Room With a View

Place a table in just the right spot and you'll be amazed at how often you use it. Depending on which part of your backyard is looking best and which shrubs and flowers are in bloom, you can relocate your dining area to take advantage of the landscape.

Set the Scene

A homemade canopy becomes a striking backdrop for any table setting and helps define the outdoor room (see below for a guide to making one). It is practical, too, offering much-needed shade during the day. Here, sheer white muslin provides a romantic ambience, but you could also try draping floral fabrics or crisp duck cloth to keep summer breezes at bay.

Pick a Spot

A hollow door atop a pair of sawhorses makes a table that is both inexpensive and portable. Here, a door from Home Depot ($20 to $30, www.homedepot.com for store locations) rests on lkea's Sture trestles ($20 a pair, 800-434-5432). A large Chinese-style straw mat makes a neat alternative to a flapping fabric tablecloth. And the texture echoes the mood set by the canopy's bamboo supports. On windy days, secure the mat with double-sided carpet tape.

Take a Seat

Folding chairs are a natural choice to pair with a movable dining table because they're easy to transport. Add plenty of cushions (matching or not) for everyone at your table. Look out for faded floral and soft stripe designs at sales and flea markets.

Creating a Canopy

What You Need

Ten yards of 60-inch-wide muslin ($3 to $5 a yard at most fabric stores).

Four umbrella stands (try to find them at garage sales).

Six sturdy eight-foot-tall bamboo poles (about $3.50 each at garden centers).

Sisal or garden twine.

Six spring clamps (about $2 to $3 at hardware stores).

How to Do It
Place two poles on the ground seven feet apart. Take a third pole and place it across the poles six inches from the top. Using sisal or garden twine, lash the poles together where they meet to create a frame. Repeat the process with the other three poles to create a second frame.

Place two umbrella stands at each end of the table and insert the frames into them. Loosely drape muslin over the crossbar of each frame and secure the fabric with spring clamps — one at each corner and one in the center of each crossbar.

To allow more light into your dining area, use clothespins to fold away excess fabric.