Summer Tablescape

Earlier this season we gave our patio a refresh and I’m excited to finally share how the dining area came together!

Dining al fresco has been one of our favorite ways to entertain and spend time with friends & family. Our house has been a revolving door of guests this summer and throwing together beautiful tablescapes (quickly and easily!) has been fun. I’ll share a little checklist to creating an effortless setting that will make your guests feel special!

Checklist for an Effortless & Beautiful Dinner Setting:

Fresh florals

Flowers always make a table setting more beautiful. For this tablescape, I cut hydrangeas from our garden and created a few smaller arrangements. I started using floral foam blocks to keep flowers in place. I highly recommend it!

I also tucked in Gerber daisies to the tied napkins for an extra touch. The Gerber daisies work really well for this since the stems are thick and curved.

Linen napkins

We don’t use linen napkins every day so when we do use them, it makes us feel a little fancier. If you caught my last post on favorite recent finds, you know I’ve had my eye on these linen napkins. I opted for the yellow color which is very summery and bright.

Lighting (aka the “Magic”)

I rarely set a table without candles. Candlesticks are always great for outdoor dining, especially when it gets dark. They give off more light and add a magical glow. I also love string lights for ambience and tiki torches (if the bugs are out). Lighting is key to create ambience!

Leave space on the table for food

I’m sure this seems obvious but I wanted to include it because I’ve see too many “overdone’ tables lately. Be sure to leave enough empty space on your table setting for food AND so your guests don’t get overwhelmed with decor. Keep it simple and easier on yourself!

Add Texture

Texture adds so much interest to the table and rattan or jute placemats are an easy way to incorporate this. I love these placemats. You don’t need much else because they steal the show!

Drinks on hand

Water in pitchers, champagne in buckets or even a beer in a cooler! You (and your) guests will appreciate not having to go far to get a refill 🙂

Don’t forget the music!

Music is a must for outdoor entertaining. I LOVE music but I’m terrible when it comes to creating playlists. Little secret? I ask “Alexa” to play the top played songs and use Goop’s playlists on Spotify (Here’s the link to the “Outdoor Dinner Party Playlist“!). #crowdpleasers