Three Steps to an Easy Summer Table: learn how to start with the basics, add items for interest, and look in unexpected places to set the perfect table.

Last week I shared a post on my Entertaining Essentials -you can read it here. I shared all the basics you need for entertaining like white plates, stemless wine glasses, and white linens. In today’s post I’m sharing Three Steps to an Easy Summer Table set with those basics so you can see how to use them for entertaining.

1. Start with the Basics

I set the table with my everyday white dishes -find something similar here. And then I used stemless wineglasses, I like these because they work for kids and adults, they’re great for water, soft drinks or wine -and they look great too.

On the table I used a basic linen runner, and I layered it with a rough piece of unfinished linen. The napkins are some I picked up at the dollar store -basic denim with a roughly sewed edge -but basic white would look great too.

2. Add Interest

Metals:

The cutlery is pretty gold, a real statement piece, the “jewellery” of the table. the candlesticks repeat the gold -which is a great trick to setting a table. We don’t want everything to be too matchy, matchy, but repeating an element like the gold, or the glass, or the colour can help make the table feel tied together.

Height:

For a centrepiece on our summer table, I used some the pretty brass paint dipped candlesticks -see how I made them here. The candles help add height to the table. This can always be done with flowers or branches too.

Texture:

I’ve added texture to your summer table through the linen table runners, especially the one with the rough edge. The napkins also add texture. The most texture though is the flowers.

These are from my garden and in simple mason jars, and vintage bottles. When thinking about texture in terms of flowers you might think about picky, smooth, rough, sleek, fluffy, etc. Texture doesn’t just come from the flowers. Smooth and sleek are to be considered too, and often come through the glass, and the cutlery.

3. Look for Elements in Unexpected Places

I always start with shopping the house first. You probably have an old vase in another room, or an old mason jar in the cupboard, or a piece of fabric that could be a table runner.

Think of your colour scheme, and look around your house. Don’t be afraid to try things, and think outside of the box. My napkins were really dishcloths I found at the dollar store. My candle holders were old thrift store finds that had a little makeover. These touches all add character and personality to those simple basics we started from.