The school holidays are practically gone, but even with the school year starting, you may need activities to share with your children. If you're a working parent, it might be difficult to keep your children entertained as you probably won’t be able to take too much time off the job. And even if you are a SAHP (stay-at-home parent), it can be a full-time job trying to keep kids entertained while they're not in class.

So why don’t you do some home decorating with your kids? Most children won't take too kindly to be told to tidy their rooms, but if you make it fun and tell them that you're decorating the house with them, they might be happier to pitch in.

The best room to work on, of course, is their bedroom. Here are some practical activities you can do together with your children:

• Go through their cupboards, closets, and storage containers to see which toys you can toss, store, donate, or sell. Free up closet, wardrobe, and drawer space by organizing clothing, too.
• Maybe this is the time to buy the bedroom set you've always wanted. A trip to the furniture store to choose a new bed, desk, chest of drawers, and wardrobe can be as much fun as a day in Disneyland (okay, slight exaggeration there).
• You might hit all the second-hand stores and unfinished furniture places and flea markets to look for bargains. Remember, bedroom furniture can be an eclectic mix of styles that look more spontaneous together than a matching set of furniture.
• Buying new bed linens can brighten a room. Add lots of fun pillows. What about making a canopy of fabric to hang from curtain rods attached to the ceiling with anchor brackets? Instant castle, fort, treehouse, hideout, or secret headquarters!

If the budget is tight, just get a few necessary accessories or items of furniture. Make this a joint choice with your child. Make sure that whatever you decide on together is practical, in your budget, and adds to the style and energy of the room. Children love to help makes these kinds of decisions, and it's excellent practice in teaching responsibility.

Then there’s painting and/or papering the walls. While you may not want child labor during the actual painting, give them something fun to do like letting them draw on the walls (normally a big no-no) before they get painted over. This can be a lot of fun for the kids and can certainly keep them occupied for a whole afternoon. If you're applying grasscloth or some other wallcovering, these drawings, poems, and other kid creations are fun to uncover when you're child outgrows the old wallcovering and it's time to redecorate. The unveiling and discovery of their earlier work is a great family moment!

If you don’t want to paint or paper the walls, there are some great adhesive wall stickers that can be put on a plain wall. They're great for covering the finger marks and stains, too. These inexpensive sticker sets can really change the look of a room. Deciding where the stickers go, and then applying them to the wall is a fun activity that your kids can do themselves. It will make them feel like an integral part of the decorating process.

Another nice addition to any bedroom is a new rug. Area rugs come in all varieties and colors, including floral rugs, animal print rugs, and of course, the many other types of kids’ area rugs, all of which can be a fun way to brighten the room. A large, soft rug is a safe, inviting place for children of any age to play, read, or study on.

Home decorating with your children is a wonderful, important activity. Apart from keeping your children busy, it will teach them the importance of aesthetics. Furthermore, if they're involved in choosing their bedroom furnishings, they just might feel more inspired to keep their rooms tidy.

Well, there’s always hope at least . . . .

Linda Grasso - So you’ve seen them at five-star resorts and parties and thought, “Could I do that?” Or, maybe you think it takes a professional florist to arrange orchids. Well, we’re here to tell you it doesn’t have to be so difficult. It’s simply a matter of getting your hands on the right items and then following a few simple steps. You’ll be shocked, in fact, at how easy orchid arranging is.

First, get a container – preferably with lower sides (not higher than say 7 inches) and not too wide (not wider than 14 or 15 inches). You basically want to make sure three orchids can fit, with not too much excess. I’ve found great containers at my local orchid shop, Orchids Anonymous, as well as at discount stores like Marshall’s and Tuesday Morning (that's where I got the one in the photo). If you have a local Asian food market (here in LA, for example, we have Farm Boy), sometimes they sell great containers. You don’t have to spend a lot and they can be made of anything – straw, bamboo, ceramic, wood, etc.

Next, you need orchids. I suggest heading to your local Trader Joe’s or Costco (it’s hit or miss here, but worth a try). Go early in the day for the best selection and plan on spending $14 to $16 per plant. If neither store is closeby, try your local Japanese-owned nursery. The Japanese have a true appreciation for orchids and I’ve seen the most beautiful ones at their outlets. Avoid nursery chains. As a last resort, hit a nursery that is individually owned.

1. Try and get orchids with two flowering stems – it looks like a single stem that splits into two. Sometimes they’re more expensive, but it’s worth it as they pack twice the punch.
2. Get flowers that are in the same stage of bloom. You don’t want, for example, one orchid plant to have buds and the other to be in full bloom with all open flowers. It’s okay to have some flowers and some blooms on a stem – but again coordinate all three plants so they’re about equal in terms of blooming stage.
3. Make sure all three orchid plants are approximately the same height. I often do a little mini-arrange right there in the store, putting the plants together and seeing the shape they will form.
4. One last thing: make sure the leaves are green and healthy. Nix any plant with brown or yellow spots on the leaves.

You’re going to need two other things for your arrangement: leaf shine and green moss. You can get leaf shine and green moss (the live kind as opposed to the artificial kind) at any nursery or orchid store. It’s about five bucks and it really will give the arrangement that professional, finished look. Make sure the moss looks fresh and bright – more green than brown.

