PERFECT FRENCH COUNTRY SUMMER TABLE

Celebrate beautiful warm weather by entertaining outdoors.  I’m sharing a light and casual outdoor table setting today inspired by the French countryside. A perfect French Country summer table.

When you are designing your summer tables, don’t be intimidated by color!  This summer, for your perfect summer tables, get creative with color.  Mix and match, have fun, and add plenty of bold color if you love color.  It seems that for a while now, we’ve all been kind of stuck in neutral, monotone color schemes, which is fine if that is what you love.

 

 

The latest design trends, if you care about those at all, are about bringing back color in a big way. COLOR IS BACK! And I am more than excited about it! My French Country Summer table is colorful, this is not a pared down, minimal table, it’s bold, it’s bright, and it’s a little bit “messy” too. But, it will give your guests plenty to talk about and will make them feel right at home.

 

 

Today I’ve teamed up with my sweet and talented friends for the Summer Styled + Set Tour, hosted byLory of Designthusiasm, to share some summer entertaining ideas! This is the same group of designers and bloggers I team up with every holiday, because they are so inspirational and always provide such intriguing ideas. It’s always such an honor to be included in Lory’s tour.

If you came here from visiting Sarah at Life on Virginia Street, WELCOME!!  I am sure that Sarah has wowed you with her beautiful style.

 

Styled & Set Logo

 

Summer is magical, and it’s the perfect time to set a pretty table, with lots of bold color – a lot of casual and a little bit posh elegance – outdoors.  It can be in your garden, on a small patio, or even on a balcony. Any outdoor space you have available is a good candidate for outdoor entertaining!

{ps. I took these photos in the back garden, and there are sun spots and shadows on the table settings, which is exactly what happens when you are entertaining outdoors!}

 

 

HERE ARE MY FOUR BEST TIPS FOR SETTING THE PERFECT FRENCH COUNTRY SUMMER TABLE: 

1. FOCUS ON STYLE.

Because I have such fond memories of summers in Europe, I wanted to set my outdoor table in a bold mix of French Country antiques, with a little red, white and blue thrown in for fun.  The colors of the flag of both our beloved states as well as France, red, white and blue are such a classic summer color combination. And with Memorial Day and the 4th of July right around the corner, it’s a perfect fit!

For this table, I wanted it to feel as if you stopped by a friend’s home in France, and joined the family for lunch out in their garden at a table set with all their bits and pieces; their cherished transfer ware plates inherited from grand-mère, the blue dishes they bought on an exciting trip to Japan, the silver they carried home from the flea market one rain soaked afternoon last year.

 

 

No matter what table I set, I like to focus on a style, and I sort of come up with a “story” about who would love the table and why.

You want a table setting that wows, something that will get guests talking, and although I admit I sometimes set an all white or neutral table, those tables aren’t all that interesting – if I’m honest.

 

2. MIX CASUAL & ELEGANT.

Don’t feel like you have to go out and buy everything new. I love to think of new ways to use all the different colors and styles of dishes I already have. On this table, English red Spode transfer plates are layered with Blue Willow plates made in Japan.  I love the more is more look, and the colors of red, white and blue don’t really care what a plate’s pedigree is!

 

 

Monogrammed linen napkins and silver flatware pair with more casual pieces such as simple French glasses and tablecloths that are really lengths of antique French ticking.

 

 

 

 

3. CARRY OUT YOUR THEME WITH GARDEN FLOWERS.

Every table looks more beautiful with an arrangement of flowers. Especially in summer, when flowers are abundant!

 

 

Showcase the bounty of the season with a lush arrangement of white roses, red poppies, white hydrangeas, and green viburnums. Presenting them in antique French canning jars with graphic labels adds just the right touch of French Country.

 

 

The best part of summer is being able to cut fresh flowers from your own garden and use them to design a beautiful table. I had only a few green viburnums blooming, so I added just one to every vase for that pop of chartreuse green I love.

 

4. PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS.

It’s the small details that really make a large impact.

 

 

For this table setting, I loved the mix of colors and patterns, but felt like each place setting could still use a special touch.  A printed menu is an easy, inexpensive way to bring a touch of graciousness to each place setting.

Printing little menu cards like this is easy using your computer printer, after creating it on a graphics program. Or….if you have better hand writing than I do, you can buy pretty cards and hand write your menu out, or a special saying, quote or scripture.

 

 

And for a further little pop of color, just one strawberry on the smaller dessert plates at each setting along with a silver fork hints at the desserts to come.

 

I hope I’ve encouraged you to set your prettiest Summer Tables this season! Bring out your best antique dishes, silver and crystal, and happily mix them with their country cousins for a table that sparks conversation, is beautiful, and expresses YOU!

