By Elise Portale / Photography by Melinda Graham / Styling by Melinda Graham

When the weather tries to cancel your garden party plans, don’t take a raincheck! Instead of hiding under your quilts, spread them out and host a whimsical indoor picnic that always has good weather. From light finger foods and brightly colored quilts, the party inside will have you and your guests forgetting the inclement weather outside.

Indoor Picnic
When you don’t have to trek out to the middle of a park, enhancing your picnic’s décor becomes a breeze! Collect your favorite vases, foot stools, chairs and other delicate items from around your home and use them to spruce up the dining area.
Picnic Teacup Berries
When deciding what to serve, keep things easy on yourself. Fresh berries and biscuits are great finger foods and nobody will know that all you did was place a fresh berry on a store-bought cupcake! And don’t forget a nice glass of sparkling water to keep everyone happy and the conversation flowing.
Rainy Day Indoor Picnic
Even though you won’t need a picnic basket to carry your food from your kitchen to your living room, this picnic essential still makes a great vessel for presenting the afternoon’s offering.
Picnic Parasol
If the weather outside has the inside looking dark and gloomy, set up a few lamps on the floor behind some parasols. The light will brighten up the scene while the parasols will diffuse it beautifully.

5 Tips for the Perfect Indoor Picnic

  1. Pick the right spot. A proper picnic is all about the location. If your living room has a nice view of the picturesque world outside, lay down your quilts overlooking some nature. If that doesn’t seem feasible, pick the room with the most real estate for spreading out and being comfortable. Wherever you pick, make sure it’s nice and bright to simulate a beautiful summer’s day!
  2. Keep things light. With a kitchen nearby, you may be tempted to serve your guests larger meals from your oven, but we recommend sticking to finger foods. Small tea sandwiches, cookies and fresh vegetables assist in creating that picnic vibe while avoiding the extra dishes (and potential messes) casseroles or soups may create.
  3. Take it to the next level. Literally! Cover a nearby couch, table or stacks of cushions with your quilts to add height and shape to your picnic area. Create a “hill” for your guests to recline against or cover a “boulder” to display your delicious spread. In this terrain, you have all the control!
  4. Mix and match. Don’t be afraid to pull out all of your throws, pillows, quilts and cushions, even if they don’t all match. A patchwork of different colors, textures and patterns will only heighten that picnic blanket appeal. You don’t even need to worry about mud ruining your more delicate pieces!
  5. Play Mother Nature. The one thing that nature has that your living room doesn’t is the wonderful vista of trees, grasses and blooms that make a picnic so fresh. Fill a creamer or vintage pitcher with some fresh cuts from your garden to add a bright, floral touch to the scene.

Cottage, Elise Portale, Entertaining, Melinda Graham, picnic, Spring, Tea Party