Blue and White Tablescape – How to Enjoy a Beautiful Summer
Welcome to our blue and white tablescape – part of the Summer Tablescape Blog Hop hosted by Rita from Panoply! Rita has organized 16 designers and we’ve all offered up our takes on summer tables. The links to everyone’s posts are below – I know you’ll love all the summer inspiration!
Whether you’ve come over from Sandra’s beautiful island-inspired table, or popped in on your own, I’m so happy to have you along!
Blue Inspiration for our Blue and White Tablescape
This table was inspired by two beautiful new gifts, one of which is these lovely blue stoneware butterfly appetizer plates! Aren’t those just darling?
They were gifted to me by a wonderful blogging friend as a thank you for a very small favor involving butterfly glassware – such a perfect and thoughtful gift! In fact, Kim – the talented blogger in question – is sharing her gardener’s tablescape with us for the hop! I always love her tables and can’t wait to see this one!
These plates are just the right size for a small appetizer – two medium sized bites or four small bites would fit perfectly! I’m thinking maybe some tiger melon balls and blueberries on pretty skewers …
A Beautiful Crystal Vase
The second gift was this gorgeous Waterford diamond-cut lead crystal vase from one of my dearest friends. We met over 20 years ago when we both worked for the same company, and even though none of us work for that company anymore, she and I and two other former colleages – and now equally dear friends – all share our birthdays together.
This beautiful vase was my birthday present this year! It had belonged to my friend’s mother, and I’m so honored to have something so treasured. Isn’t it absolutely stunning?
I was so excited to use it on a table, and this open airy blue and white tablescape seemed the perfect opportunity. I love the way it looks and the sparkle it adds to the table.
Yet Another Gift
The plate stack has yet another gift in it. The dinner plates are part of a whole set of this beautiful blue flowered china I got from my sweet cousin several years ago. I just love how delicate the pattern is, and with that silver rim, I thought they would go nicely with the silver chargers.
The chargers are one of my favorite styles – and yours too apparently – they’re one of the most-purchased pieces from Barbara’s Boutique, which I always have at the bottom of each post. So if you’re interested, feel free to hop down there and grab some for yourself.
Since I was going for a blue theme, I used another of my favorites – these Williams Sonoma Bluebell salad plates – to sit under my beautiful new butterfly appetizer plates. The gold rim on the Bluebells made me think that some gold flatware would be fun.
I love the look of the silver and gold with all the blue and white. Plus, as often happens, the sun was slanting low into the yard as I was setting this table, so the silver looks a little golden.
Blue and White Tablescape Flatware
This gold flatware is a huge hit at every dinner party I’ve ever used them! Guests love the fun shape and as I’ve said a million times before, (like here for instance, A Gold Tablescape Sparkles with Beautiful Candlelight) they’re really heavy and solid feeling. They’re a joy to hold and the knives cut really well too, which is important.
A Gift to Myself – A Blue and White Tablecloth
After I got my darling plates and lovely vase, I wanted to set a blue and white table but my solid blue tablecloth wasn’t quite the look I was going for. So I ordered this one up from Amazon. It wasn’t very expensive and it’s certainly not of the highest quality, but it’s pretty and works just fine.
In fact, it was a tiny bit breezy as I was setting the table, and I took a quick video – it’s almost as relaxing watching the video as it was to be sitting at the table itself!
My new tablecloth had a few wrinkles when I unwrapped it, so I was going to wet it down just a bit then pop it into the dryer. It was billed as “water resistant” and it totally is! I could barely get it to absorb any water! But I persevered, and it actually did come out of the dryer much smoother.
Simple Glassware
I figured since the vase had such a lot of sparkle, I’d just use my plain wine glasses so the vase remains the star – along with the butterfly plates!
These are our tried and true Riedel wine glasses, and I love how classic they are.
I like all the pieces of this tablescape separately, though I’ve never put them all together before. That’s one of the great things about tablescapes – you can just keep mixing the pieces you have and get totally new settings every time!
And it’s always fun to get a new thing here or there, to spice things up!
Back in the day, I would never have put all these patterns together, but I’m so glad I’ve learned how much fun pattern can be! This table made me really happy!
