Tag Archives: entertaining

Home Decor: Easy tips for summer outdoor dining

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Hooray!  The first official day of summer has finally arrived!!  While it might seem like summer has been around for months in some parts of the country, and may never arrive in others, the calendar and mother nature say it is summertime.  And one of my favorite summertime activities is outdoor dining. 

photo courtesy of coastal living
High Quality Photo

 

Dining outdoors can be something as simple as a tray on your lap right next to the barbecue or an elegant table set under the stars.  But for most of us it means gathering family and friends together and enjoying warm summer evenings in comfortable surroundings.  Make your outdoor dining experience simple and fun with these easy tips:

  • Collect unbreakable plates, glasses and silverware that can be used over and over again.  Go for an eclectic, mismatched set or choose elegant plates that look like real china from sources such as frenchbull.com or laplates.
  • Purchase or make your own washable cloth napkins and table cloths out of summer friendly fabrics like gingham, cotton and linen.
  • Replace chair cushions with easy to clean vinyl in bright summer colors.
  • The evenings may be longer but lighting is still important.  Use plenty of candles, lanterns, hurricanes and even lamps made for outdoor use.  For safety’s sake consider using battery operated candles, especially with kids running around.
  • Don’t forget a personalized apron for the head cook!

Assemble these “ingredients” and you are guaranteed to have wonderful outdoor dining experiences all summer long.

Entertaining: Set a pretty table for your holiday guests

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The holidays are fast approaching.  Before you know it it will be time to purchase ol’ tom turkey and begin baking those delicious pies.  One of the best parts of any holiday is setting a beautiful table for you and your guests.  This year take advantage of some of the new dinnerware trends and turn your holiday table into a feast for the eyes!

  • Bright colors are all the rage this year in dinnerware.  Experts believe it is a reflection of our positive outlook for the upcoming year.  Choose a deep red charger plate to place under your all white dinner plate for a festive look.  Regal purple salad bowls will coordinate beautifully with your gold and green linens.
  • Mix and match new with old for an eclectic table setting.  For example, combine a lively black and white checked soup bowl with your grandmother’s silver rimmed white china.  An heirloom lace tablecloth can be placed on top of a pretty patterned set of linens that you made yourself out of a designer fabric.
  • This year you will find many serving pieces featuring fun critters that include frogs, birds and butterflies.  Serve your favorite sweet potato dish in a bowl with these cute critters on it and your ordinary china won’t seem so ordinary.
  • Mosaic patterns are very popular this year and your harvest table setting can really sparkle with the addition of a few mosaic pieces.  The beauty of mosaics is that the combination of colors will compliment all your holiday colors while adding some pattern and interest to your table.
  • Wow your guests with the addition of some very colorful pieces.   For example, cranberry red drinking glasses will really pop when placed on an all white table.  Add a few berries from the shrubs outside and you have an award winning look.  For a youthful and up-to-date table, pop it with lime green serving pieces or turquoise linens.

Good food, good wine and a gathering of family and friends is what the holidays are all about.  Make them even more special with a beautiful table setting.

What do I look for when buying outdoor dinnerware?

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With all this talk about outdoor entertaining and decorating I thought it might be a good idea talk about what to look for when you are ready to purchase outdoor dinnerware and cutlery.

Dinnerware

There are so many different types of dinnerware that is suitable for use outdoors.  You can choose plastic, enameled metal, melamine or tempered glass like Corelle.  You can choose colorful solids, clear plastic or white that goes with everything.  Patterns range from modern geometrics to soft florals; even animal prints are available. You can have your dinnerware personalized with a monogram like the ones offered at www.laplates.com.  or opt for a sophisticated tuscan pattern that mimics the look of real stoneware.

Outdoor dinnerware is economical.  Prices can be as low as $2.99 at Walmart and Target or as high as $50 and up for a set of Corelle.  For those interested in doing your bit to protect the environment, these dishes are considered “green” since you will no longer be disposing of paper plates (which are made from trees).  Easy to care for, most of these items can be placed in the dishwasher.

Glasses

For safety reasons it is always a good idea to use plastic glasses when dining outdoors.  There is a full range of acrylic glasses available from goblets and wine glasses to tumblers and mugs.  Check out the insulated Tervis Tumbler line (www.tervis.com) that features all sorts of colors and designs.  These glasses keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot and offer a lifetime warranty against breakage.  Avoid buying glasses that have a funny plastic smell as this can affect the way your drink tastes.  No sense ruining a good margarita!

Cutlery

Even your flatware can coordinate with your outdoor dinnerware now.  Polka dots, stripes and solids are just some of the options available when it comes to purchasing cutlery.  In order to enjoy all meals you will want to choose the very best cutlery you can afford.  The metal prongs of the fork should not bend when used and the knife needs to be strong enough to cut a nice juicy steak or spread mustard on a hotdog.

