Summer Open House

Welcome, to my summer dinner party. Today I am doing something a bit different.

You see me and the incredibly talented bloggers of bHome App & Community have organized a special summer open house. 31 bloggers, 31 homes, one amazing week…and even a special $200 giveaway.

Summer is all about relaxing, enjoying friends and family and eating.  Since I know a little something about eating, I thought I would throw a little summer dinner party and show you some photos from behind the scenes for setting the table for a perfect summer soiree

By the way, if you haven’t already downloaded the bHome app, you should. It is a truly fantastic way to follow tons of amazing bloggers in one place (including yours truly).

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When ever I throw a dinner party I start my meal planning a few weeks in advance, thinking of the season and picking my menu based on what will be freshest and readily available at market.  Though I always look to my favorite food blogs for inspiration, I also have an extensive cookbook, magazine collection and I like to sit down at the window seat in my kitchen flipping through the beautiful pages.

The way a table is set contributes to the ambiance of a meal as much as the food and wine.  I was having an informal fun party for the girls, so we could sit and relax and catch up on the comings and goings of our lives.  I wanted the table to be pretty and fun.  I made sure my stemware, flatware and napkins matched and were clean and ready several days before the party.

Creating a mix-and-match table from my collections of china, glassware, and silverware is always fun– and has the benefit of providing me with a unique table setting for each event. Just keep in mind that something should tie the elements together: I used the color scheme as the anchor to pull the pieces together.
Candles are a must for my table,  I have a collection of silver and gold votive’s that I use every time I entertain.  They are pretty and match almost any entertaining scheme.

On each place setting I added some fresh lavender that I cut from my garden, bundled and tied together with butcher’s twine.  A simple and beautiful way of bringing a bit of the summer garden to the table.  

After the menu is chosen, I pick the wine.  If serving a white make sure that it is chilled before the party starts.  I love placing the wine on the table in my copper wine coaster.  It adds rustic warmth and style to any gathering. It provides a beautiful presentation for a bottle of wine – and protects surfaces from condensation and drips.  

Flowers are a must!  Place flowers around your home other than the tabletop.  I love using unusual items that I have around my home as vases.   Like this adorable rain catcher that was a gift from a friend.  It is the perfect size to sit on my kitchen island to show of a bloom or two with some fresh fruit.

Hope you’ve enjoyed my little sneak peek behind the scenes and you are now inspired to throw your own summer dinner party.  Don’t forget to check out the other amazing Summer Home Tours.  You won’t be disappointed!

 MORE SUMMER HOME TOURS

MONDAY

Home Made by Carmona

AKA Design

On Sutton Place

My Soulful Home

TUESDAY

Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Garden Therapy

At The Picket Fence

Unskinny Boppy

Miss Mustard Seed

French Country Cottage

Shabbyfufu

WEDNESDAY

StoneGable

Housepitality Designs

Craftberry Bush

Cupcakes and Crinoline

Shabby Art Boutique

Setting For Four

Home Made by Carmona

In thanks for being part of the bHome family already…or to welcome you today, we are giving away a $200 gift certificate to Painted Fox Treasures. It is simple to enter. Just download bHome (the app) for free and leave me a comment with your bHome username. If you are already a bHome user, just comment and include your user name. Winner will be chosen at random on June 20th and notified with a message on bHome. Android users: don’t worry! We will offer this again when you can download too! Download bHome HERE.