For Rebekah Peppler, entertaining isn’t a special-occasion endeavor. The Paris-based food and drinks writer, whose new South-of-France-focused book, Le Sud, is out on April 23, frequently hosts dinner parties at the Montmartre apartment she shares with her partner. Though the one-bedroom place is small, it boasts a generous balcony that spans the entire length of the home—a perfect spot for l’heure de l’apéro (the French tradition of happy hour) with friends.
“It looks out over the city,” Rebekah says. “Because we’re on this hill—and Paris doesn’t have a lot of them—we get a vantage point you don’t often get here. We get to see all of those beautiful chimneys popping up and blue roofs and, of course, the Eiffel Tower is there as well. It’s a very special view. I feel very lucky to have it. And it works out well for entertaining in nice weather.”
Inside, too, Rebekah has furnished the compact space with gatherings in mind. She sourced an oversized vintage marble tabletop that can seat six guests comfortably (eight to ten, if diners are willing to squeeze) and she converted a vintage dresser into a bar for displaying bottles and storing hosting essentials. She also identified all the elements of her home, from her fireplace mantel to her tulip-shaped nightstands to her Dutch ovens, that can double as party tools when people come over. The result is a seemingly effortless soirée every time.
Here, Rebekah shares her eight best tips for entertaining, no matter how small the space.
Photography by Joann Pai from À Table: Recipes for Cooking and Eating the French Way by Rebekah Peppler (Chronicle Books) unless noted.
1. Source a multifunctional dining table.
![despite the petite size of the living room, a big dining table was a must have 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-10-733x977.jpg)
![\2\20;prioritizing a large dining table has always been important to me 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-pepler-apartment-1-733x916.jpg)
2. Rethink the bar cart.
![instead of a traditional bar cart, a vintage dresser displays rebekah\2\ 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-paris-apartment-2-733x916.jpg)
3. Turn the mantel into a serving space.
![day to day, rebekah\2\17;s fireplace mantel is styled with florals and o 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-paris-apartment-3-733x916.jpg)
![SmallSpace Soires 8 Tips from a Paris Apartment Courtesy of Rebekah Peppler portrait 8 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-4-733x1047.jpg)
4. Bring the party outside.
![after the drinks are mixed, rebekah and her friends typically sip them on the b 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-8-733x1100.jpg)
5. Repurpose existing furniture.
![rebekah doesn\2\17;t have any room to store patio furniture, so she repu 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-paris-apartment-4-733x916.jpg)
![\2\20;my stack of books and my water and all of our things have to be mo 24](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-3-733x977.jpg)
6. Dutch ovens make good coolers.
![when rebekah needs to chill wine, the first vessel she reaches for is her vinta 25](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-7-733x1047.jpg)
7. Use the good dinnerware.
![since rebekah prop styles all her own books, she\2\17;s accumulated a tr 26](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-paris-apartment-5-733x916.jpg)
8. Plan ahead.
![the number one way to make entertaining seem effortless in the moment—es 27](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/rebekah-peppler-2-733x1047.jpg)
More entertaining know-how:
- For the Hostess Procrastinaire: 10 Useful Tips for Stress-Free Entertaining
- Expert Advice: How to Throw an Impromptu Summer Dinner Party
- 10 Tips for Living the French Way, from ‘Joie: A Parisian’s Guide to Celebrating the Good Life’
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