Tablecloths, napkins and serving pieces can all be coordinated to create an inviting setting for all of your outdoor celebrations.  By the way, no reason this dinnerware cannot be used indoors as well.  This will help avoid the panic of watching little Johnny throw his bowl of peas onto the floor!

Decorating recipe for a summer party

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The unofficial beginning of summer is here .  Time to summerize your home in preparation for all those backyard barbecues, pool parties and casual gatherings that can last long into the warm nights.  While the food is the star of most parties, your home decor is certainly part of the recipe.

Add a pinch of this and a dash of that and you have a home that is ready for summer entertaining.  Here are some quick and easy seasonal changes to turn your ordinary home into a summer retreat.

  1. Switch out your artwork.  Replace your normal paintings and prints with black and white photos of past family vacations.  Frame inexpensive posters of sailboats, beach scenes or gardens in bloom.  Better yet, pull out the watercolors and have the family create their own artwork for a one of a kind gallery.  What a great way to create fun vacation memories.
  2. Sew or purchase lots of inexpensive throw pillows in bright summery colors and pile them high on your sofa and chairs.
  3. Fill glass hurricanes with shells and sea glass and place them on the dining room table.  This centerpiece will last you all season long.
  4. Even the kitchen can use a touch of summer.  Glass canisters filled with old fashioned candy is a tempting way to add color and whimsy to your countertops.  And yummy too!
  5. Invest in some wonderful outdoor dinnerware that can last all summer long.  Today’s colors and patterns look like real china.  You can choose a patriotic red, white and blue that is always appropriate or opt for a sophisticated Tuscan patttern in mediterranean shades of orange, olive green and blue. 
  6. Slipcover your furniture.  You can sew your own or have them made.  The money spent is worth not having to worry about suntan lotion, messy spills and dirty hands and feet.
  7. Add some wicker in the form of baskets, casual furniture, even lampshades.
  8. For chilly nights around the firepit have a selection of summer themed blankets and quilts.  Look for patterns that depict summer scenes or choose luscious colors like ocean blue, raspberry pink and sunny yellow.

Once the house is ready for summer so are you.  All that is left to do is plan a menu and invite friends and family over for a day or evening of relaxation and fun.  Isn’t that what summer is all about?

Home Decor: Setting the Table

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It has been said that presentation is 50% of any meal.  (I am not a cook so I say it is 95%!)  However, while choosing the proper tablecloth, napkins, placemats, china ,crystal and centerpiece can be fun it can also be daunting.  These simple suggestions may make the task a bit more enjoyable for you.

Tablecloths

Tablecloths not only protect your table’s surface, they can also add color, pattern and texture to your tablesetting and even support a theme. 

  • The most common shapes are round, oval, rectangular and square.  You will want to choose a tablecloth that mimics the shape of your table as your base cloth.  You can then add a smaller or different shape as a topper.
  • Common sizes that are available include a 70, 90 or 120″ round; 72×90 and 72×108″ rectangular.  Square and oval tablecloths are a bit more difficult to find.
  • A  common rule of thumb is to allow 8-12″ for a drop depending on your personal preference.  If you want the cloth to drop to the floor, obviously a longer drop is necessary.

Be as creative as you like with your tablecloth.  You can choose a neutral color and allow your dishes and napkins to be the “star” or you can opt for a brightly colored table covering that really stands out.  Other options might be an antique lace cloth, a custom made cloth that coordinates with your draperies and chair upholstery or a lovely topper made from satin, lace, tulle etc.  Choose matching napkins or mix and match the patterns and fabrics.  My only “rule”– be sure to always use cloth napkins, even for the simplest of meals. 

Dishes, cutlery and crystal

It is not necessary to use expensive items in order to set a beautiful table.  Mixing your grandmother’s china with colored glassware and your everyday silverware creates a beautiful and memorable table.  Inexpensive place settings are available at stores like Target, Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel.  Just a quick refresher–napkins and forks on the left, knife and spoon on the right, glasses on the right, butter dish on the left.

Centerpieces

A centerpiece can be something as simple as placing cuttings from the hedges in your garden in a clear glass vase to an elaborate flower and candle arrangement.  Be creative! Remember to keep the centerpiece low enough to allow guests to see each other across the table.  Unscented candles should be used to allow the scents from the meal to be enjoyed.

You can make every meal a memorable occasion by setting a beautiful table.  Your family and friends will appreciate the efforts.  My fellow blogger, Elizabeth, has posted several articles on sewing tablecloths so check out her blog in the next day or so.