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Dining Alfresco...Where Summer Memories are Made
At Between Naps on the Porch, we do a lot of tablescaping...especially on Thursdays when Tablescape Thursday comes around. My most favorite spot for tablescaping and dining is outside on a porch or deck. There's just something special about dining alfresco, be it during the day with the sun warming your back or at night with the moon and stars overhead.
As the temperatures rise, we are drawn to the outdoors. Now is the time...time to clear away the leaves, pressure wash the decks, dust off the patio furniture and begin filling the bare planters to overflowing with geraniums, ivy and impatiens. Have you noticed? The daylight is staying with us just a little longer each day. Come dinner time, we are children again, dragging out feet, not wanting to go in. No, we want to stretch those play hours out as long as we can, especially on the weekends.
Go ahead...you have my permission! :-) Why not stay outside and play a little longer? When mealtime comes…there’s no need to go in. I have some fabulous ideas to share that are sure to inspire and keep you outside dining into the night...under the stars surrounded by a froggy serenade and the dancing light of fireflies. Here are some tips to make the most of dining outdoors:
As the temperatures rise, we are drawn to the outdoors. Now is the time...time to clear away the leaves, pressure wash the decks, dust off the patio furniture and begin filling the bare planters to overflowing with geraniums, ivy and impatiens. Have you noticed? The daylight is staying with us just a little longer each day. Come dinner time, we are children again, dragging out feet, not wanting to go in. No, we want to stretch those play hours out as long as we can, especially on the weekends.
Go ahead...you have my permission! :-) Why not stay outside and play a little longer? When mealtime comes…there’s no need to go in. I have some fabulous ideas to share that are sure to inspire and keep you outside dining into the night...under the stars surrounded by a froggy serenade and the dancing light of fireflies. Here are some tips to make the most of dining outdoors:
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Dining outdoors is great for larger gatherings like birthday parties, weddings or special occasions. With all that beautiful, breezy space, your seating is no longer limited by the size of the room.
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Live in the big city? If you have a patio large enough for a seating/dining area, try adding lots of green plants along with a free-standing pergola overhead. The pergola will give you the structure you need to hang a pretty lantern, be it electric or candle powered.
There are so many "parts and pieces" to this outdoor entertaining area that I adore, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fabulous ceramic garden seats. Notice how they work beautifully as small end tables, eagerly waiting to be called into service when additional seating is needed.
And, as if I weren't already totally taken in by this charming space, the fabulous candelabra completely finished me off. Where do I sign?
There are so many "parts and pieces" to this outdoor entertaining area that I adore, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the fabulous ceramic garden seats. Notice how they work beautifully as small end tables, eagerly waiting to be called into service when additional seating is needed.
And, as if I weren't already totally taken in by this charming space, the fabulous candelabra completely finished me off. Where do I sign?
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| Here's another great example of dining outdoors under the spell of a pergola. When covered with a climbing rose or vine, pergolas will provide some much needed relief from the sun during the heat of the day. |
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| Come night time, the very same pergola changes roles as it creates a charming atmosphere while providing support for the overhead lighting. |
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Another alternative to growing vines/greenery overhead for added protection from the heat of the day is that of a canopy made of canvas or a similar outdoor fabric. Notice how the fabric overhead combined with the outdoor drapes below, beautifully encloses and softens this space while providing protection from the hot afternoon rays.
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If you want to get fancy, consider installing an outdoor kitchen, complete with its own pizza oven. I can guarantee your house will be THE most popular one on the block and you'll never have trouble finding a house sitter when it's time to go out of town. ;-)
This area is designed with shelter overhead...rain will never interfere with dining outdoors here.
This area is designed with shelter overhead...rain will never interfere with dining outdoors here.
For a small two-person gathering in the great outdoors, consider adding a bistro table to your side garden or to an unused corner of your patio. It will create the perfect spot for a shared glass of wine or an afternoon visit with a friend.
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| Dining alfresco doesn't have to be an elaborate, planning-intensive event. Grab some sandwiches from the local deli, a little fruit and a good bottle of wine...then head for the nearest shady spot under the trees. A few cozy cushions, some flowers from your garden placed atop an impromptu tablecloth, and you're all set for a relaxing dinner that's sure to make that hard day at work a distant memory. |
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The single most effective way to make dining outdoors feel extra special is with the use of a white tablecloth. There's just something about the juxtaposition of a "formal" white tablecloth in an outdoor, woodsy setting that instantly tells the senses, this is not going to be an ordinary dining experience.
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| Dining alfresco takes on a whole new feeling when it's done in a secret garden. Imagine dining in seclusion with your special someone, surrounded by a paradise of flowering hydrangea, roses and delphinium. Are those love birds I see inside the cage? ;-) |
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| ~Big Sigh~ No words needed. |
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If you live in the sunny South, there comes a time in the summer when dining alfresco makes you an instant blood donor…willing or not. Want to get the upper hand on those winged vampires? Consider adding a screened-in porch. The shade of a porch, with the added protection of screening, will keep you dining outdoors all summer long.
I would love to hear your favorite outdoor dining experience. Was it dinner at a sidewalk cafe in Paris? Maybe a brown-bag lunch shared with a good friend from a scenic lookout after a long morning hike? What outdoor dining experience left its imprint on your heart?
I would love to hear your favorite outdoor dining experience. Was it dinner at a sidewalk cafe in Paris? Maybe a brown-bag lunch shared with a good friend from a scenic lookout after a long morning hike? What outdoor dining experience left its imprint on your heart?
Ideabook updated on June 10, 2010.
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Just the shear quiet and watching the birds enjoy the food in the bird feeder.
I would love to screen in my porch..it really could only be used 4 months sue to the climate, but we spend as much time as we can out there.. It is on my wish list.
I love your porch!
happily, our new house is a blank slate & we hope to be here for MANY years so we can put all your good inspiration to use! : )
thanks for the beautiful pictures- it's a gray day here in STL, but i know Spring is hiding behind those clouds!