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Spring Musings: Styling a Transitional Easter Spread

This Easter is bringing a twist for our family – a delightful blend of bittersweet moments and exciting plans. With spring breaks overlapping, our middle child is jetting off with college pals, while our oldest is venturing to the Windy City, Chicago. As for us parents, we’re facilitating a cross-country move with our youngest joining us as well! Amidst this chaos, Easter’s aura persists, albeit in a different way. While we won’t be all together under one roof on Easter Sunday, I’m still dreaming of a festive brunch and all the fun traditions that come with it. 

Source: Unknown

Keep reading as we unravel the first part of our three-part spring series, full of inspo for versatile and timeless table settings and recipes fit for any occasion. 

Setting the Scene: Inspiration

When it comes to crafting the perfect spring table setting, Anthropologie hits the spot. Though their vibrant colors and playful patterns scream springtime, I lean towards a more neutral, earthy vibe. Yet, I sprinkle in pops of color with versatile, timeless pieces — and you can too! It’s all about practicality – why invest in overly festive items for a single day of use? Anthropologie’s array of transitional pieces allows you to mix and match for various occasions or events. This year, with our Easter plans askew, I’m all about infusing subtle spring vibes into my dining space. Let’s elevate that finishing touch with effortless style. 

If we were to be around this Easter, here’s what I would buy to decorate my table and to use all throughout spring. I’d definitely snag some of these gorgeous glazed dinnerware pieces in a lovely lilac hue. They’re so charmingly unique with their slight variations, perfect for adding an earthy, organic vibe to any meal. And, let’s not forget the matching lilac linen napkins — a must-have to add a touch of softness. To amp up the texture, those scalloped edge woven rattan chargers would be perfect, providing a delightful backdrop for the feast. As for the tablecloth, why not go all out with either a plaid or floral design? It instantly adds elegance and a nice pop of pattern.

Now, let’s talk glasses … specifically colored glasses. I’m swooning over these dusty pink ones; they’re pretty but incredibly versatile for any occasion beyond Easter. And to pour those refreshing drinks, this etched pitcher is simply perfect. It’s all about adding little touches to make every gathering feel special this spring, don’t you think? You can shop all these items and more at the bottom of this page!

 

Source: Etsy

Make and Bake — Favorite Spring Cake Recipe

Introducing our star recipe: Lemon Thyme Olive Oil Cake. This cake is a breath of fresh air, so irresistibly delicious that it keeps you coming back for more day after day. This cake is going to be my go-to treat for spring – whether it’s for brunch or dessert, it always steals the show. 

I’ve combined two recipes. This is something I love to do because then I can get it exactly how I want it. In this case, I got the recipe for the Lemon Thyme Olive Oil Cake from @boxwoodavenue and the double cream frosting from @supergoldenbakes. Mixing and matching is my secret for creating the ultimate delights. I love frosting, so by slicing the cake in half and adding a generous layer of the cream frosting, it adds a bit of sweetness and creaminess … which is always a yes in my book!

Clouz Houz Tip: For this cake, I decided to kick it up a notch by dehydrating lemons for that extra rustic flair. 2 lemons, thinly and evenly sliced into ¼″ slices (approx 3mm). I used Meyers lemons and sprinkled Trader Joe’s Raw cane sugar on top. Pop those lemon slices in the air fryer at 170 degrees for 5 hours, and voila! Hassle-free lemon garnish perfection. 

Tradition Throwback

Source: Clouz Houz

While we won’t be indulging in our annual tradition of dyeing eggs naturally this Easter, I still wanted to reminisce about the beauty it brought to our tables and celebrations last year. If you’re curious to learn more about the process, I encourage you to check out last year’s Easter blog post where I explain the dyeing process. From the vibrant hues created by simple ingredients to the fun-filled memories made with loved ones, it’s such a fun activity and experiment!

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As we wrap up Part One of our spring series kickoff, I just want to wish each of you a happy Easter and cheers to the upcoming spring season! Whether you’re enjoying a traditional brunch with loved ones or are embarking on new adventures, I hope this post has helped to inspire. Check back Thursday for all my go-to fashion Spring Essentials.

Source: Clouz Houz
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This was such a strange full-circle moment. I could immediately remember being 30 years old, standing in those rooms with Derrick and trying to figure out what the heck we were doing!! We had ideas. We weren’t afraid of a project. I had loved design long before it became my career. But I didn’t have a process yet.

Now, after 15 years of designing homes for other people, I can see exactly what I was missing: a way to make the decisions as a whole instead of one at a time (and on my own).

That’s probably why The Design Suite feels so personal to me. It’s built for someone who reminds me a lot of myself back then—the homeowner who appreciates beautiful spaces, is happy to execute, but wants an experienced design team to establish the vision and work through the decisions before the orders are placed and the contractor needs answers.

And you don’t have to do it all tomorrow. Having the plan means you can implement it at the pace that makes sense for you. I would’ve loved to have that roadmap in this little Portland house.

If you’re standing in your own version of it right now, wondering where to begin, I’d love to hear about it.
🤎 Send me a message or head to the link in our bio to inquire about The Design Suite.
September always does something to my design brain.
These are 5 things I can’t stop pinning right now as we head into fall. Some were already working into our own home and some are showing up in client projects.

I’m going much deeper on all five in today’s Design Board Pinnings—how I’d actually use them, the ideas I’m saving, pieces I’ve sourced + a few things we’re doing at Sixth Street.

It lands in inboxes later today. Comment ‘LIST’ (or link in bio) and I’ll send you the link to subscribe so you don’t miss it.
Interior designer by day. Reluctant content creator... also by day, apparently.

When I started this business in 2022, I knew I’d be designing homes, meeting with clients, sourcing, problem solving, running a team-all the things I genuinely love.

What I didn’t quite account for was how often I’d have to stand in front of a camera and attempt to form a coherent sentence.

Almost four years in and, unfortunately, this part has not gotten any easier. But sharing our work, my ideas, the things I’m learning and even some of the messier parts of running a small business has become such a big part of what we do.

So here’s a little peek at what normally gets cut from the final edit.

Fellow designers/business owners... please tell me I’m not the only one with 47 takes of a 10-second sentence.