A Budget-Friendly Summer Table Setting

Welcome to the 619th Tablescape Thursday!

Happy Summer! For this week’s Tablescape Thursday, I’ve created a very budget-friendly table setting. If you are someone who thinks you have to spend a lot to set a pretty, eye-appealing table for friends or family, I hope this table will convince you otherwise.

We’re out on the porch this week and it’s another “about-to-rain” kind of day. We’ve been having a lot of those lately. I’m not complaining though, it’s been nice not having to worry about watering my planters.

Screened Porch with Sunflower Table Setting for Summer Dining

 

I don’t know why but I had a tremendous longing to use sunflowers this week. Could not get them out of my head! I love them so much and summer just isn’t summer without a big pitcher of sunflowers.

Sunflower Themed Tablescape

 

I’ve had these sunflower plates for many years. They were a find in either Marshall’s or HomeGoods, I think. I remember they were very inexpensive…like $3-5 a plate.

Porch Dining

 

The white dinner plates are part of a 6-place setting set purchased in Big Lots many years ago. The set started off at around $29.99 but was marked down to around $19.99 That means for $40, one could have 12 place settings!

Each set included 6 of the following: dinner plates, salad plate, cereal bowl, fruit bowl and cup/saucer. It also included several serving pieces including a large serving bowl. Big Lots, Wal-mart and Target are great places to look for china sets. Buy white, with white dinner plates, you have the base for a million future table settings.

Screened Porch Dining, Summer Tablescape

 

The glasses are from Dollar Tree and were $1 each. I have them in this beautiful cobalt blue color, as well as a gorgeous muted green. When you spot these in Dollar Tree, don’t just buy exactly what you need. At $1 each, you can afford to add in a few extras to allow for breakage.

The sunflowers in the center of this table are faux. I sometimes buy real sunflowers for table settings, especially when I’m having a dinner party with friends or family. I don’t remember where I purchased these since I’ve had them for 8-10 years–probably found them in Michaels. If you buy faux flowers for a centerpiece, just buy the most realistic ones you can find. Faux flowers have come a long way over the years so it’s much easier to find good ones these days.

Summer Table Setting with Sunflowers

 

The blue chargers were a find in Marshall’s many years ago. They were super inexpensive, I think they were around $2 each. I purchased 3 in one Marshalls, then later found 1 more. A lovely BNOTP reader shipped two more to me when I mentioned I’d like to find two more. I would have set a table for six today but I am missing one of my sunflower plates right now. Not sure where it’s hiding.

The sunflower napkins are from Tuesday Morning, if I’m remembering correctly. If not there, they are probably from Marshalls. I don’t remember the exact price for those, but I know it was super inexpensive. TM, Marshalls and HomeGoods are great places to look for inexpensive cloth napkins.

The blue and white check napkins layered underneath are from here: Buffalo Plaid Napkins. When I came across these blue and white buffalo check napkins, I liked them so much I purchased them in several color combinations.

Yellow, White and Blue Table Setting

 

You may remember when I used the red, white and blue ones in this patriotic table setting a few weeks back.

 

Can’t wait to use the black and orange ones in a Halloween setting in a few months. 🙂

Orange & Black Buffalo Plaid Napkins for Halloween

 

When I first ordered them, they were a dozen for $18.99. The price has gone up a little, but it’s still a great price for 12 cloth napkins. It appears they have a 5% discount code going right now, as well. You’ll find these available in a bunch of different colors here: Buffalo Plaid Napkins.

Sunflower Themed Table Setting

 

Sunflowers are such happy flowers…love them so, so much!

Sunflower Salad Plates, Sunflower Centerpiece

 

This beautiful flatware comes in a bunch of different colors.

Sunflower Plates

 

I couldn’t find the cobalt blue color that I’m using in today’s table, but you can see all the other gorgeous colors it’s currently available in here: Flatware.

Cobalt Blue Flatware

 

The blue napkin rings are from Old Time Pottery and were either .50 cents or $1 each. That’s what all their napkin rings were priced at back during the time I purchased these.

Sunflower Napkin Rings

 

I hope this happy table convinces you that you don’t have to spend a lot to set a pretty table. Just invest in a nice set of white dishware and as you stumble across salad plates at reasonable prices, pick up a few for a whole new table. It’s fun to mix and match, so you don’t have to have 6 or 8 of anything. I love tables settings where the elements are from different patterns but in a similar color scheme.

