Summer Tablescapes

Hey, there.  :-)

Thanks for bearing with me in my absence this week -- my bestest friend was in town, so I wanted to devote as much time as I could to her.  We had a great time, and I'm so glad that I got to spend as much time with her as I did!

Today we're talking summer tablescapes.  Table-setting is an art that I am still learning. Being creative while setting a functional table is something that my mom is really good at, and I remember watching her set the table for fancier occasions while I was growing up and loving all of the thought that she put into it.  We're going to take a look at summer table settings this morning, but I'm excited at the prospect of re-introducing this post idea for the other seasons of the year!  :-)

Garden Retreat

In this setting, I love the hot pink table runner mixed with the neutral element of the burlap tablecloth, and pretty flowers in mason jars.

Elegantly Nautical

White slip-covered chairs, icy blue vases, and sea creatures abound -- a perfect beachy setting.

Polished Picnic

A lovely string of lights accents this adorable table, adorned with red lanterns and a pretty quit tablecloth.

Glam Soiree

Bright poppy red mixes with gold glitz and crystal stemware in this beautiful setting.

Sophisticated Barbecue

Simple wood folding chairs, happy-colored flowers, beer and wine -- the perfect elements for a casual party, yet still keeping with adorable elements.

Eclectic Affair

I love this setting for its sweetly-dyed mason jars, vintage-inspired mismatched place mats, and cutesy, colorful pendant banner.

Ornate Escape

Funky green lanterns, flowers in repurposed cans, floral table linens -- to me, this setting screams summer!

Cottage Chic

In this setting, lovely milky white dishes, blue and white porcelain and linens, and chippy chairs create the perfect cottage table setting while still maintaining an understated elegance.

Sweet Summer Brunch

Bright yellows and delicious blues, egg cups holding sweet oranges, and a tiny bowl of berries create a brunch setting to admire.

Which setting is your favorite?

love,

maria

Decorating with Seashells: Summer Ideas

Decorating with seashells is something I have never done before in the summertime.  But when I found myself with a slew of leftover seashells after I completed my Grapevine Seashell Wreath, I knew that there was no time like the present!

Every summer, my mother-in-law uses seashells here and there to decorate her home.  I had always looked at her centerpieces and thought, Why don't I do that?  But before I knew it, the season would escape me, and it would be time to decorate with garlands and sparkly ornaments.  I am making a point to do more seasonal decorating this year, and seashells just make sense for summertime. :-)

In my kitchen, I half-way filled a clear green glass jar from Crate and Barrel (a gift from my best friend several Christmases ago) with some of the shells.  This sits on a shelf with my cookbooks and a few other goodies.  I love having a little bit of summertime in my kitchen.  One of my favorite things to do is implement seasonal decor in each room -- that means your bathroom, your kitchen...  Those rooms that you wouldn't think to add a little something to.  You don't have to go overboard, but I find that putting a seasonal nod in many areas of my apartment just makes me feel good.  It's a friendly feeling, hard to explain.  But you'll feel it, too -- trust me.

There was one rather large shell in the bottom of the bag that I bought, and when I carefully removed it from the package, I carried it around with me and placed it here and there until I found a spot that I liked, atop my DIY coffee table book with a pitcher of fresh flowers.  Don't be afraid to do this trial and error method -- it's the best way to see what looks best where. Sometimes I just know where I want to put a piece of decor; and other times, it takes a little re-working. But that's one of the sweetest things about decorating -- finding the most balanced, lovely spot for something you care about.  This shell collected flower petals that were falling out of my birthday arrangement for a few days, and now it sits clean next to the pitcher filled with new daisies.

Something I love to do is take items that are supposed to be for one use, and re-work them a different way.  For example, I'll take a glass egg crate from Crate and Barrel, and I'll stand chocolate chip cookies up in it for easy grabbing.  It's a little different, but it's the unexpected that I love.  In this centerpiece arrangement, I took one of my Duralex glasses and filled it with seashells, then set it atop a heavy glass candleholder, bought from HomeGoods a couple of years ago.  The crystal "color" matches, and both objects have nice ridges that keep it quite uniform.  

Using pieces like apothecary jars, decorative trays, pretty bowls, or even vases to display your shells is great -- the point is, use what you have!  The only thing you should have to buy is the bag of seashells; and some of you may already own some, or the beach may be right in your backyard.  I can't think of anything sweeter than using shells that you have collected in your travels.  :-)

How are you decorating for summertime?

What's your go-to decor item for this season?

love,

maria