Setting and decorating an Easter table for brunch, lunch or dinner? Follow these easy steps and you’ll be ready for guests in no time.

Before you start laying your table, select your theme. We decided that nothing says Easter more than bunnies. Having a theme will help your table feel cohesive, even if you mix and match colours (unless colour is your theme) and tableware.

1 Choose your base

Every table begins with its base which can be a runner, a tablecloth or a bare table. We opted for an off white 100 per cent cotton tablecloth as a canvas for our colourful decorations. If your decorations are going to be displayed solely down the centre of the table and you want to further draw eyes to it, a runner is a good option.

2 Lay your tableware

If you have a spacious table you may well want to build your centrepiece before this but we knew we would need to fill in around our place settings. We started with brightly colour raffia placemats and layered on plates and bowls.

3 Create your centrepiece

Candles add height and drama and if your gathering carries on into dusk when lit provide a lovely ambience. Our tapered dinner candles with tiny multi coloured flowers feel really spring like but you don’t need to buy new candles if you have some previously used in your hosting cupboard. Small bud vases containing a few stems randomly dotted down the table add lovely bursts of colour. We couldn’t resist adding a large pitcher of tulips at the end of the table. Then we added bunnies throughout. And more chocolate… in the form of small bowls of chocolate eggs.

4 Place settings

Here’s the spot where your loved ones will sit so your place settings provide an opportunity to make them feel extra special. Little table favours that guests can take with them a nice touch. Here are two bunny themed ideas for an individual Easter setting. For our first table setting option we went the party favour and personalisation route. We bought half a dozen Lindt chocolate bunnies and removed the wrapping (there are likely more inexpensive store brand versions available). We made name cards from brown envelope paper and tied them with string. We continued the bunny story with our recyclable Pierre napkins. Version two we call our bunny ears napkins. We chose our Mellow napkins which complement the lilac and green placemats. To make the setting simply open the napkin out to full length then continue folding it in around a 2” width. Then fold it in half lengthways and place a blue hen egg in the centre – we opted for these after trying unsuccessfully to paint a standard egg blue, the result was a very sludgy colour. Finally, tie string in a bow to keep the egg in place.

You're now ready for your guests...

How to decorate an Easter tree

The German tradition of decorating trees goes back centuries. To make your real life tree, fill a tea tin with blooming branches (here, cherry blossom). Hang our small egg honeycombs and wooden egg decorations. Alternatively, our wire tree made from recycled paper makes a lovely display piece too.

Those original host touches…

It’s a lovely touch to give a small gift to guests to take away. We bought tubs of hyacinths and daffodils and split them into singles and a few stems, wrapping them up in brown paper and tying with ribbon.

For a striking variation on a usual vase of flowers, cut your tulips into different lengths and display them inside the vase.

Entertaining the little ones... While you’re doing the prep, why not keep the kids entertained with an Easter crafting kit and some dress up, all tidily popped into our Easter bunny basket.

Cake stands provide height and focus. It's good to mix and match, for example here we have a plain ceramic stand and a reusable paper one that matches our Pierre napkins.

Simnel cake has been eaten since medieval times. Ours was from Meg Rivers.

Shop our Easter collection here.