By the Sea Table Setting Ideas

This decorista is feeling the by the sea table setting ideas vibe.

For those of us who look for any opportunity to show off our tablescape chops, the summer entertaining season is opportunity supreme.

There’s something about the combination of a summer day into afternoon or evening, good friends, great food, and a table set in by the sea style.

If summer entertaining in coastal style is your thing, grab a cool beverage, get comfy, and settle in.

Before we set the table, let me set the scene:

An interesting article in Better Homes & Gardens highlights findings from the book Blue Mind by author and marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols.

Blue mind is the reflective and peaceful state experienced as result of being on, in, or by a body of water. Research backs up the author’s theory of proving how being on, in, or by a body of water as in lake, river, sea or ocean bolsters happiness.

Replicating a day or evening at the coast, beach or seashore in the form of tablescape set with striking place settings and tablewares engages the senses of sight, touch, taste, and sound, promotes visual happiness, and gives those who love to set a gorgeous table a stylish dose of vitamin sea.

Architectural Digest

By the sea table setting ideas, indoor or alfresco, serve as a passport to dining adventures where the dining table top becomes an inspired canvas.

Elle

Visually interesting, unexpected, and conversation worthy pieces in colors and patterns not typically associated with the tablescape theme at hand is a fun and fresh way to approach place settings and serving pieces.

From coastal casual to elegantly formal to whatever floats your by the sea boat, well-appointed table setting options remain the best friend of the entertaining decorista.

Mary Hannah Interiors

Let’s by the sea table set, shall we?

Placemats and chargers made of natural materials such as wicker, water hyacinth, sisal and seagrass are decorating chameleons, and by that I mean they adapt beautifully to the style situation they are in.

Petal Fiber Flower-Shaped Placemat

Round Capiz Periwinkle Placemat

Food Network Resin Wicker Charger

Faux Wood Charger Plates

By the sea inspired, the Shell-Rimmed Charger from Pottery Barn is a shell of a good charger inspiration for a by the sea place setting accent.

When “no longer available” search returns leave you empty handed, grab the glue gun and DIY.

I’m thinking a knock your sandals off knockoff DIY project option may be a stylish alternative.

Woven chargers as well as plastic chargers in your choice of color create the canvas.

Lay out your choice of seashells to get the pattern and sizing right.

You may prefer the look of the shells placed at the edge of the charger, in one concentrated area of the charger, or covering the entire rim in an impressive mix and pattern.

Once you get the placement and look to your liking, go ahead and place a dinner plate on the charger to make sure there is another clearance between the edge of the plate and the shells.

Stack a salad plate atop the dinner plate to make sure it too clears the shells.

**A hot glue gun is just that, hot. Use caution and protect your fingers.**

Using a hot glue gun, glue each shell to the charger.

Prepare to impress.

After all, isn’t that the point?

Pier 1 stores will be closing soon, and their Going Out of Business Sale is currently underway.

There’s no time like the present to add dinnerware, placemats, napkins, and chargers from the sale to your place settings inventory.

4pk Capiz Shell Charger Plates White

Dainty Home Metallic Lace Crossweave With A Sunburst Metallic Lace Pattern

Beaded Aqua Round Placemat

Blue Embroidered Placemat

Food Network™ Solid Round Placemat 4-pack

Braided Flower Placemat

Frank Pitman Designs

Not all residential dining rooms or outdoor areas are lucky enough to come with an authentic by the sea view, but don’t let that detail impede the by the sea details.

Lacquer Square Charger Plate, Set of 6, Silver

Seashells are brimming with by the sea color, texture and pattern inspiration.

Flickr

The distinctive colors, textures, and pattern play of the conch shell horn.

Tales and truths of lustrous pearls found at sea.

Amina Dinner Plate

I love the colors in the Amina dinner plate from Crate & Barrel as the palette is reminiscent of the colors found in seashells by the seashore.

You can spend a pretty penny on dinner plates, and understandably so in some settings, but when a stylish pattern or color is available on the shelves of the dollar store and gives a good look, why would you?

