A TABLESCAPE INSPIRED BY MIDSUMMER IN PORTOFINO

In Italy, we celebrate Midsummer on August 15 to mark the peak of summer and the commencement of our weeks-long vacation. August 15 is also my husband’s birthday and so the celebration is always two-fold and deserving of an exquisite dinner party.

There are several intentional design choices that are key to the effectiveness of this setting. Most obviously, you see that I placed an emphasis on Italy’s colors, incorporating pops of green, white, and red in floral arrangements and of course, the tall 18-inch tapered candles. With tall, thin candles like these that are bold in color and full of movement and height, I chose simple glass candle holders as the base.

I love the juxtaposition of the stout floral arrangements next to the candle groupings. These roses fill the blank space on the table left by the slim tapered candles. Three is the magic number for these vases, which you can find at Inspire Me Home Decor as part of their Pops of Color collection. I think the elegant white and gold ceramic vases are the perfect base for the brightly colored roses—they don’t detract from their color or overwhelm the senses at all.