I’m not even going to pretend like we actually use our formal dining room from May through August because when summer officially hits, we backyard barbecue it up just about every single weekend. The charcoal grillin’, daiquri sippin’, watermelon drippin’ down your forearms kind.

And it is glorious.

This week, Lory from Designthusiasm is hosting another round of the Styled and Set Entertaining Blog Tour, summer edition, with a bunch of blogger friends to share our best summer entertaining tips. If you’re visiting from Erin’s blog at Cotton Stem, welcome! (If you’ve never visited her blog, go catch up because I’m obsessed with her. And I don’t use that word often.)

So I thought I’d share some of my favorite ways to perk up a backyard barbecue table because I’m betting we’re not the only ones who go casual al fresco style this time of year.

6 ways to perk up a backyard barbecue table that are beautiful, yet still practical and affordable. #cookout #barbecue #entertaining #backyard #cookoutdecor #cookouttable #barbecuetable #summerdecor #summertable #summertablescape #backyardbarbecue

Every now and then, I go a notch above Solo cup ware for our cookouts.

6 Ways to Perk Up a Backyard Barbecue Table:

(Some affiliate links are provided below.)

1. Use a fabric runner to make it feel special.

I used this macrame runner I picked up on sale, but I’ve also bought rolls of burlap from the craft section of Walmart or cut up 12″ strips of fabric as a makeshift runner in the past for about $5. They make a table feel put together, but they don’t have to be pricey at all.

2. Snip flowers from your backyard for a centerpiece.

Or use grocery store flowers if you don’t have flowers growing. I love getting a bundle at Trader Joe’s for $5. If you don’t have a vase, stick ’em in a big jar. You can get away with it.

3. Use disposable plastic plates and silver-look plastic cutlery.

Ya know, if you’re going on strike against washing dishes for a day and would rather just recycle it all after. But investing in melamine dinnerware is pretty great too for the long run.

4. Trade the Solo cups for tumblers.

I got these goblets at Target recently and they are SO cute. They’re plastic but look convincingly like glass.

5. Who needs a fancy place setting when you have watermelon slices?

Backyard finger foods can be decor too, right?

6. Light citronella candle votives.

Both for ambience and for keeping the buggies away.

You better believe after I photographed this table, Robert, Olivia, and I devoured this watermelon and punch and canon-balled into the pool.

Cheers to summer, y’all!

(By the way, I picked up this outdoor table and outdoor chairs at IKEA for $169 total. Woot woot! New favorite.)

Next stop on the tour is Taryn Whiteaker’s home. If you like more of the modern industrial style, you will love her blog.

You can check out the rest of the bloggers’ summer entertaining ideas on the rest of the tour for more inspiration, if you’re hosting any summer shindigs this year:

Hosted by Designthusiasm