2023 Outdoor Living Tour : Dining
How was your weekend? Today we’re continuing along on my 2023 Outdoor Living Tour. Have you been enjoying this series? I hope so! Today, I’m taking you into our backyard to have a peek at our dining setup on the patio under the pergola. Click through for the complete tour, which includes some pretty beautiful outdoor entertaining and tablescape inspiration, if I do say so myself…Â
Sometimes the light hits just right… golden hour is my favorite time to enjoy our dining area on the patio, but once the sun goes down- there’s just something about twinkle lights on a summer night that feels kind of magical.
We’re lucky to have moved into a home that already had a fabulous backyard and patio with mature & established landscaping. Our snowball viburnum will forever be my favorite, but we also appreciate having the concrete patio and white pergola- both of which were here when we moved in. Aside from swapping a few light fixtures, power washing, and hanging string lights, this space only required furnishing and styling.
Our dining table and chairs have been with us for over six years now. If you’ve been following along with our projects for awhile, you probably recognize them from the carport makeover at our previous home. The table has held up beautifully and I still love it as much as I did the day I bought it. The dining chairs are also doing great, though they’re technically not outdoor rated. We cover them when not in use, which is 100% why they’ve lasted us this long. They’re beautiful, comfortable, and affordable, but definitely shouldn’t get wet.
I’m such a fan of hosting outdoor dinner parties. Cleanup is easy, the ambiance is unmatched, and there is nothing better than eating outside, al fresco style. I also think it allows for unique and summer inspired tablescapes- with plenty of candles and woven textiles.
I usually keep the tabletop simple… recently, I’ve styled it with our everyday plates & flatware, my favorite queen anne’s lace centerpiece, linen napkins with fun bamboo rings, and new scalloped handblown glassware I just snagged for myself from the Tuesday Made shop. I’ve been getting a LOT of questions about that pretty runner, too. It’s a splurge, but I’ve got a good affordable option on my LTK in the high/low section for you, if you’re looking for something similar.
The outdoor rug is very similar to the one we had last summer, but it’s actually new. I love a timeless woven rug with a border! Unfortunately, Emmett mowed over our old one last year and we had to toss it. I found this great, affordable option at my local Lowe’s on the fly. They have more colors and sizes online, but I was pretty impressed with the in-store selection.
Our trusty serving cart is still holding up beautifully and not much has changed out here. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- if things are working well (functional and aesthetically), which is always the goal… there is no need to continually redesign and replace things. My mindset is to create spaces that feel timeless and have staying power. It makes me happy to see that out here…
I use the cart for food (usually drinks or dessert), extra serveware, or sometimes just as another surface to style. I’ve also wheeled it over to the garden to use a planting station. It’s easy to clean and I’ve found it to be very convenient and functional. Who knew I’d use an outdoor cart so often?
Click the thumbnails below, or use the links below the collage to be redirected to each source.
white pergola (similar) // white string lights // queen anne’s lace florals // scalloped wine glass // scalloped champagne flute // flatware // bamboo napkin rings // pillar candles // woven table runner // ribbed stoneware bowl // cotton throw // linen napkins // salt & pepper mills // beaded dining plates // fluted glass hurricane // outdoor provence dining table // woven dining chair // chair cushion // outdoor rug // white plates // linen kitchen towel // round serving board // handwoven basket pair // olive tree topiary // rosemary topiary // outdoor serving cart // mini wakefield planter set // woven handle basket // ruffled planter
As I previously mentioned, many of these items I purchased years ago, so I did my best to find accurate or really similar sources for you. I’m also a big believer in maintaining and keeping your outdoor furniture in good condition. Some items stay out year round, some are covered when not in use, and others are stored in our shed during the snowy winter months. It depends on the material.
Someday, we’d like to remove all of those boulders and install a brick retaining wall for more a classic looking space that is more useful with additional square footage in our backyard, but for now- I think it’s pretty perfect. Who knows if we’ll ever get to it, but I think it would be really pretty. Check back on Wednesday for a tour of the lounge area on our patio. It’s adjacent to the dining table! Here’s to a good week ahead.