Summer Tablescape in Blue, Yellow and White

 

Please let me know if you have any questions about anything I’ve used in this table setting.

Porch Dining

 

Enjoy this beautiful summer day!

Pssst: If you love beautiful gardens, check out my last posting on Instagram here: BetweenNapsOnThePorch on Instagram.

Screened Porch with Sunflower Table Setting for Summer Dining

 

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Comments

  1. Love the buffalo napkins! After I read your blog I bought the red, white, and blue ones and I have a few others. Like minds! Planning a sunflower table for later.

    • Yes, like minds! Love sunflowers. I think I may buy a few more colors in the napkins…love the buffalo plaid! Have a great weekend, Beth!

  2. How curious about the missing sunflower plate, especially after all your organizing with the cabinets in the garage. Maybe one broke when you stored them away at season’s end last year? Or pulled out just one for an accent sometime? I mean, where can it be Susan? lol! You are so organized!!

    • lol I don’t know, but it’s been missing for a long time…at least a year or two. Oh, I just thought of something, I may have placed one in the garage cabinets, but never brought the others out. I’m only missing one. I will check that today. I’m 99.9% I didn’t break one because I think I’d remember that.

  3. I love this post Susan – I so agree that a beautiful table doesn’t have to be expensive, and this one is gorgeous! Love the sunflower plates! Thanks for the wonderful tips and store recommendations too! 🙂 Happy Thursday!

  4. Well I think I need those blue chargers so a trip to Marshall’s is on my list. Thanks so much for the tip Susan!

  5. Love this table even though I’m sort of “blued” out after my place in the Virgin Islands was pretty much all blue and white.

    I don’t know if it was suggested here or elsewhere to use tea towels for napkins so I got on Amazon and got 2 sets of these:
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NCQWCQS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    Some of the lunches I throw can have messy food so I thought that would be a good idea when I make carnitas where guests put lots of stuff in tortillas so it’s easy to dribble bits and pieces. Let me know if you’d like the recipe. Very easy crockpot recipe, feeds a lot (people were coming back for thirds!) Happy to share. I enjoy this site so much though it winds up costing me!

    • Ginger, I love those tea towels! They are so sunny and cheery and lemony. 😀 Thanks for mentioning that. Even if you didn’t need to use them as napkins, you could probably find a way to incorporate a couple of them into the table-scape.

      And I vote yes-please on the recipe. 🙂

    • Sure, would love the recipe! Ginger, next time you make it, could you take a few pictures? Would be fun to share the recipe with a few photos of how it looks. I know the BNOTP readers would love that!

      • This serves more than 10 and as I said, people were eating thirds.
        https://www.recipetineats.com/pork-carnitas-mexican-slow-cooker-pulled-pork/

        This is one of the best recipes I’ve made in ages. I took flour tortillas & quickly lightly charred them on a gas burner (or grill) & wrapped in a napkin to serve. On the table were bowls of crema or sour cream, chopped onion, salsa, shredded cheese and pico de Gallo and lime wedges as well as chopped avocado or guacamole. Everyone added what they wanted. I happily ate leftovers and froze the rest. Unfortunately, with the virus it will be a while before making it again but I will take pics when I do.

      • I should add, the slightly charred tortillas are used to hold the meat which is topped with the add-ons then folded over to eat. Messy but delicious!

  6. franki parde says

    I DO SO love a pretty table! O enjoy “the set up!!” Luv your summer theme! franki

  7. Very sunny and happy table! I love finding deals and how they turn out looking like upscale product. Stylish and tasteful!

    • Me, too! Or mixing the less expensive in with the nicer and everything turns out looking like you splurged when you really didn’t. 🙂

  8. I noticed at Hobby Lobby this week that a deep blue is being paired with orange for fall holidays. It’s a very rich look for the table. Some of your pieces would fit right in!

    • Oh, I love that look! I’ve seen that color combo done with orange pumpkins and it’s beautiful! I haven’t visited Hobby Lobby in ages, I need to go sometime soon.

  9. I love sunflowers for late summer and they are gorgeous with the bright blue! Thanks Susan

  10. Love this summer table! Sunflowers absolutely make me smile, and a blue and white tablescape theme is always on the top of my “favorites” list!! Thanks for sharing a bright spot in these hard days, Susan.

    • Thanks, Rosie! With everything so crazy these days, we need a little normal every day, don’t we? That’s my goal, keep this little spot on the internet as peaceful, happy and normal as I can.

