When the sun comes out after a long winter cold front, my thoughts turn to the bright days of spring on the horizon. This inevitably puts me in the party planning mood, so today’s post is dedicated to exploring the latest trends in party decorations. It’s funny how many of the featured trends below aren’t new concepts–they’re tried and true party decorations with a twist! Read on to discover a plethora of ways to personalize your future party endeavors…
Garlands and Hanging Decorations
Garlands, banners and bunting have been popular party decorations for decades, but it’s fun to see how they’ve evolved over time. One of the most popular party decoration ideas to emerge in the last few years is the hanging geo object, often crafted with the help of a downloadable template. I love how the geo forms below are accented with gold. [from Thuss & Farrell]
This diamond party garland tutorial from A Subtle Revelry even includes a step-by-step video to make the process easy to follow. Two-tone style has never been so geometrically fabulous!
Patterned paper is a popular choice for hanging decorations, and you can’t go wrong with sprinkles. Check out all the details on these printable mini super stars at Oh Happy Day:
Flag banners never go out of style, but they’ve certainly been celebrated to the max in the last few years. For a bit of a twist, try making the flags look more like streamers. Also, it never hurts to incorporate some string lights, as shown in this summertime back porch party from A Beautiful Mess:
Confetti
Confetti–it’s a classic! These days confetti is celebrated in spades, whether it’s in the form of glittering bits, cheerful sprinkles or classic dots. [from A Beautiful Mess]
One fun update: the confetti thrower! Because confetti is even more fun when you’re the one who gets to scatter it! These DIY Confetti Throwers from Oh Happy Day will get the job done, and they also make great party favors:
Designer Paper Products
Gone are the days of frowning at paper party products. Sure, they’ve always been fun for kids’ parties, but grown-ups often feel pressure to use dishes in order to keep things classy. With today’s beautifully designed party products, the paper plate is often the more desirable choice. Below we see a party plate designed by Joy Cho for Target. I used these plates for a summer party with tropical style, created for my blog Mirror80:
Last year I eagerly awaited each new season of Oh Joy for Target party products, and I chose a special product (plates, a set of napkins, etc.) to feature in four different seasonal photo shoots. Below we see a close-up of geo napkins used during a Halloween party. [from Mirror80]
Always be on the lookout for standout party products. There are many interesting collaborations occurring between designers and brands–your party is the perfect place to showcase them!
Paper Fans
Paper fans are nothing new, but it’s been interesting to see how party planners have been using them in original ways. One popular function of paper fans at today’s top parties: covering a wall with them to create a photo backdrop! Below we see tissue paper fans from Etsy shop Della Carts Decor:
In the next image, we see a wreath made from paper fans. Yes, these are paper fans designed by Oh Joy! for Target. Can you tell I’m a big fan of this party product line?! [from Thuss & Farrell]
Pinatas
When I was a kid, pinatas were large-scale decorations to be purchased at the party store. Nowadays, people are making their own pinatas! Why not?! If you’ve got the time, you can certainly put a unique stamp on your party with a design you’d never find in a store. I’m a fan of this DIY donut pinata from Studio DIY:
Mini pinatas are also quite popular. That way, everyone gets a slice of the action. Speaking of slices, check out this DIY birthday cake box idea from Studio DIY:
Pinatas can double as party favors and party decor, especially when you make them small enough to sit at each place setting. To learn more about the DIY gem pinatas below, head on over to Lovely Indeed.
Drink Stirrers
Remember when tinsel drink stirrers were all the rage? You know, the kind that looked like a firework or a twinkling star attached to the edge of a skewer? The tinsel drink stirrer is still popular, but DIYers are inventing new ways of creating these party staples with ingredients such as clay. Below we see festive clay drink stirrers from Paper & Stitch, crafted with the help of oven-bake clay and bamboo skewers:
Who would’ve thought to put feathers at the end of a drink stirrer? Studio DIY, that’s who. Here’s a project created by Studio DIY for Palm Springs Style. A festive addition to any cocktail…
Party Projections
An emerging party trend once thought to be reserved only for large-scale events is the party projection. At this Moon Party from Design Love Fest, an enchanting indigo moon graced the wall next to the party table. You too can download and use the projection by scrolling to the end of this post.
And if you’re eager for more projection ideas and don’t feel like creating your own, check out these downloads from Design Love Fest. I can think of many party concepts that could easily center around these designs:
I hope today’s post has refreshed your list of party ideas. And maybe even given you a few jumping off points for your own DIY creations. Happy party planning!