Royal Norfolk Turquoise Swirl Stoneware Dinner Plates

Affordable options such as the Royal Norfolk Turquoise Swirl Stoneware dinner plate make a solid style base to build your by the sea place setting upon.

Coastal Home Small Sea Urchin Bowl

Color choices need not be too matchy-matchy.

Contrast keeps things visually interesting.

Hand Painted Coral Embossed Glass Side Plate, Aqua, Set of 2

I like to color, texture, and pattern outside the lines of what traditionally identifies the coastal look.

Vietri Earth Glass Dinner Plate

Gold Scalloped Rim Glass Plate

Celebrate Summer Together Beaded Placemat

Reactive Glaze Salad Plate, Set of 4, Celadon

Primrose Gold Dinner Plate

Julo Blue and White Salad Plate

Ruffled Gold Rim Salad Plates, Set of 4

Place setting accents and accessories in Louisiana Gulf Coast fashion incorporate the style of home.

Cronk Duch Architecture

Blue and white with shades of gray.

Need I say more?

Royal Norfolk Classic White Round Stoneware Dinner Plates, 10.5 in.

IMPULSE! Fantasy Crystal Clear Small Salad Plates – Set of 6

Round Deniz Flower Silver Glass Charger Plate

Mercer Grey Round Appetizer Plates, Set of 8

When I was sourcing items for this post, I could not get immediately happy with the placemat selections in the coastal category.

Much to my delight, I came across this Oisin Sea Creature placemat which set into motion a sourcing session with not your average by the sea place setting options in mind.

Royal Norfolk Classic Black Stoneware Dinner Plate, 10.5 in.

Black & White Batik Printed Stoneware Bowl

Amari Ceramic Plate

Luxe Interiors +Design

Sea Sponge 4 Piece Charger Set

Penzo Dinner Plate Feathers with Gold Rim

Denby Dinnerware, Halo Wide Rimmed Dinner Plate Set of 4

Julo Blue and White Dinner Plate

Prosecco Gold Foil Rim Glass Bowl

Seaside Small Oyster 6.5″ Bread Plate (Set of 4)

Although a red, white, and blue palette is more closely associated with a nautical theme, it is 4th of July appropriate for a by the sea table setting.

Hanabi 12 Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 4

Gold leaf oyster shell salt and pepper cellars add a touch of unique by the sea elegance to the tabletop.

Gold Leaf Oyster Shell Salt and Pepper Cellars

As far as flatware patterns go, I’ve sourced several color, texture and pattern selections in various price points and styles.

Reed & Barton® Seashell 5-Piece Flatware Place Setting

20-Piece Bamboo-Style Flatware Service

Inox Copper Antique Sundance Design 5-piece Flatware Set

House Beautiful – Photo Björn Wallander

Blenko 384 Cosmos Water Bottle

Target

Libbey® Cobalt Blue Goblets Set of 12

Rumi Tortoiseshell Highball Glass

Hive LA Home

Organic Teak Wood Decorative Bowl

Walnut Brown Mango Wood Serving Bowls

Still Teak Wood and Black Resin Bowl

2-Piece Sadye Resin Salad Server Set

Crofton Round Wood Tray

Seafood Shell Baking Dish

Acacia Wood 4-Piece Calabash Bowl Set

Planters and urns make super chic additions to your coastal tablescape or themed home bar.

Vintage fish plate sets, platters, and cutlery sets make such a pretty place setting.

Martha Stewart

On one of our treasure hunting trips over to Houston, Dave and I lucked up on an antiques shop specializing in English smalls (china, silver, decorative accessories).

Etsy

I bought a divine service for 12 fish service with platter and a set of fish knives and forks for a phenomenal price.

We were big eBay sellers at the time, so listed they were.

Dave tried to convince me to keep the service, but I reasoned we would come across more of the same in our hunts.

We have, but not of the quality or the fabulous price.

Live and learn.

Limoges Fish Plates Set

Variegated colors.

Patterns and textures created by nature’s wonder.

Salt kissed air.

A symphony of sea waves.

Place settings, serveware, and tabletop accessories in a by the sea theme set a coastal scene and seen.

