A next-level picnic at home: here's how to fix it

“Kiek, you can start charging entrance fees by now. What an attraction! When will you invite me?!” said that good friend. You see: in times like these, I am suddenly overjoyed with our little house in Utrecht and especially because of De Gigantische Diepe Tuin.

If the terraces remain closed for a while there is nothing else to do. If Mohammed won't come to the mountain, then the mountain will come to Mohammed. Then it's time for next-level picnic parties. Do you have a garden? Great, read on. Don't have a garden? Forward this article to people who do have a garden and go crash there.

The picnic party, that is. Here's how to mix it up in six steps.

Step 1: the rug
Here, the bigger the better. Preferably a reed-like rug - looks très chic, if I do say so myself - but the old-fashioned red and white chequered picnic blanket is always nice too. Muy importante for the atmosphere in your garden.

Step 2: a table
In the middle of your rug, make a centre of attention. Preferably with a small, low table, and if you don't have one, you can always put a cheeseboard on a stack of books or magazines.

Step 3: cushions, decoration and tinkering

Can't have enough pillows during your picnic party. Preferably a little different, totally Ibiza stylo, of course. But also rugs, lanterns, parasols, anything that gives summervibes: bring it on.

Step 4: the picnic basket
Might not be entirely necessary if you are picnicking at home and conjuring everything from the kitchen, but A: photogenic, B: cosy and C: just kind of goes with the territory, right?

Step 5: the food, the wine, the errrrthing
First of all, plastic containers are banned: everything goes on a nice tray. Now you have plenty of time to whip up delicious snacks in the kitchen, but if it is up to me, a good picnic has at least something salty, something sweet, something crunchy and something bubbly. Also cool to hang your picnic on a theme (Italy, for example) and tailor all your snacks accordingly. Nice wine glasses. Nice wine. Tender burrata. Ah, you get what I'm getting at.

Step 6: (extra tip for the lovebirds)

Picnics suddenly become über romantic when you bring candles, especially if you plan to dine at sunset. When it gets darker and the temperature drops, you - being a well-prepared person - pull out a blanket from the picnic basket. Stargazing together = sigh....