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Sun-drenched Summer Dining and Styling (and ways to get the most out of your garden furniture when the great British weather lets us down!)....
I don’t know about you, but once the summer months come, we spend every spare minute in our little garden, making the most of it while it lasts. That includes eating breakfast, lunch and dinner out there at the weekend. So I’m always on the hunt for summer appropriate tableware. I always think if you’re eating at home, the garden is just an extension of your house so there’s no need for Melamine or Plastic plates…and it doesn’t always have to be tropical, or English country garden themed either. In fact, I wanted to bring you a summer dining table with a sleek, modern edge.
When I spotted these minty green Elinor Sandstone dinner and dessert plates (they also come in Nude and Blue-Grey) it was love of first sight. Shades of sage and minty greens is a huge trend coming through at the moment, so these will have you one step ahead of the game. I also love the contemporary shape, which work perfectly with our modern, matt black garden furniture.
Another huge trend right now is Terrazzo. It started with tiles and worktops but it’s filtering its way down into lighting and other home furnishings and accessories. This is one trend that isn’t going anywhere fast. So how about the Retza Terrazzo Cake Stand, Chopping Board and matching coasters? Yasss, you’re welcome! Probably one of the greatest cake stands I’ve ever seen to be honest and can be used to display fruit, cheese etc when you’re not in a baking mood. The grey and black mix means it will most likely work with your existing white (or pink) tableware too, so will easily transfer inside the house when summer is over. I love seeing the Retza set paired with the pale green Elinor plates for a bang on trend, modern look.
I’ve finished the whole look off with these ribbed glass Carafe and Tumblers, which are part of the Hello Blogzine x La Redoute collaboration. Sleek, simple but super stylish. They compliment the clean lines of the tableware perfectly.
So that’s your summer dining set-up sorted, but what about elsewhere in the garden? I picked out a few of my favourite La Redoute pieces to style up, but given how precarious our British summers can be, I wanted to choose pieces that could get a second lease of life inside the house, when the sun disappears, so that they are not gathering dust in a damp garden shed for several months on end.
The Ibiza armchair has a lovely deep seat which you can sink into with a good book in the sunshine (don’t forget a hat and your Factor 30!). I love the texture of the natural woven cord with the modern powdered black metal. It gives a modern update to traditional garden styles. I added the Lothar Side Table which isn’t technically suitable for outdoors, but as long as you pop it inside when you put your seat cushions away, I don’t see any reason why you shouldn’t use it outside. Plus it’s a perfect match for the Ibiza chair (which also comes in a bench).
One of my go-to’s at La Redoute is always their linen range. From bedding and tablecloths, to cushions, they have a beautiful range of good quality linen. This set-up needed some softness and texture and this natural, frayed Anusha cushion with rustic Olive Green stripes were just the thing, along with the Beha Two-Tone Linen throw.
Lastly you can never have too many plants and I’m a firm believer in mixing up real and faux both inside and outside. La Redoute recently introduced a very realistic range of faux plants and they really are very impressive. The Banana tree and Kwai palm style brought a tropical twist to our urban garden and I picked out this woven basket to sit one of them in. Baskets make perfect plant pots for larger plants, and are especially good for concealing the base of artificial plants.
Let’s imagine it’s started raining…now what? I brought the whole lot indoors and found it a home in our bathroom. And do you know what? I like it even more in there than I do outside, so that is where it is staying. I was looking to add a little something extra in here and the chair slots perfectly into the empty fireplace, while the plants bring a much-needed pop of vibrant colour.
It just goes to show that if you choose wisely you can make your garden furniture work all year round!
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