Easter Entertaining
This year, artdefete.com’s Editor-in-Chief Svitlana Flom took a departure from the traditional pastel Easter table setting. “I set the ambiance with jewel-toned color combinations and effortless sophistication,” she says. Deep fuchsia, dusty pink and golden-colored eggs stream down the center of the table, while blooming plum branches finish the décor. Here is how she did it.
Set up a buffet on your credenza, console table or kitchen island with nature as your inspiration. Use spring flowers and green moss and improvise with objects you have, such as like antique books, wooden boxes and jars to create visually inspiring decor.
I used sun-kissed narcissus, fragrant Dutch hyacinths, ranunculus in a rainbow of shades, tulips and other seasonal flowers to create an explosion of color, texture and smell.
I also displayed glass bell jars with my favorite teacup set, stacked one atop the other, and filled apothecary jars with green moss. Spray-painted eggshells add an Easter ambiance.
For the table centerpiece, I chose light brown, curly willow and plum branches with light fuchsia blooms, because they looked magnificent and impressive yet are low maintenance and inexpensive. Other choices on the market now are pussywillows; yellow studs of forsythia branches; blossoming lilacs in purple, white or pink; magnolias; and fragrant cherry and apple blossoms.
A teal tablecloth set the tone for the décor. I chose napkins from Sferra in a pansy color to complement the blooming pinkish plum flowers and some of the eggshells’ shades. I rolled up the napkins and threaded them through a gold-leaf napkin ring from Bodrum. They tied in nicely with the gold-painted eggshells.
For dinner plates, I opted for Caskata’s Yorkshire Hedgerow Collection with a refined bunny design. Those bunnies, so tastefully depicted by Caskata’s artisans, truly capture the spirit of the Easter holiday.
I brought in Victorian mother-of-pearl steak knives and silver-plated egg cups that I found in antique stores.
For décor, as well as party favors, I purchased hollowed-out eggshells on eBay to save time and effort. I ordered two dozen brown chicken, two dozen light green duck, two dozen brown speckled quail and two goose eggshells. While it may sound like a lot, keep in mind that you will probably break more than just a few of the fragile shells along the creative process.
You need three things to transform the eggshells into an exquisite table décor accessory: nontoxic spray paint, rectangular floral foam and wood skewers. Protect your work area with paper towels or newspapers and wear a paper mask to protect yourself from paint fumes. Insert the skewers into the foam, 2 inches apart. Place the eggshells on top of the skewer through the small hole on the bottom of the shell. Spray the eggs using even hand movements from a 12-inch distance to ensure uniform coverage and a shiny finish. Avoid the “spray-and-stop-and-spray again” practice to prevent runs and globs. And do it outside.
Svitlana Flom, Editor-in-Chief
Artdefete.com
