OUTDOOR SUMMER DINING

 

Setting a table is one of my favorite things to do… and better yet if it is al fresco! Over the years I’ve been collecting dinnerware and linens and accessories in just a few colors so I can turn all these items into endless and interesting tablescapes. My favorite colors to collect are blue and white. So, today I’m entertaining on the patio and sharing tablescaping tips and tips for collecting all things blue and white. Come on, let’s dine al fresco today!

 

 

AL FRESCO DINING-on-the-patio-stonegableblog-4

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Today’s al fresco table is easy to set and casual. No placemats at the table, just a blue and white striped table runner that lends itself to farm-to-table dining! No fussy linens on this table. I want ones that I can pop right into the washer! And who needs fuss when you can have blue and white stripes!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Many blues work together. So don’t shy away from mixing different hues!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Each place is set with a simple white plate with blue banding. Simple but oh, so pretty! This is my new go-to plate!

One of my very favorite colors to mix together for fall is blue and orange! They are complementary colors and look FABULOUS together! Give it a try when the cooler weather rolls around!

AL FRESCO DINING-place-setting-stonegableblog-2

A cotton blue and white striped napkin is rolled up and held together by a pretty silver hammered napkin ring. For this tablescape, I’m mixing a few pretty silver pieces with more casual ones.

The stripes on the napkins give a nod to the table runner. Blue and white work any time of the year. It all depends on what colors and decor you work in with them.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

I was originally going to use only blue and white on this table until I saw these darling bowls! Go with your creative whims when setting a table. It should be an expression of you!

 

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

These little bowls are so different… so happy… so unexpected. I just had to use them.

Sometimes, when you find something you just love love love you might want to pick it up even if you don’t know what you want to do with it.  These bowls are a great example! I knew that they would become a favorite of mine!

Look at all the sweet patterns on the inside and outside of these bowls!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Colorful handled flatware are perfect for summer! Collect them in lots of colors to mix and match!  I mixed white and dark blue. How fun is that?

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Don’t you love these so adorable hobnail water goblets? They are heavy and sturdy and so so girly!!!! They have an old-fashioned, throwback charm. What a find!

The best tablescaping tip I can give anyone is… USE WHAT YOU LOVE!  Don’t save things for special occasions. Make every day special!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

To add another layer of blue and white I put the glasses on coasters.  Just like in decorating, layer… layer… layer! It’s the little details that make a nice tablescape a fabulous one!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Salt and pepper shakers… a little more silver on the table! The silver reflects the colors in the tablescape.

 

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

I collect blue and white cups and saucers. And then I mix them up…no matchy-matchy here!

It’s little things like this that make a table so fun to set and hopefully as fun to sit at!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Small white milk bottles and vibrant cobalt blue shot glasses run down the table filled with just-picked garden flowers. If you have herbs make sure to tuck some into your arrangments. They smell delicious! I used mint and dillweed flowers today. 

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

I prefer to use nontraditional containers for flowers! Milk bottles, shot glasses, Mason jars, small galvanized buckets. Think outside the box and repurpose household items to hold flowers or pumpkins or greens or Christmas balls or whatever you use as a centerpiece.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Why don’t you sit down and have some nibbles and a drink before dinner?

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

It’s a nice idea to set up a bar cart on the patio. This one has wheels and the top comes off to make a tray so it’s light to wheel inside and outside. Make sure you see the “GET THE LOOK” at the bottom of this page. The bar cart is soooo beautiful and at such a reasonable price! It’s true home is indoors in my dining room but we can easily roll it outside when entertaining.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

The drink dispenser holds water infused with watermelon. YUM!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Here’s a look at the bar cart…

It is beautifully made and has a mirror tray top. This bar cart was a steal for the quality!


AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

 

The wine goblets are “Triton” acrylic and they are monogrammed… and gorgeous! Everyone who uses them comments about how beautiful they are!


AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

I used this hammered silver salad bowl to chill wine. It’s just the right size! 

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Appetizers are from the deli and produce sections of my grocer’s.  If you are cooking a meal, buy the appetizers!!!!

