Guest Blog: Reflections on Entertaining

Kemp Harper and his partner Kevin Boling live in a beautiful Colonial Revival home in Indiana. It has been featured in magazines, on social media and YouTube decor and interior design channels. Much of the home's renovation and redecoration was inspired by Martha's design aesthetic and philosophy. Below, Kemp reflects on how one book, Martha's first book, "Entertaining", influenced many of their design choices and their style of entertaining.

In celebration of the reissue of Martha Stewart's Entertaining, I wanted to share just how much this book has meant to us over the years. When we moved into our Colonial Revival home in 2016, Entertaining became a cherished guide that shaped the way we host and create beautiful moments with guests in our home.

Many of Kemp's table settings are influenced by Martha's aesthetic. Here he is posing in homage to the cover of the book, Entertaining. Notice the chairs?

It's a well-loved, well-worn book in our household, especially the Thanksgiving section, which we revisit  year after year for the pumpkin soup and the cranberry currant sauce. But beyond just the recipes, Martha was truly the inspiration for how we like to entertain. Thanks to her, we learned to embrace the idea of guiding our guests through different spaces, making each room a part of the experience. We start with hors d'oeuvres in the breakfast room, move on to cocktails in the library, and then serve the main course in the dining room. It's Martha's influence that taught us to make each corner of our home part of the celebration.

Kemp with his partner, Kevin, in their vegetable garden.

What makes our copy even more special is that we had the incredible privilege of having it signed by Martha Stewart herself at her Turkey Hill home, where the book was written, photographed and produced. It felt like bringing everything full circle - having this treasured book signed in the very place that shaped Martha's own journey was truly special to us. It's more than just a book to us; it's a piece of our home's story now.

During the warmer months, Kemp and Kevin frequently entertain outdoors, finding new spaces on their property to set up tables and dining areas, just as Martha does.

Be sure to follow Kemp on Instagram @thecolonial_on_park