Simple Summer Tablescape

With summer well under way, I’m so thrilled that the patio space is finally done! Not only does it give us a great space outside to entertain, but it also gives me a fun, new space to create summer tablespaces for outdoor entertaining.

Summer tablescapes are the perfect place to create simple red, white and blue themes all season long. Memorial Day through Labor Day, the theme works for any summer tablescape celebration.

Since I just started playing around with my outdoor summer tablescapes, I started with this same color scheme when entertaining some friends this weekend. Here’s what I did:

The centerpiece in the summer tablescape

If you follow us on the blog on a regular basis then you might recognize the base of the centerpiece. We built it as a family style serving board in this post {HERE}. But, I feel like this piece has so many uses! I decided to use it as a riser in the centerpiece to give it a bit of height and to bring in some of the rustic feel that I love. I love how the wood warms up everything. With the black and white or our home and the tables/chairs, a bit of warmth is always welcome.

I added two rustic, red lanterns in the space to keep with the red, white and blue. I bought these from a local store but you can find similar options {HERE} and {HERE}. Truth be told, I like both those options better and feel like they fit more with my nautical sub-theme.

I also bought the vase locally, but these {HERE} and {HERE} are similar. Again, I might like these better too.

Lastly, I added flowers from our farm! You might not think this is a big deal but these Annabelle Hydrangeas are the FIRST perennial cut flowers we have grown here. The farm has been a blank canvas when it comes to flowers and landscaping, but little by little we are adding in some unique touches to make it flourish. (See our stone flower bed {HERE}!) Ideally, I’d like to never have to buy flowers from the florist in the summer and always use what we can produce here. These pretty babies are a good step in the right direction.

Place setting success

When it comes to place settings for a summer tablescape, I generally don’t like making them too fussy. When you’re eating a lot of finger food, I feel like it calls for a bit more of a casual atmosphere than a Thanksgiving tablescape. A bowl for salad, a main dinner plate and a good napkin is all you really need when you’re diving into something like ribs, grilled chicken or some of my favorite grilled veggies like these Grilled Sweet Potatoes or this Mediterranean Grilled Asparagus.

One of my favorite places to shop for dinnerware is William Sonoma. Yes, I know they are expensive. However, I like them due to the quality of the products AND because they will often have some of the same products from year-to-year on their website. That means if something was lost or damaged, you can replace it versus have an incomplete set. The main dinner plate is from there and it’s Melamine so it is not breakable. It’s perfect for outdoor entertaining. I bought just the single plate in Azure Blue {HERE} but they do have the whole set available {HERE} too. I really love the whole Ivory set {HERE} too, which I feel like you could use through all your outdoor seasons – even into fall.

My anchor plates are also from there and they are part of a set of 4 that includes shells too. I love that they add a little beachy touch while still working as part of the overall red, white and blue. You can find the whole set {HERE}. Confession: I bought mine in store and they were not displayed as a set. They sold me all anchors. Now I’m wondering if they should have…:o

The flatware is another favorite of mine that we bought earlier this summer as part of our patio makeover {HERE}. You can find it {HERE} and we will be using it all summer long. I also feel like it works perfectly for fall and can see it on the Thanksgiving table. Online it looks a lot more gold than bronze but there isn’t a true gold. It’s this pretty, warm Bronze color.

Lastly, aren’t these cute napkins the best touch of Americana? A little bit country, a little bit East coast, a beautiful red…I could see them going with so many things. From summer tablescapes to even a good ol’ country Christmas, these Gingham napkins (HERE) really make the whole set up pop.

The outdoor tables

Just in case you’re looking for a great, new outdoor table, I wanted to include it here too. We used them as part of the patio makeover, but we truly do love them. You can find them {HERE}. Our chair cushions are almond. I also love that the table really lends itself to the look. I’m so thrilled we get to spend the summer celebrating again with friend and family around the table.

Thank you so much for stopping by today, friends! I hope you enjoyed this simple summer tablescape and I hope that you will come back again to visit us here at Sugar Maple Farmhouse.