Outdoor Dining Refresh

Thank goodness for summer! It’s the perfect time for fresh air and new views, especially after being cooped up last year, right? We’re trying to make up for that by spending as much time outside as we can. The boys and I have been spending our days playing tennis, swimming and jumping on the trampoline; soaking in all the extra sunlight.

The boys hardly want to come inside so I thought, why not have dinner outside, too? To me, taking our family meal outside is like a cherry on top of these summer days. Besides, after all that activity it doesn’t hurt to keep the sweaty bodies outside until after dinner. You know what I mean? There was no better time than now to create a cozy spot with a dining room refresh, outdoor style! (Products listed and linked at the end.)

Behind the Design

I’m a neutral loving gal at heart so naturally I gravitate towards a classic black, white, grey, and brown pallet. Sounds boring, right? Nay, I say! I’m a firm believer that you can always add in pops of color through accents like florals and fresh produce, and of course, your food. Scroll to see what I mean…

When searching online, I kept my eyes peeled for things that I knew I could use all year round. (Hence, the neutral tones!) Birch Lane had everything I needed. I started with the black and white woven placemats as the base and then built the rest of the table setting around them. The farmhouse style napkins are so classic with their faded black stripes and also paired well with the placemats.

I wanted this refresh to be pretty but also functional so an ice bucket had to be on the list! Do you have one? (I’ve never had one until now, but my sister does and she uses hers all the time.) They’re so handy, especially for an outdoor meal. The rattan ice bucket and napkins rings matched perfectly and added a natural element to the table. OK, so maybe napkin rings aren’t essential, but for minimal cost they totally tied in the ice bucket and leveled up the setting up a few notches, don’t you think?

So let’s take a second and talk about the dinnerware, because the details are so impressive! Would you believe me if I told you they are melamine? They look like handmade pottery, but come without the worry of breaking! With two boys and a concrete porch, unbreakable is something I can appreciate.

It was so much fun creating this outdoor dining room! I envisioned it being more formal than our usual paper plate setting, but not overly fussy either. I looked for things that would stand the test of time, but still speak to my style. This neutral combo really feels like such a good compromise. What I really love about a refresh like this is that it doesn’t matter how big your space is. You can make it cozy for 2 people or 10. Better yet, it can all be used for dining inside, too. (Insert happy dance here!)

I love creating a beautiful but functional space, but the chef’s kiss is what really happens around this table. Eating dinner together as family! It is a big deal to us and this refresh is only going to add to the memories we make. I can’t wait to host an outdoor dining experience for our family and friends. I can already imagine all the belly laughs and good conversation to happen right here. I sure wish you could join us!

Have a wonderful rest of the summer and…

Happy Dining,