Photo by Yann Deret
In France, as soon as the weather allows, terraces, balconies, courtyards and gardens burst into life as meals, conversations and daily routines move outside. The setup is rarely too elaborate, but it is carefully considered to make the most of the summer season.
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From apéritifs to simple dinners and and afternoon coffees shared in the shade, each occasion calls for a thoughtful combination of practical and decorative elements. Comfort, functionality and a sense of visual harmony guide the objects chosen for French outdoor spaces, where even the smallest details contribute to an atmosphere that encourages guests to linger a little longer.
Find below a few of our favorite French summer essentials for entertaining outside:
1. Selecting Your Summer Seating
The first considerations when hosting outside is where to seat your guests! In French gardens and outdoor spaces, seating is simple yet stylish, typically featuring familiar, time-tested materials. Wicker, rattan, wrought iron and painted wood are widely used, often in combination with natural textiles such as cotton or canvas for a timeless feel.
Arrangements are usually flexible rather than fixed, allowing seating to shift depending on the time of day, type of event and number of guests. You might easily see cane and rattan chairs appear alongside metal café seats, often with canvas or cotton cushions tied loosely for extra comfort. The desired effect is not necessarily matching, but creating overall harmony, where chairs can be moved, borrowed or put away easily.
2. Layering your Outdoor Space
Once you’ve decided on seating, the next consideration is styling. Textiles play an important role in creating comfort outdoors and layering is an important French principal both inside and outside the home. Cushions are a must — used to soften seating areas — while lightweight throws are kept nearby in wicker baskets for cooler evenings — even in summer.
Outdoor rugs, usually flat-woven or made from weather-resistant fibres, also help to define outdoor entertainment areas within a garden or terrace, particularly when used over stone or gravel surfaces. While patterns often remain restrained, in summer, nautical stripes are common, alongside more colorful floral or botanical prints for their lively spirit.
3. Serving Drinks
Once your guests have been welcomed and are comfortable, its time to pour them a refreshing beverage. Summer drinking in France is as much about presentation as it is about what is poured. Whether it is a simple spritz, a chilled rosé, or a glass of sparkling water with ice, citrus and a sprig of mint, the vessel matters…!
Thin glassware with delicate stems, or slightly heavier vintage tumblers, both find their place depending on the mood of the evening. Around a pool, the tone is more relaxed and colorful; at a dinner table, slightly more composed, perhaps accompanied by an antique silver ice bucket or cocktail shaker.
4. Setting the Table
If you’re dining, French summer table settings tend to take a light approach. They are rarely perfectly styled, nor precisely symmetrical. Instead, there is a comfortable informality, with slightly crumpled linen napkins, patterned tablecloths and woven placemats gracing the table. For larger gatherings, paper napkins are not avoided, but chosen with care: soft colors, subtle patterns, nothing too loud.
For plating and serving dishes, stoneware in paler glazes and hand-thrown ceramics with visible imperfections are often popular choices in France, but a formal patterned porcelain dish-set never goes amiss either. Feel free to mix and match plates for a sense of ease that feels paired-back and intentional.
5. Styling the Garden
Lastly, the outdoor space itself is a wonderful accessory for your evening or afternoon spent entertaining. In many French gardens, gardening tools are purposefully left within view rather than hidden away, and become as much a part of the composition as any pillow. From watering cans in galvanised metal, to garden baskets holding secateurs, plant labels and carefully chosen terracotta pots, the French have a healthy appreciation for beauty in utility, and all these objects sit comfortably within the setting, adding to its attractiveness rather than detracting from it.
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