Beautiful White Blooms for the Blue and White Tablescape
I love this season in the garden, not only because it’s so perfect for al fresco dining, but especially because we have two trees that bloom white at the same time. They both are so fragrent and beautiful, One is Mock Orange, and one is a very tall tree nobody seems to know the name of, but it has these fuzzy white sort of blooms on it – they look more like fuzz than actual blossoms, but their scent is like powdered perfume!
Whatever the one is, I love the way they both look in my crystal vase, and how they spread out over the table a bit. The mock orange has just enough creamy yellow inside the blooms to give a tiny bit of contrast to our blue and white tablescape.
I had a couple little branches of the mock orange left, so I put them in a holder on the porch to add to the ambiance. They’re so beautiful, and work so well in an outdoor tablescape setting.
And That’s It for Our Summer Blue and White Tablescape!
Thanks so much for joining me – I hope you enjoyed our summer blue and white tablescape! I set this table with so much love and gratitude for my gifts, and for the friends who gave them to me. Thank you all of you!
Be sure to check out the Boutique below, and if you would, I’d love it if you could pin to Pinterest! It really helps spread the Mantel and Table word!
And then of course, remember to visit the rest of the hop below!
Barbara’s Boutique
Click on the pictures of the pieces I used in this post. If the exact item isn’t available any more, I chose a similar option.
* This post includes affiliate links for your shopping convenience. If you click on a link and buy anything from that site during your visit, I get a small commission and there’s no extra charge for you! It really helps toward the cost of publishing Mantel and Table, and I seriously appreciate it. (You can read the whole disclosure policy here.) Thanks so much for shopping with me!
And remember, a portion of anything you buy from MANTELandTABLE.com goes to Habitat for Humanity and Proud Ground. With our purchases, we get to help people build homes for their own mantels and tables!
Pin the Blue and White Tablescape for Later
And Now – On With The Hop!
Click on any of the links below for all kinds of summer tablescape inspiration! And thank you again to Rita who makes it all possible!
- Panoply – Happy 250th Birthday, America!
- Home is Where the Boat Is – Oh My Stars & Stripes
- Hyacinths for the Soul – Celebrate With a Patriotic Heart
- Olla-Podrida – Night of the Iguana Tablescape
- Everyday Living – America is 250: Let’s Celebrate!
- Me and My Captain – Belmont Stakes, The Last Race of Triple Crown
- The Cats Whiskerz – A Gardener’s Tablescape
- Pandora’s Box – Summer Patriotic Tablescape and Kitchen Cart
- Life and Linda – A Whimsical Elegant Pastel Summer Table
- The Bookish Dilettante – Tablescape for America 250
- My Thrift Store Addiction – Summer Serenity in the Garden: Elegant Breakfast For One
- Corner of Plaid and Paisley – Celebrating America’s Favorite Pastime
- Thrifting Wonderland – Searching for Summer: A Thrifted Tablescape
- Red Cottage Chronicles – From Antiquing to Dinner: A Simple Summer Gathering with Friends
- Dinner at Eight – A Casual Summer Table Inspired by Island Daydreams
- Mantel and Table – Blue and White Tablescape – How to Enjoy a Beautiful Summer – YOU ARE HERE!
Shared with
Barbara, I am a fan of blue and white 💙🤍! I love your table with the blue floral tablecloth. It has a country French look which I also admire. The butterfly dishes are just beautiful and complement the other plates in your stack. I can just imagine the breeze blowing that wonderful fragrance of mock orange as you enjoy dining alfresco. Wishing you many wonderful summer evenings around your beautiful tablescapes!
Barbara, this is such a beautiful table set outside in your garden. The new tablecloth is so cheery with the blue flowers and pretty border, and I loved seeing its movement in the breeze. The plate stack is fabulous with the gifted delicate dinner plates from your cousin topped by the Bluebell salad plates and butterfly plates – they look so great layered together. Love the mix of gold and silver from the rims, flatware, and chargers. The gifted crystal vase is absolutely stunning and I can imagine how it scatters the light and the smell of the flowers swaying in the breeze. Thanks for sharing your blue and white vision my friend, and I hope you have the most wonderful summer!
Barbara, you outdid yourself. How lovely with meaningful gifts included.
I love this table so much! I sighed when I first saw it. The tablecloth is perfect for your plate stacks, and the butterfly plates are so cute for a summer table. I think the dinner plate pattern is so pretty. Your tables are always so elegant and pretty. 😀 Happy summer!
