Blessed with warm weather pretty much all year, outdoor entertaining is a no-brainer. Whether you plan something intimate with a sit down meal or casual grazing around the table, there’s just something about being in nature with fresh air that promotes the feel good endorphins we’re all craving right now. For a refreshing take on dining al fresco we opted to go picnic style. No need for pressed linens, over the top florals or chairs for that matter. This style of outdoor entertaining is all about being carefree and allowing for a laid back but still elevated experience. If you or your guests are still unsure about gathering indoors, this puts everyone at ease. Read on for our tips on how to recreate this look.
We used a plastic folding table keeping the legs collapsed. To elevate it off the floor we placed 2 5-gallon paint bucket pails under it. Make sure your tabletop is sturdy and level. If necessary add more pails or concrete blocks to stabilize it. You could also use a full or half plywood sheet as an alternative tabletop if you don’t have a plastic folding table or if you need more space to accommodate the number of guests you’re having. Add a tablecloth or even a flat sheet depending on the size of your tabletop and you’re good to go.
From the Ground Up: Layer By Layer
To set the space up we positioned our table over an 8 x 10 neutral indoor/outdoor rug and then we layered another 5 x 8 rug with a green palm motif for added pattern, colour and softness underfoot. Instead of chairs we added lots of cushions (you can steal some from your living room) to make for comfortable sitting and lazing around on the floor.
In terms of dressing the table we went looking around our garden to see what blooms we could use instead of store bought flowers. We found a type of “weed” growing that had long purplish stems and small green leaves with purplish undersides. Purples and greens are complimentary colours and really play off each other, so we decided to go with it. Clearing weeds and using it as a tabletop accessory, that’s a win-win in our books! Fyi…according to Google, that weed ended up being purslane, supposedly edible and well known for its antioxidant properties, great to add to salads. Who knew! Unless we’re wrong and you can tell us exactly what that weed is? But what a great conversation starter for our dinner guests. Lol! Of course you can always go with traditional flowers, either store bought or from your garden, whatever is easier and works for you.
Then onto the place settings themselves with plates, cutlery and glassware. It’s fun to mix and match. We mixed two sizes of green and grey melamine plates, using the bigger dinner plate as a charger to elevate the place setting. Melamine is a great alternative to regular dishes so breakage isn’t a worry!
And of course you need lighting for major glow up. Cue the candles! In our case, we used a rattan lantern for the centerpiece, and then small votives scattered amongst the place settings.
We think having an early soirée that starts just after sunset is the perfect time for this laid back gathering. Cheers to living the good life inside and out!!
TIP: Think of what makes your indoor environment work and replicate that outside and to ensure a cohesive look choose a colour scheme that coordinates with your tablecloth and cushion selections.
