Table for Six......

Now that summer has just about settled in, we have been spending more time enjoying the outdoors. I still have a lot of work to do; I usually fill my deck with many pots of flowers but that has to wait until all of the 2 families of groundhogs are relocated from under my deck!! We have had 9 taken away so far and there are still several under there!! So the flowers will have to wait, otherwise they become a continual buffet for them, and I am not setting my table for the groundhogs!!

So, in my wooded yard (amongst the wildlife!!), I decided to set a table for dinner. The table I set outdoors is a little more playful than what I would set indoors. Inside I favor an all white setting. I generally use all white dishes, clear crystal, white or yellow flowers with a pop of green. On occasion I add more color with flowers or the glassware, but I favor a clean crisp table, letting the food take center stage. Outdoors I thought I'd have a little fun. I used a white table cloth so the blue and yellow accents would pop. I centered the table with a pot of big sunflowers with a hint of purple stasis. I surrounded these with little bunches of yellow gerbera daisies and little seafoam green dishes with votives. My place settings were a set of blue and white flowered Spode salad plates sitting on top of a white plate rimmed with a basket weave. I used a deco inspired blue glass with a green stem for wine and paired that with a blue and white water goblet. Hanging above is a candelier.
I like the way the blue and white setting appears crisp against the wooded yard and the rustic stone of the house. Even though I used a lot of "mismatched" elements on the table, the similarity of color pulled it together. It could have appeared "hodgepodge" but by using different glasses and flowers with the same color make them uniform and pleasing to the eye.

Today's little luxury is to have some fun with an outdoor table setting. Do something different than you would do indoors, be a little playful. Use real dishes and linens, like you would indoors and accent with flowers and candles. I don't think there is anything more relaxing than dining outdoors, as long as the groundhogs don't join us!!!!