Bountiful Feasts: How To Decorate Outdoor Dining Spaces
Written by: Millie Breakspeare
A midsummer night feast under the stars is the perfect way to embrace the seasonal magic with friends and family. You can decorate your garden however you wish for your guests – elegant and modern, Mediterranean holiday, Scandi simplicity - the choices are endless and you can find the best fit for your vibe. However, if you’re drawn to the whimsical fairy tale festival aesthetic, here are our tips for bringing medieval core fun to your garden party under the haze of light and colour on those long balmy evenings.
Delightful Design
The first step is deciding the key design elements that you’ll use throughout the space, one of which is colour palette. Nothing quite says enchanted summer like the beautiful golden colours of a slow sunset. Incorporate warm oranges, pinks, and purples across your garden in the form of flowers, table cloths, table runners, cushions, and placemats. You can also make use of fun patterned fabrics to add texture and character to your table.
What brings the spirit of summer to your evening better than embracing the natural world? Create a setting that welcomes family and friends, full of flora and foliage in lovely sunset tones and lively greens. Dot them in vases, drape garlands across the table, and hang wreaths from above to add height to the scene for a real feast among the flowers.
Don’t forget those thoughtful finishing touches that will show your guests you care. Style the place settings with ribbons used as napkin holders, and seasonal fruit to reflect the abundance of summer and seasonal bounty ready for your gathering.
Functional Furniture
What good is having a fantastic looking garden without having a place to sit and eat in comfort? Choosing furniture that fits with your design while also being functional is crucial. Lean into medieval fantasy with a wooden table and benches, the informality and rustic charm will offer a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all your friends and family members. Just be sure to make things cosy and comfortable with ample cushions and blankets, so everyone’s happy to sit and chat the night away.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match materials – wool and linen blankets or differently shaped and coloured ceramic crockery will add character to the space, and truly immerse your guests in the fun and spontaneity of the summer festival. If you don’t have a lot of garden furniture, simply lay blankets across your garden for a picnic feast. Not only will everyone feel cosy, but it adds an extra element of intimacy as friends are all gathered close together.
Layered Lighting
The final thing to consider is ensuring you have enough lighting to ensure the fun continues long after the sun goes down. The trick is layering your different lighting elements so you have enough light to eat by, whilst also creating mystical midsummer ambiance that’s full of summer joy.
Festoon Lights
The starting point is selecting your festoon lights. Their bright and bold glow is a great foundation. Hanging above the table, they’ll cast enough light so you can see what delicious food you’re eating and easily top up your glass of wine. We recommend vintage style festoons as they’ll also add to the festival feeling with their classic design.
It’s also a good idea to consider what type of power source you want for your festoon lights:
- Solar lights are great for saving on energy costs, plus it’s summer – make the most of the sunshine while you’ve got it.
- Battery lights offer great flexibility, you can easily move them around the garden to where they’re needed, and they tackle the British summer showers like a champ.
- Plug-in lights ensure a consistent shine with mains power – just make sure to either use an indoor plug socket or outdoor weather proofed socket.
Fairy lights
Perfect for adding summer sparkle to your garden, these twinkling fairy lights will create the feeling of fairy tale magic for your fantasy festival. They’re simple enough to wrap around tree trunks and branches, while outdoor micro lights are great for threading through bushes and plants. Create an enchanted grove to host your guests.
Candles
Candlelight is brilliant for adding a sense of cosiness to a space. The warm shine will bathe your family and friends in a comforting golden glow as they gather around the table to enjoy each other’s company. Grouping different sizes of outdoor candles together and scattering them throughout your garden will bring depth to the setting, as well as make points of visual interest. Set smaller candles across the table and larger candles on the ground to create different levels of light from above and below the table.
Lanterns
You can use a variety of different types of lanterns to integrate style and visual interest into your garden in line with the aesthetic you’ve chosen:
- Simple black Brixham lanterns work well with any design plan – they bring an elegant and classic touch to the table. Plus, the leather handle introduces an element of interest that fits with the whimsy of a summer festival.
- Wicker solar lanterns and lamps are fantastic for adding a rustic note to your space, allowing guests to settle into the lazy summer evening ahead.
- Fabric lanterns hanging from tree branches tie the entire scene together, they also bring a pop of colour during daylight hours while they gently sway in the summer breeze.
There’s nothing more special than spending a magical midsummer night surrounded by loved ones, enjoying scrumptious food under the stars. Make your garden the perfect setting for that moment by transforming it into a fun festival that reflects the joy of the season. Or, if medieval core isn’t quite your style, adapt our tips to your own aesthetic and create the garden of your dreams.
