rustic and casual summer tablescape

The “official” start to the Summer season according to the equinox is less than a week away but for many of us summertime is well under way.  Summer gatherings and mingling tends to be more relaxed, which brings outdoor grilling onto the menu with more casual settings.  The tablescape I am sharing today is perfect for these types of get togethers and laid back fetes.

Memorial Day is behind us and I believe the majority of schools are on summer break so moods have shifted to slower schedules and more relaxed conventions.  For many this means moving the cooking from the oven and stove top and bringing it outside to the grill.  

This table lends itself to grilled food by using wooden cutting boards at each place setting rather than dinner plates.  The wood adds a rustic feel, while using a board rather than a plate immediately relaxes the mood.

I mixed and matched different cutting boards from our collection.  At one place setting we used a vintage Turkish board that has been well loved.  I love all the patina on it and it’s the preferred board to use by Mr. M.  He actually picked it out when we went to the Goat Hill Fair a few years ago for our anniversary, which you can read about here{it’s a goat thing}.

At another place setting there’s a board my aunt & uncle gifted us from Uruguay on one of their many annual trips visiting the USA.  I love the pewter handles!  In Uruguay BBQing meats is a BIG thing and it’s called parilla.

The other two place settings have the same boards from Target.  I love the color of this board so I bought one a few years ago and my son’s girlfriend’s family gifted us the same one this past Christmas.  Clearly they know my style.  One has a bit more patina since it has been used a bit longer but I love that we have two boards that match.  I would have never thought to buy two for myself but now that I have both I’ve used them together in so many ways.    

The flatware are Laguiole with light and dark horn handles.  You can read more about these here{rustic Thanksgiving tablescape}.  The napkins and etched water glasses are vintage from my parents.

Although the linen napkins are a bit refined with beautiful stitching, the grapevine napkin rings are a great juxaposition, keeping the rustic vibe.

For the centerpiece there’s a bed of eucalyptus branches layered with brown bottles, used as vases, which you an read about how we made these here{French label bottles DIY}, complimented with amber jars as votive holders.

More often than naught I gravitate to white blooms and white Gerber daisies and chamomile flowers were chosen here.  They are arranged simply spread out up and down the table.

Since we grill quite a bit this table is perfect for our lifestyle.  We grill everything from red meat to white meats to fish and veggies, but like I said before BBQing in Uruguay is a big thing and I just wanted to give you a quick peak into my heritage.  In Uruguay all sorts of meats are cooked together in brick ovens using wood instead of charcoal and are usually shared and served family style called a parillada.

Here’s an example of how we’ve served a version of Uruguayan parilla at home with steak, chorizo and potatoes.  I placed it on this Uruguayan tray that was another gift from my aunt and uncle, visiting from Uruguay.  The “Mercado del Puerto” is a market place down by the port that has huge parilla restaurants where you can sit outside and enjoy the culture.

At home we simply place the tray in the center of the table and everyone can serve themselves what they prefer on their individual boards.  I always prefer the fish and seafood fare while Mr. M is a red meat guy so there is always either a couple of options or evenings with compromises.  And either way it’s always delicious.

With Father’s Day around the corner,  this would be a great idea for a Father’s Day tablescape.  The chunkiness of the wood pieces plus the color palette just gives me a masculine vibe.  You can see our Father’s Day table from last year here{a Father’s Day tablescape}.  Hope everyone has a great day celebrating their dads, husbands, father-in-laws, grandpas or whoever it might be. 💛 

 

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun.”

~Julia Child~

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Julia Child