ENTERTAINING OUTDOOR entertaining

The Charm of Vintage Serveware for a Summer Party

Posted on July 12, 2009

vintage party decor :: wood soda cases :: buoys :: coca-cola cooler

Seeing this old Coca-Cola cooler last week at Finnegan’s market brought back childhood memories.  My parents owned a lot on a small lake 45 minutes from my home. Every nice Sunday during the summer, my parents, friends and family members used to meet there. We crossed the lake by swimming, played games of horseshoe and sat at night at the fire pit. It was fun!

A visit at the flea market can be the occasion to design a party decor. Think about ho you can integrate old items in an unexpected way. Here, the stylist at Pottery Barn decorate a pole with vintage buoys. I remembered seeing a few vintage wood soda crates stacked in a corner of my father’s business when I was young. I wish he had kept them. These crates can be used to bring the dishes in and out of the house or to gather bottles and glasses next to your buffet. This look calls for dishtowel napkins.

vintage farm signs and garden seeds storage

Other items to look for our farm stand signs and seeds storage. Transform seed metal boxes into the vase for a centerpieces or to distribute the cutlery wrapped in cotton napkins.

SOURCING:
+ Found Soda Crate $15 USD
+ Dishtowel Stripe Napkins, Set of 6 on sale at $27 USD
+ Amish Farm Produce Roadside Stand Signs $65 USD
+ Seeds Metal Boxes – available at Comme on Aime in France

The vintage buoys are not anymore available online; maybe you may get lucky at a store near you but I would not count on it.

An ex-lifestyle and entertaining expert and UX designer who became a STEAM educator. At Bidouilleurs, I helped kids aged 5-12 become inventors and makers. An innovative mom who cares about gender equality and to get more girls and boys interested in STEM/STEAM.

  • Jennifer Mitchell
    July 12, 2009 at 08:48

    This is a great idea, Kim. IF we’d had time to decorate at my recent family reunion in New Hampshire, these would have been the perfect thing. Oh well, there’s always next year!

    By the way, you can find vintage buoys here.

    http://lobstertraps.tripod.com/id5.html

    They look great on the exterior of beach houses. Tie them with rope to exterior stairways, or a railing.

    • At Home with Kim Vallee
      July 12, 2009 at 09:57

      Jennifer: Thank you for the source. They seem to have a large selection.

  • KimVallee
    July 12, 2009 at 12:46

    The Charm of Vintage Serveware for a Summer Party on At Home with Kim Vallee http://bit.ly/QJ00o

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

  • thwangco
    July 12, 2009 at 21:11

    The Charm of Vintage Serveware for a Summer Party | At Home with … http://bit.ly/PcyIZ

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

  • Kerry
    July 13, 2009 at 10:38

    Love the cocacola trays! Your post actually reminded me that I have one in the basement and need to dig it out and use it this summer as a fun tray! Thanks for the great post!

  • SavvyHost
    July 16, 2009 at 14:59

    outdoor #entertaining chic ~ vintage serveware http://bit.ly/3Rwu4y ~ inspiration provided by @KimVallee

    This comment was originally posted on Twitter

  • Jenni Pearson-Vanier
    May 13, 2011 at 12:58

    I just picked up a cooler exactly like this one in nearby Merrickville. We lived in eastern Ontario for two decades and would visit Finnegan’s every summer. Great memories.