Ecclectic Tea Party

So now that all the holiday entertaining is wrapped up, it is time to start brainstorming for spring parties! I have been in my office all week playing around with different design elements for the coming months. Valentines Day is right around the corner, but I still have not perfected the look for my romantic sweetheart table. Don't worry, I will let you know as soon as I do!

I did come up with some really fun looks for a springy Sunday Brunch, or Mother's Day, or an Afternoon Tea. My design team chose some pieces from the Williams Sonoma housewares collection and we reworked them. We filled tart pans with flowers and berries to create delicate floral moments for the table.I love the juxtaposition of the utilitarian tart pan and the whimsical blooms. It has that homey, country feel that we usually don't see here in New York. I have always liked the look of baking tools, and here you can bring them out of the kitchen and keep them on the table for the whole meal, not just dessert. Guests can take the whole tin home at the end of the party and enjoy the flowers for a few days and then use the pan for baking...We filled the center with roses and then arranged berries in the scalloped edges. They almost look good enough to eat, don't they?

I also played around with cake stands and tried filling them with flowers to create mini-gardens. We used moss as a base to mimic the look of a terrarium and accented it with bright flowers to lighten the look. I love the loose, unstructured look in the clear glass. It almost has a hanging garden feel to it. You could even add little feather butterflies for an even more playful look!