With the snow finally melting and Easter on its way, last week I finally ditched the dying poinsettias on our dining room table and started playing around with some ideas for decorating our table for spring. I’m not hosting a large group for Easter this year so instead of an elaborate tablescape, I just want a few quick and simple table decorations to brighten up our dining room for the next few weeks. With less than $10 of flowers from Trader Joe’s and a few finds from my decorating stash, I came up with a bunch of super simple options to share with you guys.
For a simple spring or Easter centerpiece, I love cut daffodils in a simple mason jar. Trader Joe’s sells bundles of daffodils this time of year for $1.99 so you can create a centerpiece like this that uses two bundles for only $4. For a long dining room table, three mason jars filled with daffodils is beautiful. I tied a simple burlap ribbon around my mason jar but a more colorful one would be pretty too:
I also played around with using a single daffodil at each place setting. Small vases like these are easy to find and inexpensive (this one came from the dollar bin at Michael’s):
I actually have a bunch of vintage glass medicine bottles that I haven’t done much with and think I may like the look of a single daffodil in those even more:
I picked up a $5 bundle of these purple flowers from Trader Joe’s too. I have no clue what they’re called (do you guys know?) but they sure are pretty in just a simple glass pitcher.
I played around with a few different options for using them in place settings. I love the look of a floral sprig tied up with silverware using simple twine. The silverware can be placed with a colorful napkin in a small decorative jar or vase:
or simply placed on each plate:
I wanted to add something to the table that my kids might enjoy so I also tried out folding some pretty spring napkins into the shape of bunny ears. The first two tutorials I found weren’t so hot and I ended up with a pathetic mess that looked more like a dying cow than a bunny but then I found {this bunny napkin folding tutorial} that is super clear and simple. I think my napkin made an okay looking bunny this time!
Another idea I tried out is rolling up a spring napkin and using a ribbon to tie a flower or cotton stem to it. I snagged this idea from Terrain’s recent post on botanical napkin rings that includes some other lovely options – you can find it {here}.
Looking back on past years of spring table decorations that I could recreate, one of my favorites was turning these $1 birdhouses from Michael’s into place card holders. It’s not quite as quick of a decoration as the others but it’s a fun one to get the kids involved with – you’ll find the birdhouse place card holder how-to {here}.
Instead of using the birdhouses, last Easter I put each place card in one of these faux nests with eggs:
and I disguised the plastic pots of my Easter lilies by wrapping birch strips around them and tying the strips in place with ribbon:
With so many easy options, I was having a hard time deciding which direction to go but my girls made my decision easy – they fell in love with the napkin bunny ears so I’m going to hunt down a few more colorful napkins this week to create our own bunny napkin entourage. The bunny napkins along with a few mason jars of daffodils will do the trick for our spring table for now and then I’ll probably add in some individual daffodils in vases and floral springs tied to silverware for our Easter dinner. That is, unless I wimp out and decide to make reservations instead of cooking a big Easter meal at home. I wish that I loved to cook even 1/10 as much as I love to decorate…
Dagmara @ GlamistaHome says
March 16, 2015 at 8:15 amAhh, so pretty. Don’t you love that spring is finally making an appearance? 🙂 I know I do. I really love the little bunny ears you created with the napkins. Such cute ideas. Thank you for sharing. I had to pin these.
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 9:38 amYes, I’m thrilled that spring is finally coming!! Glad that you found a few ideas you liked Dagmara!
Anonymous says
March 17, 2015 at 3:31 pmthe flowers are called wax flower
Pam @ Simple Details says
March 16, 2015 at 8:51 amGreat ideas, Kris! I agree with your girls those bunny ears are just too fun! We finally have TJs, but it’s not close, they always have such awesome flowers!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 9:40 amI wish we had a closer TJs too (ours is about 15 mins away) but then again, I’d probably get into way too much trouble there if it was just down the road!
cassie says
March 16, 2015 at 9:02 ambeautiful! i love the simple daffodils in bottles!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 9:40 amThanks Cassie – I just wish that cut daffodils would live a little longer than they do!
[email protected] says
March 16, 2015 at 10:59 amBeautiful ideas Kris! I love daffodils this time of year. TJ’s is great for reasonable flowers. Just an FYI, I have purchased the purple ones before (not sure what they are called either)…they do shed once they start drying up.
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 8:03 pmThanks for the heads-up Lauren – I’d better watch where I keep those suckers!
