Tips for Creating a Beautiful Tablescape – Indoors or Outdoors
No matter where you are, what holiday it is, or what you are celebrating—you can set up a quick indoor or outdoor beautiful tablescape by using items you already have on hand. Below are a few tips for setting up a French Country themed tablescape—indoors or outdoors.
AND… I have a few other special tablescapes to share with you at the end of this post. So be sure to scroll all the way down to see how I set my indoor and outdoor tables throughout the year!
I have learned living in Colorado can be a challenge at times when it comes to planning outdoor dinner parties. Like the saying goes here in Colorado—if you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes! There have been a few times where I had planned alfresco dinner parties in our backyard, only to have strong winds and thunderstorms quickly move in right before we were to sit down to dinner. In those situations, we all made a mad dash to grab our individual place settings and tablescape before they got drenched and moved the dinner party indoors. Since I already had the table set up outdoors, I knew how to recreate it indoors within a few minutes.
French Surf ‘n’ Turf Dinner Party
Take for example yesterday. I had been planning a Sunday Surf ‘n’ Turf alfresco dinner party and wanted a French Country theme. The location would be in our backyard, on the lawn down by the trees and bushes. I would use our 9′ long rustic outdoor wooden patio table and padded chairs. I gathered together everything I needed to set up the tablescape. The forecast on Saturday said only a slight chance of rain on Sunday. Throughout the weekend, I continued checking the forecast right down to the hour. The forecast for Sunday evening looked promising for my alfresco dinner party. The day of my dinner party I continued checking the weather. The chance for rain increased and sounded like it was going to last on and off throughout the night. As the day went on, the forecast now included damaging winds, hail, rain, and a possible tornado. Well, around 2pm the dark clouds began to roll in, the wind picked up —and soon thereafter it poured rain.
The backyard was soaked, including the table and chairs I planned to use. Even if the weather cleared up my table and chairs wouldn’t be dry in time. So I made the decision to serve dinner in my dining room. Even though we weren’t outdoors, we would still have a beautiful view of the backyard.
The Basics For A French Country Tablescape
For the main
For my French Country Surf ‘n’ Turf tablescape I wanted a less formal look. So I skipped the tablecloth and used placements, a linen runner layered with a burlap runner on top, and artificial willow vines. I also tucked artificial lavender bunches in the vines.
For my centerpiece, I used an old galvanized metal rectangular container and three mason jars I previously purchased from a thrift store and added sprigs of artificial lavender.
I placed tall decorative glass bottles I purchased from the Dollar Tree on either side of the centerpiece and added artificial greenery and more lavender.
For ambiance lighting, I used a set of 3 matte black metal battery-operated LED flameless candle lanterns.
DISHWARE AND STEMWARE – Something Old, Something New, Something Blue
I love mixing old with new! And who doesn’t love a great bargain? For this French Country themed tablescape, I used my Lenox French Pearl Ice Blue place settings, French chargers I purchased from Pier 1 several few months ago, round blue and green placemats I keep on hand, and my 25-year-old gold silverware, gold cloth napkins, and gold-rimmed stemware.
I also love that all of these pieces work in every season. I have used the gold silverware, napkins, stemware, and chargers for nearly every occasion, including holidays!
If you don’t have faux greenery or flowers, you can always find something in your yard. Cut off a small branch from a tree or bush, use leaves and flowers from your garden. I purchased many of my go-to items from the Dollar Tree or thrift stores. You’re only limited by your imagination!
Shop the Look!
Below are affiliate links for this look.
- Lenox French Perle 4-Piece Place Setting, Ice Blue
- Set of 3 Matte Black Metal Battery Operated LED Flameless Candle Lanterns
- 2pcs Artificial Hanging Willow Leaves Vines
- Artificial Lavender Flowers 4 pcs
- Lenox French Perle Solid 70″ Runner, Ice Blue
- Antiqued Ivory Melamine Scalloped Charger Plate
Below are a few of my tablescapes I put together over the past year
Halloween
Don’t forget the chandelier! I cut off branches from a tree in our backyard and spray painted them black. I purchased most of my props from Dollar Tree, including the black dinner plates, skeleton paper plates, and black
Thanksgiving
I transitioned Halloween into Thanksgiving by using the pumpkins from Halloween and painted a few of them. I even used the same place
Christmas
Each year I host our annual Christmas Eve party at our home which typically includes a guest list of 20-60 people. So I don’t set the table with individual place settings, but I always put together a center piece.
Valentine’s Day
Silk roses, artificial vines and antique china and stemware that once belonged to my grandmother. I put them all came together to create this beautiful Valentine’s Day tablescape.
Easter Brunch
Lots of greenery, colored eggs and layered place settings. I even added artificial green vines to the chandelier above.
Red, White and Blue
Alfresco! Memorial Day or 4th of July.
Surf ‘n’ Turf
Indoor surf ‘n’ turf dinner party. Once again, I had planned to have an alfresco surf ‘n’ turf dinner party, but due to the weather, I moved it indoors. I wanted the atmosphere to be casual. So I set up the tablescape in our breakfast room. I purchased the blue dinner plates at Dollar Tree, including the seashells, colored rocks, blue rope, glass vases, and candles.
Summer Vacation in the Colorado Rockies
Even away on vacation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains I couldn’t resist pulling together an outdoor tablescape. We rented a two-story cabin for our annual family vacation. It included a wrap-around deck, 6 acres, and its own private lake. This French Country themed tablescape was quick and easy to pull together. Everything shown here was already in the rental. The only thing I was missing was cloth napkins. I gathered the greenery from the hillside. The entire property was a nature lovers dream–boulders, wildflowers, an old hallowed out truck, trailer, lake, aspen and evergreen trees. It was beautiful!
Random Tablescapes–Indoors and Outdoors
As you can see from all of my tablescapes I use many of the items over and over again, but change up the centerpieces. Many of the decorations, including the dinner plates, I have purchased throughout the years from thrift stores and Dollar Tree. I love a good bargain and love mixing old with new.
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