Valentine’s Day is near and love is in the air, and many of us like to celebrate it… minus the ubiquitous red and white colour scheme. So how about a quiet and romantic picnic at home? You could create a casual and fun one at lunchtime with the kids and/or a romantic and elegant one in the evening with your loved one, but either one can be exceptionally beautiful in a traditional red and white yet non-traditional way.

For me red is a beautiful colour and one of my personal favourites, but you have to be careful with the hue of red you choose as many can really end up looking tacky. White is always the last colour most people would choose to complement red, but this is all dependent on the type of red and white; if you choose a red and white in a bold and unique pattern (like those shown), you could be pleasantly surprised at the result. Gold is always the obvious accent for reds in décor because it is such a luxurious combination, but do not rule out silver, because with the right hue of red, it can be just as beautiful.

For your picnic, I suggest:

* Starting with the fabric. It can be an area rug, comforter, throw or fabric in a bold and beautiful red, red and white, or red and gold

* Soften the area with cushions, either sewn or wrapped and pinned to cushions, in complementary patterns of the same colour scheme. Remember you can mix patterns if the colours are the same

* Accent the area (trees, perimeter, etc) with hanging lanterns, votive candles, globe lights, hanging ornaments, parasols, etc in reds, whites, golds and silvers. Remember, these can be rented

* Use beautiful baskets, trays, chargers, and platters in the same colour scheme to serve food

* And make sure all your crockery, utensils and napkins are in the same colour scheme. You can probably use red and white paper plates with hearts for your picnic with the kids

* Carry simple and delicious food that’s easy to transport and serve outdoors and make desserts like red velvet cake, white angel food cake, strawberries and chocolates

If getting down in the grass is too difficult for you to manage, you can set a table al fresco for dining and lounge on your spread on the grass for dessert and.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all, and enjoy!