Tips & Tricks for Patriotic Tablescapes

With the 4^th of July right around the corner, we’re sharing a simple patriotic tablecape with you today!

Summer holidays are so much fun because they lend themselves to a relaxed and lazy atmosphere we don’t always get to enjoy any other time of the year. Our favorite summer get togethers are pot luck style where everyone pitches in to bring their signature dish be it a chilled salad, something hot off the grill, ice-cold watermelon slices or a special beverage.

Most of the time these relaxed dinners are completely impromptu which makes them even more fun. We’re talking walking into the party with flip flops, salty hair and sun kissed skin ready to lazy the night away laughing with family and friends around a big bonfire.

I don’t know about you guys but whenever we’re hosting events like these we try to keep things as easy as possible which means simple farmhouse linens, basic white dinner plates paired with salad plates that may or may not match, textured chargers, and flowers from the garden or the farmer’s market.

It’s in this spirit that we created a simple patriotic tablescape to share with you today. Don’t let this table fool you, while it might look like we went to a lot of fuss this tablescape was organized in just a few easy steps.

Let me show you how we pulled this simple patriotic tablescape together and our favorite tips and tricks so you can create something similar for your next dinner party too…

Begin by Layering Linens – We love linens on the table because they can easily dress the table up or down. In the past, we’ve used vintage tablecloths, pieces of fabric, feed sacks, burlap sacks, nubby linens and even vintage bedspreads. For this patriotic inspired tablescape we created this patriotic inspired table runner from canvas drop cloths which you can find at the hardware store.

Add Texture with Chargers – We’ve used these woven chargers with so many different tablescapes. They’re perfect for everything from coastal inspired place settings to farmhouse inspired place settings and they immediately add texture and warmth to the table.

Add Color with Chargers – Chargers are usually inexpensive, and you can probably even find them at thrift stores or charity shops. These were gold until I spray painted them in Krylon’s Pimento for a cheap way to add color to our patriotic tablescape.

Use Basic White Dinner Plates – I tell everyone I know to get a good set of white dinner plates! I promise, you can use them in so many ways and for every season too.

Add Pattern with Salad Plates – Chilled salads are fabulous during the summer season and are perfect for the 4^th of July weekend. Salad plates are another inexpensive way to add pattern and dress up a basic patriotic tablescape.

Add Color and Pattern with Cloth Napkins – We use cloth napkins nearly every day save for the events we’re hosting that include barbeque. If we’re having a lot of people over at once and we don’t have enough cloth napkins, we’ll pick up some fabric from our local fabric store and make our own napkins. It’s as simple as using a standard cloth napkin as a pattern and then using pinking shears to help with any fraying. It’s another touch that makes a basic tablescape feel special but doesn’t take a lot of time or effort.

Use Vintage Containers or Galvanized Buckets of Flowers as a Centerpiece – Summer is such a great time for flowers! From hydrangeas to roses to peonies and everything in between, pick up your favorite blooms at your local farmer’s market, grocery store or from your cutting garden.

Use Generous Drinking Glasses – Oh my word, you guys, it is so hot in Florida right now and it’s likely hot where you live too! No matter if you’re serving a special beverage, mocktail or a signature summertime drink make sure to have generous drinking glasses or Mason jars on hand.

Save Time by Buying What You Need – It goes without saying, if you’re short on time buy whatever you need to help make your patriotic tablescape, your party, and your nerves feel relaxed. This could include anything from decorations to drink station goodies to flowers or food. Gathering together the elements you need to host family and friends shouldn’t be stressful – it should be a celebration!

I hope these tip and tricks for pulling together a patriotic tablescape have helped.

Remember to make it easy and ask your friends and family to bring their favorite dish. It’s always fun to see what new recipes they’ve been making lately, and summer is a great time to try new things.

If you have any favorite tips or tricks we should know before putting together a patriotic tablescape, let us know! Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo