Our Favorite Fourth of July Ideas

We’re just a few short days from my favorite summer holiday–the Fourth of July–and today I’m going to share some of our best ideas for decorating and entertaining for Independence Day.

If you’re following what’s happening in my life outside of this blog, then you know that I’m right in the middle of a local move right now, so my July 4th will be spent painting almost 2000sf at our new rental house and moving from the MCC House to Magnolia Cottage (isn’t that the perfect name, by the way?).

Next week, I plan to share lots of “before” photos of our new house, so be sure that you’re following along with our email updates if you’re not already. Just click on the “Subscribe to our newsletter” image on the right side bar if you’re on desktop, or at the end of every blog post if you’re on mobile.

One thing I’ll be sure to hang up right away are my patriotic pulldown banners, pictured below on our house in Nashville:

I bought them about ten years ago, and you can find them {here}. Sometimes I use traditional bunting; it just depends on the house. I use 3M command hooks to hang them from the front porch.

In Savannah, I used bunting:

| Fourth of July Tablesetting |

When we first moved back to NC for our third assignment here, I used the pulldown banners on the front porch…

…and the bunting on the back porch. If you move a lot, it’s so helpful to have both!

If you’re hosting for the holiday, it’s so easy to incorporate red, white, and blue into your table decor and even your food.

| Fourth of July Party Ideas |

| Fourth of July Tablesetting |

| Fourth of July Martini |

| 4th of July Picnic |

It wouldn’t be the fourth without some fireworks! The patriotic tattoos were a big hit the year we did them, too.

If you need a few ideas for the grill, this flank steak marinade is amazing, as are these pork chops. Our best hamburger recipe is here, too, if you want to keep it traditional. Any of those meats are perfect paired with a side of macaroni and cheese–it’s always a hit! If you prefer lighter fare in the summer heat, try this wood-fired fig and prosciutto pizza or steak salad.