This year I am hosting friends at our home for the 4th of July. In the past, my husband and I have spent this holiday in a variety of locations (Beach, Mountains, Bay, DC) with both formal and informal settings. While I love the idea of grilling on the 4th of July and creating a chic picnic scene, from my experience picnicking in July tends to be most enjoyable when the weather is below 80 degrees and the humidity is at a reasonable level. Maybe this is just a personal preference, but it is really hard for me to work up an appetite and have an enjoyable dining experience when it's sweltering hot outside (like say, in DC in the dead of summer). In preparation for Saturday's festivities I want to be mindful of tradition yet still provide my guests with a level of comfort, so I plan on grilling outside and serving dinner inside.
When creating this tablescape, I wanted to incorporate a level of sophistication since we will be eating inside, but also incorporate a few festive whimsical touches. I opted for a solids as opposed to patterns so that I could, a) use materials that I already owned and b) keep the table with a classic Ralph Lauren vibe (since he is the epitome of sophisticated American decor). Here is a breakdown of what I used to create this tablescape:
- Table Cloth: Ballard Designs
- Placemats: Williams-Sonoma (or Similar here and here)
- Rattan Chargers: World Market
- Dinner Plates: Pillivuyt Basketweave
- Napkins: Pottery Barn Hemstitch Linen, Cranberry (love these napkins too!)
- Steak Knives: Laguiole
- Party Hats: USA Party Hats, Set of 4 (*Recommend Wearing at a Jaunty Angle)
- High Ball Glasses: Reed & Barton
- Champagne Coupes: West Elm (or similar here)
- Wine Goblets: William Yeoward
- Coasters: Chilewich
- Centerpiece: Tiffany & Co.
- Flowers: Locally Grown Red Tulips and Red African Roses (2 Bouquets of each)
Menu:
- Entree: Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
- Salad: Ina Garten's Panzanella Salad
- Side: Bobby Flay's Perfectly Grilled Corn
- Dessert: Patriotic Berry Trifle and Fresh Cut Watermelon
- Cocktail: Blueberry Ginger Bellinis
Prior to creating this tablescape, I spent a significant amount of time on Pinterest (see my 4th of July Pinterest Board here) trying to figure out how I wanted to go about creating this table setting. In the end, I realized that I could use a bunch of staple items I already had on hand to create this scape. The party hats, red flowers and napkins were the only new additions. **Note- Red Napkins are a great staple to have on hand for entertaining (4th of July, Christmas, Valentines Day, etc…), but it can be challenging to find that perfect shade of red (Cranberry not Cherry Red).
After dinner, we plan to head down to monuments to enjoy the fireworks. While I am going against the norm by hosting an indoor dinner, I am still keeping with traditions through my menu, tablescape color scheme and post dinner field trip. This evening will be a perfect combination of festive and comfortable (2 entertaining musts for me). I hope this post has given you some inspiration for ways to celebrate the 4th of July with your friends and family. Happy 4th of July everyone!
