|
|
|
Feature: Party décor
Are you having a party? Yes, WOW! Ok, you’ve sent out the invitations, you’ve planned the food and you have your party dress ready. Now comes the difficult part: decorations for the party. Most of you will grab some balloons and ribbons and get going. But for those people who believe that parties should be personalised, I have some advice on how to do that. Below are decoration ideas for some parties which you can adopt for other parties as well with a few alterations according to your need. The rule: decoration in accordance with the occasion. Just imagine going to an all-boys party and being welcomed by bright pink balloons!
Birthday party
In your lifetime, you must have gone to several parties. Let us begin here. First and foremost, keep in mind the age of the child and whether it’s a birthday girl or a boy. For young girls, use paper plates and cups with pictures of Barbie on them. The best colour is baby pink but a little bit of yellow provides a lovely combination. Add homemade garlands and cute dolls in empty spaces but don’t overcrowd the room. If the room has pink walls, you are in luck but if that is not the case, use pink curtains, cushions, rugs, etc.
For teenage girls, the colour palette is diverse, with pinks, purples, yellows, oranges, reds and so many different hues and shades. A little bit of green, black or white doesn’t hurt either. Decorate the walls with a few posters of popular actresses and female singers, as this adds zing to any teen girls’ party. Keep the decorations glittery by adding some golden or silver confetti around the room. Garlands work well here too. The plates are normally not the paper ones, but you can be creative by adding celebrity pictures to plain paper plates and glasses. Flowers add to the feminine feel of the room. You can try using ornaments such as rings and jewels instead of confetti in glass bowls. The same decorations can be used in an all-girls party.
For boys, the colour choices are somewhat limited. Make use of colours like blue, green, white, etc. But you can add variety by using different shades of the same colour like light blue, navy blue, sky blue, baby blue, etc. A simple rule is to use black sparingly around the room to make sure it all doesn’t get too dark. Young boys will probably want to display one of their best remote cars in empty spaces, and have some confetti in clear glass vases. A creative decoration can be made by pasting pictures of cars, footballs and other boy stuff on sticks and using these instead of flowers. A notable addition, though not a decoration, is the latest music. And why not have an all-boys party with the same decorations?
Congratulations party
Congratulate a newly married couple by throwing a wedding party. Use colours such as red, white and golden. In the centre of the room, place a table, preferably a round one, and cover it with red or white cloth. Drape silken red, white, golden or silver coloured dupattas. Place a beautiful bouquet of roses in the middle and place pictures of the wedding randomly on the table. Sparingly spread glitter and confetti on the pictures. Use napkins in the theme colours. If possible, spread rose-petals at the entrance of the party room. Tape dupattas and garlands on the walls; use candle stands and candles for an elegant look. Play some slow, dreamy music. Placing some artificial jewels in a glass bowl makes an instant showpiece. Drape net dupattas on any small tables around the room to add to the decorations.
You can have any congratulation party ranging from academic success to the birth of a new baby brother or sister. You just need to alter the decorations and the colours a bit to tailor the same ideas according to your needs.
Slumber party
Abstain from using bright, tangy colours. Of course, most of you will spend the night watching movies or chit chatting instead of sleeping, but it will be a slumber party after all, and you must remember that decorations should be in accordance with the occasion.
White and blue are the safest bet, but muted shades of pink, yellow, green, lavender etc. will do. Place some soft cushions around the room. Some sparkling confetti in glass bowls or sparkling stars hanging from the ceiling are an ideal decoration. Fill a glass bowl with water and put in some pebbles, sparkling confetti and an artificial fish or two and you have a calming decoration. Do not clutter the room at any cost. A teddy bear in a corner will add charm to the room, and a dim lamp will give the room a touch of serenity. Keep the decor fairly simple.
Seasonal party
I don’t think that any of you have been invited to such a party, but I thought it would be a good idea to hold one at your place. For summers, use cool colours such as white, sky blue, baby pink, etc. Add garlands and flowers. Keep the decorations limited to give the room an airy look and feel. If you have an air conditioner in your room, you can think about adding some bright hot colours here and there. Make some artificial ice-creams and put them in a bowl as a simple decoration piece. Use white cushions and curtains, if possible. Or you can give your room a seaside look by adding props such as fish, water, surfboards, sand, etc. Hang a shining golden sun from the ceiling.
For winter parties, use warm colours like red, brown, orange, etc. and a bit of black. Use cushions in warm colours. You can put dry fruits in jars and bowls kept on top of tables instead of confetti. If the invitees feel like it and if they are sure that the dry fruits are real, they will probably pop some in their mouths. Garlands are a lovely addition to any party. Use wooden furniture. Put some warm quilts around the room and a carpet for the invitees to keep warm during discussions and games. A snowman or snowflake, hanging from the ceiling will give a slight wintry touch without giving a cold feeling.
For autumn parties, use the same colours as for the winter parties. Make generous use of dried autumn leaves and lots of confetti. A fantastic idea is to fill a wide glass jar partly with sand, stick in a twig from a tree and paste small paper leaves on it. Add tree-related items to empty tables, such as cones, oak apples, etc. if you find any. Dried flowers also add an autumnal air to the room. How about hanging several autumn leaves from the ceiling?
Spring decorations mean lots and lots of flowers and bright colours. And don’t you think a kite hanging from the ceiling will give the room a truly springtime look? Once again, make full use of garlands. And why not make a garland of flowers at home with your friends? It will be an interesting activity when the party gets a bit boring.
Garlands
Place a strip of paper vertically and another one horizontally over the first one, with one end of the horizontal strip overlapping one end of the vertical one. Staple them in the same position and weave them, by bringing the vertical strip up and overlapping the horizontal one. Then bring the horizontal strip to its opposite direction, overlapping the vertical one. Again bring the vertical strip down and bring the horizontal strip back to its former direction. Keep weaving and you have a homemade paper garland.
For making a flower garland, simply thread a needle and pass it through the flowers.
Confetti
Use a punching machine to punch lots of circles out of coloured paper and use these as confetti. You may wish to ask your family to help you. Or the daring ones can cut out shaped confetti as well, but this may be tiresome for you if you plan to use tons of confetti.
Artificial ice-creams and leaves
Roll brown paper into cone shapes and stuff with cotton or tissue to make an ice-cream. Paste on a large red bead or button to use as cherry.
Cut leaf shapes from red, yellow and brown paper and crumple them up to make the leaves. Add detail with markers, if you wish and if time permits.
So, you now have some clues towards party decor. Next time you have a party, use these ideas and do invite me as well so that I can see for myself how creatively you use these ideas. Happy decorating!
|
|
|
|
