Entertaining out-of-doors in summer is one of the best things about summertime! Here in the DFW area of Texas, nights cool off into the 80’s and are perfect for having friends and family over for cookouts, pizza pies baked in outdoor ovens, and for toasting marshmallows over campfires. On this night, our library table was brought from inside and set with dining ease in mind…
You may recall that earlier this summer I shared this post about easy party ideas as part of a Pinterest Challenge. This tablescape was fun to photograph as I went for simplicity with just a few snacks, just a few items on the dining table, and a simple pot of flowers plopped on the table, straight from the nursery.
Simple chargers made of painted tin add their elegance underneath festive paper plates. And those plates cost $2.99 for a pack of 24, I think. Perfect for outdoor entertaining with kids or adults! Cloth napkins and real water glasses were the only “upgrades” here.
Lighting is simple with the addition of Edison lights strung together and zip-tied to tree limbs, a couple of tealights on the table and a few candles in metal holders in the garden flowerbed nearby…
*Special note: make sure to square knot each connection from one light string to the next. I didn’t do that at first, and the long swag from tree to tree came undone… I had to replace six lightbulbs and it was good that each of the sets came with extras!
Sorry about the soft blur in some of these photographs… My camera is just a basic DSLR and not really meant for low light. I hope to upgrade one of these days.
I like how these pics came out anyhow. The candlelight in these outdoor stands is magical… 💝
Soft and romantic, the addition of a couple of indoor chairs combined with the French café chairs makes for a nice combination.
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| A nice contrast ~ wide -vs- narrow view |
We had just had a hard summer rain so the limestone bricks are in their usual muddy state but this just adds to the casual garden scene. Our plans include putting in artificial turf back here where grass doesn’t grow well below the shade provided by these two oak trees with pavers staggered between the real and artificial grasses.
Framing the view
The central bed of boxwood and holly balls are filling in nicely with the addition of this spring’s transplanted iris. I plan to add in more annuals for color next spring.
I love looking back on the house and it looks particularly pretty at night! I think when all the pavers are set for potted areas and more plants are brought in, and the sprinklers are converted from tall park-style sprayers for watering grass to lines of drip irrigation for garden beds, this will be especially nice for entertaining… and it will be easier and mean less hand-watering.
This year our visits have been just a few friends stopping by to switch-out borrowed books or for me to sign a check for our philanthropic group (IOOF). Next year as vaccines become available we hope to have friends over a lot more often.
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| My favorite photograph… Still love the Martha Stewart pale yellow linen drapery fabric used to create these chair cushions. These cushions are reversible with a deep red paisley on the other side. I made them with summer and winter in mind. |
Tonight’s virtual visit will have to do for now… 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your summer! I felt the first kiss of fall this week with a 66 degree morning…
Happy summer evenings, friends!
so cozy and romantic, perfect for a quiet evening at home! Love that wonderful library table, Barb. Enjoy this stretch of late summer!
Barb, you waited so long for the right house. I love it and the settnig is just gorgeous. It's so pretty – you hit the right word with magical. Who wouldn't want to be there with you?
Such a cozy, romantic and soft setting. We don't hang outdoor lights, love tge look. I miss having friends and family over so much!Cindy
Thanks, Cindy! It took a day to hang all the lights but we love the soft lighting in the evenings. Glad you enjoyed this post.Happy Sunday,Barb 🙂
Thank you so much, Jeanie! We are enjoying this new home and thankfully for a few days now the humidity has let up. I've been outside most of the weekend playing in the garden. <3Enjoy your Sunday and the coming week,Barb 🙂
You too, Debra! Thankfully the humidity has gone down so it's nice to be outdoors again. <3Have a great Sunday afternoon/evening and coming week,Barb 🙂