Barbara, your blue and white summer tablescape is stunning! 💙🤍 The classic color palette feels so fresh and timeless, and your beautiful layers create such an elegant yet welcoming table. The combination of patterns and textures adds wonderful interest while maintaining a serene summer feel. Thank you for sharing your beautiful inspiration—it’s the perfect reminder of why blue and white is always in style. Wishing you a wonderful summer filled with happy gatherings around the table! ☀️🦋
Barbara, I love the way you combine such versatile tableware to create different enchanting tables. Blue and white is classic, but your mix of traditional and modern patterns give your table a relaxed kind of energy. Sort of a yin/yang effect. The crystal vase is elegantly stunning and the tablecloth despite its large pattern is light and airy! It must be marvelous to sit beneath beautifully scented flowering trees. A perfect summer escape!
Blue and white and wonderful memories of friends that come with all your gifted pieces is such a lovely way to set a table in an outdoor setting. You were right…watching your linens and flowers flutter in the breeze is very calming. I love how all the patterned pieces work together to create an interesting and unique whole. The patterns work together to create a calm and inviting look for your table. Your Waterford vase is lovely and holding just a few white sprigs works perfectly with the rest of the table. Wishing you a wonderful summer.
Lynne, Thrifting Wonderland
Oh, Barbara, this is so lovely! I adore the butterfly appetizer plates perched on your blue & white table, so, so, pretty. The crystal vase and garden clippings are just wonderful. I can imagine the smell of that mock orange wafting through the air. This table is so striking. It is one I am certain I will place in memory. There’s just one other from blogger friend Bonnie Morgan which was very similar that so impressed me. Truly a delight for the eyes. Thank you so much for sharing and joining in the Summer blog hop of tabkes.
Barbara, your blue and white table is so eye catching. I adore the butterfly appetizer plates. Such a thought gift from a friend. The plate stack is lovely with the silver chargers, Williams Sonoma Bluebell salad plates and topped with those cute butterfly plates. The tablecloth is so charming and looks beautiful with all of the patterns. Gotta love gold flatware. The flowers are simple and elegant in the Waterford vase. Always a pleasure joining you at the table. Happy summer.
Barbara, blue and white always delights, especially in the garden. The butterfly plates are a fun touch to your plate stack. It’s all very elegant and perfect for your alfresco setting. Happy Summer!
Barbara, I am a lover of all things blue, and this tablescape is one of the prettiest blue tables ever. It’s so nice to have friends who know the things you love. The crystal, the tablecloth, and the butterflies work beautifully together.
Barbara, your blue and white table is a vision to behold! I am smitten with the beautiful butterfly plates and your elegant styling is an inspiration! Blessings, Cecilia – My Thrift Store Addiction
Not that I need anything new, not that I use a lot of blue, but this blog post sent me immediately to Pottery Barn to check out those appetizer plates. Plus, they’re on sale! How can I possibly deny myself? Your plate stack is absolutely beautiful. Everything looks so soft and pretty. Your mention of the Waterford vase reminds me that I have a Waterford pitcher put away that I have not used in more than a decade. I’m asking myself why I’m not using it as a vase. So, as you can see, you have inspired me here. Thanks for that. Really lovely.
What a pretty blue table! I also have that same vase – so heavy, but lovely! The butterfly dishes are so pretty and really make the table! I was frustrated as your banner and ads blocked a lot of your photos and I wasn’t able to close out of them and see each photo in its entirety (I was on my computer). Enjoy dining al fresco in your garden!
Barb your blue and white table is lovely and yes, I enjoyed the short video and felt I was sitting right there as the breeze was ruffling your beautiful new tablecloth and the mock orange branches swayed. I adore the butterfly appetizer plates and have to confess I have been looking for pastel butterfly shaped dishware for several years with no success. You see, I had found glassware with pastel butterflies on them and an idea was born…but alas, the glassware sit in a corner of my stash waiting for the butterfly completion so they may have “their” day in the sun. I did check out PB but apparently the sweet butterflies are only in white and blue. (and yes, I do know Lenox has a butterfly pattern dinnerware but once I have a vision I rarely change course.) Your blue and white table is so beautiful and as usual your attention to detail is always evident. The birthday crystal vase was a perfect choice for the floral arrangement. Beautiful memories there. Love the plate stack. You have so many gifted elements on this table, rest assured you are truly loved and there is nothing better than that. Have a wonderful June, my friend.