Spring entertaining guide

Gather friends and family for some spring-centric celebrations. We’re throwing open the curtains, clearing out the cobwebs, trading in our cold-weather comforts for sunnier styles and making room for all things bright and beautiful. — Shannon McCarthy

Bing: Floral ceramic dinnerware

Celebrate the bounty of spring by setting a table that delights with the fresh look of the season. Plates and bowls festooned with floral or nature-themed designs are a sweetly symbolic way to lay out your fancier dinners, and the perfect place settings for any casual spring brunch.

Bing: Colored stemware

Give your table a modern pop with on-trend home décor colors glowing from happy-hued stemware. Softly frosted pastels are seen on the bowls of wine and water glasses, neon tints jazz up just the stems on some, while bold, primary colors turn simple tumblers into something special.

Bing: Deviled egg plates

Seasonal gatherings sometimes call for specific tableware, such as specially molded plates for that ever-popular spring feast appetizer, the deviled egg. Choices include fancifully decorated platters in unbreakable plastic, hand-painted ceramic, and exquisitely crafted crystal when you want to really wow the crowd. 

Bing: Chick salt & pepper shakers

Our pick for the cutest springtime tableware accessory of all? We’re going with chick salt-and-pepper sets. Whether emerging sweetly from their shells or simply standing side by side to assist with your seasoning, these babies are both collectible and totally practical additions to your table.

Bing: Linen tablecloths

Complement the beauty of your tableware with just the right backdrop. Lay down a crisp white linen tablecloth, or a smaller-scale linen runner if you want to show off the beauty of your dining table. The fabric is season-perfect, plus it works with every table setting, from casual breakfasts to elegant dinner parties.

Bing: Bright placemats

Want to get in on the super-bright color trend so hot in fashion and decorating this year? Here’s an almost effortless way to add pops of color to your table: Try placemats (with coordinating napkins if you like) in bright, happy shades such as light coral, moss green or aquamarine blue.

Bing: Table topiaries

One of this season’s top interior design trends is a return to nature, and nothing can be more apropos for springtime get-togethers. Consider elaborate topiaries (either real or faux) as your centerpiece, or miniature versions as home décor accents: All of it brings the outdoors in.

Bing: Cupcake trees

Cupcake trees are as whimsical as they are useful and make great perches for these immensely popular treats. Of course you could serve your spring tea snacks or dinner desserts on regular tableware and they’d be just as tasty, but there’s something special about making a sweet spectacle.

Bing: Green throw pillows

See all the blooming colors beyond your windows? Bring some of that spring inside with a few easy changes in your home’s décor. Decorating trends call for a palette of vibrant colors, including Pantone’s color of the year, emerald green. In fact, any bright green hue will energize a room.

Bing: Light blue throw blankets

Colorful sofa throws are another easy-breezy way to inject eye-catching style into your spring surroundings. Toss on a lightweight cotton couch blanket in trendy aquamarine and your living room starts to really live. Texturally rich chenille in turquoise (or any pastel blue shade) adds cozy punch to a sofa or guest bed.