Monday, July 26, 2010

Alfresco Dining Ideas


Cote Maison
I've been collecting inspiration photos for alfresco dining ideas. Here are just a few gathered from various sources.

Cote Maison
Just a simple table in a courtyard. Of course it helps that it's in France!

Cote Maison
The stone slab and rusty metal chairs lend quite a rustic feel to this table.

Who says dining alfresco has to be rustic though? The lace trimmed tablecloth and fine china lends an elegant feel to this table.

Cote Maison
Lately, I am loving outdoor wicker chairs, especially the gray, weathered wicker as shown here.

Country Living
But I also like this table with the mismatched chairs!

Country Living
More mismatched chairs with a wonderful pine farm table.

How wonderful is this table under the arbor? It feels like you could linger here for hours!

A simple tile and iron table. I like the pea gravel patio and Moroccan lantern.

Cote Sud
Isn't the iron pergola over this table fabulous? The galvanized light is something I'm looking for.
It was available at Smith & Hawkin before they closed. I should have bought it then....

I love this romantic table with the candlelight and hanging globes.

Cote Sud
More romance!

Traditional Home
Great chandelier providing candlelight for this tiled table set under a trellis.

House Beautiful
This table designed by Bunny Williams was my inspiration for my outdoor cement table. I like how she mixes succulents with fine china and silver.

This is our rustic table. We originally saw it in a Smith & Hawkin store before they went out of business. It was handmade by a local artisan.

It now sits under our Mulberry tree which provides all the shade we need from the sun. Hanging jars provide a little light at night. I'm planning on bringing electricity to this area so we can have electric light if needed. Either a chandelier, galvanized pendant or white string lights in the tree.

The base is actually railroad ties with criss crossed iron rebar. When it was delivered, it took four men to carry the top! Let's just say it's not going anywhere!
I look forward to setting this table for many lunches, dinners and tablescapes.

I'm joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday, then on Wednesday I'll join Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday.
Be sure to check out more table tops and outdoor inspiration there.

Postscript:

Guess what? That light was actually from Pottery Barn last season. My memory wasn't serving me well. Anyway, I found it on Ebay last night and bought it! Now all I need is electricity.
It comes with a 25 foot long cord to plug in to an outlet. The description reads, "Perfect for hanging from a tree outside."

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27 comments:

The Charm of Home said...

Beautiful alfresco dining ideas. I love the rustic-ness of them all.
Sherry

Dottie @ Tadlafleur said...

I am so going to do that when I get my own place that has a backyard.. Might be 20 years from now but it's going to happen.

Entertaining Women said...

Hmm...outdoor cement table....okay, I'm sold. Great inspirational vignettes. Thanks for doing the resource work. Cherry Kay

Lynn said...

Your table is beautiful with a lovely view! I think that first picture is really clever, love the table circling the tree!

Tamra said...

Hey your chairs around that table aren't too shabby either!!

Why is it that dining outdoors always makes food taste better? hmmm.

Maggie said...

Beautiful al frescoe scenes, so very French and something I aspire to having one day here in my Normandy garden.

Lori E said...

We have come a long way from a rickety picnic table in the back yard haven't we. An no I don't miss them one bit.
I can hear the wonderful dinner conversations taking place around these tables.

Kelley said...

Hi Delores...I guess we are having our "alfresco" fix for the week! Isn't it sad about Smith and Hawkin, just loved the store too.

xx kelley

a quiet life said...

i adore anything out in the garden, its a shame we don't own level land or i would have dozens of tables scattered here and there. i adore your concrete table, makes me want to make one :-)

Katy Noelle said...

Dear Delores,

it does feel like we've been thinking along the same lines! All of this al fresco dining is so romantic and, even, cozy. Our wall is finished, the puppies moved, the front porch is washed off and the grass seeded. I don't have any plants in the garden, yet, but we, actually, may get to be outside this summer. Twenty acres and we've had no place to just "be" outside! This post is so inspiring! btw, I've seen that Bunny William's table before - with succulents on it - it really made an impression. I love it, too. When I got to yours, I had to do a double take because I thought that it was from another magazine. Oh, also, btw, here, on the East Coast, the bugs are really, really intense. They kind of mostly disappear sometime in August; so, unless you want to get eaten alive, evening dining is best left till then!

