Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.

TV host and tablescaping expert Pinky Pe Tobiano

The rains need not thwart any celebration that can easily be switched to an indoor get-together yet still with that fun al fresco feel.

This is the assurance celebrity chemist, TV host and tablescaping expert Pinky Pe Tobiano gives ladies of the house like her who love gathering family and friends for a meal any day of the week.

With unpredictable rains always looming over her dinner parties these days, Tobiano — whose "TableLove by Pinky" tablescaping show saw a very successful first season on cable's ANC--headed over to one of her favorite lifestyle havens, Pottery Barn, to get some ideas going.

And indeed, once there, Tobiano was in her element as she magically set up dazzling outdoor-themed tablescapes, which makes dining at any time of the day feasible and easily workable.

Starting with the base, Tobiano used the Modern Farmhouse Extending Dining Table crafted from solid Meranti wood that is ideal for a group of six or eight people.

She rounded the table with Pottery Barn's Fenton dining chairs made with acacia wood frames and intricately wrapped in fine, woven buffalo hide. Tobiano ticked two boxes with this pick — a check for eye-catching and another for comfort.

Just as adventurous as she is in fashion, Tobiano also has a knack for matching the unexpected in her tablescapes.

"It's always fun to see your guests surprised, and the unexpected always makes for good conversation in general," she chimed.

For example, Monstera leaves and white roses are not usually paired together, but Tobiano disagrees. She can magically bring them by mixing wooden vines and bundles of baby's breath, arranged in Potterybarn's Sea Green Frosted Glass Vases. To add more light and dimension to the arrangement, Tobiano went ahead and placed a few Flameless Candles on top of Broker Bronze Pillar Holders.

Interestingly, Tobiano combines a touch of citrus to the tablescape with fresh oranges sliced and whole that adorn the entire look, evoking bright colors on the table.

For the dinnerware, the Chambray Tile Melamine Dinnerware, ideal for both indoor and outdoor dining, can be used for any party. The layered china can be blended with neat Linen Hemstitch Table Napkins and Mori Coll Jute Placemats made of 100 percent jute material, adding organic texture to the setting.

To complete the setting, Tobiano's favorite drinkware collection, the Happy Hour Acrylic Glasses, made of molded Tritan, both short and tall, that are durable and crack and warp-resistant.