Labor Day weekend. What can I say? Time for a Coke and a smile with friends and family!
I’m actually OK with seeing the end of summer roll around. This summer of 2021 was…interesting.
I have several patriotic tablescapes on this site that I’d be tickled for you to use as inspiration.
Looking for a just good old-fashioned picnic? Click on a link below for ideas!
Have a joyful end of summer!!!!!!!! See you in the fall, y’all!
Juneteenth now has now established its place in history. With origins in Galveston, TX, it commemorates the emancipation of people enslaved right here on American soil as it simultaneously celebrates African American culture. Though not a part of the general American curriculum, it has been celebrated on June 19 of each year since 1866, and it has just been declared a federal holiday. African American history is AMERICAN HISTORY. While the colors of the Pan-African flag – red, black & green – have been more recently associated with Juneteenth, the official flag was red, white & blue as it declared that all previously enslaved American people and their descendants are indeed AMERICANS. Nothing less. The uniforms of the Civil War (1861-1865), fought in part over slavery in American society, eschewed both of these color schemes in favor of blue for the Union (North) and grey for the Confederates (South). My celebration of Juneteenth, lest we forget, unites those uniform colors in harmony and embraces the red, white & blue that stands for ALL AMERICANS in the ongoing, often painfully elusive pursuit of “one nation under God” with “liberty and justice for all.”
I paired my Mother’s beautiful light grey/white center/platinum rim Easterling “Majestic” china with the more contemporary Kate Spade for Lenox “Rutherford Circle Navy” pattern. I love the simplicity of both patterns that transcend time and levels of formality. To lean in the more formal direction this go round I used my Mom’s “Lady Esther” by Queen Esther silverplate flatware and my own Noritake “Spectrum” platinum-rimmed stemware. White ceramic chargers create a unified look around the table.
Crisp white hemstitch napkins are gathered with a floral starburst ring.
The centerpiece is made up of a silver reticulated gallery tray topped with a massive glass globe filled with curly willow branches that encircle a pair of American flags. (My first thought was that the branches represented the branches of our American government, but that got WAY too deep…even for me!🤔) Flanking the bowl are smaller glass globes filled with beautiful red roses from my friend/neighbor, Barbara, and a pair of tall, intricately engraved candlesticks. (That Barbara…she always knows how to cheer me up!🥰)
I absolutely LOVE these Kate Spade bowls! Classic and chic!
On the vitrine, coffee and dessert (I am LOVING all the cool new baking cups found at Home Goods/TJ Maxx/ Marshalls!!!) are served up in high Americana style. I ceremoniously fold and save every flag that we fly on our house, then dutifully drag them out each summer to put on display in our home. The one in the center was given to my Mom upon her retirement from the Missouri Senate.🇺🇸
If you’d like to see more patriotic tablescapes on this blog, check these out:
INSPIRATION: The red & white damask side of a reversible quilted throw.
Here in the Midwest it’s hotter than a firecracker already! We’re enduring scorching sun rays and humidity that’s sure to make your hair droop. The winds have been on the high side, too, which makes it very difficult to tablescape outdoors. My solution: create a tablescape using a heavier quilted topper that won’t so easily blow across the prairie. 🙂
(Click on any photo and then click again to enhance/enlarge it.)
This table for 4 on a 48″ round table starts with a 108″ round white tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. It is topped with a pretty red & white damask quilted throw from Tuesday Morning. The reversible topper is red & white striped on the other side which makes it a great choice for 4th of July and other patriotic tablescapes.
This part table could come into service as a breakfast, brunch, or luncheon setting. The casual nature of the quilted throw and centerpiece items is easily coupled with the more formal china and silver at each place setting. The simplicity of Noritake “Spectrum” china makes it a good choice to work well with the bold design and strong colors of the topper.
Each place setting has a simply folded white cotton hemstitched napkin cinched with a silver-rimmed red metal napkin ring from Bed, Bath & Beyond.
For the fruit compote before the meal or dessert after, this graceful red martini glass from Pier 1 fits the bill. This style was chosen because the ball at the top of the stem mimics that in the water glass and the glass orb in the centerpiece. (Quick story about Pier 1…Ramon & I were in the store closest to our home last week buying a few clearance sale items. The young woman who checked us out asked, “Are you the Alycia Nichols who has the tablescape blog?” You can only imagine that my mouth hit the floor with that, but then she said to Ramon, “And are you Dr. Nichols?” You could have blown us over with a feather! It was nice to be recognized, especially by an employee of a store from which I buy a lot of items to use in my tablescapes! She told us that her Mom turned her onto my blog and that she’s also a Pinterest follower. So a shout out to Nikki at Pier 1 in Lee’s Summit, MO, and her Mom, Jan!)
A simple clear drinking glass complements the setting. Notice the ball in the stem that works so well with the one in the martini glass.
I used flatware with a design that complements that of the topper.
To add to the casual air of the table, the coffee cup, saucer and spoon are pre-set with a little cookie.
Notice how the centerpiece is pushed off to one side of the table. This allows for greater ease in conversation across the smallish table. The galvanized oversized pitcher is whitewashed for a kind of country appeal and filled with apple tree branches. (I used faux here, but by all means if you have the real thing…go for it!!!) A simple white wicker basket is filled with a bounty of apples. (Add a few flags to the table and serve all-American apple pie for dessert, and this instantaneously becomes an overtly patriotic brunch tablescape for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Flag Day!) The clear glass orb atop a white wooden pedestal works because of the coloring, the size and the shape.
Compared to last week’s post, this was a super mini!!! I hope you enjoyed it and that you were perhaps able to collect an idea or two for your next summer tablescape!
