Rebecca Gardner is an expert party and events planner, and self-proclaimed “master of forced serendipity.” She is the founder and creative director of Houses & Parties, a full-service events and interior design collective in Savannah and New York City. Rebecca joined me for a conversation about how her business has been able to stay afloat during a distinctly party-less year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Rebecca recently launched an absolutely fabulous e-commerce extension of her business with a new online shop, housesandparties.com. There, she offers a wide range of items, from luxury tabletop products to humorous gifts and party props. Rebecca told me that the launch of her online shop was well-timed, as her events business dissolved at the beginning of the year due to stay-at-home orders. This online shop has been a dream of hers for years – she had been curating and collecting tear sheets and post-it notes in an overstuffed binder full of ideas for her online business. Finally, she’s been able to realize her dream and empty that binder into her exquisitely conceived online retail platform. Her shop is distinctive and thoroughly true to her personality; her products are elegant, unique, and humorous, with a touch of twisted charm. Among the offerings are vintage heirlooms by gold-standard makers like Salviati and Puiforcat, as well as off-beat gifts like a basket of English Labrador puppies, hand-delivered by an old-fashioned Bellman dressed in a red wool jacket with brass buttons and a velvet cap. Have I piqued your interest yet? 

Rebecca’s newest offerings include beautiful linen tablecloths, available in the signature Houses & Parties print “Grasshopper Toile” as well as a cotton Brunschwig & Fils “Lodi Garden” design. Her website is arranged by collections, so visitors can gather all the makings of a fabulous party–as Rebecca says–“soup to nuts.”  

Rebecca has been steeped in the world of party and event planning for as long as she can remember; she calls it her “love language.” She loves to cook and decorate, but most importantly, she finds joy in being able to create meaningful moments for her clients and guests. Her approach to event planning is to produce a completely personalized and intimate experience for her guests; she wants them to feel as though everything from the table setting to the seating arrangements was thoughtfully considered and designed just for them. 

I was particularly excited to speak with Rebecca about her Savannah home, which was recently featured in Architectural Digest. It’s an idiosyncratic wonderland of interiors, stylistically occupying a special realm between art deco and mid-century modern. Rebecca says she likes things to be unusual and a bit twisted; her go-to color palette consists of what she describes as “dirty pastels.” Think martini olive greens, “band-aid” pinks, and blues tinged with green. Sprinkled throughout are unexpected charms: a pair of custom tole leek sconces, a PB&J wall-hanging sculpture, and numerous vintage treasures sourced from all over the world. It’s clear to see how Rebecca has expertly cultivated interiors which reflect her personality with iron-clad authenticity.

I had so much fun speaking with Rebecca, and I can’t wait until she’s able to resume her party and event planning. For now, she’s gifted us with housesandparties.com, a lifeline to fledgling hosts and hostesses. To learn more about Rebecca Gardner and hear our full conversation, click here!