Let’s Create a Whimsical Easter Tablescape

Looking for an easy way to create a whimsical Easter tablescape? I’d love to share how I incorporate touches of whimsy to my Easter table!

Easter always brings out my playful side — the soft purples, buttery yellows, and garden‑path whimsy feel like a breath of spring here in Florida. This year I refreshed one of my favorite tablescapes inspired by a little ceramic basket and a handful of pansy‑kissed details. Let me show you how to bring that same joyful, garden‑story magic to your own Easter table.

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Steps to Create a Whimsical Easter Tablescape

What is a tablescape anyway?

Tablescape is a term that blends the concepts of table setting and landscaping together.  By combining table setting with landscaping, you are helping to create a mood and an atmosphere for your celebration.  Tablescaping allows you to use your creativity to make the gathering more special for your friends and family members.

It is a word that was first coined by Sandra Lee in the early 2000s according to Wikipedia.  I actually met Sandra years ago when she was on the set for the Extreme Makeover Home Edition build in Philo, IL.  Participating in that build is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Simple Steps To Creating a Whimsical Easter Tablescape

My first step is to find my inspiration or my “muse”.  Sometimes it is a particular color combination or a particular object. My “muse” for my whimsical Easter tablescape is this yellow & purple ceramic basket and the purple Polish pottery flowers in the lavender glass vase.  Purple and yellow feel like the perfect Easter pairing — a mix of gentle spirituality (purple) and springtime joy (yellow).

The scalloped edge of the ceramic basket is outlined in the same color of purple as the flowers.  The Polish pottery flowers closely resemble the flowers on the basket.  The ceramic basket is actually an old Teleflora container that I found at a resale store one Spring.  I have a similar one with stripes on it but it is still packed in some box somewhere and I haven’t found it yet.  It is so frustrating when I can’t find something, but that is a topic for another day!

My “muse” helps me decide on a color scheme and an overall theme.  My color scheme is yellow and purple and my theme is Hopping Thru the Pansy Garden.   Next, I walk thru my home collecting items that reflect the color scheme and theme.  I call this the gathering process. The gathering process continues until I feel like I have enough elements to get started.  Once I have enough elements gathered, I will do a trial run of the tablescape to see what I might be missing.

Elements to Gather for a Whimsical Easter Table

• Yellow + purple focal piece (basket, vase, or pottery)
• Pansy or floral salad plates
• Yellow placemats or napkins
• Dough bowl for a garden‑inspired centerpiece
• Faux pansies or violas
• Easter eggs in coordinating colors
• A single whimsical bunny (wire, ceramic, or wood)

Working with the Elements of the Tablescape

Your tablescape will need a base such as a tablecloth or runner and possibly placemats.  The size and shape of your table help determine what shape of tablecloth and placemats you will need.  For example, our dining table in the house is octagon shaped and round placemats look better on it than rectangle. Note to self: iron tablecloth before you take the picture!

Sweet Clover Blue Ridge Plates with Round Placemats

Our dining table outside on the lanai is a rectangle and rectangle placemats really work better.  However, sometimes I have to use what I have on hand so one Easter I used a red and white runner without placemats.

Easter Tablescape – Farmhouse Style

This year, I am still undecided about whether we will be eating indoors or outdoors.  I did a trial run with place settings for both options.

Inside:

With this option, I used bright yellow rectangle placemats with my still un-ironed tablecloth.  Round placemats would probably look better but I didn’t have round ones in a color that I thought would match my color scheme.  I used to be all about matching.  Now, I am not as rigid as I once was but for this, I really wanted to use the yellow placemats because they just added a touch of sunshine to the tablescape.  Don’t you agree?

While we are on the subject of the place mats, the basic elements of a tablescape include the plates, cutlery, glasses and napkins as well as your centerpiece.  The centerpiece may include some candles or perhaps a lantern. It is fun to include a favor for your guests, especially at Easter time.  I will fill these yellow ware eggs with candy for Easter.  The edge of the yellow ware egg is also scalloped like the edges of the ceramic basket.  The scallop pattern is also repeated in the woven edge of the egg’s handle.

Outside:

For the place settings outside, I added a pansy themed Polish pottery salad plate.  I really like the combination of the Fiestaware Chop plate as a charger, a bright yellow melamine plate and then the pansy plate.  The rectangle yellow placemats tie everything together. I plan to use yellow napkins secured with a pewter napkin ring.  A simple single faux pansy blossom adorns each napkin ring to add a touch of color to the place settings.

Centerpiece

The centerpiece portion of the tablescape is where you can really let your creativity shine!  The size and shape of your table will help dictate how long your centerpiece can be. One of my decorating go to’s is a dough bowl.  I have several in my dough bowl collection.  When I am planning a tablescape for our inside dining table, I will most likely use my white dough bowl.  I love the shallowness of it as well as the shape.  It is a reproduction.

You can see the shape of the dough bowl better in the picture above.  For this option, I added several sizes of Easter eggs in shades of yellow and purple with a couple of peach ones added in.  The garden tools help tie in the garden theme.  I also sprinkled in a few rattan hearts to add texture.  The white tin bucket was painted by my Great Aunt Pauline a number of years ago,  She made it for my Mom.  The house we live in in Florida was actually my Great Aunt’s home and we purchased it from her just over 7 years ago.  She was an amazing woman!  She passed away last January 77 days shy of her 106th birthday! You can read more about her here: Meet My Great Aunt Pauline! 

Pictured above is my extra large dough bowl filled with violas and a pot of nemesia.  I extended the length of the centerpiece by using the moss ball topped chalk painted candle holders.  The rustic wire bunny adds a touch of whimsy to this centerpiece.  More about dough bowls and the centerpiece above can be found here: Early Spring Rustic Dough Bowl Centerpiece

Here is a close up of the Rustic Wire Bunny

Save This Pin For Later!

Important Things to Remember

Tablescaping allows you to release your creativity, but you don’t want to be so creative that it interferes with your guests ability to enjoy their meal!  Centerpieces should be kept to a reasonable height so that the guests can still see each other.  Don’t over decorate the tabletop, leaving nowhere for the guests to put their plates and glasses.  Keep in mind the age range of your guests and their physical mobility.  If you have children attending your event, keep the tablescape child friendly.

Carrying the Theme to Other Parts of the House

I found this cottage style wooden tray on clearance after the Christmas Holiday.  It actually has a Christmas motif and I found a way to cover that up.  The steps can be found here: Quick & Easy Way to Makeover A Cottage Tray  I used it as a base for an Easter display on the coffee table.

and then I tried it on my side board. I really like how this display turned out!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this whimsical, pansy‑kissed Easter table brings a little joy and inspiration to your spring celebrations. If you create your own version, I’d love to see it!