I've caught up on a few of your other posts, too. Your tablescape is just really, really beautiful! The sunflower, too and, I've had fun poking in Restoration Hardware with you!!!

I'll, now, tell you a secret, I am rushing off, now, because I am going to try and paint our dark family room while Tom is away at boy scout camp. Wish me luck!!!

Love, katy Noelle xo

Elizabeth and Gary said...

Lovely photos of al fresco dining! I agree with you I also love the look of wicker chairs, the gray ones are perfect.. I love the hole look of the table and the wooden deck the table is sitting on.
Have a sweet day, Elizabeth

The-Countrypolitan said...

You have a wonderful collection of al fresco dining photos... but I bet they don't have the view that you have... your table and setting looks perfect! ~Terri

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

All of your pics are wonderful, but I totally love your table and chairs. They are beautiful and you've set such a gorgeous table. I love the wire cloches for each plate. Perfect for the outdoors and of course all of your accessories are always perfect. Thanks so much for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty

Mary said...

Delores, your table and beautiful chairs beat out the others - and looking out over your landscape is just as wonderful as being in the South of France - bet even the local wine is fabulous too. All in all, you've a great place there dear - enjoy every moment!

I've been thinking of painting my porch wicker chairs grey - do I dare? They'd look different, and of course with lots of white accessories around would have that Swedish-French look that I love. So many things to do, not enough time!!

Enjoy your week Delores.

Marigene said...

Gorgeous, all of the settings!

savvycityfarmer said...

perty perty please don't ask me to pick a favorite *sigh*

always love our chats

Helen said...

I am thrilled I clicked on your post this morning! I have not seen this many wonderful photos (can't even choose my favorite) in many a moon! The inspiration to re-create one of the scenes is overwhelming. Thank you , thank you .. so much!

jninecostumes said...

I love the stone slab table, the white tablecloths and all the mismatched chairs. Thanks for sharing such great pictures.

Blooming Rose Musings said...

Beautiful pictures. What is it about dining outside that is so relaxing? We all seem to linger longer at the table and just relax. I really like your table and view. Beautiful.

Merisi said...

Wonderful collection!
My favorite is the table with the Thonet chairs.

I am still not over the closing of Smith & Hawkin!

Nancy said...

Hi...I finally got my wicker chargers! I bought them from Ballard...they were on sale (but backordered). I also bought the matching pedestal display stand. The chargers are nice but the display stand is pretty crumby. Oh well...win some, lose some!
Another blogger said there was going to be a northern California blogger party and to stay tuned but I have lost her email and can't remember her blog :(
Would you know who she is? I kinda remember turquoise playing a big part in her banner.
More later...
xox
Nancy

Heidi said...

Hi Delores,
I'm still trying to get pea gravel out back where the tree fell. Then a pergola, and then the table. For now we love eating on the side deck, under the mexican copper stars.
Why do mismatched chairs always look better when they are in magazine layouts? Ours just look MISMATCHED!
I would love to have lunch at your beautiful outdoor table, with the new lamp hanging above it. I can imagine how lovely that would be!
XO
Heidi - Heart and Home

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Delores, these photos are wonderful inspiration, but none more inspiring than your table. I always love seeing photos of your great outdoor spaces. Love the individual bug covers for each plate on the table. laurie

Jacqueline said...

This was just fun to see so many ideas. That rustic stone table was amazing. Your Smith and Hawkins table is incredible. Have some great meals with it. I am your newest follower.

Linda said...

Great to see so many different out door tables. Your table is just beautiful! I'm glad you found your light!

http://nannykim-nannykim.blogspot.com/ said...

VEry pretty; some of those pics remind me of some grand times we had in Italy. We stayed in Ravello (spelling?) and the place we ate all of our meals was outside under a huge canopy of interwoven flowering trees. They would shake them each morning so the blossoms would not fall in anyones food. The views of the sea were gorgious too. Where I live in in SC I don't like eating outside until late fall when all the mosquitoes, flies, and gnats are dead!

Sarah said...

Dining alfresco is always my first choice if it isn't too hot. Thanks for sharing all these lovely photos. ~ Sarah

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