Before you plan your next summer BBQ - find out how take it from drab to fab

(ARA) - Summer is in full swing and it's really heating up out there. Many people are finding themselves in the thick of planning barbecues for family and friends.

While most of us can plan and host a summer barbecue with our eyes closed, it's easy to fall into a rut of whipping up the same old menu and breaking out the basic decorations. This year, learn how to put a modern twist on your summer fete.

Whether you're in the midst of planning or getting ready to host your first barbecue bash, Kelley Moore, lifestyle and entertaining expert has ideas with the help of Bing.com on how to create a modern barbecue that is sure impress your guests. You never know - your chic barbecue may just be the envy of the neighborhood and leave your guests begging you to throw another summer fiesta.

Decor with a kick: While you can never go wrong with the classic red and white checkered table cloth, you may want to add some unexpected elements to help create a light and airy atmosphere to match the mood of your party.

* Freshen up your traditional red and white fabric with pops of yellow and modernize by using bold graphic patterns.

* Cover your table with basic and inexpensive white linen. To create more interest, sew your own runner and save on the cost of store-bought options. If you can't envision the pattern right away, you can draw inspiration from Bing's Image Search, where you can peruse pictures of all kinds of fabrics, layouts, pattern sizes and colors.

* Hang white paper star lanterns around your patio, in trees around the yard or even clustered under a patio or canopy.

* Set up a swanky pillow lounge instead of the usual picnic table. You can easily do this by sectioning off a corner of your lawn, deck, patio or front walk way. Then use the space to create a comfy, chic "daybed" filled with bright graphic pillows and draped with cozy blankets.

Host and party too: If you're the host, you've likely accepted that you'll be the one behind the barbecue grilling up food or whipping up drinks in the kitchen all night. The problem is that you may end up missing out on all the fun. Consider some of these modern entertaining ideas that will let you be the host without missing the party.

* Set up small tabletop grills for your guests to use accompanied with a variety of meats and veggies on lucite trays, so your guests can grill their own food. And, what's the best part? No one is stuck behind the grill, so everyone can have a blast.

* Create a unique lemonade bar by painting a child's wagon bright yellow and placing it on top of a table filled with ice. You can stock the adult lemonade stand with flavored vodkas on ice, iced tea and herbal infusions.

* If you're tired of hamburgers, hot dogs and potato salad, check out Bing.com where you can get recipes directly in the search results from popular recipe sites like Delish.com, MyRecipes.com, Epicurious.com and more. And, when you search for a specific food or recipe, you can refine your results to see a full list of recipes related to that search. What's even better is that within the list of recipes, you will get more details about each recipe that can help you decide what to cook, such as user ratings and nutrition facts.

Fun and games: You have the food, beverages and decor theme all figured out, but what about the games? If you're not good with games or can never remember the rules, check out some of these ideas that will keep your guests entertained and never bored.

* Put a twist on the old-fashioned ring toss game by customizing glass soda bottles with unique labels featuring your family and friends. Set the bottles up in a grid pattern and use them for a ring toss. When the night's over, guests can take the sodas home with fond memories of the party. Use Bing Maps to easily find the vendor that does custom labels closest to your home since you don't have a lot of time until your barbecue.

* You can't go wrong with classic lawn games like bocce ball, croquet, horseshoes and badminton. Print out the rules using colorful paper and post the rules next to the lawn game. Now you can keep competitive arguments to a minimum and focus on having fun.

Check out more decorating and entertaining ideas from Kelley Moore at kelleylmoore.com to help you plan your chic barbecue bash. In addition, visit Bing.com to help you make important party planning decisions on everything from recipes, decor to games.

Courtesy of ARAcontent