Hi friends, it’s Anke and I’m back again to welcome Spring together with you here on decor8! I thought for this column going forward, at least until Corona is behind us, that I’ll focus on how to create sweet settings for two (or for family-only occasions) at home. Life simply must go on and it helps us emotionally to still keep to certain routines even during a pandemic.

If you enjoyed entertaining before, then if you miss it, you can still entertain just for very, very few guests. For instance, Holly’s son Aidan recently turned 7 and she put in almost the same effort for his birthday fest with one child as she does for his typical guest list of 6-8 kids (plus their parents and her family and friends). It will cost you a lot less right now (bonus! ha ha!) to host very small gatherings, but they can still feel special and give you an outlet for your creative ideas, plus when you take some photos you have wonderful memories - so its’ definitely still worth considering entertaining at home with or without Corona.

Some ideas for you would be - a coffee date with a friend, a one-child-as-guest birthday party accompanied by a ZOOM call with the other kids, an anniversary dinner with your sig other, or an upcoming Easter Sunday dinner as a family. Find an excuse!

Okay so let’s talk about trends in decor. When looking at magazines and Instagram one thing is still quite obvious to both Holly and me: pastel colors are back in the game and I’m happy about it! That is why I didn’t shy away from a full range pastel palette and set my table with tableware and flowers in blue, turquoise, purple, orange, pink, and yellow.

A white or neutral base such as a wooden or white tabletop or neutral tablecloth makes the colors pop. You can easily create a table setting that looks like a watercolor painting this way.

Style It: For this tender and light bouquet, I put together orange and pale pink ranunculus, salmon, pale yellow and dark pink cloves, bright pink tulips, and pale purple lilacs.

Tip: Try not to overfill the vase and allow each flower some space. The result is an airy appearance instead of a compact one!

Make It: A small DIY preferably made of paper is something I really like as an add-on. This time I made origami cranes and used origami paper in different colors, patterned and plain. You will find tutorials on YouTube in abundance! In Japan, the crane is a special origami symbol that stands for long and fortunate life. Especially in unpleasant times like the one we are experiencing right now, a lucky charm is a lovely gesture, right?

Bake It: It’s blood orange season here in Germany (also where you live, or not yet?) so I decided to make Orange Pudding Cakes following a recipe Zoe Francois shares on her blog zoebakes.com. The recipe`s name is “Lemon Pudding Cake”, I just replaced the lemon juice with blood orange juice. Furthermore, I used small Kitchen Craft Dariole Moulds and the cakes turned out so nicely. I served the cakes on thin slices of blood orange.

Maybe you feel inspired to decorate with colors, pastel or bright ones, and to welcome spring vibes at home too. Spring is only a few weeks away!

I enjoyed creating this joyful table theme for you. Have a wonderful day!

Love, Anke

Photos/Styling: Anke Ilner 2021