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Enchanted Inner City Outdoor Entertaining

inner city outdoor entertaining

Summer is all about dining al fresco. And there is nothing more I love than hosting friends for a casual and laid back summer meal.  But with only a small, seven feet by eleven feet inner city balcony, creating an inspiring place to host my dearest required some creativity.  Today I’m sharing the tricks I used to create an enchanted inner city outdoor entertaining space for anyone with a small, perhaps uninspired patio or balcony.

First, to create the illusion of more space I stuck to a neutral palette and natural, textural elements.

inner city outdoor entertaining

The beautiful mature trees just off my balcony where the inspiration for the setting – natural and casual with a touch of sophistication.

inner city outdoor entertaining

The addition of tall plants or fir trees, like I used on the sides of my balcony, is a great way to create privacy and intimacy and really played to the enchanted feeling.

inner city outdoor entertaining

My old patio table was transformed with a crisp white tablecloth, an easy and inexpensive fix. I added a burlap and lace runner to add a touch of elegance and panache without being too stuffy.  Tying the tablecloth and runner with a rope was a practical solution to keep guests from catching the tablecloth with their chairs, but also helped to create a casual atmosphere, while adding an interesting textural element. A woven jute rug helps to ground the space and plays on the humble yet sophisticated feel I was going for.

inner city outdoor entertaining

Clear ghost chairs help to maintain the illusion of space and tie in beautifully with the feel of the table.

inner city outdoor entertaining

In keeping with the natural and elegant theme, the place settings feature wooden chargers topped with marble slabs. Gold flatware adds a bit of glamour to the setting.

inner city outdoor entertaining

I love sending guests home with a parting gift, and a beautiful earthy succulent was just the thing.

inner city outdoor entertaining

And lastly the finishing touch to any table setting is beautiful florals. To tie in with the color palette and feel of the space, I kept the flowers muted, rustic and a little wild.

inner city outdoor entertaining

The overall effect is a casually elegant space to entertain friends late into a summers night.

inner city outdoor entertaining


Photography: Michelle Johnson

 

6 Comments

  • Kaycee lunde

    August 2, 2017 9:50 pm

    Incredible! I am pleasantly surprised at how fabulous hens and chicks look with the natural wood! Awesome work

    • Neelam

      August 3, 2017 8:56 am

      Thank you so much Kaycee. I loved the simplicity of the look. Happy you enjoy it too! Thanks for stopping by.
      xx
      Neelam

  • Rosanna Alicia Design

    August 3, 2017 9:21 am

    Love this look! Especially the wild florals & natural square chargers. I need to give my outdoor space a bit more loving… Rx

    • Neelam

      August 3, 2017 11:53 am

      Thank you Rosanna! Our summers are so short around here that it’s easy to ‘make do,’ but it was so much fun creating this space, that I can’t wait to do it again next year!
      xx
      Neelam

  • Valerie Hill

    August 7, 2017 7:42 pm

    Very nice photos! Enjoying your posts!

    • Neelam

      August 7, 2017 9:49 pm

      Thank you Valerie! This was a blast to create 🙂
      xx
      Neelam