Summer entertaining is easy when you set this cheerful white and yellow summer tablescape using fresh flowers and fruit.
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Isn’t summer just one of the best seasons? Long days spent outside that end with sandy toes and sunkissed skin are the absolute best. I especially love those summer days that leave you feeling utterly exhausted but in a good way, of course!
I think the reason I love summer so much is that time seems to slow down. The days are longer and everyday responsibilities seem to shrink. It’s more important to be present and enjoy these few fleeting months of beautiful weather while making memories.
In one word, it’s relaxed.
And that’s just what came to mind while I was setting this cheerful summer tablescape. I think it’s so bright and happy but was completely effortless to set. It didn’t take any planning and everything I used I already had on hand.
To start I added a white linen runner down the center of the table. Then I set each place setting with a simple woven charger to ground each setting and add a bit of texture, then placed my favorite white beaded dishes on top. These are our everyday set of dishes, but I think the beaded detail looks so pretty that I always use them when we are entertaining as well. And the best part is there is no fuss, they can go straight into the dishwasher so there is no tedious handwashing involved.
Simple white napkins are tied with pieces of cream colored lace I found with my gift wrapping supplies, which add such a dainty touch. Ribbon is probably my favorite way to display napkins when setting a table, but I’ve also simply laid them flat on top of the plates (like this), underneath the plates (like this) or tied the napkin in a knot (like this). My other tried and true tip is that I usually don’t use napkins, instead I use kitchen towels. I love that they are much bigger than traditional napkins, plus there are so many beautiful options to choose from.
Gold flatware adds a little bit of warmth. And classic wine glasses are perfect for everything from sparkling water to lemonade for those humid summer evenings.
Now comes the fun part…the centerpiece! I simply filled this utensil holder (you usually see it filled with wooden spoons in our kitchen) with a mix of grocery store flowers and fresh clippings from our yard.
I had these beautiful hydrangeas on hand already, but they weren’t enough to fill out my make-shift vase, so, I headed out to our backyard and cut a few branches from our white lilac bushes and our crabapple tree. The soft mix of colors these flowers offer in white and cream, mixed with their organic shapes and sizes create the perfect flower arrangement.
get the look
The hydrangeas are big enough to really fill out the arrangement, while the crabapple blossoms fill in the gaps. The lilacs not only offer the most amazing scent but add dimension and shape to the arrangement.
Now to add a little punch of color, I placed a small white bowl of lemons beside it and scattered a few along the tabletop.
Yellow isn’t a color I normally use in our home, but again, I had these on hand and thought they would be fun to use. Once I placed them on the table I fell in love with the way the creamy yellow pulls the off-white and ivory shades from the flowers I used.
Plus, there is just something about the color yellow that speaks of summer to me. It reminds me of sunshine and happiness, exactly what summer should be all about!
So even though I was a little hesitant to use a color that is so far from my norm (hello blue and gray!), it still compliments the color palette of our home so that everything feels consistent.
Now, I hope you’ll visit my friends below as we are all sharing our favorite summer colors and a little bit of summer styling inspiration.
Monday
Town and Country Living – Shabbyfufu – Sand and Sisal – On Sutton Place
Savvy Southern Style – Happy Happy Nester – Designthusiasm
Tuesday
Tammy Damore – Saw Nail and Paint – Finding Silver Pennies – Southern Hospitality
Duke Manor Farm – Shabby Art Boutique – Sincerely Marie Designs
Wednesday
A Burst of Beautiful – StoneGable – Maison de Cinq – The Wicker House
Worthing Court – My Soulful Home – Craftberry Bush – Housepitality Designs
Thursday
House by Hoff – Zevy Joy – Maison de Pax
Unskinny Boppy – My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia – Vinyet Etc.
Friday
Home Made Lovely – The Happy Housie – She Holds Dearly – Little Glass Jar
Becky’s Farmhouse – So Much Better with Age – City Farmhouse
Shirley @Housepitality Designs says
A most beautiful and perfect table setting for summer! … This table truly defines casual elegance. Happy Summer!!!
Alicia says
Thank you, Shirley, I always try to keep our entertaining simple, especially in the summer! 😉
Kristin salazar says
Your table is simply gorgeous, love that you used what you had on hand and nature!
Alicia says
Kristin, thank you! That is one of the best parts of summer, being able to use what you have in your own backyard!
laura janning says
just love how assembled the table using lemons. love that pop of yellow against your neutral backdrop.
Alicia says
Thank you, Laura, I thought they were the perfect pop of color too! 🙂
Jennifer @ Town and Country Living says
So pretty, Alicia! The yellow looks fresh and crisp. And I agree with you on summer and the feelings it brings. It’s my fave season. Thanks so much for joining the tour!
Alicia says
Thank you, Jennifer! It was so fun to join in, I really loved this idea!
Kim - Sand and Sisal says
So fresh and pretty! I love using lemons for decor too!
Alicia says
Aren’t they the best, Kim? My favorite for summer!
danielle says
Your pretty summer tablescape brought a smile to my face. LOVE the lemons and the pretty flowers. It all looks so pretty and fresh.
Alicia says
Thank you so much, Danielle. I hope you are doing well! xo
Allison says
Beautiful! Can you tell me where this light fixture came from and the name of it? If you have a link that would be great!
Nick says
Hi Allison, believe it or not, I actually found this at a second-hand store years ago! The most similar one I’ve been able to find is this one from Pottery Barn – check it out here.
SNK Creation says
Thanks for the post. It was very interesting and meaningful. I really appreciate it! Keep updating stuffs like this.