Thank you so much for visiting me today, I hope that you’ll stay a while, be inspired and share your thoughts with me in a comment below while you are here!  

 

 

 

 

French Fraise Canning JarBlue Willow Shallow Bowl | 1920’s Silverplate Knife & Fork Set | White Linen Napkin with Red Embroidery | Vintage French Bistro Glasses

 

Next, please go visit Bree at ZDesign at Home, I know you will love her! She is not only talented, but the sweetest, brightest personality, and has amazing taste. I always feel refreshed after leaving her beautiful blog.

 

 

Then go visit my other friends who are sharing more beautiful and inspirational table settings today.

 

Hosted by Designthusiasm

Summer entertaining tablescape - designthusiasm.com

StoneGable

EASY, ELEGANT SUMMER TABLE

CitrineLiving

summer-tablescape-blue-and-white-floral-centerpiece

Life on Virginia Street

ham-egg-dish-brunch

FrenchGardenHouse

Set-a-French_Country-Summer-Table-flowers

ZDesign at Home

how-to-brunch-for-two-on-the-patio-hand-carved-serving-tray-world-market-outdoors-entertaining-tips-simple-black-white-plates-filigree-plastic-glasses

Monday’s posts:

Monday Summer 18

Maison de Cinq | Town n Country Living
Celebrating Everyday Life | Maison de Pax | Zevy Joy

Tuesday’s posts:

Tuesday Summer 18

Designthusiasm | Shabbyfufu
So Much Better With Age | On Sutton Place

Wednesday’s posts:

Wednesday Summer 18

Cedar Hill Farmhouse | My Soulful Home | Cotton Stem
Bless’er House | Taryn Whiteaker

Thursday’s posts:

Thursday Summer 18

StoneGable | CitrineLiving | Life on Virginia Street
French Garden House | ZDesign at Home

 

à bientôt

Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com

14 thoughts on “PERFECT FRENCH COUNTRY SUMMER TABLE”

  1. A perfect summer table in the most beautiful setting! … I always love the way you mix the old and new with sheer perfection…I can always count on your attention to detail….Happy Summer Lidy!

    1. Shirley, thank you so much, friend! You are always welcome at my tables…wish we could share a summery meal or two together!

  2. Ginger Valdes

    You might have just outdone yourself. I love this table! Hurray for the red, whit, and blue!

  3. Thank you so much, Ginger! Happy summer entertaining to you, too!

  4. Hello, lidy,
    What can I say but WOW, just so inviting and the colors are wonderful, I saw a chair waiting for me. Happy Summer! Bonjour, Jean

    1. There is always a chair waiting for you, Jean! Happy Summer to you friend.

  5. Lidy, Your table is absolutely gorgeous!!! I love how festive it is and love the red, white and blue theme! And your napkins are out of this world (I think I need some of those:). Your napkins let me know I wasn’t crazy for using my linen napkins. I also love your gorgeous flowers and then seeing your pup there at the end made me smile big – what a cutie!!! Happy summer sweet friend! Can’t wait to do this together again soon! xoxo

    1. Bree, you are so sweet! You are not crazy for using your linen napkins, yay, real napkins make it always seem special. I usually just throw my linen napkins in the washer and dryer and then fold quickly, no ironing needed! Happy summer! xoxo

  6. Lidy, what a stunning table! Oh my goodness I’m in love with the theme, the colors, the details, all of it! Those stunning napkins are just exquisite!! I love the silverware too – I use real silver every day and have a couple of sets from my aunt – I need to get them polished and looking as beautiful as yours do! Gorgeous details and fabulous tips – happy summer!!

    1. Thank you Tamara, I love your pairing of blue and white and green. Okay, blue just looks great with everything!! Thank you, friend, for your sweet compliments. I hope that you have a gorgeous summer too.

  7. Lidy, Your gorgeous table brings back wonderful memories of our 2012 trip to Provence! I am so thrilled that you mentioned that color is back again. It never went out for me, I can’t live in a neutral background! I would so enjoy sitting at this table, sweet friend!

  8. Pam, I would enjoy sitting together with you anywhere, here, or in your own beautiful garden! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

  9. Angelina

    This is so pretty! I love how you styled your table with the strawberry jars and the transfer ware! I’ve pinned like mad! Angelina

  10. Botanic Bleu

    Lidy,
    I keep coming back to visit this beautiful summer table over and over again. The red monogrammed napkin is stunning and perfect as part of a patriotic table setting. Then I think of Valentine’s Day and Christmas table settings where it will be equally perfect.

    Judith

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