Southern Accents: In your new book, you identify "food, drink, and a festive environment" as the essential elements of a great party. How do you know when those pieces have all come together?
Carolyne Roehm: If you are organized, you know it early on. Preparing in advance helps you get as close as possible to the goal of having a great party. A relaxed host helps as well.

Ultimately, you know it's a great party when you see smiling, happy, laughing guests. And I've learned that if you've provided good food, good drinks, a good environment, and you're in good spirits, you shouldn't worry -- the rest is up to the guests.

SA: When hosting a party, what are the five things you try to avoid?
CR: First, not allowing time to pamper myself. I allow a half-hour before my guests arrive to get into the party mode.

Second, not having a plan. I always have a detailed plan for any dinner with more than eight guests.

Not leaving room for mistakes. I know that I need to have expansion room in case something doesn't arrive in time, for example, or there's a storm and the flowers that I planned to use are mutilated.

Not having a good seating scheme. It's not one of my favorite aspects of the party to coordinate, but it's vital. I always try to put a talker next to a nontalker or a relatively shy person next to an outgoing person.

Not having a schedule. I don't like for people to have to wait between courses, so it's important to go over timing and flow with waiters or other staff beforehand.

SA: What do you see as the emerging trends in entertaining?
CR: I think that for several years now, we've gone through a period of minimalism that references earlier decades, paring things down with flowers, table settings, etc. Since trends are cyclical, I think that in time, we'll see more romantic trends -- a return to "lusciousness." Not grand or overdone, yet making a statement.

I also think people will entertain at home more. It seems that with baby boomers, there's a renewed interest in traditional things. We've done fine restaurants and evenings out. Now we want to stay at home and entertain.

SA: You are known for classic, impeccable taste in many areas. Can you comment on the relationship between fashion, entertaining, gardening, and interior design?
CR: Whether you're designing a platter of food, a dress, a room, or a garden, the elements -- proportion, color, texture, line, and composition -- are always the same. For example, I've found that fashion designers usually have lovely homes and gardens. My point of view is consistent throughout all these media. I'm very much a classicist, which doesn't mean I'm over-the-top. I just like to have traditional elements in my design, and I think classicism implies a sense of balance.

SA: Can you tell us about some of the things that have inspired your parties?
CR: I once found some great, half-price red lanterns in Chinatown and had the idea for a Chinese party. And I tend to find inspiration when I travel. I saw some great piņatas at a wedding in Santa Fe, and I know that someday, I'll do a party with piņatas. When I was in India, I bought a bunch of shawls that later became tablecloths at a party. I also once found some striped fabric at a remnant house in Paris that I sent back to the United States and then made into tablecloths.