Summer’s entertaining season is opportunity supreme for by the sea table setting ideas.
Photo by Atay Alkan
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.
Tory Burch
Replicating a day or evening at the coast, beach, or seashore in the form of a tablescape set with striking place settings and tableware finds 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
Food Network Resin Wicker Charger
Faux Wood Charger Plates
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 the dreaded “no longer available” leaves 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?
Marble 15 in. x 15 in. Navy Blues Cork Placemat (Set of 4)
Capiz Placemats With Scalloped Design (Set of 4)
Mother of Pearl Design Placemat (Set of 4)
Dainty Home Metallic Lace Crossweave With A Sunburst Metallic Lace Pattern
Better Homes and Gardens Jute Flower Design Placemat
Bordered 19 in. x 13 in. Indigo Cotton Placemat (Set of 4)
Food Network™ Solid Round Placemat 4-pack
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
Mariposa Seaside Aluminum Platter
Place a sea themed accent in the center of a dinner plate or to the side of a charger to enhance the setting.
Seashells are brimming with by the sea color, texture and pattern inspiration.
Flickr
Discovered distinctive shells with by the sea colors, textures, and patterns at play.
15in Round Coral Beaded Placemat
Aloha Placemat
Better Homes & Gardens Blush Vivian Stoneware Dinner Plate
4pk 10.5″ Los Cabos Dinner Plates Pink – Fortessa Tableware Solutions
Beachcombers Small Polished Clam Shell Decorative Tabletop Bowl
Oyster Shell Napkin Holders
Tales and truths of lustrous pearls found at sea.
Melamine wares fit the occasion when the occasion is an outdoor by the sea soiree.
Perlette 12-Piece Solid Cream Melamine Outdoor Dinnerware Set (Service for 4)
Nathalie Lete By the Sea Melamine Dinner Plate
Tommy Bahama 11in. Bamboo Border Dinner Plates – Set of 4
Never shy from adding a touch of coastal glam gold.
Gold 4 in. x 12 in. Handmade Aluminum Metal Flower Decorative Bowl
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 15 fl oz Glass Goblet Light Mint Green – Threshold™
Oceana Bowl Iridescent Green
Color choices need not be too matchy-matchy.
Azure Coast 4-Piece Place Setting
Contrast keeps things visually interesting.
Efavormart 6 Pack 13″ Round Peacock Teal Plastic Reef Charger Plates
Color, texture, and pattern outside the lines of what traditionally identifies the coastal look.
Southern Living Magazine – Photography by Laurey W. Glenn
Kim Seybert Tahiti Placemat
Vietri Earth Glass Dinner Plate
Yellowstone Ceramic Round Dinner Plate, Kayce Collection
Gold Scalloped Rim Glass Plate
Clay Dinner Bowls, Set of 4
ARTLAND 14oz Footed Goblet Glass, Set of 4
Celebrate Summer Together Beaded Placemat
Reactive Glaze Salad Plate, Set of 4, Celadon
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.
Better Homes & Gardens Denim Murphy Stoneware Dinner Plates
Need I say more?
Oyster Ceramic Plate
Royal Norfolk Classic White Round Stoneware Dinner Plates, 10.5 in.
Pleat Goblets Set of 4
Maddi 15-ounce Highball Tumbler Cups, Set of 4, Indigo
(2 pack) Better Homes & Gardens Collins Collection Cream Stoneware Round 10.4″ Dinner Plate
Decorative Coastal Sea Creatures Design Napkin Rings – Set of 4
Round Deniz Flower Silver Glass Charger Plate
Royal Norfolk Classic Black Stoneware Dinner Plate, 10.5 in.
Black & White Batik Printed Stoneware Bowl
White Shell Shell Decorative Serving Bowl with Enamel Interior
Scalloped Edge Stoneware Salad Plate – Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia
16pc Roman Stoneware Dinnerware Set with Rim Gold
Thyme & Table 20oz Drinking Glass, Black
Thyme & Table Stoneware Dinner Plate, Riley Collection
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
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.
12pc Porcelain Laura Dinnerware Set Blue: Abstract Pattern, Service for 4
Elle Decor Set of 6 Colored Vintage Wine Glasses
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
Cambridge Bamboo Natural 20-Piece Flatware Set, Service for 4
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
Thyme & Table 4-Piece 20oz Tortoise Brown Drinking Glass Set
Hive LA Home
Organic Teak Wood Decorative Bowl
Walnut Brown Mango Wood Serving Bowls
Ring Petrified Wood Serving Board
2-Piece Sadye Resin Salad Server Set
Crofton Round Wood Tray
Fish Shaped Platter
Acacia Wood 4-Piece Calabash Bowl Set
Planters and urns make super chic additions to your coastal tablescape or themed home bar.
Seaside Scallop Planter
Resin Coastal Shell Planter
Vintage fish plate sets, platters, and cutlery sets make such a pretty place setting.
Martha Stewart
Lettuce Fish Celery Design Soup Tureen
Vintage Fitz and Floyd Lobster Sauce Bowl
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).
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.
Home Adore-Homer Oatman Architects
Turtle Soup II Monteleone
