4 modern furnishing tips on how to organise an alfresco dinner party

4 tips for organising an alfresco dinner party

The ideal décor for an alfresco dinner – The summer season is the one that lends itself best to alfresco dining. In fact, in summer you can gather in the garden with friends and family and spend pleasant moments in good company.

Outdoor dining: the must-have of the summer season

During an open-air dinner, it does not matter whether you have a small or a particularly large garden. The important thing is to create a harmonious visual impact, characterised by colours and decorations, capable of impressing guests. In general, the advice is to choose a simple but at the same time chic style, taking care of every single detail.

1 The place to set the table

The place to set the table should be shady and cool. Ideally, the table should be placed under a suitable cover, such as a gazebo, to enjoy the evening even in bad weather.

It is also a good idea to set the table in a place not far from the kitchen to create a functional corner. This ensures extreme comfort and avoids long shifts between indoors and outdoors. If this is not the case, the advice is to use a convenient trolley so that everything is at hand.

2 Setting the table

When setting the table, it is good to create a relaxed atmosphere. This can be achieved by using a mix of furnishings, fabrics and colours using what is in the house. The advice, if the number of guests is limited, is to opt for a round table, so that no guest feels isolated, and to ensure maximum conviviality.

For an elegant dinner, the ideal is to choose light-coloured and white fabrics, which give more light and lightness to the ambience and maintain a clean line overall.

To this end, linen or embroidered cotton tablecloths can be used, and different jugs and glasses can be used to set the table. In particular, in this case, the choice depends on the theme of the dinner and one’s own taste.

However, if the planned dinner is a ladies’ dinner, pastel colours are recommended, which are also ideal for a romantic dinner. On the other hand, those who intend to recreate a playful atmosphere can focus on bright and vivid colours.

In addition, it is a good idea to place some decorations on the table, perhaps some floral centrepieces, or made from glass jars containing small candles so as to also illuminate the table.

Finally, to complete the table setting, the ideal would be to make beautiful natural place cards, placing, for example, near the cutlery some flowers picked directly from the garden!

Outdoor dining: the right furniture for a romantic dinner

3 Colours and materials for furnishing and decorating the garden

As mentioned, colours are of great importance during an outdoor dinner. So, for the furnishing and decoration of the garden, the ideal is to play with contrasts. While for materials it is good to prefer natural ones. Thus, wicker, wood, glass, wrought iron, cotton and linen.

For outdoor arrangements, wrought iron and wooden tables and chairs are perfect. The latter, even in its raw version, is a natural material that goes perfectly with the outdoors. In addition, for maximum comfort, soft cushions can be placed on chairs and benches and plaids can be used to shelter from the summer breeze.

For a more natural style, the inspiration lies in nature. With the branches of a tree, one can create, for example, inimitable decorations to place on the table, so as to achieve a tastefully personalised table.

4 The right lighting for an al fresco dinner

During an outdoor dinner, lighting is crucial. White LED lights are perfect for creating an elegant ambience. While candles, preferably citronella candles placed in elegant candle holders, are recommended for a romantic atmosphere. If, on the other hand, you are planning a fun evening with friends, you can also opt for coloured lights. In general, when setting up the room that will host the dinner, you can run the strings of lights through the branches of trees and plants around the table.

Finally, it is also possible to decorate the ambience by using beautiful white warm light lanterns of different sizes, placed near the table. These are excellent allies for recreating a very special soft atmosphere.

To create a more sophisticated ambience, outdoor lamps in line with the outdoor style are a must. On the Arredare Moderno online store you can choose from a wide range of outdoor lamps designed in Italy, with a refined design, unique in their kind and designed by the best designers on the international scene.

How to create a relaxation corner in the garden: from planning to furnishing