Other tablescapes on this site with an off-center centerpiece on this site:
Lemonade From Bill
Planning in Purple
Other tablescapes on this site using a quilted topper or runner:
Tall & Toile, Y’all!
My Sister’s Wedding China
Casual Fall Harvest Dinner
Kaleidoscope Christmas
Love’s Arrow
Rhapsody in Blue
Other tablescapes on this site with a patriotic theme:
All-American Seafood Boil
4th of July Coastal Style
Stars & Stripes
Lauren in the Library
Show Me State Dinner
Red, White & Blueberries
American Royal Tablescape
Peacefully Patriotic
I’ll be joining Christine at Rustic & Refined again on Monday for “Table It!“. I’ll also join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for another edition of “Tablescape Thursday”. If you come along for the parties, you’re sure to find plenty of inspiration and help with planning your next tablescape!
I’m linking this week to Cuisine Kathleen‘s “Summer Whimsy” tablescape challenge!
What says summer more than the 4th of July? While this is a photo-intensive post, I hope each of you will be able to get at least one idea for your own nautical-inspired or Independence Day, Flag Day, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day or other patriotic celebration.
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge/enhance it.) 
This casual patriotic table for 8 is set on our back deck.
The table begins with a white stretch tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. If you’re new to this blog, please allow me to introduce you to one of the most fabulous inventions for casual dining ever!!! These babies just slip right over the table top and down to be secured by the legs. Voila! Done! And what’s best of all…I honestly just scrunch these up and stuff them in a drawer for storage. Pull them out and put them on the table with NO IRONING necessary. A true wonder! They come in a variety of colors in 4-, 5-, and 8′ x 30″ sizes at LinenTablecloth.com.
Square white melamine plates from Target are topped with these mix-and-matched nautical-inspired salad plates from Home Goods, one with a massive ship and the other with a compass. Melamine sure has come a long, long way since I was a child!
I found the fun navy stars & stripes plastic tumblers on the clearance shelves at Target a few years ago. The navy & white striped cotton placemats are from Bed, Bath & Beyond. Contrasting against the navy blue is a solid red napkin from LinenTablecloth.com. The white flatware is from T.J. Maxx.
These red, white and blue stretch chair covers from LinenTablecloth.com are one of the most fun and unexpected elements of the tablescape. Like the tablecloths, they just slip right on and are secured beneath the feet in mere seconds. They, too, can be balled up and stored without worry of telltale wrinkles when you’re ready to use them. (Use them with coordinating or contrasting stretch sashes for a different look!)
The centerpiece is a relatively simple one using a trio of potted red geraniums along with a series of clear glass cylinders for candles and votives. The larger cylinders hold a white LED (for safety!) pillar candle surrounded by a Z Gallerie seashell candle ring. The elevated cylinder votive holders are from Pier 1.
The buffet table on one end of the deck is laden with drinks and desserts for after the main feast.
The buffet line begins with a tower of creamy white starfish plates (Tuesday Morning) offset by a bright red striped cloth for making short order of spills. Patriotic paper cocktail napkins bring a little sizzle.
I found this terrific red chicken wire basket at Home Goods earlier this year. Here it holds assorted breads, but it could be used for a variety of purposes. A heavy blue crockery bowl offers up potato chips while cheery red metal colanders are a fun way to serve up juicy strawberries and blueberries.
My good friend, Monica, recently gifted me with 30+ melamine trays. When I saw these 2, I just about went bonkers with glee. I knew they would be perfect for this setting! The captain’s bell is from Home Goods.
Cupcakes with cherries on top (from the tree George Washington allegedly chopped down?) are displayed on a patriotic ceramic cake stand from Hobby Lobby.
The opposite end of the buffet has lots of goodies. This canoe was used just as a prop for my “All-American Seafood Boil” a couple of years ago. Today it is lined, filled with ice, and used to hold fruit and beverages. An old iron boat pulley hangs casually from the side on the end, its hook nestled among a throng of seashells. Wooden mallets and metal seafood crackers from World Market are displayed beneath a “Steamed Crabs” sign from Home Goods.
Another of the wonderful nautical/patriotic melamine trays from Monica is used here to hold lemonade. The red stars & stripes plastic drinkware was purchased at Target and complements the tumblers used on the dining table.
Here’s the kind of food we’d grill up. That lobster looks like he knows what’s comin’, and I think he’s trying to make a run for it! It’s already too late for the crab! 🙂
It’s nice to have a “living room” setting outdoors for guests to enjoy a cocktail before dinner or to linger after. Our wrought iron furniture is decked out in a variety of comfy red, white & blue pillows. A star-trimmed jute rug “connects” the settee and chairs. A patriotic wind sock softly billows from the overhang.
The side table is covered with a 108″ red tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. A fishnet overlay is a nod to the nautical theme.
The wrought iron baker’s rack in a corner of the deck is laden with fun nautical and patriotic elements, mostly from Hobby Lobby. The metal stars are from Old Time Pottery.
Other tablescapes on this site with a nautical, patriotic, and/or seashell theme:
All-American Seafood Boil
Stars & Stripes
Lauren in the Library
Show Me State Dinner
Flamingos in Paradise
Ocean Blue – Starfish & Seashells
Caribbean Queen
Tropicana
Summer Breeze
Old Navy Seafood Cruise
Peacefully Patriotic
A Coke & A Smile – Summer’s Last Hurrah
You’re bound to find lots of great summertime tablescapes if you join me at the following blog parties:
Christine’s Rustic & Refined “Table It!” (starting Monday)
Cuisine Kathleen‘s “Let’s Dish!” (Wednesday after 5:00 p.m. CDT)
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch‘s “Tablescape Thursday” (Thursday after 9:00 a.m. CDT)
Tablescapes at Table /Twenty-One 