With the season beginning to warm up it's time for one of my all time favorite activities...outdoor dining. And because I tend to eat almost all my lunches and many of my dinners outdoors, I've learned a few tricks to making it look extravagant with minimal effort. So I thought I'd walk you through my recent alfresco meal and share how I dressed the table.
First off, I pulled my old chippy table and chairs out from behind the wood pile. Yes, you read that right. I used a vintage grain sack for the tablecloth which conveniently covered up a multitude of sins. Next I went inside and grabbed a giant basket and filled it with votive candles, a couple plates, flatware and glasses.
Doesn't candle light make everything look better? I also found a bowl of strawberries in the fridge so I brought them out and set them inside a wire cloche.
Next up was snipping a few flowers from my rose bushes and setting them inside a garden urn from the potting bench.
Grilled chicken salad was on the menu and a few dinner rolls from the bakery at Costco. See? I told you simple.
They just look more appetizing inside a candy dish and topped with a wire nest.
All of this took about 15 minutes to put together. The biggest time saver is gathering everything you need at once. Just go around your house, garage, potting shed and pantry to see what catches your eye. It's like a grown up scavenger hunt. The biggest benefit is how enjoyable your meal will be no matter what's on the menu and how taking the time to create the atmosphere will set the tone for a relaxing evening. The perfect ending to any day!