Six Summer Tablescapes Ideas for the 4th of July

June 16, 2023 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

I have always loved the color combination of red, white, and blue. For many years our family room was decorated with patriotic colors and designs. Since I started tablescaping several years ago, I have created several 4th of July tablescapes and I decided to repost some of those tablescapes to share again. Maybe they will give you some ideas for your summer holiday tables this year.

This tablescape was one of five 4th of July tablescapes that I did in 2019. I called this tablescape Uncle Sam’s Tablescape because of the Uncle Sam pitcher that I used as a centerpiece. Every time I show this tablecloth I get lots of comments about it, people love it as much as I do. The bunting detail down the sides is really unusual. I was browsing on Ebay several years ago looking for vintage tablecloths (I collected them for a while) and this tablecloth popped out. I have never seen another one like it. I love how the white stars stand out against the blue background and the bunting design down the sides is amazing. I suspect the tablecloth was maybe made in the 60’s or 70’s.

My Uncle Sam pitcher took center stage as the centerpiece on this tablescape. He is standing on a Rhodes drinks dispenser stand from Pottery Barn that I bought on sale several years ago. I use it often to elevate whatever I am using as a centerpiece. It is just the right height, not too short and not too tall. I actually bought it in a couple other colors too and I have used them all. The stand is resting on three plastic trays I bought on sale online at Sur la Table a few years ago. They match the napkins I used on this table, I must have bought them all at the same time. I love the way the repetition of the design on the trays defines that space. I collected Uncle Sams for a while when the family room was decorated with red, white, and blue and I bought this Uncle Sam pitcher several years ago, can’t remember where. It was made by Department 56. I have always loved pitchers, I think because with a large family we always had one on the table while I was growing up. My mother never allowed a milk carton on the table! My four brothers tried to sneak one on a few times but it never worked. Then they would sometimes put it on the floor next to their chair! I love this pitcher, it is one of my favorites.

This patriotic salad plate is enamelware and I think it’s the only enamel plate in my plate collection. It was made by Golden Rabbit. Can’t remember where I bought it but I have had it for several years. I like the bright colors and bold design. For more information about everything on this Uncle Sam Tablescape please click here.

This tablescape was one of the other 4th of July tablescapes I did in 2019. I called it A Stars and Stripes Tablescape because of the stars and stripes on the melamine salad and dinner plates and the tablecloth. I really love this tablecloth, it is a favorite of mine. The napkins and the tablecloth came from Sur la Table several years ago. They are soft and heavy, a really good quality, and I love the simple bold design. I really like the way the stripes on the tablecloth and the stripes on the salad plate copy each other.

I have a weakness for patriotic tableware. These salad and dinner plates are melamine and they came from Sur La Table a few years ago. I wait for their after season sales and buy online. Their stock seems to be not as varied as it has been in the past but maybe it will get better.

This set of creamers or small pitchers that I added to this tablescape make me laugh. We are a two political parties household so when I saw this set I had to have them. They are from Fitz and Floyd, I can’t remember where I bought them. I have had them for a long time. For more information about everything on this Stars and Stripes Tablescape please click here.

This is another 4th of July Tablescape from 2019. I called it, Red, White, and Blue for Me and You on the 4th of July. The Heartwood Creek angel centerpiece was designed by Jim Shore in 2003, it is no longer in production. It was called “I Pledge Allegiance To The Flag” and it was licensed by Enesco Group, Inc.. The angel is standing on a Pottery Barn Rhodes drink dispenser stand to give it a bit more height.

I love this angel’s sweet little face. I have a large collection of vintage doilies and I suddenly remembered that I had a few red, white, and blue ones. I really like how this doily centerpiece adds a bit of excitement to this table.

The small star appetizer plate and the dinner plate are heavy melamine and they came from Sur La Table several years ago. I like the combination of the wide red and white stripes on the small plate, the small red and white stripes on the dinner plate and the red and white stripes on the napkins.

I used my red Waterford Marquis Brookside goblets for this table setting. I think if I were starting a tablescaping hobby, a set of red goblets would be one of my first purchases. They can be used several times a year. I love the fact that they are a bit taller than other goblets and the design goes with everything. I bought the blue goblets at Pier 1 a few years ago. I love this shade of blue and the etched design. I also like the height of these goblets. For more information about everything on this tablescape please click here.

