Eating alfresco is one of the joys of summertime, but here in the UK we’ve had to endure one of the wettest, and coldest, starts to the summer that I can remember. The strong winds and whipping rain have left my garden in rather a sorry state, so although we’d planned to shoot this latest table get together out under the apple tree, we decided to make the most of the early evening light and bring it indoors. Hopefully, once the mercury rises, we’ll manage to squeeze in another summery table affair en plain air.

After picking out the flowers, my starting point for this tablescape was choosing the the cloth and napkins. Rather than plump for one of my lovely, failsafe plain coloured linen tablecloths, I’ve used a length of striped fabric from Merchant & Mills (it’s about two metres, I think). The style works well as I found I could then pick pieces that echo the mix of colours in the stripe, which are a mustard yellow, teal grey and pale peachy pink.

But the star of the show have to be the gorgeous blousy peonies and vibrant roses. I think turquoise and fuchsia pink are such a joyful combination. The idea came to me when I put some of the red roses my husband bought me for valentine’s day (which were most unexpected!) into one of our turquoise Braunton beakers that I use as a pencil pot on my desk. These double up beautifully as vases, and I used two filled will harmonious hues of crimson and magenta peonies as the anchoring point on the table.

I’ve said it before, but for me a table setting is not complete without candles, whatever the time of year. I continued the theme of celebrating bold colour by using some of the yellow candles I bought from Closett and Botts (a lovely lifestyle store in Lewes who are also online). They come in teal, too, which I also bought and considered using here, but decided one colour worked best in the end. They are the slim taper style that fit perfectly in our Hilda candle holders, which are new to our range this year.

Our brand new turquoise Clevedon jug fit perfectly into the scheme, and I added some height with our large black and white Birdie jug, filled with candy pink climbing roses that a friend kindly gifted me from her garden. The linen mix napkins are from H&M; they were originally white but I dyed them last autumn using avocado stones, which has produced a lovely, subtle apricot pink tone.

On the menu were some very simple, vibrant strawberry tarts made using shop bought pastry tartlets that I filled with a mix of mascarpone, greek yoghurt, a few dollops of lemons curd and some vanilla paste. Once I’d arranged the strawbs on top I dotted them with tiny leaves of thyme. We drank lightly sparkling rose until the clouds rolled in and the light quickly faded; the perfect time to light the candles and cosy up for an evening of dominoes and easy conversation.

Five Simple Tips for Creating a Beautiful (and Relaxed) Table Setting

Choose seasonal flowers that will determine the colour scheme (and the look) for your table setting. Of course you don’t have to pick one or two colours- if you’re going for a wild summer garden feel, you may be incorporating many colours, but remember to keep it simple.
Pick out a tablecloth that compliments your flowers and doesn’t overpower them. Try using lengths of fabric to mix things up a little, you don’t need to use a shop bought tablecloth
Next, choose your tableware and glasses carefully so that they tone perfectly with with your flowers and sit harmoniously with your tablecloth. Don’t be afraid of using white but, if you do, keep everything else to one or two key colours.
Candles bring a sense of occasion but also set the scene for a relaxed vibe and suggest the day might linger into evening (keep an eye on them if you’re using dried flowers in your arrangements!). I tend to go for an even number of candles but there are no hard and fast rules here.
Lastly, soften your space with tactile, textured cushions and throws that can be placed on a bench or slung over chairs to create a comfy, inviting atmosphere.

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5 Simple Tips for Creating a Beautiful Summer Tablescape