what to pack for the perfect Liberty picnic

Everything You Need for the Perfect Picnic

Tablescaping needn’t be confined to the table. Here’s our carefully curated packing list and styling ideas to help you host the perfect picnic this summer

Everything You Need for the Perfect Picnic

Tablescaping needn’t be confined to the table. Here’s our carefully curated packing list and styling ideas to help you host the perfect picnic this summer

By: Charlotte Olby

An ode to the moveable feast. Whether you’re at the beach, the park or even your back garden, a picnic can easily be one of the most enjoyable ways to eat out in in late-summer – you just need to be organised. If you’re looking to up your picnic ante and create a sophisticated setting, you’re going to need a few ideas to curate the perfect picnic-scape. So what do you actually need in your picnic arsenal? Playlist, drinks, flowers and fairy-lights aside - here’s the Liberty picnic packing list to get you picnic ready for the heatwave.

The Picnic Blanket

Those long-overdue, alfresco catch-ups with friends wouldn’t be complete without an insta-worthy backdrop. To start, decide on a loose colour palette for your linens, factoring in cutlery and dinnerware. Lean into a homespun, cottagecore way of life and roll out a plaid picnic blanket that's thick enough to drape over dewy-grass without getting damp – and clash with some floral napkins.

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Liberty

Poppy Dawn Wool Throw

£325.00

Buy now

Pendleton

National Park Throw With Carrier

£275.00

Buy now

Caravane

Plaid Miti Throw

£395.00

Buy now

Liberty

Poppy Dawn Wool Throw

£325.00

Buy now

Pendleton

Napped Aegean Chief Joseph Blanket

£445.00

Buy now

Caravane

Plaid Mandho Blanket

£520.00

Buy now

A Picnic Basket, Hamper, Tote or Cooler

A stand-out essential for mastering the art of picnicking is, of course, a basket, tote bag or backpack – non-negotiables when it comes to transporting your spread. The truth is, a cooler is best for keeping food and drinks cool, but a wicker basket is perfect for living out your wholesome Sound of Music picnic dream and can store your extras (blanket, cutlery, clean up essentials...etc). Coco & Wolf’s Picnic Basket is complete with our Tana Lawn™ cotton in Thorpe Hill print to enhance your outdoor experience, and can work double duty as a pretty centrepiece (especially when filled with fresh blooms).

Coco & Wolf Donna Leigh Rectangle Picnic Basket

Coco & Wolf Thorpe Hill Four Person Picnic Basket

Mood-Boosting Linens and Napkins

Don’t be afraid to mix patterns or contrasting colours with your linens. Your wardrobe sparks joy and so should your table! Print and mood-enhancing colour is the perfect way to welcome your guests to a picnic party. Summerill & Bishop's Lemon Yellow Stripe Linen Napkins, will inject some British Summertime feels into your arrangements, for a picnic that’s brimming with personality.

Read More: Every Dinner Table Setting, Sorted

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Daylesford

x Colefax and Fowler Quince Garden 280x160cm Tablecloth

£195.00

Buy now

Lettermade

Corgi Cocktail Napkins Set of Four

£62.00

Buy now

Coro Cora

Drops Placemat

£50.00

Buy now

Summerill & Bishop

Lemon Yellow Stripe Linen Napkins Set of Two

£60.00 £40.00

Buy now

Coco & Wolf

Linen Garden Table Runner

£59.00

Buy now

Anna + Nina

Soupe Bouillabaisse Tablecloth

£59.95

Buy now

Tessitura Toscana Telerie

La Vie en Rose 270x170cm Linen Tablecloth

£200.00

Buy now

(Almost) Bounce-Proof Plates, Glasses and Utensils

If you’re brave enough, of course you can mix and match your favourite plates and glassware from around your house to create a more eclectic feel (so long as you can carry them out back) – but for those further-flung lunches, you're going to need some breakage and spill-proof tableware. Look to our latest Liberty x Chilly's collection for a series of picnic-ready-printed alternatives to glassware. As for serving dishes and drinkware, look to Falcon’s enamelware dining pieces for everything from functional jugs and mugs to serving platters and bowls. (Note: enamel is the grown-up’s version of plastic crockery – it’s durable, fun to look at and serves a purpose)

Read More: Do You Have Planxiety? Try Our Outdoor Entertaining Ideas `

No tablescape (indoor or outdoor) is complete without cutlery. Whether you go eco-friendly with wood, simply grab a handful out the drawer from home, you’re going to need utensils for your 'picnic' settings. This is your moment to create a real sense of occasion with even the most seemingly mundane of items.

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Hay

Dark Blue Barro Jug Tall

£49.00

Buy now

Jamida

Cocktail Tray

£50.00

Buy now

Chilly's

Eleni Series 2 Coffee Cup 340ml

£40.00

Buy now

&Klevering

De la Mer Plate Set of Four

£65.00

Buy now

Chilly's

Tropical Trails Series 2 Water Bottle 500ml

£40.00

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Addison Ross

Bobbin Salt and Pepper Grinder

£58.00

Buy now

Hay

Dark Blue MVS Cutlery Set

£49.00

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The Final Flourishes

When outdoor entertaining, you would be forgiven for assuming that this is not a space for your ‘best’ crockery. However, what's to really stop you from bringing along some home comforts and truly making the most of dining outdoors with your loved ones? Make your throw-on-the-floor feel a little more like a dining table with serving platters filled with sandwiches or a Cake Stand from Vaisselle to showcase a berry-laden pavlova.

Shop Serveware

Damson Madder

Frilly Stripe Large Bowl

£60.00

Buy now

KLIMCHI

Large Rounded Hobnail Jug

£125.00

Buy now

Bordallo Pinheiro

Cabbage Fruit Bowl

£102.00

Buy now

Doing Goods

Bodhi Bamboo Cheese Knives Set of Three

£45.00

Buy now

The Vintage List

Crystal Cocktail Glasses Set of Four

£62.00

Buy now

Doing Goods

Bodhi Bamboo Salad Serving Spoons Set of Two

£55.00

Buy now

Bordallo Pinheiro

Watermelon Salad Bowl

£120.00

Buy now

Bordallo Pinheiro

Aubergine Platter

£72.00

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Exclusive

Marin Montagut

Lemon Glass

£50.00

Buy now

Bring the Comfort

Piling up your picnic rug with cushions to lounge upon sets the scene for those balmy summer evenings - and don’t forget some blankets for when it chills off. Grab your squishiest sofa cushions (ideally, opt for the more durable fabrics) and cosiest throws from around the house to add a little comfort to your picnic, creating the feel of an outdoor room. Liberty's Candy Stripe Cushion, £165 will add a playful dimension when layered up with a hodgepodge of prints.