This is another 4th of July tablescape that I did in 2019. I called it Flags and More Flags because of the plates and centerpiece. I really like the contrast between the dark tablecloth and the bright American flags plate stack. This was an easy centerpiece to pull together. I found a large bowl at a garage sale and I bought it because I knew I would be able to use it as a centerpiece in some way sometime. I just put patriotic napkins in it and tucked in small American flags and it was done.

When I bought the napkin rings they were brown but Hubby painted them white for me because I knew I would use them more often if they were white. They are a great match for the stars on these melamine flag plates. I can’t remember where I bought them. It’s good to remember that whatever you are looking at can usually be painted if you need a different color. For more information about everything on this tablescape please click here.

This was another 4th of July tablescape that I did in 2019. This one was called Stars and Stripes and Uncle Sam. I found the tablecloth and napkins at Kohl’s a few years ago. I used one of the Uncle Sams from my collection, a nutcracker, as a centerpiece. You can see items on this tablescape that I have used on some of the other tablescapes.

If you don’t have a napkin ring that works on your tablescape, and you don’t have a design on the salad plate that you don’t want covered, you can fold the napkin around some of the plates and it becomes part of the plate stack design. This is such a colorful plate stack and the napkin really makes it pop. For more information about everything on this tablescape, please click here.

This was the 4th of July Tablescape that I did a few years ago. It was called Ready for 4th of July. It is similar to the first tablescape I mentioned that I did for the 4th of July in 2019 but I made a few changes. I added different plates to the plate stack but I used the same enamel patriotic salad plates that I had used the year before.

I bought this flag stand online at Grandin Road a couple years ago. I really love the design, with all the flags it definitely makes a statement!

I have a weakness for small salt and pepper sets and when I saw these patriotic eagles online at Cracker Barrel last year I had to have them. I often add small salt and pepper sets to my tablescapes that help illustrate the theme of the table.

If you look at all these tablescapes you will see that I used this white frosted flatware set on every one. I bought the frosted white flatware on sale online at Wayfair a few years ago, it is made by Cambridge. It is 18/0 (18/10 is the best) so the fork tines are a bit sharper than I would like but I really liked the frosted color. I use this set often. If you are going to buy colored flatware, white is a good color to start with and then I would buy red, black and green. Those seem to be the colors I use the most. For more information about everything on this tablescape please click here.

I hope you have found some inspiration for your holiday tables!

To see 220+ tablescapes that I have created including these tablescapes please click here. If you are on Facebook, join my Tablescape Ideas group! Just click on the Facebook Search box at the top of the page and type in Tablescape Ideas. Don’t miss my Tablescaping How-To section at the top of this blog post for more tablescaping tips and tricks.

If you live in Southern California please join our tablescaping group, Southern California Tablescapers BTS Group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/440356398581157 We are planning an event for early next year.

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week so please check back!

Flags on a 4th of July Summer Tablescape

June 10, 2023 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

I used this same plate stack on a 4th of July tablescape that I did four years ago but I changed out most of the rest of the table. The tablecloth came from Crate and Barrel several years ago. It is a heavy material and well made. It is actually two shades of blue, the color will show better in some of the close up photos.

These melamine red, white, and blue flag plates came from Pier 1 several years ago. I love the simple bold design bright colors and scalloped edge.. I bought both the salad plates and the dinner plates.

The extra plate in this plate stack above the white charger plate is a red plate from Pottery Barn in their Cambria pattern. I bought them several years ago. I love this plate because it is large enough to be either a dinner plate or a charger. I have this pattern in a few other colors as well. This photo shows the plate a bit brighter red than it is actually.

This white charger is one of the first charger sets I bought when I started tablescaping. The pattern is called Antique Beaded and I bought them at Williams Sonoma several years ago. I use this charger constantly in my table settings. If you look back through my blog at my tablescapes, you will see it often. A simple white charger is a great first purchase if you want to create more interest on your table settings. To read about what you should be considering when you are buying chargers please click here.

You can see the different colors in the tablecloth in this photo. I bought this frosted white flatware on sale online at Wayfair several years ago, it was made by Cambridge. It is 18/0 instead of 18/10 so the fork tines are a bit sharper than I would like but I really liked the frosted color. Wayfair has really good sales on flatware sometimes. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

I found the flag napkin rings on Poshmark last year. The red cotton napkins probably came from Pier 1 several years ago. To read about the what, where and how of napkin rings please click here.

I can’t remember where I bought the metal star place card holders. I have had them for years. The set came with three navy, three red, three turquoise, and three white stars in the set. I used the red and white stars on this tablescape. The place cards came from Amazon. To read about the what, where and how of place card holders, please click here.