Jan says
March 16, 2015 at 11:23 amThank you for the improved bunny ear tutorial I attempted one and mine was a disaster this tutorial seems a bit easier to follow. Wish me luck and thanks again!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 8:04 pmYou sound just like me Jan – I think you’ll find the I linked to is so much easier than the others!
Debbie Whitehead says
March 16, 2015 at 12:17 pmThese are such great ideas!! I enjoy your site so much!! I was curious where you purchase your cotton stems from?
Debbie Whitehead says
March 16, 2015 at 1:14 pmJust saw it…Terrain.
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 8:06 pmYou beat me to it! Yep, I got mine at Terrain. I’ve also seen them as deals on Decor Steals and in Magnolia Homes’ shop (the one owned by the Fixer Upper team).
Carrie says
March 16, 2015 at 2:18 pmSame here about liking decorating so much more than cooking! I love all these great ideas for Easter tablescapes!! Very inspiring!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 8:09 pmI really, really wish that I loved to cook but I soooo don’t! Did you sometimes go out for Easter too? I feel lame when we do it but we always have fun and then mama’s happy 🙂
Lisa @ Shine Your Light says
March 16, 2015 at 2:54 pmThe bunny ears are so cute!!! Love that idea. Actually all your ideas are so cute – the birdhouse one is adorable too!!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 8:10 pmThanks Lisa! It’s a nice change from the dying Christmas decor 🙂
Cheryl @ Artzzle says
March 16, 2015 at 4:28 pmI’m so in a “Spring Colors” mood. This helped! Fun post.
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 8:11 pmSo glad Cheryl!!
Kimberley says
March 16, 2015 at 5:56 pmTruly put a spring in my step…yes that’s cheesy, but true!! Bring some birch strips to Texas. I love that idea:)
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 8:11 pmHa! Cheese away! I’ll have to check my stash – I seriously might have some extra ones laying around!
Diane says
March 16, 2015 at 6:50 pmHi Kris, great ideas for a spring table. The purple flowers are Wax Flower. If you gently rub the foliage they have a wonderful citrus scent–one of my favorites and so beautiful with the yellow daffodils. Thanks for the inspiration!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 16, 2015 at 8:12 pmThank you Diane!! I knew someone would have the answer and you’re right – they do have a beautiful scent. Thanks for letting me know their name!
Design Chic says
March 16, 2015 at 11:23 pmSo many amazing ideas and love your napkins! Hasn’t the warmer weather been a heavenly reprieve – so hope it lasts!!
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 17, 2015 at 11:07 pmThanks so much! I was relishing in the warmth today but we’ve got snow predicted for Friday 🙁
Kristi @ Chatfield Court says
March 17, 2015 at 12:56 amLove all your ideas Kris! I’m with your girls on the bunny ears too. They’re just too cute. We moved near a TJ’s 2 years ago and it’s the only place I get my flowers.
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 17, 2015 at 11:08 pmThanks Kristi! It’s my favorite spot for flowers too – they’re so expensive everywhere else that I feel guilty buying them!
Leslie Harris says
March 17, 2015 at 11:31 amEverything looks so darn pretty Kris. I always love gazing over tablescapes for ideas and there’s lots here.. I keep wanting to make rabbit ears with my napkins but still haven’t. So cute.
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 17, 2015 at 11:09 pmThanks so much – the Chinet tutorial for the bunny ears is a good one. Usually I’m not so good with napkin folding….
savvy shopper says
March 17, 2015 at 5:59 pmAll pretty ideas Kris. I’m with you on the cooking thing. That’s why I go to my sister’s for Easter 😉
Kris @ Driven by Decor says
March 17, 2015 at 11:11 pmSmart, smart girl! We don’t have any family close by or I’d be doing the same thing – we do have some great restaurants that take reservations though and….I just made some for Easter 🙂 #noshame
classic•casual•home says
March 27, 2015 at 11:49 amPERFECT! Just the inspiration I need for Easter…the family is coming up from So. Cal. for it.
Teri says
December 31, 2015 at 4:40 pmWhere did you get your dishes? Love!
Kris Jarrett says
January 1, 2016 at 10:18 pmHi Teri! The dinner plates are from Target and the side plates (on top of the dinner plates) are from Juliska – they are pretty pricey at their original cost but Juliska has several warehouse sales each year where you can get them at a huge discount. Happy new year!