No need to get fancy. Here are some low-commitment life enhancers for entertaining indoors and out.

Above: Black Rim Enamelware Dinner Plates from Crate & Barrel are $6.97 each. Go to our Enamelware dossier for more ideas.

Above: Julie’s favorite Ikea discovery of late: The clear glass 365+ Pitcher with Cork Lid; $6.99. Another easy way to serve drinks: Sarah keeps a stash of clear-glass wine bottles on hand?”good-looking ones that I’ve recycled; I use them for water and cold beverages, shrubs being a current favorite.”

Above: The gauze-like Utility Napkin, $5 from Schoolhouse Electric, is handwoven by fair-trade artisans in India. We also like using Ikea’s red-striped Tekla Dish Towels?all cotton and 79 cents each?as napkins.
Above: Compostable Wooden Hot Dog Trays from Food52 are made of balsa wood wrapped in rice paper; $20 for 20. Compostable Wooden Corn on the Cob Trays are also available; 20 for $20.

Above: Made of woven abaca fibers, Fishnet Placemat Sets from West Elm come in four colors (natural shown here); $12 for a set of two.

Above: Saudade in London specializes in imports from Portugal, including these four-inch-tall Tin Garden Lanterns; £12 ($18.93) each. See more in Michelle’s Outdoor Lighting post on Gardenista.

Above: All of us at Remodelista have collections of vintage ironstone platters in a range of sizes. “Ironstone isn’t expensive and lends a look of bleached shells to the table wit...