When the weather is warm enough, eating outside can feel extra special. Follow our round-up of Top Summer styling ideas for the garden and make the outside space is ready to entertain friends and family. Furniture has to be fairly robust due to the amount of rain we have but for the odd scorching day, parasols are a must. For more garden inspiration, check out my feature from last Summer ‘How to style your Summer garden table for under £10’.
Outdoor rugs are now a key part of garden decor and look especially great in this Moroccan inspired interior by H&M home. Wicker and rattan furniture form the basis of this look and are super sustainable. Team this with a bold palm leaf print tablecloth and trellis patterned lanterns to set the mood when the light fades.
This Scandinavian inspired setting uses soft faux fur throws to add comfort to the chairs and soften the look of the wood. The tall candles add height and drama and create a stunning focal point on the table. With any centerpiece, make sure they are tall enough (or short enough) to not block the faces of the people sitting opposite you as this is frustrating for your guests and will get in the way of good conversations.
If you like a simplistic and laid back table then this look is for you. Using a simple palette of cream and grey, less is definitely more. Grey linen napkins complement the cream chinaware and the grey cushions and throws will warm your guests when the temperature drops. Finish the look with some green foliage such as heather of Eucalyptus.
This setting is similar to the one above with a simple 2-colour theme. Indigo blue has been mixed with white chinaware and rustic rattan placemats. No need to spend a fortune on flowers as foliage from the garden is perfect. Just one or two stems per vase is plenty.
If you have the luxury of a large garden, why not carry your table out onto the grass. This way you can all spread out and tired (or little) children can play right beside you. This simple Summer setting uses a mix of contemporary ceramic tableware and textiles in a range of cool coastal blues. Teamed with a faded wooden bench, the look is really fresh and summery. You almost expect to see the sea just over the brow of the hill. The ideal flowers for this table would be white tulips or lily of the valley in little bud vases.
Sitting on the floor while eating is an ancient culture of many Asian countries like India, Japan, and China and in theory, it’s lovely but in reality, it’s probably not going to be your everyday eating place due to practicality and comfort. This set-up is great for special occasions or small spaces.
Are you short of space outside? When we redesigned our outside space we decided to dig a bench seat out of the old flower bed and now we can sit an extra 8 people in the garden. This image is a great example of how you can transform a small corner of the garden into a bright and sociable eating area.
Credits: Image 1: H&M Home / Image 2, 3. 4 John Lewis / Image 5: Vincent Trading / Image 6: Argos / Image 7: Sainsbury’s Home
Feature: researched by Alex Raynbird, produced by Pippa Jameson.
