casual farmhouse dining tablescape

Do you love to entertain, and set a pretty table, and have loved ones over to laugh the night away? Setting a casual farmhouse dining tablescape is the perfect way to set the stage for a relaxed and fabulous evening with friends and family.

Just because your table is casual and relaxed, it doesn’t mean it has to be dull and boring. By using the right mix of items and choosing the right pieces that comprise a table, you will achieve the desired effect. All it takes is a balanced mix of laid back vibes with a few touches of sophistication.

Since my son is currently home from college on spring break, we took the opportunity to invite his girlfriend with her parents over for dinner. We wanted to keep the tone casual but still make it a special evening while enjoying being all together again. The perfect opportunity to set a casual farmhouse dining tablescape.

Texture provides interest

Texture always adds interest weather on a tablescape, or in a vignette, or in decorating an entire room. The textures add layers to the whole picture. I added real cloth napkins, perserved boxwood wreaths and assorted moss balls in the centerpiece bowl to add texture to this casual farmhouse dining tablescape.

The linens are restaurant grade that a bought years ago and do not require any ironing or special care, which makes them super practical to use.

The wreaths are the added touch of sophistication, which I removed before we sat down for dinner. This way it makes the table pretty for when guests arrive and have hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. It set the tone for the evening but then once I removed them, it didn’t inconvenience the guests when they went to serve themselves on their plates. Have you gotten sick of these wreaths yet? Lol. I used them here {forced spring bulbs tablescape} and here {Wedgwood Jasperware St. Patrick’s Day tablescape}. You will see them again and again.

The centerpiece bowl piled high with assorted moss balls adds tons of organic interest and layers of texture with the different colors and styles. This actually is our everyday dining room table centerpiece right now so I just left it. Super easy peasy!! When I removed the wreaths from everyone’s place settings I also removed the centerpiece bowl so we could serve the dinner family style.

Any type of candle adds ambiance

Candles are imperative at any dining table in my opinion. I include them in all my tablescapes. I use votives, and tapers, and pillars, and lanterns, and hurricanes… Candles are a wonderful mood setter and I love the ambiance they create.

A centerpiece grounds the table but doesn’t have to be fancy

Like I mentioned above, the centerpiece I used here was just a large bowl piled high with moss balls. You can see the story behind this bowl here {birthday wishes}, which is part of my Wonki Ware collection {my latest dish obsession}.

This was a no brainier for me since the bowl was already on my dining room table as a daily seasonal decoration. I left it on the table when I set the casual farmhouse dining tablescape. When I was ready to serve dinner I removed it in order to serve the dinner family style.

This centerpiece was an easy decision for me since I had bought beautiful lilacs at the farmer’s market that morning which were on display in the foyer right next to the dining room. I wanted the lilacs to be the star of the show so I didn’t want to use flowers as the centerpiece for the dining table. The mossy bowl was the perfect and easy solution.

Touches of formality can be subtle

I wanted to use certain accents to make the table special but not necessarily fussy, if that makes any sense. A token or decor piece at the place settings is a go to way for me to do that on many tables. I chose the individual boxwood wreaths, which were handy since I have been using them in so many projects lately. I love the organic feels it adds to the table.

A charger is always an “extra” item used on a table setting which is not necessary but adds some flair to a table. I chose these galvanized chargers because they are super casual but yet fill that charger flair quality. It’s a great balance between casual and special. These galvanized chargers were also handy because I had just used them for {forced spring bulbs tablescape}.

Serving family style relaxes the meal

If the meal lends itself to it, I like to serve the meal family style so everyone can help themselves. Guests can also help themselves to seconds whenever they want to without bothering the hosts.

This makes it less formal than being served individually, but yet more special than buffet style since it’s more intimate with everyone seated around the table.

The evening was relaxed and enjoyable. I hope the casual farmhouse dining tablescape set the tone for the fun and friendly evening that unfolded. I am so happy mixing and mingling is coming back en vogue and we can enjoy each other’s company again.

“This is the power of gathering: It inspires us, delightfully, to be more hopeful, more joyful, more thoughtful: in a word, more alive.”

Alice Watters

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sharing @ between naps on the porch