An Easter Table in Blooming Color

Handmade paper flowers and a tissue garland take center stage in this bountiful tabletop idea at Livia Cetti's home in Riverdale, New York.

Florals for spring—as Meryl Streep’s character in The Devil Wears Prada so memorably pronounces—may not seem like the most groundbreaking design idea. That is, until you’ve seen the work of Livia Cetti. The artist and prop stylist, a former contributing editor at Martha Stewart Weddings, specializes in intricately crafted artificial flowers that she fashions out of hand-dyed tissue. (For tips on creating your own, order Cetti's The Exquisite Book of Paper Flowers: A Guide to Making Unbelievably Realistic Paper Blooms.) 

Cetti's artificial blooms are miniature craft masterpieces.

Textiles and artwork add to the eclectic mood.

Her own home, a 1901 former farmhouse in Riverdale, New York, is the setting for the lush and colorful spring vignette that she designed for Lonny. “My house is full of things that inspire me and bring me joy on a daily basis,” says Cetti. “Every item is considered and loved, and the mood is comforting and visually stimulating.” That’s precisely what Cetti sought to capture on a table that can serve as a festive Easter idea or a decorating concept all season long. Fresh branches and plants mingle with Cetti’s paper blooms against an array of brightly hued vintage textiles. Bowls of fruit, colorful cookies, and paper-wrapped sweets—along with eggs hatched from Cetti’s backyard chickens—create a mood of artful abundance.

Stacks of mismatched pottery and decorative elements bring the buffet table to life.

“I love hot pink and red together, or red and plum—deep, bright, complex, and saturated colors that you often find in South American, Japanese, or Indian textiles,” Cetti says. “My whole house is painted in a warm gray, which helps everything work together.” To purchase Cetti’s handmade flowers, contact her on her site, The Green Vase. To make the garland that’s suspended above Cetti’s dining table, cut yarn or decorative twine to your desired length and set aside. To make the fans that dangle from it, take a long and narrow (approximately 4 x 20 inches) strip of tissue paper, form it into an accordion shape, and tie at the top with a 3-inch piece of yarn. Use the tails to attach each fan to the longer string at your desired length.