TIPS FOR EASY SUMMER ENTERTAINING
Summer is the best time of the year to entertain! Lighting up the barbecue, eating al fresco and enjoying a laid back evening with friends and family!!! Setting a fabulous summer tablescape goes a long way in creating a relaxed and special mood! Setting a great table does not mean a lot of work! It means being smart and playing up what summer is all about! Here are a few tips to help you set the perfect summer table for your next get-together!
Today’s episode of Decorating Tips And Tricks is all about a WELCOMING FOYER! We are very excited about talking about ways to create a welcoming environment for everyone who steps through your front door!
Listen below:
Now, let’s talk summer tablescaping and great tips!!!!
1. PARTY AROUND A SUMMER THEME
Choose a summer theme for a tablescape! And amp up the fun factor!!! How about a “beach party”? Or a “dip in the pool” tablescape? Wouldn’t “fresh from the garden” or “strawberry time” themes work great too?
Have fun with a summer tablescape and celebrate the season!
Tips: use brown sugar for sand. It looks just like the real thing!
2. SET AN EASY TABLE
Summer is all about easy and less fuss! Keep “easy” as your mantra!!! My very favorite way to tablescape in the summer is to use white dishes and lots of white and natural accents. How about using brown paper in place of a tablecloth?
3. USE GREAT TEXTILES
Summer means easy breezy fabrics! I love using cotton prints for tablecloths and napkins! Sandwich a folded napkins between dishes for an informal summery look!
Did you know that a sheet can make a fabulous summer tablecloth? Just remember to keep all textiles lightweight and easy to care for. No one wants to be ironing in the summer!
4. CREATE A GARDEN VARIETY CENTERPIECE
Head to the garden and pick a big bunch of flowers! Forgo the fancy vases and opt for a pretty pitcher, Mason jar, pot… or even a row of little milk bottles going down the center of the table! Use a stack of pretty plates to make a riser for your of pitcher flowers. Think about using greens and herbs if you don’t have flowers!
5. MAKE AN EASY MENU
The last thing we all want to do is to be a slave in the kitchen when the temperature soars!!! Think about making food that is light and can be eaten cold or at room temperature. And ANYTHING you can make ahead is a summer winner!
A great idea is to get really good take out. We have a bbq place that makes the best beef brisket and we serve that to guests often in the summer!
Click HERE for an easy, delicious menu like the one pictured above!
6. HAVE FABULOUS LIBATIONS
Keep drinks light too! Serve lots of great infused waters, iced tea, and even a fun mixed drink! Use lots of in-season fruits and herbs! Maybe instead of serving hot coffee after dinner, a mocha mint iced coffee would taste so much more refreshing!
Make a little drink station. Put your drinks in big jars with ladles or in glass containers with a pour spout. That way guests can help themselves.
7. PARTY OUTDOORS
Weather permitting… get outside! Enjoy the long evenings! Set a table with the great outdoors as your background! Plan to eat outside but have a backup plan if the weather gets too hot or thunderstorms roll in!
When the weather is bad don’t cancel! Eat around your kitchen table. Bring the party and the tablescape inside!
8. HAVE A LAID BACK SUMMER ATTITUDE!
Most importantly, have an attitude like summer itself! Laid back and fun! You will have a better time when you are relaxed and enjoying yourself…and it will rub off on your guests!!!
If you like these summery tablescape ideas you might want to pin this post to your SUMMER or TABLESCAPE Pinterest boards. You can follow me on Pinterest HERE and see all the fun summery things I’m pinning every day!
Those are all wonderful ideas Yvonne. Have a relaxed holiday!
Beautiful! Loads of ideas in this post!
Great ideas for the summer. Starting today to pull my tablescape together for weekend, so perfect timing for fabulous ideas. Thanks
I am so looking forward to summer entertaining. I would love to try a summer tablescape, but my outdoor table has an umbrella in the middle. I’m not sure how to work around that. I will have to be sure to use some pretty placemats and dishes. Thanks for the inspitation!
Love, love, love! So many ideas in your text and in all the lovely photos!
Love your table scapes ideas. Was guessing at first that the “sand” was grapenuts–but the brown sugar is brill!
So pretty. I want to have a party to use all of your ideas.
I love the ideas, what we are mindful of is no glass around the pool. And there is beautiful melamine out there for this !
Wonderful ideas Yvonne ? Thanks ?
Lovely,it’s always easy living here in Florida !
Great tips and beautiful table. I love usin mason jars for flowers
Cindy
Great tablescapes for entertaining. All that is needed is warm weather and no bugs!
Happy Memorial Day weekend! Love all your ideas!
Annette
Yvonne, several weeks ago you said you were going to publish post on the gable bedroom makeover resources. Are you still going to do one?
All great ideas. I especially like the idea of keeping the food light. Easy meals are the best. More time to enjoy!
Happy Memorial Day to all!!! Please take time to remember our active duty men and women in the military, along with our Veterans and those soldiers who are no longer with us! God bless them all, and God bless America! Now, go enjoy a fun holiday week-end, filled with pretty tablescapes, family, friends and great food!
Beautiful table setting ideas. I live in Canada, and as I was listening to your podcast, I had to share that it is absolutely the correct ettiquette to take your shoes off at the door. This is probably because of our cold climate and need to do so. I had a guest from the UK once who proceeded into my home with her shoes on and I was really taken back. In Canada, we take our shoes off (at least on the west coast).
Fun to hear all the great ideas!
Wonderful ideas for summer entertaining! I love the idea of a drink station.
Love all your ideas for entertaining outdoors and your tablescape so inviting. Have a great Memorial Day weekend
Love the pictures! So fresh and pretty for summer!
I love your cobalt blue!!! I have many, many, many cobalt pieces because when we built our home 25 years ago, I went insane on BLUE!!! I love it, and I’m looking forward to jazzing my collections up with another fun color…coral, aqua, or lime!❤ I love your ideas, being a guest in your home would be an amazing treat!
Happy Memorial Day weekend! God Bless,
Beth❤
Such great ideas – thanks!
This has so many good ideas. Have a blessed week end
Happy Memorial Day! Thank you for all the wonderful ideas! I will be working to incorporate easy carefree summer in the next few weeks and your ideas are very inspirational!
Happy summer to all!
I love your your tablescapes!
Love the blue and white table setting great colors for summer!
Beautiful décor as always especially the tablescape. Have a blessed and safe Memorial Day!
Love your ideas! Brown sugar tip is great! Lovely table setting Yvonne as always!
great summer ideas! enjoy the weekend!
Awesome pictures…….great ideas..thanks for sharing?
Love these easy ideas! Thank you for the inspiration and Happy Memorial Day.
The tablescape’s are beautiful!!! Will try some of them. Thank you so much for sharing!
Wonderful ideas. We love deviled eggs in the summer.
Can’t wait for my first summer party!
I love the inspiration. I’m already making plans for family events this summer. Yay!
Great ideas! Love that last pic with the galvanized ‘pail’ and nut-cracking items. Too cute! Thanks for sharing!
Great tips and what a genius idea to use brown sugar for sand!
I pin a lot of your things to my Pinterest boards for the times that we have guests.
You’ve been a lifesaver!!!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my pinners! Thanks, Kathy!
So pretty. I love the white dishes !
Thanks Yvonne!
I read as many of your posts as I can. Always relevant and interesting and inspiring to me, new or time tested.
Thanks for all your hard work.