Perfect your al fresco set-up with stylish tableware, homely decor and a pop of pattern

By Laura Dweck

Lead image: Nkuku SS26

I’ll be enjoying the outdoors this season by manifesting the endless sunny summers I remember from my childhood, and preparing my home and garden accordingly. 

Starting in the bedroom – for those who have ever spent a night under unforgiving canvas anywhere remotely hot, there’s nothing worse than heat interrupting sleep. We might have viewed our bedrooms as cosy sanctuaries in winter, with bad weather the perfect excuse to retreat with a box set and hot chocolate, but when summer comes and the emphasis is on soaking up all the great outdoors have to offer, the bedroom soon returns to a more practical role in your day.

Outdoor cushion by Andrew Martin

So to avoid matrimonial debates over open windows and noisy fans, I’ll be swapping eiderdowns for summer weight duvets. I also really rate linen for its breathable properties, although look away now if you like your bed to be wrinkle-free. Much like dressing yourself for unpredictable weather, take the same approach for your bed with layers to remove to combat temperature fluctuations. 

One fundamental change we make in the summer is the quest to eat as many meals outside as possible. Taking breakfast outdoors feels particularly indulgent, but there is nothing that will make you feel more like you’re on holiday. If I’m not setting the table for the family, it’s really about that moment of solitary escape enjoying the silence of the garden, save for some enthusiastic birdsong. 

Picnic side plates at M&S

This lingering time of day will force you to notice your tableware, so I’m investing in a beautiful mug to clutch. If tea is your thing, a teapot will enable you to prolong it. The bonus with breakfast is that you’re rarely catering for the masses, so choosing just a pair of side plates that put a smile on your face will do the trick. Add potted rosemary or lavender to your dining or coffee table for some fragrance.

Moving on to a BBQ lunch, the table set-up is a little busier. If there are children around, I like to use melamine picnicware so they are free to roam around the garden, and they can take a hit from the odd stray football without you fretting. The queen of block printing, Molly Mahon, has a range of reusable plates with Meri Meri that are perfect for a mix and match vibe. For something more local, take a look at The Spongeware Company. Don’t forget the three essential pieces of kit when it comes to summer entertaining – a sizeable salad bowl, a tray to minimise the back and forth from the kitchen, and not forgetting little pudding dishes for strawberries and cream.  

Meri Meri x Molly Mahon reusable plates

Décor doesn’t have to stop in the home – add pattern to your garden accessories with a block print parasol. Lightweight movable pieces like hammocks and sunshades also have the benefit of creating a focal point in the garden for people to gather. Look beyond the hardware shop gazebo and check out garden tents that are likely to be heirloom pieces – the backdrop to garden party photos, kids birthdays or those bank holiday get-togethers.

Taking inspiration from a more extravagant Victorian era, Persian rugs and trunks mix easily with Chippendale furniture, recreating a drawing room in the great outdoors. The modern-day equivalent? Picnic blankets and outdoor rugs built for a little damp grass and piles of cushions. It’s easy to fashion a low-level living room without the investment in hard landscaping or furniture. Don’t be afraid of moving those bigger pieces in and out – particularly for those parties where you want guests to enjoy the fruits of backbreaking weeding, rather than scampering inside to predictably gather in the kitchen.