Cotton napkins to dress the table of your terrace or garden

Whether it’s the weekend, or even a weekday, organising a meal on the terrace or in the garden helps us disconnect from our routines. In the following article we present you with some design ideas for choosing the most refreshing placemats and cotton napkins for your table.

The fact is, with the arrival of the good weather, the enthusiasm and the possibilities of enjoying the outdoors increases. If you are still not convinced, recall for a moment some of the advantages of eating in the fresh air:

• Breathing fresh air helps you to relax.
• Moreover, with the change of setting (whether at work or at home), it is easier to feel less inhibited, express new ideas and this helps socialisation.
• On being more laid back, we also eat with less haste, which favours digestion and the enjoyment of the meal.

Is it essential to have a large outdoor space to achieve this magical effect? Not necessarily. A small corner can be cosier and more refreshing that a massive terrace. As on other occasions, the key is in the small details, in how we prepare the setting to make the utmost of all its possibilities and create the desired atmosphere.

The fabrics

Our best allies when dressing the table: whether cotton or linen, they create this cosy yet refreshing atmosphere, and according to their colour or pattern help us provide the desired character to each space and occasion. It’s easy to play with the choice of different placemats, cotton napkins, curtains, plaids… We leave you with some suggestions below.

For a refreshing meal, with sea airs

Imagine a clear blue sky, a bathe in the sea, the sound of the river… they are images that without doubt relax us. Blue and some shades of green bring us this feeling of calm, wellbeing and freshness.

This is why we suggest dressing the table of your terrace or garden with fabrics inspired by these so spring-like and summery shades.

One option is to dress the table in mono-colour with placemats and cotton napkins from the Basics collection with attractive and bright blues and turquoise, such as Aquamarine, Caribbean Green or Navy Blue. For those who prefer darker fabrics, Royal Blue or Petrol Blue can also create this seafaring feeling and, if we want, we can reduce their intensity combining them with natural-coloured cotton napkins. For the more daring and lively, pistachio will also provide a touch of freshness and vitality to the table.

You also have a large variety of placemats and cotton napkins patterned with marine themes and textures such as the following collections:

• Ocean: cotton napkins with attractive illustrations of marine animals, a vintage touch to enjoy the best flavours.
• Seafood: elegant and sober edging in blue or natural, also ideal for more formal tables.
• Summer Muslin: elegant and sober edging in blue or natural, also ideal for more formal tables.

For a vermouth or tapas in the open air

Are you thinking of organising a more informal gathering on your terrace or in your garden? In this case, we can replace the placemats (designed for large plates) with cotton napkins of different sizes, perfect for enjoying tapas, small dishes or more easy-going finger buffets.

You can choose from different collections designed exclusively for these types of celebrations. We also suggest some design ideas to complement the table:

Vermut&Tapas: the mythical design of traditional bars but with pleasant and absorbent cotton napkins. It also renews the way of presenting the food: forget the traditional plating and present it in pretty and detailed tins, one of the latest tendencies!

Newspaper: a background of gastronomic news. The perfect excuse for reading the newspaper on the table and enjoying a relaxing conversation 😉

Picnic Gingham Red: cotton napkins with the traditional touch that never goes out of fashion. To emphasise this more country-like air, why not serve some ingredients with a small wicker basket?

Blue Night: an elegant option, perfect for a night-time gathering. It helps create an intimate atmosphere with candles or low-intensity lights 😉

The table and chairs

Enjoying a meal in the open air does not mean taking the tables and chairs out from the dining room. From a functional point of view, we should have specific furnishing, designed to resist the outdoor weather conditions. Aesthetically, there is a large variety of different models, where bright colours (such as white) and organic tones such as beige or browns dominate.

Regarding materials, wood and wicker are classical: due to their natural, welcoming and elegant appearance, available in a wide variety of models and being adaptable to different designs. Plastic, aluminium and iron are also common in this type of furnishing, although they are “colder” options and in which the fabrics (cushions, plaids, covers…) will be even more important to bring this touch or warmth.

Another important aspect is the choice of the space where we place the table and chairs. If possible, in the shade, and with sufficient space to move around it. To deal with the bother of the sun and the high temperatures, use pergolas and parasols. Another design idea that we think is very refreshing is to improvise a “headquarters” with some light, white curtains, gathered in a knot and fluttering in the breeze.

Beyond having a large table, with its chairs, if you have enough space it may be interesting to create and differentiate a chill-out zone as well, with auxiliary tables and sofas or lower hammocks where there should be some comfortable and pretty cushions. Later, in another article, we will explain how to amaze your friends with a cocktail at home.

Complements

As well as the placemats and cotton napkins, another key element when dressing the table is the crockery. In the case of a meal on the terrace or in the garden, we suggest going for fresh, not overelaborated models. One of the most popular recent design ideas is to combine smooth porcelain elements of different colours or even with a light pattern (always well matched with the fabrics). The glasses will continue in the same style as the crockery.

Also, if you want to create a perfect tuning with the setting you can dress the table of your terrace or garden with elements of the crockery in wood, a natural and organic material par excellence. It’s colour also combines perfectly with the white and blue shades of the placemats and cotton napkins, recreating the purest “seafaring” style, the true symbol of summer.

In a natural or sand colour, you can also place a rug designed for outdoor use under the table. You will provide a comfier and cosier air to the space! Remember to look for fabrics that are resistant to sun, rain and dampness.

If you are thinking about organising a special celebration in the open air check our article Table decoration for country weddings. Although you are not preparing a wedding, you will surely find design ideas to inspire you 🙂