As you prepare for an outdoor party, you can start with the decorations for your teak patio set. If you love the beach but don't have one near you, an ocean-themed party could be fun for you and your guests. When you decorate for a party, some of the main things you will want to consider include linens, chair decorations or cushions, dishes, centerpieces, and lighting.

To liven up your teak patio set for a special occasion, start with the tablecloth. For a tablecloth color, you can look for bright blue (not neon). Think about the water in the Caribbean or around Hawaii. Find a table cloth close to that shade. Buy napkins in a different but coordinating shade of blue.

Look for chair cushions or throw pillows with beach-themed prints, such as seashells, fish, sea horses, sand dollars, or dolphins. You could also stitch quick pillows if you buy a couple or more extra packages of cloth napkins in either of your tabletop linen colors. Line up two napkins and stitch most of the way around all four edges. Leave a gap on one side big enough for stuffing. Turn the bag inside out and stuff it, then stitch up the opening.

For dishes, you have several options. You can look for dishes that match the colors of your linens or bring out the colors in your printed cushions. You could buy a set of dishes that displays a beach-themed decoration. Another option is to paint your own clear glass dishes with ceramic paint and a set of fine brushes. You can free-hand designs in matching colors, or paint seashells, palm trees, beach scenes, or whatever comes to mind when you think of the beach. If you are not comfortable free-handing, buy a stencil with a few beach designs to guide your painting.

For your centerpieces, see if you can locate any big shells, such as conch shells. Fill the shells with silk flowers that coordinate with the colors you've already used for your linens, cushions, and dishes. Place the conch shells on your teak patio set, your buffet table, and wherever else seems appropriate. Sprinkle miniature seashells around the large shells.

Lighting also presents several options. You could look for strings of lights with blue bulbs. String these around railings, over bushes, or along a roof edge. You could use beach-themed candleholders to add soft candle lighting around your teak patio set. You could also place medium-sized flat shells, inside facing up, at intervals along the table and use these as candleholders. If you plan to use citronella candles, consider painting the tins with little designs that complement your colors or your ocean theme.

You can bring the beach to your teak patio set. Plan the linens, chair cushions, dishes, centerpieces, and lighting to reflect an ocean theme. You can buy new products, or you can customize household items you already own. These elements should bring together a unified theme without making you feel that you've gone over the top in your decorating. Now it's time for you to fire up that grill.