How to Create a Budget-Friendly Summer Tablescape Using What You Already Have
Fresh blue and green summer tablescape. These items were pulled out of my collection, meaning that it was budget friendly, and I could justify keeping them.
One of the biggest misconceptions about entertaining at home is that every gathering needs a new set of decorations.
I must admit, looking longingly at the beautiful images on Pinterest and Instagram, I fall into that trap more often than I want to admit.
But, each gathering doesn’t need a long list of designer linen and crockery to look beautiful
In fact, some of my favourite table settings have come together simply by looking around the house with fresh eyes and asking, “What could work together that I’ve never paired before?”
This blue and green summer tablescape is a perfect example of this.
Almost everything on this table was already sitting in a cupboard waiting to be used. A different tablecloth, some faux hydrangeas I’d owned for years, a handful of green glassware and two tiny ceramic birds became a table that felt fresh, relaxed and wonderfully summery.
If you’re looking for summer table decorating ideas on a budget, here’s how to recreate the look.
Choose a colour palette for your summer tablescape
For me, it was blue.
Not a bright, seaside blue, but the soft, dreamy blue of hydrangeas in full flower.
Changing the tablecloth from the plain white one I originally chose, to a pale blue toile instantly transformed the room. The pattern added interest without overwhelming the table and created the perfect backdrop for everything that followed.
If you don’t own toile, don’t worry. A subtle stripe, small floral print or even a plain pale blue cloth creates the same relaxed summer feeling. If you don’t have a cloth, even a flat bedsheet works well.
I’ve found most of my table linen at local thrift stores and they’ve all cost me less than $5.
Add Green to Bring the Garden Indoors
Hydrangeas are never just blue.
They’re surrounded by fresh green leaves, and that’s what makes the flowers sing.
Adding a soft green table runner down the centre of the table echoed that garden feeling and stopped the blue from feeling flat.
Blue and green are one of my favourite colour combinations because nature has already proved they belong together.
Use simple white dinnerware
Whenever I create a themed table, I almost always reach for our plain white Corelle plates.
Simple white crockery lets everything else have its moment, while adding freshness.
Rather than buying themed dinnerware, I added personality with paper napkins printed with blue hydrangeas. They reinforced the colour palette and theme without making the table feel overly matched.
The finishing touch was a pair of tiny ceramic blue birds that I’d picked up years ago in a garden centre.
They normally sit on my dressing table, but I thought they deserved a place on the dining table to help anchor the summer garden theme.
Faux, or, reuseable hydrangeas are always on hand. They do not rely on my gardening skills, or availability at the florist. Stored well, they will keep looking fresh and clean for many years.
The cut-glass jug that I bought at a flea market 30 years ago filled with ice water, two ceramic birds that usually sit on my dressing table, and my ‘reuseable’ hydrangeas (oh ok, they’re fake) combine to create a cool and airy tablescape for a hot summers day.
Use Faux Flowers Without Apology
Fresh hydrangeas would have been lovely.
I didn’t have any, and my attempts to grow them over the years have been…unsuccessful. So much so, that I’m surprised that my photo with a warning of ‘do NOT sell plants to this woman’ isn’t hung in all of the garden centres in my area
So I used faux ones instead. They are reliably on hand when I need them, and I don’t need to run from florist to supermarket and back again hoping to find just the right colour on the day I need them. I’m pretty sure that I found these in Spotlight, but I spotted others in Kmart recently, for only about $12.
These flowers were arranged in two green glass tumblers rather than one large vase, to keep a clear sight-line across the table.
One of the nicest things about decorating with faux flowers is that they allow you to create seasonal tables whenever inspiration strikes, not just when the flowers happen to be blooming.
Style Your Summer Table with Drinks and Fresh Citrus
One of the prettiest decorations on this table wasn’t decoration at all.
A cut-glass jug filled with sparkling water, sliced lime and fresh mint added sparkle, fragrance and another touch of green.
This refreshing drink was also inadvertently part of the table decoration. The greens of the lime and mint also tied in with the green and blue theme.
If I’d thought about it, I could have added blueberries to the water, or frozen them I to the ice cubes, just for the extra boost of colour and flavour.
The Secret Isn’t Buying More
When I stepped back from the finished table, I realised that almost nothing on it was new. I had walked around my house and chosen items added to the theme I wanted to evoke.
A pair of ceramic blue birds, a little silver box.
Maybe next time I will add a small stack of books with blue covers with a candle in a jar on top.
That’s the real secret to creating a beautiful summer tablescape.
Start with one colour palette, layer in natural textures, use what you already own and don’t underestimate the impact of one or two thoughtful details.
Creating a welcoming table has very little to do with spending money and everything to do with making ordinary things feel special.
Perhaps that’s why I enjoy it so much. It stretches my creativity, gives me the opportunity to use decor items from around the house that I love, and saves me money.
A little challenge for you…
Next time you’re setting the table, choose a single colour from your garden, favourite china or even a tea towel, then see how many things around your home echo that colour.
You might be surprised by how much beauty is already waiting in your cupboards.
Do you have a favourite way to bring some personality to your table? I’d love to hear about it.