Next up in this By the Sea Table Setting Ideas series is serving pieces, table linens, a simple DIY project idea, and tabletop accessories.

Sea you then.

Easy 4th Of July Celebration Ideas

In the spirit of letting freedom ring in the good old summertime, let’s look at a sampling of easy 4th of July celebration ideas for your star-spangled spectacular.

The 4th of July is a special holiday celebration bedecked in patriotic red, white, and blue commemorating the Declaration of Independence and the beginning of the United States of America.

Summer sets an anything goes good with fun, food and family background, and goes perfect with the 4th of July.

It’s never too late in the party planning process to throw an indoor and outdoor party with a festive “pop” of festive seasonal color.

House Beautiful

Outdoor celebrations around our house involve the double D rule (no, there is nothing going on that wild).

Dollar and discount store disposables and the convenient and affordable first line of defense against wasting money and valuable party time cleaning up.

Paper or plastic tablecloths, plates, napkins, and plastic cutlery packages serve the party purpose, and the red Solo cup is disposable party royalty.

Red Solo cup

I fill you up

Let’s have a party!

Intermingle items in red, white, and blue in with principal tableware favorites. I find I get more use out of items in either red, white, or blue vs. red, white, and blue.

Finding cute and clever ways to serve your guests is not that hard. All things summer is an easy theme to work with.

Mini terra cotta flower pots easily become a pot of s’mores fixings gold.

Better Homes & Gardens

Heritage Hill 64 oz. Glass Jar with Lid

Mosquitoes are an outdoor entertaining nuisance, a pest of a pest.

Add the following items to your 4th Of July celebration ideas shopping list, watch the DIY Citronella candle how to make video from P. Allen Smith, and let’s project.

8 ounce Mason jars

floating votive candles

lemons and limes

citronella oil

fresh sweet mint and rosemary

Place the citronella candle jars around the table and surrounding party area.

Martha Stewart

Clear apothecary bottles in varying sizes and heights filled with lamp oil and wicks is a clear and chic light the summer night option.

Country Living – Photo by John Kernick

Clear jars filled with fresh flowers and/or greenery from the yard come in make a simple and lovely display.

Small groupings-stacks-bundles of fresh fruit or summer vegetables such as corn, tomatoes, peaches, cherries, blueberries, or grapes dressed up with ribbon or in their natural state serve a colorful bounty of fresh and sweet summer style.

Red, white, and/or blue fabric is my suggestion for a table runner. This works for dinner napkins, too.

I can’t sew a stitch, but I can work a hot iron and a roll of hem tape like nobody’s business.

Determine the width and length (add one inch to both the width and length), cut your fabric to desired size, fold over each side (fold in the corners to create a 45 degree angle), and either sew sides or apply hem table with iron.

Don’t forget your Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon

If you’re going with the dinner napkin option, pair them with a patriotic palette ribbon natural and either a nautical rope ball or decorative tassels.

The finished result is a festive theme napkin ring and stylish dinner napkin presentation.

I love this printable from HMH Designs.

And this one from Today’s Creative Life.

Click HERE and HERE for the free patriotic food picks and place card ready printables.

Oh, say can you say that three times real fast.

Dressed up craft bags or plastic popcorn buckets make festive party favor containers.

Pack your 4th of July swag bags full of dollar and party store finds for beach, lake or backyard fun sure to go over real big with kids of all ages.

Tumbling Tower Game

Playing Cards

Patriotic Red, White & Blue Glow Stick Flying Disc

Safety is a big part of the summer fun equation.

Good Housekeeping features an informative piece 15 Safety Mistakes to Avoid This 4th of July detailing smart tips for staying safe while you celebrate the 4th.

That about wraps up my 4th of July celebration ideas show and tell.

These ideas are easy, affordable, crowd pleasing and party perfect for a 4th of July or any summer soiree.

Party fun, stylish, and safely and I’ll see you all next week.

We Gather Together Holiday Table Ideas

We gather together holiday table ideas help to set an impressive Thanksgiving holiday table.