  11. Gayle Kesinger says

    This is such a happy table. Going to get some sunflowers this weekend. Great
    inspiration!

  12. Blue and yellow always look happy together. Those sky blue chargers and glasses are perfect with the sunflowers. We drove through some Sunflower Trails in Louisiana a few weeks ago and took pictures of the sunflowers. The sky was a clear blue with puffy white clouds that were the perfect backdrop for the sunflowers reaching for the sky. Your table today includes those same colors. I like to buy open stock pieces when possible since I use the plates and salad/dessert plates more than some other pieces. I bought some white dishes from Pier One a few years ago and bought seven of each. Although I’m very careful, I’m always afraid I’ll break a piece and number seven gives me a backup. Hope you find the other sunflower plate.

    • That sounds gorgeous, Mary! Would love to have seen that!
      I know what you mean, I do that a lot with glasses and occasionally with dishware. Def gives you peace of mind.

  13. Michele M says

    What a fun table you set, Susan. Everything is just perfect together like that.

    I sooooo miss going to Tuesday Morning and HomeGoods. I am not sure if I can take not going there much longer. I am sick of shopping online, I tell ya!

    Thanks for the beautiful summertime sunflowers table eye candy. ♥

    • I miss it, too. Even though the stores are open here, I don’t go because I hate wearing a mask. It just isn’t relaxing or fun to shop with a mask. So I’m just going to wait until things are better to do any shopping, other than grocery and online shopping.

  14. Kathleen says

    So pretty. I also love sunflowers and cobalt blue.

  15. Susan, What a cheerful table~you can’t go wrong with blue and sunflowers. I just love your Tablescape Thursday as it inspires me to do up a table every now and again between holidays! Sunflowers are extra special to me as they were my late husbands favorite flower. Every time I see them, my heart is warmed with thoughts of him. Thank for putting a smile on my face!

    • Thanks so much, Mary! Awww, love that. I’m sorry to hear that he has passed. I’m so glad that the sunflowers bring back beautiful memories. ♥

  16. There must be a collective consciousness thing going on with sunflowers–I drew some the other day on my large August wall calendar–must be the time of year for them and our brains are in sync. Love the table setting, it is so cheery, and I can’t wait to see those orange and black napkins near Halloween.

    • I think you are right! Yesterday I got an email from a BNOTP reader who lives in France and it included photos of sunflowers in vase that she had cut and brought inside. We are all dreaming of sunflowers right now, I guess. Isn’t it funny how that happens sometimes…you think of something and seems like it starts popping up everywhere.
      Thanks, Shelia! Looking forward to planning a Halloween table for those. 🙂

  17. Cyndi Raines says

    Hello Sunshine! That’s what this table says to me with big white and blue puffy clouds floating by! Very pretty Susan! Ginger mentioned she was willing to share a delicious sounding crockpot recipe that feeds many. I would love for her to share it! I love Mexican food. Hope you find your stray sunflower plate. I hate when things like that happens, it bugs me until I find it. Happy hunting! Lol

    • Thanks so much, Cyndi! Definitely! We need that recipe! My daughter-in-love is a wonderful cook and I know she would love it, too. She loves trying out new recipes.
      I hope it turns up too. They are odd shaped plates so I don’t know why I can’t find it. So weird. I was thinking I spotted it a while back in a place I didn’t expect it. Now I’m wondering where that was. I will find it again eventually. I didn’t break it so it has to be here somewhere. lol

  18. Thank you so much for hosting! This week I am sharing some Christmas spirit in July! Hope you are having a great week!

  19. Bobbi Duncan says

    Beautiful table setting, Susan–speaks summer. I love the sunflower napkins w/ the blue & white buffalo checks, and those sunflower plates are adorable! Absolutely doesn’t look “budget”. Hugs!

  20. Brenda s. Lawrence says

    This is such a beautiful, summery, cheerful table setting Susan! I love it and love everything you used. Sunflowers are indeed so pretty and they make me happy when I see a whole field of them. They make me even more happier in this fun table setting. Hugs, Brenda

  21. Emily Ann Mayer says

    What a lovely table setting! If anyone is interested, Dollar Tree has some sunflower patterned dinnerware-dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, mugs and I think wine glasses. I recently designed a table setting using those and Fiesta’s newest color, Butterscotch, and Lemongrass. So pretty!!

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