Entertaining · Party/Tablescapes

An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two

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The weather here has been utterly oppressive, with back-to-back days in the mid-nineties for the last several weeks. However, a front came through last night and gifted us with a beautiful sunny day with low humidity and a relatively mild high of 85°. In celebration of this unexpected but much-appreciated weather, I decided to create an impromptu outdoor dining table for my husband and me on the screened porch. We have an umbrella table that seats eight on our deck, but I thought it would be more intimate to set a small table for just the two of us. Also, dining on the screened porch means we wouldn’t have to cover ourselves in bug spray from head to toe just to eat dinner.

An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two

Last Christmas, on impulse, I bought these colorful plates I’d found at Hobby Lobby. They had a fun pattern that caught my eye, but because of the somewhat unusual color combination and the fact they only had two of them, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with them. However, since I just needed a pair of plates for my impromptu outdoor dining table, I thought I’d try to build a tablescape around these funky finds. With these plates as a starting point, I knew I would have to get creative with finding other elements I could use to coordinate with them.

Whimsical salad plate serves as the inspiration for an Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two
I wanted to use these whimsical and colorful salad plates on my outdoor table for two, but I didn’t know if I had anything I could combine with them to make a cohesive tablescape.

I thought that the color navy would make an excellent foundation for the table. Because I didn’t have a navy tablecloth, a twin-sized navy sheet worked well as a floor-length tablecloth.

Colorful summer place setting for An Impromptu Outdoor Table For Two
I wanted to include some additional pattern on my table. However, I knew that I didn’t have any print table linens that would go with my plates. I always buy pretty wrapping paper when I see it. And I remembered that I had purchased a small roll of brightly colored paper from World Market a while back. When I dug it out, I realized that it coordinated with the plates perfectly and would serve as a fun table runner.
A Mandarin orange adds a pop of color to the plate stack on An Impromptu Outdoor Table For Two
I layered turquoise placemats over the navy “tablecloth” and wrapping paper runner. I then created my dish stack with navy dinner plates, salad plates, and mini green milk glass cake stands. I topped the cake stands with greenery from my yard and added a Mandarin orange for a pop of color.
Beaded bracelets make a lovely napkin ring on An Impromptu Outdoor Table For Two
I cinched navy blue and turquoise napkins together with makeshift napkin rings made from pale sea green beaded bracelets pilfered from my jewelry box.

Flower arrangement with Hydrangeas, Stock, Roses, Privet, and Mandarin Oranges for An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two
The floral arrangement echoes the colors in the plates and consists of white Hydrangeas and pink Stock from the grocery store, as well as Knockout Roses and Privet from my yard. I added Mandarin Oranges on skewers to tie in with the oranges at each place setting.

Flower arrangement with Mandarin Oranges for An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two

Colorful summer flowers and Mandarin Oranges for An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two

An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two

Sea glass in the bottom of the vase brings the turquoise color up from the table surface and onto the flower arrangement.
Water and sea glass candleholders on An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two
Small globe bud vases filled with water and sea glass cabochons coordinate with the flower vase and serve as candleholders.

An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two

I hesitated to purchase these colorful salad plates because I didn’t think I had anything to go with them. By thinking outside the box and incorporating unexpected items from around my home, I created a pretty and coordinated impromptu outdoor dining table. Now I just have to figure out what to fix for dinner!

An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table, #Outdoordining, #Summertablescape, #Romanitictable, #Outdoordiningtable

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12 thoughts on “An Impromptu Outdoor Dining Table For Two”

  2. Beautiful! So jealous that you are able to grow such lovely roses in your garden– I’ve never managed to grow anything fit for display haha

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much. I am just beginning to nurse my roses back after they had been munched on by marauding deer.

      Reply

  3. Beautiful as always. Particularly like the floral arrangement. Nice touch with the oranges.

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Cathy for your kind comment. I looked for orange flowers but couldn’t find anything that was quite right. I saw the small Mandarin oranges and I thought they were the perfect color. Sometimes things just fall into place.

      Reply

  6. Oh How Beautiful!

    I love the idea of the wrapping paper! I am going to look at wrapping paper with a much better eye… now that you gave me inspiration.

    I sure hope your evening was a delight. and the heat stayed away!
    ~Nancy

    Reply

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