The holidays are one of the few times of year where we test the logistical boundaries of how many people actually fit around our dinner table and how many people we need to fit around your dinner table. Suddenly a table for four has 12 people crammed around it wearing paper crowns, clinking glasses and passing gravy boats in all directions.
If you’re hosting a summer lunch or a new year’s celebration and the guest list is longer than your dining chairs, fold-out chairs and household stools combined – may we point you to the dining room that has room for everyone? The great outdoors.
Whether it’s your apartment’s balcony or backyard, popping open the outdoor umbrella and setting up a few trestle tables then giving them the Bonnie and Neil table setting treatment will not only visually delight your guests but create ample room. (You’ll also bypass having to ask 12 people to push their chairs in on their way to the bathroom all day.)
This is how we’re ringing in the new year under the sun and our Bonnie and Neil tablescapes for a sunny feast.
From bouquet to table
This tablescape will transport your guests to a botanical oasis in seconds. For this look we’ve layered our pink double waves tablecloth as a base with our sweet tendrils tablecloth with blooming field flowers. To add a little extra charm, we’ve paired alternating napkins for guests in our double waves print and trendrils print with our embroidered Cosmos coasters . For extra comfort, we’ve given our outdoor furniture a boost with our Big Stripe outdoor cushion .
This tablescape also transitions wonderfully to sunset drinks and balmy evening dinners throughout summer with just the double waves tablecloth and Florence striped napkins – it’s the perfect tonal palette that will match your aperol spritz.
Holiday at home
You say holiday, we say hibiscus. There’s no other flower that truly embraces vacation mode quite like this tropical beauty. Whether you’re celebrating a summer lunch at home on the deck or away from home down the coast – take our Hibiscus tablecloth with you (we promise it’s worthy of every inch in your travel bag).
We’ll be setting the table for out-of-office magic with our vibrant hibiscus print with a combination of our loop red napkins and fern and waves green napkins , outdoor cushions in complimentary prints and speckled glassware . The finishing touch? Fresh hibiscus flowers, of course!
Summer in seconds
Sure you could look at the weather app to confirm summer’s arrival or you could do what we do: stroll the aisles of your local green grocer and fill your basket with the return of summer’s glorious fruits. Our Tropics tablecloth is your summer fruit bowl brought to life with beautifully painted pineapples, passion fruits, papayas, melons and more.
For this tablescape, we’ll be layering our Tropics tablecloth with Mixed Surf embroidered fruit napkins, and will be sure to finish off our lunch al fresco with large platters of fresh fruit and bowls of summer berries while sipping our summer drink of choice – Bonnie’s Yuzu Bloody Maria cocktail ( you can find the recipe here ).
Photography by Martina Gemmola and Styling by Natalie Turnbull.