Getting the look, style, balance, and theme suited to your holiday dining and entertaining scheme requires a certain amount of planning and prep, and that’s where these we gather together holiday table ideas come in.

Design inspiration is often the driving force of my blog content, and I’m amazed at where it comes from at times.

Yesterday, somewhere between trying to locate what bedroom the cat was hiding out in and trying not to lose my religion over the cat and mouse game he loves to play with me, I stopped in the hallway to regroup.

Looking down the hall into the foyer, dining room, and kitchen in more than a glimpse and less than a stare, it dawned on me I truly liked what I was seeing.

Isn’t that the point of the design and decorating grand scheme of things?

I sometimes forget to just stand back and take in the look. My vantage point allowed for a comprehensive viewing from foyer to dining room.

The vintage bamboo chandelier in the foyer.

The wallpaper selection.

The yet once again painted lantern pendant.

The decision to lighten up the dining room color palette.

The placement of artwork.

I like to try new things and new looks, but the traditional personal design style choices I come back to time and time again prove to be the ones I am most satisfied with.

Stay true to your personal style and design, decorate, and holiday table set accordingly is advice I not only give, but practice.

Southern Living

The absolute best holiday table ideas begin with a sense of you.

What suits your style, taste, and personal preference is what best fits the occasion and sets an impressive holiday table.

Scandinavian Dining Room

Create a backdrop with touches sure to resonate with the crowd.

Sure, most of us try to emulate moms-grandmothers-aunties side dish or dessert recipe- that’s a given.

I like to use decorative accents and tabletop pieces that make a shared memories, experiences, and regional commonalities connection with my guests.

Magnolias in glass cylinders cover the Southern aspect of our holiday table.

Fresh flowers or an heirloom bowl filled with fall leaves native to your area set a home for the holidays tone.

Wooden turned candlesticks instantly become I remember these conversation pieces.

Antique Blue Transferware Platter

A handed down from generation to generation family recipe served in a handed down from generation to generation serving piece is wow factor certified and guaranteed to tug at the home is where the holiday heart is heartstrings.

The heirloom crystal water bottle makes it way from the china cabinet to the Thanksgiving table.

Vintage Etched Coupe Glasses || Plymouth Birds Double Old-Fashioned Glasses

Cocktail glasses in a similar pattern as the ones my dad served holiday spirits in, and goblets in the style of the ones my grandmother used at holiday time to serve her famous orange fluff salad in become a must have addition to the we gather together holiday table.

I don’t give a second thought to using paper cocktail napkins.

Rest assured, the holiday table ideas police will not be hauling you off to tablescape and place setting jail.

I go with the best of both worlds option and use a traditional and a zippy paper cocktail napkin.

House & Home

Fresh pears in white bowls is a simple and elegant suggestion.

I pick up gold-rimmed white stoneware bowls from Dollar Tree and keep an eye on the produce section selection of seasonal pears.

For approximately $2.00 per place setting you can add a fetching look to the Thanksgiving holiday table.

Gold-Rimmed White Stoneware Bowls, 7 in.

An impressive holiday tablescape does not have to be expensive or difficult to achieve.

Place the focus on folk, food, fresh, flavor, and fun.

My comical husband suggested I call this hosting tip “f” the holidays.

Holiday hosting humor is a fabulous stress buster. Dave is in charge of levity, and is brilliant at it.

We’ve still got the December holidays to decorate, entertain, and tablescape to and the holiday budget to manage.

Items that pull double duty justify the initial price of admission to the holiday tablescape party.

This is the exact reason I go with white plates with gold rims and serving pieces in November to December holiday friendly colors and patterns.

I’m embracing the home is where the holiday heart is theme with these Magnolia drinking glasses and Louisiana appetizer plates.

Wood Pattern Plate Charger

Gold-Rimmed White Stoneware Dinner Plates, 10.5 in.

The combination of a natural wood pattern plate charger gold-rimmed white dinner plates, and the look of vintage antique silver sentiment flatware makes a striking statement.

Make new serving pieces friends, but keep the old.

One is traditional silver, and the other, Millennial gold.

