Chic, Disposable Designs for Your Picnic
Disposable tableware used to mean Dixie cups and floppy, flower-printed paper plates. No matter how you laid your table out, the items looked casual and well -- disposable.
Now, plastic plates and disposable tableware can be chic, casual, relaxed or bold. Many design houses have different lines and looks that coordinate to complete a sophisticated table. You can easily throw an outdoor party with all sorts of color and interest, if you know the latest and greatest products.
Kristi Crowe of Southern Living magazine shared some of the latest tableware for outdoor dining on "The Early Show" Monday.
In the South, Crowe said, we love to entertain and whether we're gathering in the backyard or the park, we all want to make our guests feel special. One way to do this, she said, is to set the scene.
Crowe recommends dressing your outdoor table as you would your indoor table by having fun with color, texture and fabrics. Don't be afraid to express your personal style, she said, and think beyond paper.
There are a lot of new products out now from melamine plates to tablecloths made from natural fibers, she said, that are stylish, eco-friendly, convenient and cost effective.
Crowe shared three looks with "The Early Show":
CLASSIC look:
The Classic look is all about personal style.
These graphic monogrammed plates modernize a classic look. In the South we love our monograms and this look is very on trend right now. The company La Plates customizes the plates based on your initials, color and font choice. We chose the unique pairing of orange and brown. The idea is that plastic doesn't have to look like plastic -- these plates are like china for the outdoors.
We paired this with a natural jute tablecloth which adds texture and is green as are the cloth napkins. The utensils are bamboo, again, very of the moment, and they are an interesting shape which goes beyond the ordinary.
When the sun goes down, candles create warm, elegant ambient setting that encourages your guests want to linger. These hurricanes are from Smith & Hawken: "you can envision these on your mantle inside, they also work for outdoors." It's about elevating the look -- and we use citronella candles which keep the bugs away.
Modern Plates in Brown with Orange Circle Monogram, La Plates
Info: customizable by design, colors, font, and personalization. Dishwasher safe.
Retail: $22
Bamboo Knife/Fork/Spoon set, Plum Party
Service for 8 people, 24 pieces for $8
Seagrass Pitcher, Pier 1
Retail: $12.95
Seagrass Tumblers, Pier 1
Retail: $4 for large
Rope Coil Placemats, Keep It Simple with Katie Brown
Retail: $12.99
Natural Jute Tablecloth, Keep It Simple with Katie Brown
Retail: $29.99 small, $39.99 large
Brown Striped Cotton Dinner Napkins in Portobello Stripe, Juliska
Info: also available in charcoal stripe and green stripe
Retail: $27
BOLD look:
This is our bold look, the plates were designed by a former professor at the Savannah College of Art & Design, which is one of our favorite sources at Southern Living magazine. The squiggle design is great for kids or the young at heart, the square shape is modern and the plates are dishwasher safe
The purple utensils are modeled after vintage silverware, they are super strong, reusable and ecofriendly, and they are super original. These are so elegant, classic and fun. Made of high strength polycarbonate. Dishwasher safe.
The table runner is vinyl, it's bright and it's fun. Again, sophisticated, urban, and fun for your outdoor table. We show also hung some paper lanterns over the table, which helps to complete the look. They come in all sorts of bold colors, and really help set the mood for your bold, sophisticated outdoor table.
Ben Collection Dinner Plates in Teal, Working Class Studio/SCAD
Info: Available in 4 colors
Retail: $11
Orleans Plastic Purple Cutlery, Plum Party
Service for 4, $16
Info: Super strong, dishwasher safe, available in clear, black and white.
Accordion Paper Lantern String Light, Pearl River
Retail: $14.50
Info: Can be interconnected up to three sets. Colors: Blue, Coral, Fuchsia, Lime Green, Violet, White and Yellow
Ben Collection Tumblers, Working Class Studio/SCAD
Retail: $4
Pressed Vinyl Dot Runner in Hot Pink, Chilewich
Retail: $28
RELAXED look:
For our final relaxed look, we took it all American, a patriotic outdoor look for any occasion.
The plates are inspired by hand glazed ceramics, they are lightweght easy to transport, throw them in a picnic basket and just go. They are from Pottery Barn $28 for a set of 4, the smaller plates are $20 for a set of 4.
The glasses are permaglass so they are shatterproof. The plastic utensils are a modern spin on antique silverware and come with a little ring so you don't lose them on your picnic!
Solid Blue Outdoor Dinner Plates, Patterned Blue Outdoor SaladPlates, Pottery Barn, set of 4, large plated $28, small plates set of 4 $20
Picnic Utensils Set, Keep It Simple with Katie Brown
Retail: $4.99 Set
Square Lantern Black (small and medium), Pier 1
Retail: $10, available only in stores
Moroccan Tea Light Holders (small), Pier 1
Retail: $8, available in stores August/early September
08 Red Gingham Tablecloth (custom size), Tanner Bananer
Hand sewn in Charleston, SC
All oilcloth products Retail: $28
Also in other patterns.
Dishtowel Stripe Napkins in Blue, Pottery Barn
Set of 6, $27