How to: Create a Beachy Tablescape in Your Own Back Yard

To me, it really isn’t summer until I can put my feet in the sand once again. With all that’s been going on in the world, travel just isn’t possible right now. So I decided to create a beachy tablescape on the deck and go there virtually instead! Better still… I created two!

This past weekend we invited friends over that we have not seen since Christmas. We are vigilant with our social distancing and decided to do two small get togethers instead of a larger gathering. We planned a luncheon with two couples and dinner with two others.

I was thrilled to finally spend some time with friends and since I’m missing our summers on the ocean, I decided a coastal theme was in order. It is the first time using my new outdoor table and I’m so excited!

A Beachy Luncheon with a Nautical Vibe

Our guests for lunch were old friends from our boating days. With that in mind, I decided a nautical theme would be in order. Therefore, the color blue would be prominent for this tablescape.

To start, I needed a pretty centerpiece. Blue Hydrangea with some white Adams Needle Yucca mixed in fit my theme perfectly. I used simple clear ball jars for vases and placed them on some fish netting from my craft bin.

Looking for a reason to do these cute sailboat napkins for quite awhile now, I knew this would be the perfect time. (I’ve shared the folds I used to create them at the end of this post.)

I have never been one for a completely coordinated table. Years ago when we were just starting out, purchasing a complete set of dishes was low on the totem pole. Back then, my dishes consisted of whatever I could find at the thrift store. Years later and with several complete sets of dishes for every occasion, I still find myself mixing and matching!

Navy blue placemats were perfect for my theme. I mixed my white chargers with some vivid blue ones. To make it more interesting, I used baby blue plates with a couple of white ones mixed in as well. Navy blue salad plates, seaside water glasses, and of course the sailboat napkins would complete each individual setting.

To add to the nautical vibe, I placed a sailboat on one end of the table and a beachy style lantern to the other.

Royal blue candles in metal lighthouse holders worked nicely to enhance the theme.

Beverage Anyone?

Since it was a really hot day, I wanted to get beverages on ice beforehand. There was no need to wait until they arrived to ask their preference…we know them well. The majority of us are wine drinkers but I knew I needed to frost a couple beer mugs as well.

I thought my shark wine glasses would be just right for the days setting. They are really fun with a red wine and if I was doing a Jaws party, I would have made sure to do that! But today’s menu calls for white. The glasses came from an Etsy shop simply called Glasshouseglassware.com.

I had picked up this shell sink at a garage sale thinking it would make a cute summer planter. Since I never got around to doing that this year, I found I had a much better use for it!

Apparently, I forgot to send out an evite to my grandpuppy, Ari. She decided to join us nonetheless!

I added just one final touch to let our guests know we’ve missed them and were so happy that they were here. This printable came years ago from a blogger I followed. She has since gone on to other things but this remains one of my favorites. I framed a copy for each couple to take with them today.

It turned out to be a great afternoon! We were excited for the evening as well!

Dinner in the Tropics

Dinner was a bit more casual than my luncheon. We invited old friends that we have enjoyed more than one Jimmy Buffett concert through the years. Parrotheads are always attracted to the like!

I did my best to provide a tropical atmosphere to go with the background music. My husband’s famous pina coladas will transport us to Margaritaville if the setting fails no doubt! Toasted coconut… yum!

I had searched the nearby flower shops for some Bird of Paradise, Hibiscus, or Pagoda Ginger to craft a centerpiece from but to no avail. The Hydrangeas from the afternoon luncheon seemed out of place so I opted for a plant instead.

For dinner, I decided to use my woven placemats from Hobby Lobby. I actually purchased these in anticipation of my fall tablescapes. While they give the tropical feel for this setting, I believe when paired with pumpkins and corn they will take on the new season perfectly.

The gorgeous Hawaiian Shirt salad plates were a gift from my favorite sister in law as were the silver pineapple candle holders! (No… you can’t have her! I’m keeping her!).

To keep the Margaritaville vibe going, I set out my flip flop clock, permanently set to 5:00… It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere after all! Just as with the luncheon this afternoon, I wanted a small gift to let our friends know how much we love spending time together. I created this printable with our many Buffet concerts in mind. It is available in the Printable Library if you are a Parrothead too!

We had a wonderful evening and I am so grateful for all of our amazing friends! This day will be a favorite memory forever.

Hang in there

If there is a shut down still in place where you are, I hope things get better soon. I know how hard it is to be away from family and friends. I have needed inspiration in recent days to keep a positive attitude and have found that in the many quotes I love so much. I’ve shared them in my latest post Inspirational Quotes. As a member, you can print them directly from the library with your password.

If you haven’t joined us yet, I hope you will! We’ve done some fun decorating through the summer months so far. I will keep you up to date on all the latest decorating trends, DIY ideas, and there are more fun printables to come. You can sign up below, confirm your subscription, and an email with your password will be in your inbox in minutes. Thanks for stopping by!

Fabric Sailboat Napkins