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.

Read More: What to Wear to a Picnic This Summer

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, like Coco & Wolf Betsy and Capel Picnic Blanket – thick enough to drape over dewy-grass without getting damp – and clash with some floral napkins.

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Coco & Wolf

Betsy and Capel Picnic Blanket

£225.00

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Pendleton

Chief Joseph Jacquard Blanket

£425.00 £250.00

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Coco & Wolf

Dreams of Summer and Wiltshire Bud King Ruffle Bedspread

£449.00

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Liberty

Poppy Dawn Wool Throw

£325.00

Buy now

Pendleton

Highland Peak Balsam Jacquard Blanket

£425.00 £250.00

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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 Betsy Deep Pink Oval Wicker Picnic Basket, £179

Coco & Wolf Donna Leigh Rectangle Picnic Basket, £179

Coco & Wolf Thorpe Hill Four Person Picnic Basket, £429

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 Herbarium Infusion Napkins, £165, 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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Summerill & Bishop

Herbarium Infusion Cooking Napkin Set of Six

£165.00

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Liberty

2PK Felix and Isabelle 45x45cm Napkin

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Coco & Wolf

Betsy and Capel Stitch Edge Napkins Set of Two

£65.00

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Summerill & Bishop

Lemon Yellow Stripe Linen Napkins Set of Two

£60.00

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Cabana

Rinascimento 50x50cm Linen Napkins Set of Four

£110.00

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Liberty

2PK French Brocade 45x45cm Linen Napkin

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Coco & Wolf

Linen Garden and Katie Millie Wavy Edge Napkins Set of Two

£65.00

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(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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Falcon

Enamelware Three-Pint Jug

£42.00

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Chilly's

Survival Series 2 Coffee Cup 340ml

£40.00

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Falcon

Enamel Pie Dishes Set of Four

£58.00

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Chilly's

Tropical Trails Series 2 Water Bottle 500ml

£40.00

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Hay

Small Mono Thermal Bottle 600ml

£49.00

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Chilly's

SERIES 2 LIBERTY 340ML CUP - TROPICAL TRAILS

£40.00

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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

Vaisselle

Hot Cakes Cake Stand

£108.00 £54.00

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Vaisselle

Ice Ice Baby Bottle Cooler

£175.00 £110.00

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Bordallo Pinheiro

Cabbage Fruit Bowl

£98.00

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Doing Goods

Bodhi Bamboo Cheese Knives Set of Three

£45.00

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Popolo

Campo de’ Firori Dessert Plate

£50.00

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Doing Goods

Bodhi Bamboo Salad Serving Spoons Set of Two

£55.00

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Bordallo Pinheiro

Watermelon Salad Bowl

£116.00

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Soho Home

Henrietta Resin Salad Servers

£45.00

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Soho Home

Balfern Petrified Wood Platter Large

£190.00

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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.