Tors Bronze Cast Aluminum Serving Bowl

I love a holiday twofer, and a Merry Thanksgiving gift draw is a fun and giving family and friend activity to partake in at the end of the Thanksgiving meal.

For many years, Dave the Builder and I along with another couple and their daughter spent Thanksgiving week at Chicot State Park before the kids got to the age of I’m bored.

Three bedroom, 2 full bath lodge with fireplace, satellite television, cellphone and WiFi service second to none, scavenger hunts, hiking trails, midnight runs to spot deer, owl and raccoons, stay up and sleep in as late as you want boring.

Not exactly what I would call roughing it.

Striving to keep things new, fresh, and in the holiday spirit, I came up with the hot cocoa and hat draw holiday kick off.

The moms would make hot cocoa, and the dads would light up the fire ring late Thanksgiving day afternoon.

While we were enjoying hot cocoa and getting back to nature, we would pass a hat around with each of our names in it.

Each of us drew a name from the hat and the planning began.

When we drove into the neighboring towns to antique and Black Friday shop, each of us would buy a kick off the holidays gift for the person whose name we drew from the hat.

Flickr

We set a $5.00 limit, and the rule was the gift had to be something the recipient talked about on Thanksgiving day or night.

Part of the fun was seeing how attentive and creative we could get with our gift selections.

A quick stop at the dollar store for a small Christmas tree, gift bags, and reindeer bells to ring round the campfire completed the process.

The kids loved it, and the big kids got into it as well.

Our kick off the holidays hot cocoa and hat draw gifted each us with a great memory.

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”

– Dr. Seuss

I’ve tweaked the tradition a bit, and now it’s the We Wish Family and Friends a Feast of a Happy Holidays Season favor gift give.

Brass wishbone figurines stay in theme and make a lovely We Gather Together holiday keepsake.

Home is where the Holiday heart is, and ours beats strong here at Places In The Home.

Our holiday celebrations are all about honoring traditions old and new, making meaningful memories, sharing the holiday love with family, friends, and readers, and offering holiday table ideas, holiday decor finds, suggestions, stories, and sources.

Join me throughout the holiday season for all things house that make a holiday home.

Chinoiserie Themed Tablescape

The first four letters of the word epicurean spell epic, and epic is what this Chinoiserie themed tablescape feature has turned out to be.

Color, pattern and texture sets quite the impressive Chinoiserie themed tablescape.

Believing and adhering to the notion we eat first with our eyes, the visual appetizer is the tasteful first course of a palatable dining experience.

Chinoiserie

sheen-wah-zuh–reez

noun, plural chinoiseries

1. a style of ornamentation current chiefly in the 18th century in Europe,
characterized by intricate patterns and an extensive use of motifs identified as Chinese.

2. an object decorated in this style or an example of this style: The clock was an interesting chinoiserie.

Veranda

The lines and color palette of Chinese and East Asian influenced dinnerware and decorative accessories create beautifully Chinoiserie themed tablescapes.

The retail selections available make it easy to set your table as Chinoiserie chic casual or formal as you wish.

Rosser 12″ Charger – Set of 4

Bordallo Pinheiro Vista Alegre Tropical Charger Plates (Set of 2)

Bordallo Pinheiro Cabbage Dinner Plates in Beige – Set of 4

Jacqueline Salad Plate~ Set of 4

Si Kiang Cocktail Plate

Aveline Double Old Fashioned Glass

Three Star Cristalleria Fratelli Fumo Wine Glasses in Amber (Set of 6)

Color, Pattern, Texture Options:

Echo Design Parvani 52-Inch Square Tablecloth

I own this table runner and I love it! The design is versatile and the quality is exceptional.

Sherry Kline China Art Table Runner

Options make the decorating world go round.

East of the Moon Cinnabar

Bed Bath & Beyond Beaded Placemat in Jute/Coral

Matte Golden Beaded Square Placemat

Chinese Bowl on Teakwood Stand

Cambridge Silversmiths 20-Piece Bamboo-Style Flatware Service

Leopard love it and the Chinoiserie themed tablescape – an excellent pull from one to complement another choice.

