No Commitment China

Pavilion Paper

 

For the chicest picnics, al fresco dining, beach, boating, tailgating, parties, and more, I bring you disposable china! 

Setting the Coastal Table

Shells Stoneware Dinner Plates

 

Target has a new coastal dinnerware collection that is quite fabulous and the prices are great. Many pieces are $5. And no, they are not melamine but stoneware! Coastal is all the rage this summer and especially with a fish motif. These are wonderful for summer entertaining indoors or al fresco on the porch, lanai, patio, or backyard.

Outdoor Dining

Threshold Salad Plate

 

With warmer temperatures on the way, so is al fresco dining out on the lanai, porch, terrace, or deck. I love having unbreakable dishes for this purpose and I have found a collection I love.

Blue and White Chinese Porcelain Al Fresco

Huff Dewberry - House Beautiful 

 

I love using blue and white Chinese porcelain inside, outside, and in my lanai. This is a beautiful example by Willam C. Huff and Heather Dewberry. 

Meyer Lemons

Meyer Lemons

 

I have always loved all things lemon. When I was up in Saratoga Springs for the horse races, I ended up in Saratoga Olive Oil Company and picked up a bottle of their Meyer Lemon Olive Oil. It is made by crushing and cold pressing the pulp from fresh lemons and olives together. 

The Blue and White Pergola

Mark Sikes - Veranda 

 

This pergola was an addition to Liz Lange's renovation of Grey Gardens in East Hampton, New York. I spent my summers during college in the Hamptons. I never understood why it is spelled Southampton and Westhampton but then spelled East Hampton. A mystery. At any rate, this blue and white patio is so pretty.

Bugs Be Gone Beautifully

Glass and Wicker Citronella Candle

With Spring and warm temperatures on the way, al fresco dining will soon be here as well. It is a good time to snag some of these very special citronella candles. Citronella oil is an essential oil that comes from certain varieties of grass, and it naturally repels a variety of pesky insects, including mosquitoes. When used in candles, citronella helps to keep bugs out of the immediate area, which saves you from ending the night covered in itchy bug bites. 

Faux Chinoiserie China

Tobacco Leaf Melamine Plate Set

 

Chic plates that won't break are perfect for so many al fresco dining occasions - the porch, lanai, patio, beach, pool, picnicking, tailgating, or for kids. 

Setting the Summer Table

Paloma Contreras

Setting the table with faux bamboo dinnerware is Chinoiserie Chic, fun, and so perfect for warm weather dining, whether indoors or al fresco. Here are my top picks and they are all melamine, but nobody will know but you. Some fun flatware and accessories too.

Outdoor Wicker Parisian Chair Find

Outdoor Wicker Parisian Folding Chair

 

I have been looking for a while for chic folding outdoor chairs that I can store and then use for driveway cocktails (popular here), picnics, tailgating, extra seating in the lanai, dog park get togethers, and such. With all the outdoor activities here in Florida, these will get a lot of use. These will also be perfect for tailgating at Sunday Polo matches here.

Wicker Tote High/Low

Pamela Munson The Gardner Tote

 

I saw this chic tote and really like it. It has a wicker base and cotton canvas upper and it measures 12" by 12.5" by 5.5" and it's designed "for your next sunny getaway, days at the pool, boat rides, and dining al fresco."

Citrus Prints & Chinoiserie

James T. Farmer

 

Citrus prints are everywhere - in home decor and in fashion. This is a wonderful example of how well they play with chinoiserie. Here the very classic Schumacher Citrus Garden is joined with chinoiserie touches like a pair of Chinese garden stools and a vintage ceramic elephant loaded with lemons. Darling ideas for al fresco dining or setting the summer table. 

Chinoiserie Outdoors

Veranda

 This wonderful outdoor space features trelliage in a beautiful blue for al fresco dining styled with lots of chinoiserie. Note the pagoda on the console, bamboo flatware, and chinoiserie china. I always get questions on choosing bamboo flatware. There are lots of choices out there. For a great look at a great price, I love Cambridge Silversmiths that comes in natural and in black. It is available everywhere (Amazon, Walmart, Bed, Bath & Beyond, etc. for about $27.00 for a set of 20. I've had mine for years. 

I also really like the chargers - I have a collection of wicker and raffia chargers and I love them for a summer, beachy, casual, tropical vibe. Here they have layered it with a pretty linen placemat - another great idea.

Chinoiserie Outdoors

Barclay Buttera 

 Spring is here and this is wonderful inspiration for bringing chinoiserie outdoors. Blue and white ginger jars dress up the table along with blue china and glassware. The coral cushions and coral and white striped pagoda umbrella are perfect choices.

Blue and White

Pinterest

Summer entertaining at its best with blue and white buffalo checks, blue and white Chinese porcelain, and blue and white French bistro chairs.

More Summer Entertaining

Pinterest

A lovely idea for summer entertaining - fill a ginger jar with summer flowers.

Summer Entertaining

Tory Daily - Shelley Johnstone

Chinoiserie Chic and Palm Beach Chic meet in this table setting with leaf plates (I have a collection of these), straw placements and straw covered glasses, bamboo flatware, blue and white china, and my favorite color palette of blue, white, pink, and green.

Summer!

Traditional Home

So who is in the mood for entertaining outdoors?

More Red, White, and Blue Chinoiserie

House Beautiful

A lovely table setting for the Fourth of July combining red, white, and blue and Chinoiserie.

High/Low Chinese Lanterns

Traditional Home

I love these bamboo hurricanes from Frontgate shown above that used to come in great colors like these in melon. I remember they were quite pricey. They currently stock the one below at $149 but I'm not nuts about it.

Frontgate

Yesterday in HomeGoods I bought the one below for $9.99. I think I'll paint it in Hermes orange and use it for outdoor dining. I'd love to find a second one. Let me know if you see any around DC.