Instead of spreading appetizers over a table, go vertical!!! So easy and it takes up so much less space! I think we have a theme going here… easy! And easy can be pretty too!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

YUM!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

Hope you enjoyed the al fresco dinner on the patio!

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

How about you? What color dishes do you collect? And if you have a tablescape tips share it with us! 

 

GET THE LOOK

Home Style Saturdays Logo

StoneGable | Outdoor Summer Dining

StoneGable

Designthusiasm | 3 Amazing Basement Floor Plans for Casual Entertaining

Finished Basement Ideas | 3 Amazing Basement Floor Plans for Casual Entertaining

Maison de Pax | Decorating with Versatile Accessories

versatile accessories-sign

On Sutton Place | Rustic Peach Tart Recipe

Rustic Peach Tart Recipe from On Sutton Place

Savvy Southern Style | Summer in the French Style Guest Bedroom

summer style bedroom

Shabbyfufu | Fruit Table Arrangements

tropical-fruit-citrus-spring-party-shabbyfufu

So Much Better With Age | Toile Chair Makeover – How to Upholster a Chair

upholstered-chair-makeover

 

PIN IT AND SAVE THE INSPIRATION!

 

You might like to follow me on Pinterest and see the great things I’m finding to pin every day HERE.

AL FRESCO DINING-Creating a beautiful dining space with these easy tips.

I hope you stop by CRAFTBERRY BUSH tomorrow. Lucy is sharing her fabulous al fresco tablescape!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

19 Comments

  1. Love your outdoor dining post, I’m a blue and white girl also.years ago I purchased heavy hob nail ice tea glasses, they are so classic.

  2. My goodness, Yvonne, this is one of your prettiest tables yet! I tend to go overboard with a color theme when I set a tablescape and would not have thought of using those bright flowers to give it that pop. Love it! I can only imagine what a lovely meal was enjoyed here. Thanks for the inspiration! Blessings.

  3. Curious to where you bought your table and chairs?

    1. Me too. Also the tiki lamps?

  4. Dianne Miley says:

    I collect blue & white dishes too! I also collect pretty china teacups, teapots, and plates. Anything pretty and girly! Depression glass in pink or green, cut glass bowls, linen or lace tablecloths – I love dishes and anything for a pretty table.

  5. Yvonne,your outdoor space is stunning, form the beautifully set table to the backdrop “Field of Dreams” corn field.

  6. Having trouble posting. Quickly, it needs to be said you set beautiful tables and never two the same. Elegant to just plain fun!
    Thank You for the many tips.

  7. Holliday Johnson says:

    Yvonne, this is just outdoor entertaining perfection! The color palate is fresh and fun! Another beauty! Had do much fun pinning it all!!

  8. This is one of the brightest, beautiful and appealing summer tablescapes I have ever seen! Love your use of colors; I just want to visit, sit down, and drink it all in! You outdid yourself on this one.

  9. lynne richmond says:

    what a beautiful setting you have for your outdoor entertaining! love the corn in the background and the lovely colors of your table flowers….. but HOW do you keep bugs off of the delicious food that you have prepared??????

  10. Julie Briones says:

    Oh, Yvonne! How much work you put into this tablescape and “nibble/drink” station!!! This may be one of my favorite posts you’ve done! Just lovely and so much inspiration! Thank you for sharing!!!

  11. Marissa | Squirrels of a Feather says:

    Loving the blue and the white, but my heart especially goes out to the clear hobnail goblets…there just something so tactile and comforting about them. Beautiful tablescape, that watermelon infused water looks like a dream! Going to go drink some sad, plain water now ;_;

  12. Shelley @ Calypso in the Country says:

    The bright blue and white is just SO perfect for summer entertaining! I love everything about your table!
    Shelley

  13. Karen VanLoo says:

    This is absolutely gorgeous! I love dining outside, although it’s 100-degrees plus in Texas so we’re staying in until things cool off. I love your ideas and decor. I also LOVE your table and chairs!!! You set the most beautiful tables I’ve ever seen.

  14. I LOVE these crisp clear colors!! Quintessential summer and so inspiring!!

  15. I love the Blue table setting. Where did you find the cute bowls? What Brand are they? Thank you,