Desert Leopard Plate (Set of 4)

Animal Print 8 oz Martini Glass

Geometric Design Dinner Napkin

Traditional Home

Gien Set of 4 Jardins Canape Plates

Christian Lacroix Sol y Sombra Dessert Plate

Ricci Argentieri Ricci Bamboo 5-Piece Place Setting

Figural Cabbage Bowl

Michael Aram 2-Pc. Palm Serving Set

Petrus Regout Maastricht Platter

Meakin “Jamaica” Octagonal Plates – Set of 6

Thibaut Gazebo Collection ~ Masquerade

Thibaut Gazebo Masquerade marks the genesis of my decorating fascination with the colors, patterns and textures of Chinoiserie finery.

Aliza Teal Dinner Plate Set of 4

Lenox Pleated Colors Aqua Salad Plate

Vintage Mismatched Fine China Luncheon Plates – Set of 4

Hybrid Cloe Porcelain Fruit Bowl design by Seletti

Classic Touch Tumblers with 24K Gold Artwork in Assorted Colors (Set of 6)

Byzantine 24 Karat 5 Piece Flatware Set

Osaka Bamboo Trellis / Teal

Safavieh Lighting Serenity Teal Buddha Lamp

Havana Jacquard Napkins

Julie Accent Plate – Set of 4

Modern Chinese Porcelain Bowl w/Hand Painted Iris

Rose Medallion Bowl

Vintage Chinoiserie Foo Dog Ceramic Platter

Foo Dog Lion Statues

Mix patterns and textures while incorporating whimsical details.

Selecting pieces and accents in complementary colors creates visual flow and ensures continuity.

Apple Green Monogrammed Check Chinoiserie Napkins

Vietri Pastel Glass Collection Pink Salad Plate

Lenox® Pleated Colors Dinner Plate in Red

Pip Studio – Spring To Life Side Plate – Pink

Elephant Theme Celadon Salad Plate

Resler 5 Piece 18/10 Stainless Steel Flatware Set

Pretty In Pink Napkin

English Staffordshire Style Poodles

Elegant Covered Vegetable Server

Bamboo Chinoiserie Lattice in Pink + Bubblegum Pink Serving Tray

Chinoiserie chic meets On the Lanai.

Home decor pieces and fabrics and Dual purpose similar aesthetic characteristics

Bamboo Lattice in Peach Fizz

Gladys Glover Vintage Bamboo-Style Chopstick Rests, S/5

Q Squared Aurora Ruby Double Old-Fashioned Tumblers, Set of 4

Coordinates Drinkware Set with Cherry Blossom Design

Jusalpha Fine China Tea Cup and Saucer Set

Pip Studio – Spring To Life Teapot

Dana Gibson Ming Tray Table

Art & Artifact Buddha Drinking Glasses – Set of 4

Madcap Cottage Windy Corner Rhubarb

Vintage Hollywood Regency Chinoiserie Ginger Jars – A Pair

Veranda

La Gallina Matta Parentesi Placemat

Staffordshire Red Old Willow Chinoiserie Dinner Plates

Juliska Siam Dessert/Salad Plate

Loveramics – Willow Love Story Salad Plates – Set of 4

Classic Blue and White Dinner Napkins

Chinese Pagoda Embroidered Linen Hemstitched Cocktail Napkins

Argent Orfevres Orava 5-Piece Flatware Place Setting

Blue & White Chinoiserie Glasses

VIETRI Accordion Marine Tall Tumbler

Churchill Blue Willow Round Vegetable Serving Bowl

Noritake Bleufleur Oval Vegetable Serving Bowl

Indigold 13″ Serving Bowl

Chinese Five-Claw Dragon Bowl

Vintage Blue Willow Steak Knifes – Set of 6

Handled Willow Platter – Willow Platter

Vivid colors, rococo styling, and sumptuous patterns are the hallmarks of the Chinoiserie themed tablescape.

