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The Design Inspirationalist

~ Inspiring Ideas | Spectacular Creations

The Design Inspirationalist

Category Archives: Decor Ideas

Beautiful Banners

14 Sunday Aug 2011

Posted by melissaoconnor in Awesome Shops, Crafty Ideas, Decor Ideas, Events & Parties, Wedding Decor Ideas

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Tags

banners, crafts, design, etsy, events, new york weddings, parties

Being a lover of anything handmade, it is no surprise I would love banners. Not only are they easy to display but there are so many out there, the possibilities are endless. Plus, you can make them yourself. If you are not as crafty as you wish you were, here are some I came across on Etsy that I think are really great.

These would be an awesome addition to any event. Having items that are unique and handcrafted really add a sense of style like no other. Have fun shopping around and I hope these give you some inspiration to design with confidence and style.

Betty and Barclay

Barbara A Ryan

Bnute

Earmark

Postscripts

Funky Junk Art

Decorating Your Way to a Great Party

26 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by melissaoconnor in Crafty Ideas, Decor Ideas, Events & Parties

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

art, crafts, decorations, engagement, handmade, love, party

I recently had my engagement party and wanted to share the decor with my readers. I always like to keep decorations simple but fun and this was a surely a great example of that. For any party, it is good to have sections for people to go to. I created a gathering area where people can talk and chill out and munch on some snacks. The food area was where I presented all the yummy eats for the day and a small section was dedicated to our engagement story.

I focused on pastels, lace and whimsy decor, all handmade by yours truly. From flower pinwheels and cute little tags to white flowers and herbs, the look and feel was a tiny introduction to our wedding next May. Nature inspired, Spring’s beautiful colors shined bright without blinding everyone! I also have to give a shout out to my cousin Diana and Aunt Deb for giving me a number of paper poofs they used for Diana’s engagement party the weekend before. Recycling is always a bonus! I am happy to say the party was a huge success 🙂

Food Styling

12 Sunday Jun 2011

Posted by melissaoconnor in Crafty Ideas, Decor Ideas, Events & Parties

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cupcakes, design, dessert, flowers, food, food styling, whoopie pies

I love when I get to host a dinner party or gathering. Putting smiles on people’s faces makes it all worth it but I find a lot of fun in decorating the space and styling the food. Everything you serve should look good. In terms of baked goods, pretty is what you should always shoot for. No one wants to eat food that reminds them of something gross. If you’re like me, you won’t go near something if it smells bad or looks unappealing. It just ain’t gonna happen!

I recently had my fiance’s cousin and her boyfriend over for dinner. Even though I was in the kitchen cooking and baking all afternoon, it was worth it. They loved everything and we all had a great time catching up. For dinner I made Veggie Quesadillas with Spiced Corn on the Cob and Salad. Then for dessert I whipped up Vanilla Cupcakes and Whoopie Pies (which was a first). I was glad to know they were a hit.

A thing to remember when you are serving food of any kind – it’s all in the presentation. If you just throw stuff in a bowl and lay it out, it will look that way. It’s nice to show you care and want everything to be special for your guests so jazzin it up a bit is the way to go. You don’t have to crazy, simple always comes out of top, but just a few little additions and your table will be beautiful and picture perfect!

Here I used pretty white decorative plates and flowers to brighten up my dessert table. The cupcakes stood on a cake stand and I placed a bud vase in the middle with smaller flowers. All the colors came together and made a gorgeous spring presentation. Yummo!

{Due to the dreary day, the area lacked a lot of light. So if you can get past the shadows, enjoy the photos}

Woodland Wonderland

18 Wednesday May 2011

Posted by melissaoconnor in Advice & Inspiration, Decor Ideas, Wedding Decor Ideas

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design, events, flowers, natural, nature, organic, plants, trees, woodland theme

There are so many ways to create a rustic woodland feel in your home. The same goes for events but you want it to be subtle. Try not to overdo it. Sometimes I see events, both weddings and parties, that are a little over the top. When creating a nature theme its best to present the design as authentic as possible. I mean, that’s the beauty of nature. It’s natural, organic and simple. So when there is a plethora of natural elements such as trees, plants, grass and other real or handmade items inside an interior space, it just doesn’t look right. You might as well go outside and have the event there. I don’t get the point.

Besides, I personally think it often ends up looking tacky, cheap and way too crafty. If people want that look, fine, but just know having the event outside will always be more authentic. If you want that woodland, garden theme than take a few elements you love from nature and showcase them in the simplest ways. Remember, a little goes a long away and too much can take away or distract your guests from the true meaning of the event.

Also, be careful not to be so literal. I saw an episode of My Fair Wedding last week that, in my opinion, was unsuccessful. I think David Tuterra is a good designer but he always seems to do too much. This one particular show, the California bride wanted a winter wonderland wedding. Already, she has the location against her. David set up the ceremony outside and along with other winter elements, he had a few girls in weird winter costumes move their hands around like it was snowing. It looked horrible and tacky. I thought she said she wanted a winter theme, not Halloween!

The reception was held inside a large modern hall located on a university’s property. The place was nice but the brick red rug threw the whole theme off. Although I thought the birch trees, lighting and various beads were too much it wouldn’t have looked as bad without that rug there. I was waiting for Santa to arrive, haha. Everything was white and here you had this red rug that you couldn’t miss. This is one reason why I don’t like renting halls or other venues like this one. There are certain elements the venue has you cannot change. So you either have to work around it or have an eyesore.

Here are some inspirations to lead you in the right direction.

Poppies & Posies Events

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