Welcoming the Season with Intentional Design for Memorial Day Weekend
Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer entertaining, longer days, slower evenings, and more time spent around the table. It is also the perfect time to refresh the home with intention and focus on the spaces where people gather most.
At Sugarwood, we believe a home should feel layered, welcoming, and functional. Every piece should serve a purpose while adding to the overall feeling of the space. This being said, we are here to share our favorite tips and tricks focused on all things tablescape as we head into the holiday weekend!
Designing with Intention for the Season Ahead
This season, we are focused on creating homes that feel ready for gathering. With new furniture arriving daily including dining tables, chairs, buffets, and curated decor, each piece is selected with intention for how it will live in a space, not just how it looks.
We also make a consistent effort to source from new vendors, bringing in pieces that feel unique and not widely available. These rotating finds keep the collection fresh and help every home feel more personal and collected.
Alongside furniture, we love incorporating smaller entertaining details such as trinket dishes, oyster salt cellars, paper cocktail napkins, and other objects that add character and function to a table or styled surface. Even something as simple as a beautiful stack of cocktail napkins makes a thoughtful hostess gift and is an easy way to make summer entertaining feel more elevated.
A Memorial Day Tablescape Inspired by Summer Living
For this table, we used a timeless blue and white palette with natural textures and soft candlelight for a relaxed but elevated feel.
When setting a table, we always think in layers. Start with a linen base, then add woven placemats, layered plates, napkins, and glassware. A simple napkin ring or thoughtfully folded napkin with one of our cream artichokes atop instantly makes a place setting feel finished and intentional.
For the center of the table, we like to keep things natural and functional. Loose greenery or seasonal florals paired with varying candle heights create softness without overwhelming the table. Sugarwood tip: something simple to remove from the table and place on a nearby sideboard or buffet while dining is the way to go! We also love adding playful summer touches like a fish shaped toothpick holder, small bowls for citrus, or collected serving pieces that guests can easily interact with throughout the meal.
A buffet is another entertaining essential we love for summer hosting. Not only does it add beautiful storage to a dining space, but it also gives you a place to tuck away serving pieces, extra dishes, and hosting essentials while keeping the space feeling clean and organized.
Our Favorite Additional Tips for Hosting a Summer Weekend
- Freeze flowers/citrus into ice buckets so wine stays cold and looks pretty
- Pre-set extra wine bottles in the fridge so you’re never serving warm wine halfway through dinner
- Put water carafes out before guests sit - people drink way more water in summer than you think
- Keep a hidden “backup stash” of candles, ice, napkins, and serving utensils nearby
- Light candles 20–30 mins early so the wax melts evenly and looks prettier
- Use double ice buckets outside - ice melts way faster than expected in summer
- Chill serving bowls/platters beforehand for anything cold
- Put heavier decor pieces down first outside so wind doesn’t ruin the table
- Bring out dessert plates/utensils before dinner starts so cleanup feels seamless
- Keep one empty section of the table for bottles/serving dishes as dinner progresses
- Have a tray ready for clearing plates quickly without disrupting the table
- Slightly underfill vases outdoors so flowers don’t spill if the table gets bumped
- Use cloth napkins because paper blows everywhere outside
- If using taper candles outside, melt the bottoms slightly first so they stay upright better
- The prettiest tables are the ones that still function comfortably once people actually start eating
A Season for Gathering
As we move into summer, the focus is on spaces that feel open, welcoming, and ready for connection. Whether hosting this Memorial Day weekend or refreshing your home for the season ahead, intentional design helps turn everyday moments into something memorable.
Wishing you a beautiful Memorial Day weekend.