Tina Ramchandani2013-05-19T00:29:07-04:00Tina Ramchandanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=tina-ramchandaniCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Tina RamchandaniGood old fashioned elbow grease.DIFFA Dining By Design 2013's 10 Most Stunning Tables (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29580862013-03-27T08:28:31-04:002013-03-28T16:36:22-04:00Tina Ramchandanihttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/tina-ramchandani/The Architectural Digest Home Show is held at Pier 94 in New York City ever year, highlighting new artists, manufacturers and products. The show is also home to Dining By Design, an event that raises money and awareness for DIFFA, Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, and is a big draw for designers, bloggers and show-goers alike. Interior designers, artists and schools pair with companies to create extravagant and emotional tablescapes and scenes. On the eve of the opening, a gala dinner is held where a few lucky diners get to experience sitting around these decorated tables.
This past Thursday, the show was open to the trade and I had the opportunity to visit the stunning showcase. There were over 40 tables created and each was unique and inviting. Although it's hard to narrow it down, here are a few must-sees:
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A few of these ideas are in trend, while others represent spring in all its glory. You're sure to find something that fits your egg décor style below.
1. Dip-dying has been trending for some time now, but it's typically seen on wooden bowls or scarves. Courtney of Merriment teaches us how to create dip-dyed eggs, keeping Easter very chic. Pop over to Oh Joy for full instructions. Photography by: Katie Stoops
2. One way to put your own touch on Easter eggs is to add personal elements. Kim of The Celebration Shoppe found a way to get her boys interested in dyeing eggs by adding little ties and moustaches. It's easy to do, and the ties and moustaches can be easily changed to initials or other icons.
3. Crayons aren't what come to mind when one thinks of dyeing Easter egg, however they can be melted to create a "dyed" look. Melted crayon eggs are a fun activity for kids that requires little supervision. The best part is that there's very little mess! Head over to Come Together Kids for details.
4. Ombre is another trend that is here to stay for a while. The soft approach of a color starting at one hue and gradually transitioning to another is seen in both interior design and fashion. These ombre eggs will cause a stir at any Easter event and look fabulous on the table. Sugar and Charm teaches us how to get this ombre look easily.
5. The best activities for kids are those that don't require tons of instructions and are easily to clean up. These tissue paper eggs can be created easily and fairly quickly, with little to no mess! This method creates bright, colorful eggs and kids and adults alike can have fun while making them. Thanks Connecting Family and Seoul for thinking this up!
6. These doily stenciled eggs scream Easter! After using traditional dying methods Suzonne of Urban Comfort used doilies and paint to stencil patterns on the eggs, creating a soft, spring look. Follow the directions on Urban Comfort and you'll be the envy of all your friends!
7. If you aren't a pastel lover you may want to think about dying your eggs in bold Rainbow colors. Melissa of No. 2 Pencil details how to achieve these solid, bright colored looks.
8. Silhouette eggs take a few more minutes to create than solid colored eggs, but the extra time is worth it. With just a few additional steps Easter eggs can go from standard to fabulous. Follow Le Paper Studio's directions for gorgeous, chic silhouette eggs.
9. If you're looking for a natural way to dye your eggs, Kaley Ann has a solution for you. While in an Easter pinch, Kaley Ann created colorful dyes using natural ingredients like cabbage, beets, coffee, turmeric and more. Pop over to Kaley Ann Photography for more natural dye ideas and instructions.
If you want even more Easter ideas, check out our our board on Pinterest and be sure to click through our slideshow below.
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With these DIY ideas, you'll be able to give gifts and cards to your loved ones at little to no cost.
The price tag isn't everything though; your thoughtful messages inside will show how much you care.
It also helps when your gifts are chic, too! You can opt for a simple card, which can be made without causing too many paper cuts. If you're a bit more daring you can decorate gift bags and fill them with something special. In one of the examples below, printed bags are filled with tasty, homemade granola.
Whatever you decide to do should be fairly quick, cost effective, and should not cause you a ton of frustration! Take a look at these DIY Valentines cards and gift ideas that are sure to impress
your loved ones in the slideshow below.
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Organic shapes are very much in. Although we Americans tend to think of European design as minimalistic with straight lines and hard edges, it's easy to forget that minimalism can also have soft curves and organic shapes. At this year's show, organic shapes were apparent in many things, from furniture, accessories and even kitchen fixtures.
Brights are back. For a while we've been seeing a lot of greys and browns, and that may be due to our conservative attitudes as a result of the recession. I'm not sure what the bright colors say about the hopefulness of what's to come, but there were many loud and colorful pieces of furniture and accessories at IMM this year! Here in New York we've been seeing spots of color in interiors but I think we'll be seeing more hues very soon.
Slim, thin designs. Gone are the days of heavy, bulky furniture. Yes, we knew that, but things are getting even thinner than expected. Our smart phones are slimmer, and now, so is our furniture. This was very evident and could not be ignored. A great example is this chair's slim wooden frame. Chair by Busnelli [link: http://www.busnelli.it/en/pages/home].
Details are emphasized. It was evident at IMM that there is more attention to detail that would have otherwise been overlooked. I noticed things like alternate colored piping on chairs and neon painted trim on white tables. The specifics were very refreshing and I know they are making their way across the pond soon!
Innovative use of materials. Would you have ever thought of buying a felt lamp shade? I didn't until I saw these by Hey Sign [link: http://www.hey-sign.de/English/page/0101_Hey_About.html]. Actually, almost all of their products are made of felt. You may not notice this at first, until you actually touch the pieces. This was just one of many interesting materials I encountered.
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DIY gift wrapping can be as easy or as complicated as you want it to be. You can do something simple, like wrapping your gift in kraft paper and decorating it with washi tape, or get your hands dirty and make some yarn pom-poms. However you decide to decorate your gift, you can always find something lying around the house to use. Not only is DIY gift wrapping thoughtful, it's also cost-effective.
