Vintage Inspired Summer Dining
Add interest to your tabletop with reclaimed ceramics and summer flowers
I don’t know about you but I have enough plates, dishes and serving bowls to host a whole army of hungry guests. I’m addicted to ceramics and can’t resist snapping up bargains at antique markets, charity shops and vintage fairs. I’m also a sucker for newly crafted pieces especially the simple lines of Japanese ceramics as they tend to go well with the patterned vintage plates piling up on my kitchen shelves. Of course nothing matches but I kind of like it that way and it means that my growing collection gets used every once in while.
Simple Tabletop Style
These warm August evenings are ideal for alfresco dining but don’t worry if you don’t have outdoor space; these summer tabletop tips are just as good indoors with the shutters and kitchen windows flung wide open.
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Create Your Look
Create a French bistro mood with a length of gingham used as a tablecloth - a linen bedsheet is just as good - or a summery floral print such as the Tana Lawn fabric, above, from Liberty.
Fill pre-loved wine glasses, champagne glasses or even vintage teacups with summer mocktails, cocktails or wine to create a special welcome.
Arrange mis-matched vintage plates and dishes around the table or pile them high if you are expecting lots of guests. There’s currently a selection of French vintage finds on my webshop Mason & Painter
Use reclaimed bowls or breadboards for bread, cheese and salads.
Serve cutlery in old jam jars and place around the table. Wide rimmed jam jars are perfect for tea light candles, if you plan on dining into dusk.
Add summer posies to your table setting or single stem flowers in reclaimed bottles. Or welcome guests with a handwritten name card and small bunches of herbs tied with string, shown in the images above.
And finally, for a simple, faff-free pudding serve fresh seasonal fruit in reclaimed dishes alongside gooey cheese and crackers.
Create: A Colourful Summer Bouquet
Extend the summer mood by creating a vibrant seasonal bouquet with this easy, step-by-step guide.
From late May and through to early September the summer growing season offers a wonderful variety of shape and colour. I’ve chosen flowers readily available in grocery stores and florist - if you have a garden or allotment cut some fresh favourites and add foliage from these suggestions:
Delphinium, cornflower, hydrangea, cosmos, viburnum, geranium, sunflower, stocks, poppies and leafy greens such as jasmine leaf, eucalyptus or birch.
What you will need: A selection of seasonal summer blooms, scissors or secateurs,
a vase or jug of your choice half-filled with water.
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Start with the tallest, most dramatic piece such as a sunflower and place in your vase. Trim the stalks as you go and remove any leaves that sit below the water line as this will help preserve your flowers and keep the water clean.
Add the medium sizes next, using different heights and shapes to add interest. Try fresh greenery for structure; we used a frond of jasmine leaves but eucalyptus and birch make very good alternatives. Place towards the front and sides of the vase to create balance.
Start to add different textures and forms such as colourful stocks, delphiniums or frothy white cosmos.
Stand back to check the balance - you should be able see the tallest, the mid height and the smaller flowers. Now soften your bouquet and add contrasting pops of colour with dainty cornflowers, poppies or geraniums.
Adjust or add more pieces until you’re happy with the final shape and proportion and place your summer bouquet in a favourite spot such as a mantelpiece or kitchen table.
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For a variety of colour & shape try adding more greenery or seasonal grasses. Top tip: supermarket flowers are great value and are often locally sourced this time of year.
The finished arrangement in a Mexican handmade jug from Milagros, styled with vintage paintings and ceramics from a selection in my webshop at Mason & Painter
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Some fresh stock vintage plates at Mason & Painter (top images) and my breakfast this morning in bowl from Nom with cutlery by Robert Welch. Gingham fabric from Merchant & Mills
Thank you, as always, for checking in. Until next time, take care, Michelle xx