Easter decorating

Jab floral sofa: It can be a good idea to have two different covers for a sofa and a bright and colourful floral slipover is perfect for spring and Easter time.

I N T E R I O R S By Lorna Sixsmith

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Everyone decorates their homes for Christmas and we are leaving our homes decorated for longer and longer. Christmas decorations are often up from 1st Dec - 6th Jan. It has also become increasingly popular to decorate homes for Hallow’een - from scooped out pumpkins to large fake cobwebs to displays of autumnal foliage and flowers.

Decorating for Easter has been really popular on the continent for some years now, particularly in Germany. It is slowly starting to catch on over here and why not? I think it is particularly nice if Easter is early as the Easter decorations will herald the spring but even this year with Easter being so late in April, there is nothing to stop you decorating for the whole month of April.

What do you decorate with?More shops are stocking Easter decorations now so it is possible to buy little ornaments or even items such as these hanging beautifully decorated eggs by Greengate. You don’t have to hang them on a tree either, they would look lovely hanging from the handrail on your stairs. Think about where you place your non-tree Christmas decorations and use the same space.For a simple home-made decoration, simply fill little baskets or pots with moss or green shredded paper, add some colourful foil-covered mini eggs and tie a colourful bow around the basket or pot.If you have children, do check out the Martha Stewart website (www.Martha Stewart.com) for ideas on how to make Easter decorations. There are instructions for all levels of ability and for decorations such as ‘Daffodil Candy Cups’ to ‘Crepe Carrots’ to garlands made from blown out eggshells or paper bunnies.

The front door or porchAlmost every home decorates their porch at Hallow’een and Christmas. With the spring bulbs, Easter is the perfect time to make your entrance even more welcoming and it is so easy. If you haven’t already prepared some pots with spring bulbs, they are relatively inexpensive to buy. Late flowering daffodils, tulips and late hyacinths look lovely by the front door and the hyacinths will add a lovely scent. Bulbs tend to do less well in pots on their second year so I’d suggest planting them out in the garden once they have died back and refilling the pots with fresh bulbs in the autumn, ready for next spring. A front door flanked with different sized pots of flowering spring bulbs is so bright, colourful and welcoming.Create an Easter wreath for your front door. Most flower shops sell twig wreaths so all you have to do is add some silk flowers, some artifical moss and the occasional decoration such as a teeny bunny or miniature eggs.

Your Easter TableJust like Christmas, Easter Sunday is traditionally a time for family and friends to get together so make your Easter dinner table special with some simple additions. Place miniature daffodils and tulips into small vases to create small bunches of over flowering colour and place them along the central length of the table. If it is a circular table, you could place them on a high cake stand for some impact.Use white or pastel candles to add soft atmosphere lighting to the table.Use white or pastel coloured crockery.Tie a little Easter decoration around each napkin.Choose a table cloth or table runner that is in a pastel colour, for example, a soft green with white polka dots. These will co-ordinate beautifully with pale pink napkins and pink tulips on the table.

And above all, don’t forget to arrange the Easter treasure hunt!

Lorna Sixsmith is the owner of Garrendenny Lane Interiors, an online Home, Gift and Online store. Check out their Greengate stock for lovely Easter gifts. www.garrendennylane.ie

INTERIORS DIRECTORY

CHARISMA BLINDS 52 High Street, WaterfordT: 051 858488www.charismablinds.net

ORMOND SOFT FURNISHINGSBallinakill Centre, Dunmore Road, Waterford T: 051 820830www.ormondsoftfurnishings.com

THE MIRROR GALLERYUnit 15, Tramore Road Business Park, Waterford T: 051 591656www.mirrors.ie

EDWARD NOLAN FURNITUREUnit 3 Cessna Avenue, Airport Business Park, Killowen, Co WaterfordTel: 051-878701

OWEN MAHER KITCHENSMullagh, Carrick-on-Suir, Co WaterfordEmail: omkitchens@gmail.com

REDHAUS INTERIORSThe Cross, Tramore, Co WaterfordTel: 051 395396

Easter egg tin: Hanging Easter Egg decoration by Greengate

Greengate: Pretty storage tins on display on a kitchen shelf or worktop will add colour and vibrancy to your scheme.

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