Tobacco Leaf Tin Plate 10″ Set (4)

Portmeirion Sara Miller Gold Plated Assorted Plates

Thirstystone Jewel-Tone Salt & Pepper Shaker Set

East of the Moon Porcelain

Williamsburg Dunmore Dragons Cobalt

Ralph Lauren Home

Atmosphere is an important aspect of the memorable dining experience. A table lamp(s) on the dining table promotes soft lighting beneficial to mood and tone. The height of the East Enterprises LPBFW088N Table Lamp, Multicolored is dining tabletop friendly at 19.5 inches tall.

East Enterprises LPBFW088N Table Lamp, Multicolored

Classic blue and white porcelain accessories instill the all important touch of elegance. Use decorative picture frames and easels with a bamboo motif for displaying a printable menu or place card.

Charlotte Moss ~ Architectural Digest

Charlotte Moss Mougin Linen Coral

Benzara 57519 Pagoda Lanterns

Accessories

Shepardson 2 Piece Sitting Foo Dog Statue Set

Oriental Furniture Rosewood Carved Pedestal Stand

Sandalwood Fan

White Ceramic Tureen

Decorative Picture This Chinoiserie Decorative Wall Art

Newport Mansions Chelsea Bird Mug

Foo Dog Salt and Pepper Shakers

As previously stated, destination decorating creates a passport to dining adventures, where the dining table top becomes an inspired canvas.

From place setting to ambiance to gracious detail, a Chinoiserie themed tablescape travels well.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links

Summer Entertaining Suggestions

Summer entertaining suggestions and information is always worthy of repeating- exactly the reason I’m featuring these suggestions new to the Places In The Home summer entertaining repertoire.

Summer is in our sights, arriving with the summer solstice gift of extra daylight.

Talk about the ultimate summer entertaining hostess gift!

Invite vibrant color, easy entertaining tips, and fun home decor touches to the party, and prepare to impress.

John Jacob Interiors

Summer nights frame the art of entertaining with a canvas of color and hosting ease.

Creating an evening under the stars atmosphere begins with bringing down the house lights and illuminating the summer night with soft accent lighting.

Casual elegance is easily achieved by strategically placing kerosene lanterns or glass jar luminaries along a walkway.

House Beautiful

For extra ambiance wrap, hang, drape or string white twinkle string lights from trees, in shrubs and around columns.

Stunning!

Maze Yellow 8″ Paper Lanterns

Tiki torches, table lamps on loan for the evening from your interior home decor, garden chandeliers, and decorative paper lanterns also make great options in the quest to create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere.

Outdoor Lanterns

Invite the wow factor to your summer soiree- the consummate guest.

DIY party ice buckets and ice cubes serve a gorgeous and delicious purpose.

DIY Ice Buckets

Ice ice baby too cold, too cute!

Ball Jars prove a versatile party decor darling.

Light them up, fill them up, or chill them down.

A midsummer night’s entertaining dream becomes a reality with these quaint and stunning homemade hurricanes. I discovered this simple how to supply list for colorful jar lanterns from Joann Stores and promptly pinned it to my Pinterest account.

Joann Stores

Simple and affordable combine decorating forces to add subtle yet palpable charm to a perfect summer evening scene.

DIY summer citronella candles how to video from Southern Living show us how to make a DIY bug-be-gone candle that is not only visually impressive, but an essential must for comfortable summer soiree nights.

Give me a reason to turn a flower pot into a serving piece and it is summer soiree party on.

I’ll never forget the look I got the first time I announced we were having pot brownies at our pot party to a co-hostess. I don’t believe I have ever clarified something so quickly before or since.

Anywho, clay flower pots are an inexpensive and summer appropriate alternative to traditional serving pieces.

Baked beans, barbecued wings, Creole seasoned French fries, baked Vidalia onions, summer sausage- all great “pot” options.

House Beautiful

Elevate an otherwise average patio table to party perfection by topping it with a stylish outdoor tablecloth. Layer the look with chairs, cushions and outdoor pillows decked out in bright summer colors.

Decoristas have long had a trusty trick up their sleeve. Home decor and furnishings that work gorgeously inside the house will rock an outdoor living space like a Led Zeppelin concert!

Domaine

Love your inside dining chairs and know they will be the key to pulling the entire outdoor tablescape together, but don’t want the chair legs to get dirty?

