We source from the local farmers markets, flower farmers, and produce stands. We also partner with people that like to get right in the weeds, fields and trees and forage.
I skip a tablecloth when: Almost always. It would be a crime to hide the table beneath it.
My favorite napkins for a dinner party: Washed linen. I like the linen napkins from Bed Threads. There are enough colors to work with any event. A new fantasy of mine would be to design custom napkins collaborating with artists for each season.
If I don’t have place card holders, I reach for: What could card holders be without the frames that hold them? For this event specifically, we have used limes and considered aluminum plant labels. Or, if in a pinch, use folded card stock and enlist help from someone with interesting and legible hand writing.
Why collectible design is meant to be lived with and used: Objects, art, and environment tell us something about ourselves—our aspirations, memories, hopes, fears, regrets, uncertainties, questions, values, and maybe our futures. We make choices that direct our point of view. Collectible design is enriched with some or all of the above. Depending on your appreciation level, it provides connections that something that solves predominately for function may not.
My go-to outfit when entertaining outside: In Northern California, my outfit has to have layers and most typically a shoe that can take gravel and dust. For a recent event, I got to sit in the side car and let my good friend Rachel Beth Anderson make the final call on my styling. I provided a handful of options and she brought some, too, including pieces from her deep vintage collection. The outcome was a sheer celadon dress by Kamperett over a nude slip with my vintage leather jacket and light tan ostrich cowboy boots, plus vintage jewelry from her collection amassed in Brooklyn over the last 15 years.
Everything on my self-serve bar: Recently it has been sparkling and still water with fresh herbs and aromatics like basil, thyme, and sage sourced from our garden. We have an appointed cart with our favorite mezcals. Our current rotation has included a few selections from Bozal.
The California wine I always serve guests: Sonoma wines from Maison Des Plaisances, Martha Stoumen, and Scribe are always on hand at our house.
The brands I love setting my table with: A mix of vintage and new. Things with a past and things we are giving meaning to. I really love these little app plates by Good Connection that look like paper plates. We use them daily for toast, afternoon snacks, and desserts. Every time of day they are delightful. Virginia Sin also makes a great version.
My cutting garden is filled with: Whatever my partner, the chief gardener, has each season, all credit is due to him. It is always a mix of seasonal flowers and aromatics: things like basil, shiso, sage, french tarragon, thistle, orange gladiola, dahlia, hellebore, coneflower, zinnia, lemon balm, lavender, lemon verbena, allium, varieties of mint, and many colors of yarrow.
Most recent conversation starter that got people talking: What should I name this wine? A winemaker asked this to a table of guests after reading her poem about Peaches. The wine was a natural rose, made partly with sauvignon blanc. The label was hand-painted. It went fast yet remained unnamed. The names varied from Peach Fuzz Lip to Trust Fall…how did we get there?