I think these red glass goblets came from Crate and Barrel a couple of years ago. I had been looking for some simple red goblets and grabbed these when I saw them online. Now I wish I had ordered more of them before they sold out. I joined a website a couple years ago that sends me a list of all the Estate Sales in my area every weekend with photos of what is for sale. I am always looking for tablescaping items. Hubby bought this blue glass goblet with a clear stem at an estate sale last year, I wish they had had more for sale. I love this goblet. It is a perfect blue color and I predict I will be using it often. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying goblets for your tablescaping collection including the colors that I use most often here.

I bought this white wood flag stand online at Grandin Road a few years ago. I always get comments about it. I really love the design, with all the flags it definitely makes a statement!

I have a weakness for Johanna Parker holiday design dishes and when I saw this patriotic cream and sugar set on Ebay earlier this year, I had to have it. It is marked Carnival Cottage by Johanna Parker, Magenta. I set it on this tablescape beside the centerpiece.

I can’t remember where I bought these patriotic salt and pepper shakers. I have had them for several years. My family jokes because sometimes I put special salt and pepper shakers on the table and I forget to fill them! I am beginning to have quite a collection of different salt and pepper sets.

I love patriotic table settings. Ready for the 4th of July!

To see 200 other tablescapes that I have created including 13 other 4th of July tablescapes, please click here. If you are on Facebook, join my Tablescape Ideas group! Just click on the Facebook Search box at the top of the page and type in Tablescape Ideas. (Please note that if I don’t see any Facebook activity on your Facebook profile page, I won’t add you because of fear of someone having taken over your account.) Don’t miss my Tablescaping How-To section at the top of this blog post for more tablescaping tips and tricks.

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week so please check back!

This blog post was featured at My Wee Abode, https://myweeabode.com/ and Miz Helen’s Country Cottage, https://www.mizhelenscountrycottage.com/ Please visit these blogs, you will enjoy them!

A Cheshire Cat Tablescape

June 04, 2023 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

This is a tablescape that I posted three years ago but I decided to post it again with a few changes. Unfortunately my phone camera has messed with the color tones a bit, they are not entirely accurate. My daughter loves the Cheshire Cat and I borrowed her Cheshire Cat plates and Cheshire Cat cookie jar for this tablescape. I can’t remember where I bought the polyester tablecloth, I have had it for a few years.

These Cheshire Cat salad plates were made by Romero Britto for Disney in 2011. I think I bought them on Ebay a few at a time as I saw them several years ago.

My phone camera has dulled the brightness of this yellow dinner plate. It is a much brighter yellow than this. I had been looking for a bright yellow dinner plate for a while and when I saw these Celebrate It bright yellow plates on sale at Michael’s a few months ago, I bought them. I like the beaded design around the rim.

I love this fuchsia glass charger, I have them in a few different colors. They were made by Bormioli Rocco and I think the pattern is called Inca. They are heavy glass and the weave detail on the bottom really adds to the design. I bought them on Amazon several years ago.

I bought these bright yellow placemats on Amazon a few years ago.

This fuchsia flatware is labeled SR Showroom Italy but it is called Zaffiro flatware. I think I bought it online and on sale at Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales several years ago. I have it in a few different colors because I love the simple design. The handle is actually heavy plastic. It is actually more of a fuchsia color than this photo shows.

These yellow cotton napkins are a brighter yellow than this. I can’t remember where I bought them. I have had the napkin rings for several years and I can’t remember where they came from either. They are a great match for this tablescape and the Cheshire Cat.

I found these enamel Cheshire Cat pins on Etsy a few weeks ago. When I saw them I knew I could use them as place card holders. I am using two clear place card holders here. The top one is a small rectangular acrylic stand that is made by Yalikop. I found them on Amazon. It is sitting on one of my Oleg Cassini clear glass place card holders. I bought the place card holders at HomeGoods several years ago when I first started tablescaping. They are heavy and solid and I really like the simple design. I often use them as a stand for place card items. To read about the What, Where and How of napkin rings please click here.

You can read my blog post for ideas about how to store napkin rings and place card holders here.

I found these fuchsia plastic goblets at HomeGoods last month. Finding yellow glass goblets that aren’t really amber can be difficult. I think I may have found these yellow goblets at HomeGoods a few years ago.

