Summer is almost here! Between Memorial Day barbeques, 4th of July picnics, outdoor weddings, and all the summer birthdays, I am looking forward to some outdoor celebrating this summer. Last fall and at Valentine’s Day I created some seasonally-themed indoor table settings. Now, with the warmer weather approaching I thought it was time to put a summer spin on my style, and see what I could do alfresco.
My goal with most decorating projects is to try to use what I have available in the house already. Gosh, there are so many cute summer-themed dining accessories out there it makes my head spin. From those gleaming tap dispensers filled with sparkling water and sliced lemons, to punchy melamine place settings, I wish I could own it all! But budget and storage space are constraints. Besides, I’ve often wondered what it is about outdoor dining that requires non-breakable plates and wine glasses. If you’re going on a picnic that’s one thing… but are you really more accident prone on your patio?
Fresh catch: melamine plates from West Elm. Despite the photo, will not require a safety net if tossed around the patio like Frisbees. Photo via westelm.com.
Even if I aim not to add a lot of unnecessary knick-knacks to my collection, I still find it interesting to see what the Williams-Sonoma family is up to each year. Pottery Barn, the mother of tablescapes, and by extension her kitchen gadget loving husband Williams Sonoma and their gay adult son West Elm, provide some truly beautiful if highly stylized ideas for outdoor decorating. Pottery Barn even offers a suggested music playlist for your party. I checked it out, and yes, the song selections are EXACTLY as unhip as you’d expect from Pottery Barn. I wonder what’s on West Elm’s playlist…
A tropical-themed table from Pottery Barn. There’s that luscious drink dispenser! If only I had shelf space. Photo via potterybarn.com
A 4th of July table from Pottery Barn. Pretty centerpiece, but those flag napkins are a bit one-note. And don’t tell me how many fries I can eat! Photo via potterybarn.com.
I think the great thing about outdoor decorating is you really don’t have to go too crazy with it. The trees and plants (or lake or ocean if that’s where you’re lucky enough to reside) already provide a beautiful natural backdrop.
With my own alfresco decorating scheme, my first decision was to use my everyday cream stoneware. It goes with everything! Next, I decided to make red the main color in my scheme, mainly because I love red and own a lot accents in that color already. The great thing about red, by the way, is it works just as well for summer as for winter. Vibrant blue irises were a deal at Trader Joes this week, so I got two bunches, and that led to blue as a secondary accent. I didn’t get too theme-y in my decorating – it’s just meant to be a casual set-up; something I could do for any event or even just a family dinner on a Tuesday. Here’s how it turned out:
I set up the side table as a beverage station. For the life of me I couldn’t get the lime slices to float in the pitcher the way they do at Pottery Barn. Maybe I needed more lime? More ice? I must learn the secret.
I solved the table cloth problem (for a table with a pole in the middle) by using napkins under each place setting.
Here’s a close-up: I do think round wicker chargers under the plates would be a nice improvement to what I have here. Maybe when they go on sale!
These IKEA lanterns were actually a Christmas decoration. I tied them to the umbrella with a little twine, and they cast a nice glow on the table as it got dark.
It doesn’t show up well in the photos, but I also put light strings in the potted gardenias and across the overhead trellis.The effect is really pretty at night.
So there it is, my casual summer style. Pretty simple, right?
Wishing everyone has a safe and relaxing Memorial Day weekend. Hope you have great weather for all of those picnics and barbeques!