Summer tables sizzle with colors and patterns

Whether it's a laid-back picnic or lively dinner party, forget about setting a serious table.
After all, it's summer and that's the perfect excuse to dish out a table that's drenched with
color and wild with pattern. Since we have only a few months of reliable warm weather each
year, why not make the most of them and create a special place in your yard for summertime
dining and entertaining? With a little imagination, you can create an oasis for a daily escape.

TEA PARTY TABLE AND OCEAN THEMED TABLE SETTING



Play up the look with mismatched china cups, more than one teapot, posies from the garden,
and cupcakes frosted in a multitude of floral hues. Use plastic plates and utensils for a casual
sea-themed party. Sea shells function as flower vases, decorative centerpieces, and place
setting embellishments.

BANDANNA TABLE SETTING AND PINK TABLE SETTING



A humble picnic table can be set with as much care as your fine dining table. Dress up
a wooden picnic table with an embroidered cotton or lace runner, and use a few
strategically placed bowls and plates, like these bandanna-printed ones, to anchor
the cloth. Mix vivid flowers, saturated colors, and patterns to set an exotic scene.

FERN TABLE SETTING AND GREEN TABLE SETTING WITH ROSES



Mismatched silverware and china still look sophisticated with natural embellishments,
like a hand-picked fern frond. Even when dining outdoors, if your table's surface is in
good shape, like this one, you can forgo a tablecloth. Don't be afraid to use crystal goblets
outside. They add elegance to the table and look right at home next to antique flatware
and long, tapered candlesticks.

WHITE TABLE SETTING WITH FLOWERS AND PEARS



Improvise a "cloth" tablecloth by criss-crossing strips of burlap from a garden-supply
store, then layering lengths of crinkly white gauze over them. The effect is reminiscent
of antique linen culled from Grandma's attic.

(top photo - a refreshing palette of golden yellow and robin's-egg blue sets the scene. For
a casual yet stylish affair, mix upscale elements with down-home details. Burlap,
bandannas, and disposable pleats mingle effortlessly with fresh flowers and herbs).

source: Country Living magazine