Cheerful yellow sunflowers and cobalt glasses. It has a Mediterranean vibe, don’t you think? We were having a casual family dinner following an afternoon around the pool, and this seemed to strike the right note of cheerful, fun and durable. 

The bowls are Pistoulet by Pfaltzgraff, part of an astonishingly large pattern, and still actively produced. I’ve had it for lo, these many years and continue to love it.

Some of the pieces in the pattern are extremely fun, like the devilled egg tray with the rooster dish in the center ( pictures in the collage are courtesy of Replacements.com).

The Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage salad plates are at least 17 years old, and originally came from Williams Sonoma. The pattern is also still active and  readily available. The dinner plate is from Pier 1, but has been discontinued. The soft yellow, rustic style is extremely versatile.

The painted water glasses were a wedding present, so going on 20 years now (!?) They were from the Canadian company, Bowrings. The cobalt glasses are very common and I believe are by Libbey. These were from Pier 1 years ago, and are available today on eBay, among other places.

I stuck with the minimum of table decor, plucking some Lady’s Mantle and some Hellebores from the garden for a centrepiece and adding plain glass hurricanes.

The vase holding the Lady’s Mantle and Hellebores is made from heavy cast iron. It’s a joy to use – just dump the flowers in and they practically arrange themselves. The vase is shaped like a flower pod, with a narrow neck where the “petals” turn out. 

 I use it a lot in the summer, especially for sunflowers. 

We were lucky enough to have a lovely day, weather wise. Not too hot, but warm enough for everyone to enjoy the pool all afternoon.

Small olive wood bowls were pressed into service as open salts.

The cutlery is a mixed set of Laguiole that we picked up when we were in Sarlat, France. We had tremendous fun in a tiny shop, with the owner hauling out box after box of knives and forks for our consideration. I can’t remember all the different woods (there was a dizzying variety), but believe they are Apple, Olive, Juniper, Rosewood, Wenge and Walnut. Similar sets of knives can be had from Williams Sonoma.

The placemats are from Pier 1 and the napkins are a soft, chambray with a jacquard pattern. I’ve had them for eons, and can’t remember where they were from.

Outdoor dining in the summer. Can’t beat it!

I’m sharing this post with Between Naps on the Porch.