Summer plans in the city: a picnic at home
When the summer heat in the city is unbearable and you don't have a terrace, patio or balcony to enjoy, the best thing is to stay nice and cool inside with the air conditioning or fan switched on! And if you can't go out, why not bring the outdoors inside?
We're here to show you how to put together a super fun summer activity in the city: a picnic at home. You'll love these adorable ideas to enjoy together with your family or friends!
The air conditioning may have to be your sea breeze this time around, but we're sure that you'll enjoy the company more than ever.
A summer picnic in the living room
The first thing you need to do for your living room picnic is think about the menu. We suggest opting for things that are easy to eat, that aren't messy and that are nice and cool. Here are some ideas!
- Small cups of gazpacho or salmorejo.
- Small cups of quinoa salad.
- An array of sandwiches.
- A meat and cheese board.
- Cherry tomato and mozzarella skewers.
- Cut-up fruit: watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, peaches etc.
- Salmon canapés.
Once you've decided on your menu, bring nature into your home with a forest of potted plants. The bigger, the better! And if you don't have a green thumb, artificial trees are also the perfect alternative.
Maximise the feeling of being outdoors with ambient lighting and a protective 'roof' to serve as an indoor gazebo. We opted for LED string lights that don't get hot and some draped transparent curtains to create contrast.
A spread seated on the floor
Forget the traditional table and chairs: lay out a large rug and throw some pillows on the floor so everyone can sit or even lay down comfortably. When it comes to eating, don't make things too complicated: let your guests serve themselves and eat by resting their plates on their knees, or even use individual trays to make it more comfortable. However, make sure that you have lots of serviettes and kitchen paper to avoid staining any of your fabrics. Later on we'll show you how we displayed them.
A decorative centrepiece with plants
To complement the mini indoor jungle for your summer spread, we recommend making a decorative centrepiece with plants. Instead of placing it on the table, we displayed it on the lower shelf. This way, the top stays clear for food and drinks.
You can make it as complicated or as simple as you want: from placing plants in their own individual pots and arranging them on the lower part of the table, creating a 'mini forest', to planting them all in the same basket.
A bouquet of... serviettes!
The most original decoration idea for this at-home summer event is this bouquet. Not only does it look great, it's also extremely useful for your guests. This bouquet is made with traditional white paper serviettes that we rolled up and placed in large artificial monstera leaves, like a serviette holder. So they don't move and stay looking perfect, place an elastic band at the tip of the bouquet. It's beautiful and practical!
Self-serve drinks
Another idea we love for a picnic at home in the purest country style is setting up a self-serve drink station. How? Using a dispenser with a tap, like the one in the photo, which you can fill with whatever you like, so your guests can serve themselves how and when they want. Don't forget to make enough ice to keep it cold!
Have lights ready for when it gets dark
Lastly, don't forget to have lights ready if the picnic stretches into the evening and you want to feel like you're camping. We recommend using portable table lamps, LED string lights, candles and other small lights to make your summer picnic at home spectacularly cosy once night falls. These types of light don't give off heat and are much more inviting; this way, you don't have to use any ceiling lights or floor lamps.
We think you'll also like these ideas:
We love it when customers use our products in a creative way. Why not try to do something new with them yourself? But do remember, any modifications or changes that you make to IKEA products will prevent them from being resold or used for their original use, thus invalidating IKEA product warranties and your right to return.
