Some of the best outdoor dining experiences are right in our own backyards. Let me show you how to bring your indoor dining room outside this summer fashionably.
I’m excited to be joining 11 other very talented bloggers today, too, who are also sharing their outdoor dining spaces with you, hosted by Pasha is Home.
If you are joining me from Melanie over at My Sweet Savannah Blog, welcome! Don’t you just love her post all about Alfresco dining? Melanie is so very talented…
1. Start with a Dining Room Table
Today I start with my parent’s small antique drop leaf dining room table as my foundation.
Drop leaf tables are very easy to maneuver and relocate to the outside.
Antique wood tables look both cozy and fashionable as you create and bring your dining room outside.
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.”
SHOP DROP LEAF VINTAGE TABLES
Antique drop leaf tables can be found in a variety of price ranges. Sometimes you can find them affordably at your local thrift shop or Habitat for Humanity too.
Speaking of, I found an adorable old oak dresser with an attached mirror at our Habit for Humanity out of Kennebunk, Maine over the weekend. Stay tuned for that makeover! Hint, it’s going into our small attic guest bedroom.
2. Tablecloth
“To tablecloth or not to tablecloth”, this is always the question! Personally, I love a table without a tablecloth. Especially an antique wooden table such as this one.
However, I feel like an outdoor table looks more clean and decorative with a tablecloth. So I made a quick visit to Hutchinsons Antiques in downtown Ogunquit, my go-to place for affordable vintage tablecloths, and found a small blue vintage tablecloth for just $18.
You may also enjoy This Summer’s Thrift Store Decor Finds.
Do you enjoy thrifting? Join me here every month in the blog series “Thrifting with the Gals“.
This small tablecloth allows the wooden table to still show, yet provides a nice colorful protection from the elements.
See how I safely clean these vintage textiles in the post, How to Safely Bring Age Stained Textiles Back to Life
You may also enjoy the post, Entertain with Red, White, and Blue! Easy Summer Table Trimmings.
SHOP VINTAGE TABLE LINENS
I decided to drop one of the table leaves down and caddy-corner the table cloth for a little more character.
3. Create a Centerpiece
Enjoy a bouquet of your favorite flowers from the supermarket, garden, farm stand, or even the casual roadside wildflowers or weeds, etc…
There are so many options when it comes to creating A flower centerpiece. Choose your favorite basket, vase, pitcher, terracotta pot, milk glass vase, McCoy, crocks, trophies, etc…
Check out these 15+ flower arrangement posts for more centerpiece ideas.
Here I transferred the flowers from the basket to a small vintage McCoy vase. Super cute and colorful.
SHOP VINTAGE MCCOY VASES
And you may enjoy the post How to Create Beautiful Summer Weed Arrangements.
Set the Table
Decorating an outdoor table with thrifted and vintage finds is one of my favorite things to do. Mixing various patterns, choosing the colors, glassware, candles, etc…
Keeping it simple without much fuss is important too. After all, you want to enjoy your outdoor dining room table while keeping the clean-up to a minimum.
First I add two large pewter candlesticks from my mother’s extensive pewter collection. Pewter really adds a beautiful appeal to an outdoor dining room table. Its natural elements and rugged style pair wonderfully.
SHOP PEWTER CANDLESTICKS
Vintage Blue and White Place Settings
I decided to use pewter plates as chargers on this outdoor dining room table to match the candlesticks and dress them with collected vintage blue and white dishes.
The first set is Enoch Wood’s English Scenery / Wood & Sons 1784. See more of this beautiful porcelain set in the post Set the Table in Blue.
SHOP WOODS & SONS DISHWARE
The second set, found at a yard sale, is J & G Meakin England Classic White NORDIC.
You may also enjoy the post, A Very Simple Vintage Plates and Windows DIY created with these same dishes.
SHOP J & G MEAKIN ENGLAND CLASSIC DISHWARE
I added four of my mother’s vintage wine glasses and flatware.
Along with 3 thrifted chairs and two of them were actually free. See How I Thrifted These for Free here.
SHOP VINTAGE CHAIRS
You may also enjoy:
4 Things You Need to Know About This Old Chair
Charming Antique Table and Chairs for Two
The Cutest Little Outdoor Beverage Table
How to Create an Outdoor Dining Oasis
How to Refinish a Wood Table in Less Than 1 Hour
After enjoying dinner, we’ll fire up this fire pit we made from rocks around our property.
I’ve created the above custom pin just for this post! Hearing from you makes my day; your comments mean so much! Please join me over on Instagram and Pinterest to see more!
Love the look … what did you serve to keep it easy and simple? Need to recreate this look on my patio.
Hi Paulette. I find pasta is the easiest for outdoor dining 🍝
This is so lovely Ann! Your table is so sweet and I love the linens and dishes and centerpieces. It’s fun to see it all come together with your gathered treasures and beautiful style!
Ann your table is beautiful!! I love how you used vintage pieces to make a gorgeous tablescape!!
Thank you so much, Aliya!
Ann – I love this quaint idea! Your vintage table and items on it are so perfect!!
Thanks kindly Pasha!
Loving all of your vintage touches. Taking them outside just makes my heart happy!!
Thanks so much Libbie!
What a gorgeous table, Ann! I love the linen and those plates are gorgeous!
xoxo
Loving the vintage vibes!
Thanks so much Melanie🤗🤗
So pretty, Ann. I always love to see how you incorporate unique vintage finds into your decor. And I LOVE the pretty blue dishes. Happy to be hopping with you today. Pinnd!
Thanks so much Jen💙💙
It looks beautiful!! I love the tablecloth you chose and the simplistic nature of it all just fits the outside aesthetic perfectly.
Thank you so much Rachel. I’m so glad you dropped by💙💙
Ann, you always present a pretty view! Your table cloth finds are beautiful and so is your table! Dining outside is always so fun. Always a pleasure to hop with you, friend!
Thanks kindly Kim🫶🏻
Ann,
I love your table outside. The vintage pieces just make it.
Thanks so much Rachel🫶🏻
Just beautiful!
What is the tiny round ble and white piece holding something.on.your table?
Thank you Ethel. I think you mean the little pottery mugs holding the flatware💙