This cookie jar makes me smile! It’s just labeled Disney on the bottom. I bought it several years ago for my daughter but I don’t remember where I found it. It needed some height on the table so I went through my pottery collection and just turned a yellow vase upside down to use as a base.

I wanted to add something small to this tablescape on each side of the Cheshire Cat centerpiece. I found this Enesco Disney Traditions by Jim Shore Cheshire Cat figure on Amazon last month.

I found this Enesco Disney Ceramics magnetic Cheshire Cat salt and pepper set on Amazon last month.

Such a fun tablescape, smiles!

To see 200 other tablescapes that I have created please click here. If you are on Facebook, join my Tablescape Ideas group! Just click on the Facebook Search box at the top of the page and type in Tablescape Ideas. Don’t miss my Tablescaping How-To section at the top of this blog post for more tablescaping tips and tricks.

I put a new tablescape on my blog every week so please check back!

A See America First Summer Tablescape

May 27, 2023 by Beth Wilson in Tablescapes

A different kind of informal tablescape this week that could be subtitled, “Let’s use a collection that has been stored in boxes for decades before we donate it”. Years ago I collected steins from all over the United States because I loved the colors and the graphics and we were taking driving trips across the country with the kids. I found them on Ebay from time to time. I have been wanting to use these steins on a tablescape before I donated them (I have about 20 more that I didn’t use here from other states and attractions). I decided to look for a United States map tablecloth to help create an America travel theme tablescape. I found this tablecloth on sale at Spoonflower online a few months ago. I chose it because the colors matched some of the colors on the steins.

I chose the plate stack colors based on the colors on the map tablecloth. This salad plate is Fiesta’s Bistro pattern in the color Ivory. I bought them a few months ago at Fiesta Factory Direct online.

I was looking through all my blue dinner plates a few weeks ago and I realized that I didn’t have any baby blue dinner plates. I did a Google search and I found these porcelain ones on Amazon last month. They were made by Madam Marble. You can read about what you need to think about when you are buying dinner plates here.

I bought these iced glass sage green chargers at Pier 1 several years ago after I saw them on another blog. I love using them in the spring and fall. To read about what you should be considering when you are buying chargers click here.

I have used this frosted green flatware set often in the past few months. If you read my blog you have seen it recently on a few different tablescapes. The pattern was called Madeline Green and I bought the set at World Market several years ago. I really like the frosted design on the handles. After red, I think green flatware is the most used flatware color on my tablescapes because it can be used during both Spring and Fall. You can read my blog post about what to consider when you are buying flatware here.

Each table setting on this tablescape has a different state for its theme. This is the Virginia table setting and I created a Virginia state napkin ring by attaching a Virginia puzzle piece to a green napkin ring I had. I got the puzzle piece from a United States map puzzle that I found on Etsy a couple of weeks ago. It is actually the same kind of puzzle that my children had when they were young. (My son and his family live in Virginia so I wanted to use that state for one of the settings.) I think the butterscotch colored cotton napkin probably came from World Market several years ago. To read about the What, Where and How of napkin rings please click here.

These place card holder small state posters are actually stickers that I found on Amazon last month. I am using two clear place card holders to hold them here. The top one is a small rectangular acrylic stand that is made by Yalikop. I found them on Amazon. It is sitting on one of my Oleg Cassini clear glass place card holders. I bought the place card holders at HomeGoods several years ago when I first started tablescaping. They are heavy and solid and I really like the simple design. I often use them as a stand for place card items. You can read my blog post for ideas about how to store napkin rings and place card holders here.

I really like the raised detail designs and the colors on all these steins. We took the kids to Williamsburg when they were young and it was a great trip. I know these steins are a bit odd serving as water glasses and wine glasses on this table but use your imagination!

I placed a post card from each state on the salad plate for added visual interest.

The back of the Tennessee stein has the Memphis Queen steamboat and Lookout Mts. Chattanooga on it.

The back of the Mount Rushmore stein has The South Dakota Badlands and Wall Drug Store. The back of the Corn Palace stein has Mount Rushmore on it. We took the kids to see Mount Rushmore on one of our trips across the country.

The front of the Grand Tetons stein has Little America, Wyoming and a penguin. I had to look up why there was a penguin on the stein. The Little America motel in Wyoming was built in a remote area not unlike the Little America base camp in the Antarctic.

The back of the Pike’s Peak stein has Seven Falls, the Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, and North Pole on it. The back of the Rocky Mtn. Nat’l. Park stein has Big Thompson Canyon on it.