This Summer, our oldest son worked at the Pottery Barn Outlet while he was home from college. He worked in stock and built furniture! I really didn’t stalk him the way I did when he was at Williams-Sonoma last Summer, but I did pop in one day and saw a few things I liked. It’s hard not to- I mean, it is Pottery Barn after all! It’s a great outlet and they had all outdoor items on clearance ( in July…wait, isn’t July still Summer these days? Time to get out the Christmas items! ) and I saw some pink outdoor plates that looked promising for a pretty table setting, but I passed them by-until I got home and my brain starting racing thinking of all the things that could look good with them. Do you do that, too? Thankfully, they had plenty and put out even more the following week, so I had College Boy buy some for me. ( College Boy hates to shop with a vengeance, but he was pretty patient with me just this once as I kept asking him to check different items via texting… )
I bought 8 salad and dinner plates, and a few weeks later, they had some pink glasses come in, so I bought 8 each of the old-fashioned style and tumblers. They are really sturdy, well made outdoor dishes, I might add; true to Pottery Barn style and value.
I love a beautifully set table and the process of designing it, so today I’m sharing a few new Summer table setting ideas. I typically like to keep my table settings simple yet elegant and add touches of nature throughout. I originally envisioned the pink plates mixed in with some of my blue and white china and napkins, but instead I decided to use what I had blooming around the yard and garden and what fresh fruits I had from the season that might work. I wanted a neutral base for the table, so I used a few linen valances as tablecloths I found at the Country Living Fair last year along with some linen napkins I already had, and rattan chargers and bamboo flatware. Here are 4 different looks I created from 1 basic table setting.
Summer Table Setting 1- Annabelle Hydrangeas with Oyster Shell Napkin Rings
My Annabelle hydrangeas start lime green in the Spring then bloom into large white flowers, and finally turn a lime green after they bloom white. They are great late in the Summer to use in arrangements because you can dry them for Fall and Winter arrangements if you want to use them in other seasons. You get a whole lot of “bang for your buck” with most hydrangeas, but these are especially versatile! Oyster shells are a constant around our porch year round. I have them all around as table decor and I even use them en masse as ground cover by the little outdoor lady head fountain by the front steps. They’re a constant reminder of our favorite beach location and I love their crusty texture and interesting shapes. For the napkin rings, just hot glue the oysters to a simple wood or metal ring and slip a napkin through for a rustic elegant coastal look.
Summer Table Setting 2- Lady Head Planter with Figs & Peaches
This setting sort of evolved when the hydrangeas seemed a little too contained and proper. I wanted a little more bold and wild when the figs and white African bone beads came into play. This table setting is not practical for dinner guests, but who needs practical when you can have fun and pretty, right? You could always adapt this idea into something more practical if you were indeed having a few friends over for better conversation. I added the peaches to the plate and a few Pee Gee hydrangea leaves to the top for more color and detail. She is probably my favorite setting of the 4! ( To shop more design beads for table settings, vignettes, bookcase, and coffee tables in my Etsy shop, click here. )
Summer Table Setting 3- Succulent Centerpiece
Summer Table Setting 4- Purple Cabbage Bouquet Mix with Green Apples
For this one, I combined 2 grocery store floral bouquets because I liked the colors in both arrangements and each had a pretty purple cabbage which adds alot of visual texture and makes the arrangements much more substantial looking. I added a faux green apple to each place setting for added color and interest again.
Fresh florals, fruit, and vegetables are readily available at your local supermarkets and warehouse stores, as well as in your own backyard or a neighbors’. Make sure to consider flowering trees and bushes like Crape Myrtles, Persimmon, Fig, Vitex, Butterfly Bush, and Beautyberry bush for your table settings, just to name a few. Figs, peaches, apples, artichokes, radishes, cabbages, lemon, and lime also make beautiful garnishes for individual place settings. There is even a larger selection of uncommon fruits, vegetables, and florals at specialty grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joes. Add them to all your seasonal floral arrangement with picks for added floral design detail, as well as unique interest. To see more of my porch table setting ideas, read this post or this one, or follow along on my Pinterest table setting boards here and here.
Here’s to creating beautiful table settings!
xo
Leave a Reply