Growing up in a small town, I love the feeling of a close-knit community, where folks look out for each other and everywhere you go, you’re greeted by a friend. When Dan and I moved to our little lake cottage, we were thrilled to discover that this special neighborhood was just like a small town. People are friendly and welcoming. And, best yet, they like to gather together and have fun.
My favorites are the Girls Night Out happy hours. Usually, they are spontaneous – someone throws out an invite, and everyone shows up with a bottle of wine and an appetizer. When the weather is nice, we sit out by the lake, swapping stories, laughing until our sides hurt, sharing our lives.
Now, it’s my turn to host. I have the perfect reason for a celebration: welcoming a new friend to the neighborhood. My friend Nancy has nabbed a house just a few doors down from ours, and I can’t wait to introduce her to my new tribe of girlfriends. Like so many of my good friends, I met Nancy through Nell Hills. As we worked together on creating beautiful spaces in her home, we built a wonderful friendship. So when Nancy was looking for a weekend home near the city, I was thrilled when she found the perfect fixer-upper by us. (She promised me I could blog about it when she’s all done!)
I’m always looking for an excuse to set a beautiful table, so I decided to make my Girls Night Out into a dinner party on the deck. I’m no cook, so I’ll pick up a lovely salad from a nearby restaurant. Instead, I’ll put my energy into making the table a feast for the eyes.
When Dan and I were looking at the houses around our little lake, I was surprised by the number that had their kitchen on the lower level. Now I understand why. We love entertaining on our lower patio, and it’s still our favorite outdoor space, but it is a pain to cart everything up and down the stairs a million times when you entertain. So to remedy that problem, my Girls Night Out will be on the deck just off our kitchen.
Until now, I’ve filled this long, thin space with a line of Adirondack chairs, a great place to sit with your morning coffee and watch the wildlife around the lake. I found an inexpensive zinc table that fits the space like a glove. Since the table is not intended for outdoor use, I have to baby it a bit. When rainwater sits on it too long, it leaves little rust spots, which I easily scrub off with an SOS pad.
I’m so drawn to the color combination of blue and green right now. I love how fresh, cool and pure it feels. So I’m using it as the inspiration for my dinner table. The vintage inspired table cloth is the perfect base. Then we layered up with a mix of dishes – a white dinner plate, topped with a leaf majolica salad plate and a blue and white bread plate. Never be afraid to mix patterns, shapes and sizes on your table – each layer makes the table more interesting.
I want to close by encouraging you to reach out to those around you, whether it’s folks in your neighborhood, workplace, or a social or community group. Invite new friends into your home for a meal or drinks. As we get to know those people we pass by every day, our lives become richer, and our communities grow stronger. Have fun!
Next Week …Velvet is hot, hot, hot right now! Come see how to work this delicious fabric into your décor.
kathybrs says
August 21, 2017 at 2:51 pmBeautiful table. Love the blue and green also.
Dj says
August 21, 2017 at 4:47 pmI enjoy your articles. However many of the pictures in this article are not right side up and difficult to view the beautiful table scapes.
Joanne Felice says
August 22, 2017 at 4:43 amLove the look! Are the pillows on your Adirondack available at your store?
Tari Laster says
August 22, 2017 at 8:07 pmSo nice to get to know you better as a person as well as a fabulous decorator, your readers are not just fans but friends. Your one of a kind and I look forward to your stories with every blog, every picture and all things “Mary Carol”.
franki says
August 29, 2017 at 9:25 amYour “table course” was excellent!!! Just beautiful and welcoming…delish! franki
Karen Wilmot says
September 17, 2017 at 4:19 pmI love your blog and love to go back thru the years to see what you posted . Could you please bring back years and months so readers can review prevous posts . Your ideas are timeless. Thank you !!!
Mary Carol Garrity says
September 18, 2017 at 2:44 pmThanks, Karen! All our previous blogs are available on the Nell Hill’s website: https://nellhills.com. Just click on the tab marked Blog, and it will take you to the archive. Glad you are enjoying!