Architectural Digest

Wrap the bottom of each chair leg with clear plastic wrap.

Perhaps a tad time-consuming, but it will save time on the clean up end of the party.

Be as pre-party proactive as possible with certain tasks. It’s a summer entertaining essential skill for the host and/or hostess to hone.

With the very, very good points of summer outdoor living and summer entertaining comes the very real concern over controlling mosquitoes.

Burning sage or rosemary repels is said to kill mosquitoes. The mosquito killing power is in the smoke so I’m thinking summer fire pit or campfire plays into being a natural necessity.

Pure Wow

At the point in the party when the food and drink has hit the spot, the music is summer smooth, the outdoor party life is kicking up a notch, and the company and the conversation is hitting all the right notes it’s time to hand out summer relaxation party pails.

Fill plastic beach pails from the dollar store with his or hers flip-flops, individual aluminum spray bottles filled with chilled homemade rose water (the guys love this stuff almost as much as the gals), cold cucumber slices in freezer bags and Burt’s Bees Cucumber & Sage facial cleansing towelettes (love the scent).

Assemble party pails beforehand adding chilled and cold items to pails right before handing them out.

Enjoy the colors and celebrations of the season.

What better excuse for throwing a stylish summer entertaining soiree!

Company’s Coming! This Year’s Thanksgiving Table

This years Thanksgiving table planning is in full swing.

Decorative accents and accessories are going into place and company’s coming.

Clearance sales making room for Black Friday deals and steals makes anticipating the decorative needs of this year’s Thanksgiving table and hitting the place order button a gobble gobble gotta have it a no-brainer.

Traditional is the flavor of the Places In The Home Thanksgiving month, and the preparation begins at the first hint of the harvest moon.

Colors and natural decor that intermingle well with fall through to Christmas decorations and tablescapes keeps costs in check.

Shades of blue, green, red and creamy white are as stunning on a harvest themed table as well as the Holiday table.

Etsy

Dave the Builder worked on the dining room redo this past weekend with success in the major improvement department!

Lighter paint colors and natural light will open up a space, guaranteed.

We’re hoping to have it all pulled together by next week in order to get the Thanksgiving tablescape ball rolling.

New England Home Magazine

I’m depending on traditional simplicity to make an elegant statement for this year’s Thanksgiving table.

A Most Fetching Friday 9: October

This week’s Fetching Friday features impressions and inspirations associated with the star of the moment, October.

Hello, October.

I’ve been anxiously waiting your arrival.

Berthe Morisot Tureen and Apple

via

Style Me Pretty – Photography by Judy Pak Photography

Seatings and settings.

Crisp evenings set the tone and texture for seasonal tablescapes with attention to cozy details.

Rustic Olive Wood Rolling Pin

Currently craving.

Apple Pancake

I hope you have a most Fetching Friday.

Holiday Prep and Decorative Detail

Holiday prep and decorative detail time is upon us here at Places in the Home. All is merry and bright with the help of caffeine, precision planning, patience (lots of merry patience), swift kitchen detail and keeping a cool and relaxed tude to guarantee a cool yule.

I tapped into the decorations closet of Christmas past for inspiration and holiday show this year. Everything is new again is the holiday decorations running theme. It’s a great way to reacquaint yourself with treasured favorites and to fall back in love with them all over again.

I had more fun pulling vintage, antique and new accents from here and there and grouping them together in holiday harmony.

Items that immediately identify with and tell the story of individual tastes, collections and personality are always in the best of style, your style.

The centerpiece is one of those “it all just came together” accents, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. A big thank you to the florist at Kroger for her well timed and generous markdown on the roses, and to my brother who showed a magnolia tree and juniper bush who was boss with his mad clipping and cutting skills.

No shrubs or trees were harmed in the making of this Christmas centerpiece, just pruned and picked.

From all of us here at Places In The Home, we wish you a Places In The Home for the Holidays very Merry Christmas filled with peace, joy, fond memories old and new, blessings, love, relaxing times with family and friends and a joyous celebration of the beauty of the season in your places in the home.