Date: March 17, 2017 | Story: Tiffany Adams | Photography: Rett Peek |
Designer Kevin Walsh thinks outside the basket with kid-friendly Easter ideas that are easy, affordable, and too cute not to try yourself
“I really wanted this party to be whimsical and kid-friendly,” Kevin Walsh of Little Rock’s Bear Hill Interiors says. “To me this is sort of a holiday for children, and I wanted it to be fun for them,” he adds.
To do this, he started with hues that are reminiscent of the light and bright spring Sunday holiday. “We went with an Easter color palette, which is also similar to a Bear Hill palette because we love pastels so much,” he notes. From there, Walsh got crafty with the décor, went sweet with the day’s treats, and even arranged for an appearance from the Easter bunny.
Finally, he sought to make this inspirational party one that would be stress-free and easy to recreate with your own spin. “If you look for ways to manage your time and use some ready-made pieces it can save you hours and money—and look amazing,” he says. Read on to find ideas for your own celebration.
Sweets Station
Walsh turned a Hickory Chair wicker console into the party’s sweetest destination thanks to a bevy of desserts. “This was really all for the kids,” he says. To save time, he personalized store-bought cupcakes with decorative bunnies and topped a grocery-store Bundt cake with small, colorful eggs. Rock candy and stacked Easter-themed marshmallow characters round out the confection options.
Egg-citing Details
Eggs are one of the most iconic symbols of Easter. For the tablescape, Walsh put them front and center in the form of Jordan almonds, M&Ms, and egg-shaped malt candies—along with a few traditionally dyed eggs. A sheet of clear wax paper lines the center of the table to protect the tablecloth.
Chain Reaction
“I made all of these from construction paper,” Kevin says of the chain garlands that hang from the home’s exterior wall. “I wanted the décor to include ideas that anyone can do, and I really love this one because it’s something you can do with your kids. Plus, it’s super affordable.” To create your own, gather construction paper in a variety of colors, and cut the paper into strips of equal sizes. Create one ring by stapling the ends of a strip together. To create the chain, loop the next strip through the completed ring and then staple its ends together. Continue in this manner to create a chain.
Nested Setting
At each place setting, a pair of dyed eggs sits atop an edible nest made of green candy, which Walsh found at a local party store. The straw placemats reminded him of traditional Easter baskets, while the milk glass goblets and purple-and-white plates are from his personal collection. “A lot of this is stuff I already had on hand,” the designer says. “Go through your closets and shelves and see what you have. You’ll be surprised and you can build a theme around what you own. Also, be sure to shop around continuously. I find tons of good stuff on eBay and Etsy and at local antique shops, flea markets, and thrift stores.”
Simple Stems
Walsh notes that using just one type of flower per vase is less time intensive. He also wanted the flowers to be seasonally appropriate, so he chose spring staples, including hyacinths, ‘Matsumoto’ asters, and jonquils for the table along with tall flowering almond branches on the dessert bar.
Design Resources
Event design Kevin Walsh, Bear Hill Interiors, Little Rock, (501) 907-9272, bearhillinteriors.com
Accessories Bear Hill Interiors, Little Rock, (501) 907-9272, bearhillinteriors.com
Rentals—chairs and table Party Time Rental and Events, Little Rock, (501) 224-3133, partytimerentalandevents.com
Tablecloth Mountjoy’s Custom Draperies, Mabelvale, (501) 455-2216
