A Summer Outdoor Lunch

You might recall last year when I shared the little outdoor table and chairs I bought and how I gave them a new lease on life. I used vibrant green paint which is not something I would normally choose, being such a lover of blue. Anyway, the new look table got me thinking of how fun the table could look dressed for lunch with my friends this week. As you know, I love creating a pretty table. This summer outdoor lunch setting was inspired by the bunting I made for a recent event and that green table.

Summer Outdoor Lunch Theme

As I said above, the idea for my lunch table came from the bunting I created the other day. It was a mix of florals and pastels with bold lime and darker green. I liked this but wanted to pull the blue from the bunting to create a very summery look with the blue of the sky and green of the garden.

So, to complement my summer outdoor lunch theme, I set about collecting blue and white flowers from our garden. It is not hard to collect blue and white in our garden. That’s the entire garden theme! You could do the same with blossoms from your garden, the side of the road (I always pick agapanthus from the verge) or a bunch from the supermarket. I popped the in a white Mason Cash jug for a casual country look.

Building up the Layers

To make the table more interesting for my summer outdoor lunch I could have put on a cloth and layered the plates. I wanted to show off the green of the table so I went for matchstick placemats to add extra texture rather than a cloth.

I added vintage embroidered napkins with pretty scalloped edges to the mix plus my blue willow china. My stemless wine glasses are rimmed in gold so I used a brushed gold cutlery set as well. The finished look felt like the blue summer sky and grass were at the table. And with the bunting overhead the mood was certainly set.

Finishing Touches

A good looking table is more than just plates on a table. I didn’t want my guests to have to travel for drinks. Once we were at the table I wanted us to stay there all afternoon, enjoying the weather and each other’s company. So I decided to bring the champagne bucket outside! I sat it on a timber stool. I filled it with ice, bottles of cold sparkling water and wine (of course).

The outdoor lunch decor was complete with Asian Salmon, salad, new potatoes and rose. Perfect pink accompaniments to a summer lunch alfresco.