Are you planning your Easter dinner? Easter is a special time of the year, and children are especially drawn to the festivities, which often involve egg hunts and other goodies. How will you set your Easter table? Today we feature 10 eye-catching ideas, from the most beautiful of centerpieces to unforgettable place settings.

When it comes to Easter decor, don’t feel the need to stick with a typical palette of pastels. While it certainly is fun to involve soft hues such as pink, powder blue and lavender, some prefer to go with bright colors, or to even take a monochromatic approach. Today’s featured images showcase a range of styles. The bottom line: reflect on what this holiday means to you, and let that sentiment inspire your Easter table.

Easter Centerpieces

Your centerpiece sets the tone for the entire meal, so it makes sense that you may want to take some time with this important piece of decor. We couldn’t resist this gorgeous Easter centerpiece featuring a colorful vase of tulips and ombre pastel eggs from Crate & Barrel. The pairing of bright hues with pastel shades like blue, taupe, green and pink puts a special spin on traditional Easter decor:

This Simple Painted-Eggs Centerpiece was created using a trifle dish, wooden eggs, paint and moss. An unexpected color combination of blues and copper paired with the sleek oval form of the eggs gives this display a contemporary feel. Check out the details at Better Homes and Gardens:

Why not go with a little glitter? The appeal of this next centerpiece is the way that shimmering wrapped candy combines with bold flowers in their radiant natural tones. Check out the details of this arrangement at SheKnows.

Easter Place Settings

We now turn our attention to each place setting at the table, as the dishware, drinks and other details of each spot can make a statement of their own. We love the way the pink and white table below is subtle yet powerful. A large centerpiece of pink tulips is radiant, especially when the rosy tones are echoed in the napkins, grapefruit-y drinks and boiled eggs at each spot. [from Epicurious]

One table setting strategy: pile as many Easter goodies as you can onto the surface of the table, including these Nest Chargers from Pottery Barn. They gently rest under each plate, framing it in a spring-worthy setting that blends nature with Easter festivity!

Don’t forge the confetti! Regardless of the plates and utensils you choose, if you sprinkle plenty of confetti, each setting will come alive with vivid color. Below we see a kid-friendly Easter table from Camille Styles. Or what’s left of it! The kids clearly enjoyed their hard-boiled eggs, which were decorated with fringe as bright as the confetti itself:

Our final table setting idea is the Paper Strip Nest Place Setting, which was created using thin strips of colored scrapbook paper, as well as a monogrammed egg. For more details, visit Better Homes and Gardens…

Easter Dessert Tables

Dessert tables are all the rage in the world of entertaining. In fact, fancy spreads often include cake stands full of treats, apothecary jars filled with color-coordinated goodies, and interesting backdrops (like the Happy Easter banner shown below). This table from Sweet Designs also includes an eye-catching color scheme of yellows, greens, blues and vibrant oranges:

The next dessert table comes from West Elm and features colorful modern elements, such as the Beehive Cake Stand. This serving piece boasts a hive-shaped dome that is sure to add a dose of whimsy to your Easter spread!

Our final dessert table is stacked with layers of decadent treats. At the top of the cake plates below, we see three lit Aquatic Egg Candles from Crate & Barrel. Also pictured is the Talia Vase, which holds branches filled with vibrant orange blooms. In fact, this bright dose of orange is a modern counterpart to the more traditional pastel color scheme featured below.

Were you drawn to any of the Easter images above? When it comes to tabletop decor for this spring holiday, do you prefer tried and true pastels or a more unconventional approach? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below…