5 Tips for Easter Entertaining
With spring in full swing, one thing I’m looking forward to is arranging a beautiful and festive tablescape to celebrate the Easter season. I find so much joy in setting the table for holidays and special occasions because it’s where many of our family memories are made.
Easter is especially important to me because it’s a celebration of the rebirth of Christ and the rebirth of hope and love in our hearts for all humanity. I love the spiritual significance and the opportunity to have my family gather around the table for a special brunch of fruit, eggs, croissants, and crepes – all our favorites! I always leave the table set the night before so I can fully enjoy the morning activities with my family.
Whether you’re entertaining over brunch or hosting an Easter dinner, a festive and inviting table will help make your gathering a celebration to remember. Read on for my top five tips to designing a beautiful Easter tablescape.
- Pick a Color Palette
Color can set a strong foundation and the direction for your table – it’s my favorite place to start and it’s how my vision ultimately comes together. When picking your palette, it’s fun to let a mood or the season influence the direction. This year, I’m inspired by the celebration of re-birth, the blooming flowers and changing weather!
My rule of thumb for creating a beautiful and cohesive tablescape is to work with no more than three colors. Choose a statement or primary color and two accent colors to complement.
Even if you’re looking to achieve a monochromatic look, you can still use the same rule of three. For my Easter table this year, I’m working with beautiful blues – our new Toile de Easter Home Collection mixes two shades of blue with white for a classic but fresh look.
- Design with Flowers
I absolutely love working with flowers! Putting together arrangements for my home or a dinner with friends is a form of therapy for me.
To get started, pull from the colors from your tablescape and go with what’s in season! A quick trip to your local grocery store will give you a good idea of where to start. I personally love the flower selection at Central Market and Whole Foods.
Next, chose up to three varieties, mix from there and have fun – Ranunculus, roses and eucalyptus are beautiful together, and tulips paired with mini daisies feel fresh. You really can’t go wrong! This year, I’ve decided on simple, single-floral arrangements of blue hydrangeas.
I like to focus on 2-3 centerpieces, then add mini bud vases throughout the table to add depth. It’s also important consider the final position of your arrangements to make sure guests can still see each other from across the table. The last thing you want are beautiful flowers blocking good conversation!
- Create a Layer of Surprises
One of the most important tips when it comes to setting your table is layering. The key is to create a “layer of surprises.” You should try to provide a visual experience for your guests at every angle.
As I mentioned, you can achieve a nice layer effect by varying heights in your floral arrangements, but you can follow the same idea when adding new elements – l love this glass cake stand by Estelle and this sweet family of Rattan Rabbits to create depth, interest, and the perfect Easter flourish to your table.
Another important element of layering is to consider your materials. This year I’m using a printed cotton tablecloth, followed by scalloped placemats, bamboo cutlery and island-wrapped glass tumblers. Adding a variety of materials and textures really helps the table come alive!
- Play with Pattern & Texture
I love a matching moment and many of our collections are designed with this in mind.
However, sometimes it’s nearly impossible to match every place setting, especially if you’re hosting a larger group. Just know that you can still set a beautiful table without owning the entire matching set of dinner plates, placemats, and napkins.
One of my favorite tips for achieving a beautiful, eclectic setting, is to simply mix your collections or alternate your place settings. All the plates, placemats, and napkins from our Easter Home Collection were designed to mix and match with pieces you already own to create an elevated Easter tablescape.
- Tell a Story
My fifth and last tip to creating a beautiful tablescape is to tell a story. I love to incorporate conversational pieces into my tablescapes. For me that means adding a personal element or including heirloom pieces.
Being able to tell a story at or around the table adds an element of intimacy to the conversation. It allows you to share some of your heart and your favorite memories with the people you love.
