Three Ways to Style a Summer Brunch Table
From the menu to the place settings, our editors have mapped out three perfect scenarios for your next summer brunch.
Summer weekends call for leisurely days outdoors, and we can't think of a better way to savor the sunshine than by brunching al fresco. No need to wait for a special occasion: Create an event of your own with these summery brunch-table themes.
1. In the Garden
On the Menu: Melon ball fruit salad, scones, iced tea and lemons.
The Decor: Celebrate the season’s flora with a brunch setting that evokes an English garden. Mixed-and-matched botanical-print plates and goldtone flatware set a prim and proper scene, while a table runner made from moss adds a touch of playful whimsy. Set out pastries and bowls of fruit on cake plates of varying heights and sizes for an “elevated” serving display.
2.On the Riviera
On the menu: Chilled quiche, butter croissants, espresso bar.
The Decor: Nothing says Cote d’Azur like blue-and-white stripes. Embrace the Riviera region’s unofficial pattern—inspired by the uniform the French Navy first adopted in the 1850s—with a striped runner and color-blocked place settings. Add French Laguiole flatware, and fill a water pitcher (adorned with Napoleon bees) with cabbage roses or red tulips. On a separate table, set up a simple espresso bar with white cafe mugs and bowls of sugar.
3. In the Meadow
On the menu: Veggie frittatas, homemade muffins, fresh-squeezed orange juice.
The Decor: Take cues from the countryside with a casual, rustic tablescape. Think: charger plates with a rooster motif, drinking glasses inspired by canning jars, and a table runner made from burlap. For a menu to match, focus on fresh-from-the-farm ingredients like frittatas made with locally-sourced eggs and seasonal vegetables.
