This summer has been a real treat for me. No extreme heat, some welcome showers that have been very useful in the garden for new plantings (except for my tomatoes!), the hope of seeing mushroom caps appear a little earlier than usual… a summer where we can sleep serenely and without suffering from the temperature. Because the months of July and August are almost unbearable when you live in Paris (most Parisians do not have air conditioning at home), I therefore dread them every year…. In the meantime, this summer has brought us some nice surprises in the countryside, which made me want to show you how to set a Prairie style summer table.
I was particularly surprised this year to see so many wildflowers appearing on the sides of the road and in the surrounding meadows. The trees were verdant and the wildflowers suddenly seemed to be growing in abundance. No doubt they were the result of the weather of recent weeks. They gave this summer landscape a fresh, airy and very colorful feel, perfect for this prairie-style summer table.
An authentic and colorful atmosphere
A desire to recreate an authentic atmosphere that would showcase Nature in all its perfect simplicity. It was also a way to leave the summer behind, and enjoy one last summer lunch before the new school year begins.
For this table, all the interest lay in the country bouquets made with wild flowers, to which I added Japanese anemones straight from the garden. I buy mine from this nursery in the North of France. I also love using fern on my summer and autumn tables. I have different varieties of ferns in the garden but you can easily find them in the woods. There’s no need to set a sophisticated table such as this one for instance for a striking effect, just highlight the simplicity of these flowers by emphasizing the volumes and making them the theme of the decor.
A vintage table style in a country setting
For once, it was the bouquets that took me the longest to create; it took almost two hours to sort the flowers and foliage, clean them and prepare them for the different compositions and vases used. Setting the table, on the other hand, was much quicker, as I already knew which tableware would match the decor.
A vintage, country style was particularly appropriate for this Prairie style summer table. Blue and white brocante plates with country motifs were chosen and paired with a mix of antique and modern cutlery (but with a patina to maintain the style). Some very colorful touches were added thanks to candles to give more character and contrast to the whole. I particularly like the purple candles, which are a discreet nod to autumn. I also use this tableware in Autumn and love how versatile it is.
This table also features the more discreet combination of my favorite patterns: flowers and checks – the tableware and napkins being deliberately chosen in a monochrome tone so as not to visually disturb the whole table setting. I deliberately chose not to use a tablecloth, to bring out the beauty of the wooden table and keep this theme authentic. The same went for the placemats, which didn’t seem necessary here, although it could have looked nice to use striped ones.
The table set in this way seems somehow timeless and at the same time still atual. A comforting table that recalls « the good old days ». A time of simple, real pleasures, a return to the real thing. Just goes to show, you should never deny the great classics.
