Tips for Creating a Beautiful Patriotic Tablescape

Are you getting your home all decked out for the 4th of July? Well, I have some tips for creating a beautiful Patriotic tablescape.

As I begin to decorating our home to make it cozy for the 4th of July, I like to first start with my tablescape. The reason for this has our home is an open concept. I have the kitchen, kitchen dining area, family room, dining room and entry all flowing together. With this in mind, I need to keep a cohesive look when bringing other elements in to my rooms.

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Where to begin? I got you!

Let’s take a look at the where to start this project.

Tips for Creating a Beautiful Patriotic Tablescape

1. shop your house first for items to use

You know that the color scheme is going to be red, white and blue to celebrate our country’s birthday. So grab a big basket and let’s go shopping.

Where do you keep your goods?

Personally, I have storage bins with seasonal items. We also have a closet that stuff tends to get tuck away. Wherever you hide your “goods” go check things out for options.

Hint: I tend to walk around the house and snag items from rooms too! I do this quite often when helping a friend style their home. I tell them “grab a basket and let’s go shop your house”.

It saves money to see what items are available and eliminates duplicate purchases.

2. Don’t Forget to check the linen closet – why?

Pull items from your linen closet that may work for your tablescape. You may have tuck a pretty blue and white striped tablecloth that you found on sale last year and forgot about it. What about throws? Remember throws can make a good tablecloth too. Pretty cotton throws with fringes looks lovely use on a table.

Do you have any table runners? Your table runner does not necessarily have to be red, white and/or blue. A neutral table runner in linen or burlap will work.

Tea towels work great too. I found this red and white tea towel in the linen closet. I had received some as a gift for Christmas.

How about your own clothes closet? A beautiful navy or red scarf can be draped in a basket or dish on your table to add texture.

What options to you have for napkins and napkin rings? If you only have neutrals you can use them and add a decorative napkin ring or make one of your own.

2. Purchase new stuff That you love that can have multiple purposes

If you do need or want a few new items, now is the time to hit those 50-60% off sales! I was in Joann Fabrics store on Sunday for some Patriotic ribbon. It was 50% off! I always look for items that will have multiple purposes.

These pretty white and navy embroidery linen napkins used in my tablescape where 60% off for the set of four. They are navy and white perfect for the 4th of July. What I love about them? These napkins can be used throughout the year. One napkin would be perfect inside a bread basket.

I love a good sale and even better if items are on clearance. Keep a watchful eye open for a good sale.

The navy and white napkins are not tied to any specific holiday yet they play well with the red, white and blue theme. Wouldn’t one One napkin would be perfect to drape inside a bread basket?

3. CREATE LAYERS ON YOUR TABLE

Whenever I do a tablescape, I love to create layers using linens, dishes and other elements. You want to create visual interest incorporating lots of textures.

No tablecloth or runner this time. The reason is my accent dishes have a lot of pattern. And, I want the dishes to stand out to be the focus.

A fringe placemat will be my first pop of color to pull in the blue.

Wood chargers will anchor the place setting. It will play off well with the wood in the centerpiece.

Our family’s everyday stoneware is the next layer. You can never go wrong having a set of white dishes. They go with everything!

The napkin will be placed between the dinner and salad plate. It’s something different and needs no napkin ring.

4. pull out those pretty dishes

Pull out those pretty dishes from your china cabinet or buffet. Don’t save for a special occasion, instead make every day a special occasion.

When my table is decorated and set, it makes my family feel special. I want them to feel the love. And, around the dining table are where you will create more memories.

Celebrate and use those dishes!

A vintage salad plate finishes off each of the place setting and adds that pop of red to the table.

Recently, I came a cross this beautiful vintage serving bowl that was the perfect match to a plate in my possession. I found this gorgeous red transferware at SkeffingtonPlace on Etsy. It took me 15 minutes to unwrap my items. That is how well Katharina had the items bubbled wrapped. Check out her shop on Etsy!

Look at the stunning Peony pattern on this dish. Peonies are my favorite flower and it was the perfect match to my lone salad plate. Katharina shipped this item out to me with two salad plates! OK now, I had two matching salad plate and one that coordinates but it has a turkey on it. That’s not going to work for the 4th. LOL. I need just two more salad plates.

This pattern is Enoch Wood’s English Scenery by Woods & Sons England. It is very hard to find matching pieces. Low and behold, I was able to find a few more salad plates from Be Vintage Treasure also on Etsy. Now, I have a collection. LOL

Be sure to shop over at both of these online shops. I love to support small businesses.

The main take away here is to use those beautiful pieces that you love. That red compote dish from Granny put it on the table. Use it! Stick some candy in it and enjoy using the darn thing.

5. Use the unexpected for your centerpiece

You can create a centerpiece with unusual items. Here the base of my centerpieces is a vintage grain sifter. The wood adds texture to my centerpiece.

Inside the shifter, tea towel was draped over the side to bring color and texture. A stack of white dessert plates are placed inside. A vintage white ironstone sugar bowl holds forks and knives that will be used after dinner for dessert.

Instead of a vase, how about a cane and glass beverage pitcher? It adds that “welcome summer” and gives coastal touch to the centerpiece.

Other ideas for flower arrangements use coffee or tea pots, vintage sugar bowls, large mason or canning jars with the flip lids. Vintage milk bottles are fun to use. Add several bottle together with flowers.

Mostly white flowers in the pitcher with Hydrangeas blooms adding a subtle touch of blue. It is casual yet elegant at the same time.

An inexpensive strand of wooden beads are toss over the side. A stack of old books with the spines removed are tied with twine and placed in the back for more visual interest. You can find old books cheap at local yards sales or thrift stores for .05-25 cents a piece. They are great to use to decorate bookshelves or stack with small vase on top.

6. Sometimes it is fine to keep it simple

Your centerpiece can be just a vase of flowers or a bowl of fruit. Here a bowl of red apples makes a lovely centerpiece.

Sometimes keeping it simple is more functional. You pull out that basic white large bowl out the cabinet and place your bag of apples in it. Your family can see the fruit and help themselves to a healthy snack. Replenish the fruit when it get’s low.

This bowl of fruit would also look nice for the 4th of July on the counter or coffee table.

These are my favorite dishes that we use everyday. I also have two of these oval bowls for family dinners. A great set of good quality stoneware to last you a long time. Over the years, I have been able to add to my set. This year, I got the large footed bowl.

Stay Tune next week…

Be sure to check back next week. My focus has creating a couple of craft projects that will be perfect to bring those traditional red, white and blue holiday colors in to my decor. These are great projects that you will be able create too. I will have tutorials for you. If you are new to my blog, most of my craft projects are simple and easy. I love to do projects that are fun and do not always take a lot of time to complete.

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