When you get your orchids home, put all three in the sink and water them until it leaks out the bottom.  Shake all the excess out as orchid roots hate to sit in water.

Put the orchids in your container and have a good look. Do you need to make the orchids higher? If so, grab some newspaper and ball it up in the bottom of the container and put the orchids on top. You can also use packing peanuts. I wrap newspaper around each individual pot to secure it is in the position where it looks best.

There’s no right or wrong way to arrange orchids. I prefer to have the three stems go in different directions – the one in the middle goes straight up, the one on the right to the right a bit and the one on the left tends to bend left. It makes the arrangement look grander. However, I was at a dinner party and saw an arrangement with all the flowers, tightly together, bending forward and curling down towards the ground. It was stunning! Just eyeball it and see what you like and what works given the dimensions of your container.

Once the orchids are arranged and secured, bunch up some more newspaper and tuck it in the top to make a flat surface for laying the moss. I grab a handful of moss and soak it in water. Then I squeeze out the water (as you would a sponge) and place it on top of the newspaper, covering it and creating a lawn basically for the arrangement. The water gives the moss a freshened look and keeps it greener longer. Go all the way around the base of the arrangement with the moss, making sure all the newspaper is hidden.

Finally, the finishing touch: spray the leaves with leaf shine and place your arrangement in indirect sunlight – nothing too harsh like direct, southern California afternoon sunlight. Direct morning sunlight is fine. Keep in mind, a dark spot on your living room table is okay, but your orchids will only last half as long. They need light!

As for orchid care, I prefer to take the arrangement completely apart once a week. I put the plants in the sink and water them with the faucet, making sure all the excess is shaken out of the plants before placing them back in the container. Sometimes when I’m feeling lazy, I’ll use a water squirt bottle and squirt around the base of each orchid 20 times, making sure to hit all the exposed roots. You just don’t want to overwater or let moisture collect at the roots. This will kill the orchid.

The thing I love most about orchid arrangements is that they last. The white orchids and the hot pink ones, for example, can last up to four months. Your hard work pays off. Oh, and you’ll also get compliments. These days, I take 'em where I can get 'em!

Linda Grasso is the energetic engine that drives SheSez. Her site exemplifies great living, with a California flair, for women of style and substance. Its mission is to inform, inspire, and entertain. Linda says,

We love sharing the unique, interesting, cutting-edge things west coast women are doing. Women all over the world look at California for ideas and inspiration from beauty to health to style. They want to replicate our open-air lifestyle, amidst such breathtaking natural beauty: the ocean, sun, mountains, warm weather. Let's face it, west coast women lead the way for progressive living - whether it's practicing alternative medicine or the latest type of Yoga, we aren't afraid to try something new.

If you want your weekend warrior or handy-DIYer husband or father to get more engaged and put more skin in your home's decorating game, we think we've got the right book to recommend for Father's Day or any other day. The Big-Ass Book of Home Decor by TV host and designer Mark Montano features 105 simple, practical, penny-wise, and pretty cool projects that dad and other family members can jump into. Design2Share's editors appreciated the attitude in this book. Its core tenant is that no house should have boring, shabby, or ugly decor, and if you don't have hundreds or thousands of dollars to spend on a makeover, you can still rely on your own creative juices and things your probably already have to get your home looking good.

Montano's work on TLC's While You Were Out and 10 Years Younger, We Network's She's Moving In, and Style Network's My Celebrity Home has given him exposure to practically every home decorating disaster under the sun. But he has encouraging words of wisdom for every homeowner.

"Perfection is overrated! That's my motto. I don't want to be perfect and I don't expect anything I make or do to be perfect. I think that would be a tragic bore. Instead I like the flaws that make people and things special and give them soul. That's what my book is all about . . . perfect imperfection, or as I like to say it, being perfectly imperfect.

"When you tackle the crafts in my book, think about a few different things besides the end result. Think about how great it is to be creative, how wonderful it is that you're making something with your own two hands.

"Mostly, think about the fact that when you make a project, it will be unique in the entire world because you made it. If you really don't like it, give it to someone who does, or just start over. (Better yet, give it to someone you don't like and make them display it!) Either way, embrace your creativity and don't be afraid to be perfectly imperfect."

The book is divided up into different project sections, and each gives you a simple-to-follow list with photos of the project, plus the inspiring final results. You'd be surprised what you can do with masking tape, string, spray paint, glue, and some good ideas! Great Resource Guide and Project Pointers sections orient homeowners and DIY die-hards to do their very best, in an imperfect and big-ass way, of course! Here are the D2S favorite projects in this highly-recommended boisterous and funky book.

Paint Chip Art is a cool way to use those free and colorful chips from home improvement stores, and you'll have a blast wrapping furniture and other items in yarn and spray painting projects like this String Paint Technique Dresser.

Montano's Birdcage Pillow is a really cool craft that gives you a great addition to any chair or couch.

This Fornasetti-esque Table gives you the keys to the Decoupage Kingdom! You'll be able to take all kinds of great images and make fantastic projects.

You don't even have to be a skilled sew-and-sew to make this Hand-Stitched Curtain Panel. It's fun, simple, and easy to make.

We endorse painting techniques like the one used in this Red-and-Gold Lace Mirror to bring new life to old household objects. With just 1 yard of lace, it's possible to become a Picasso with a can of spray paint!

Melisa Fluhr -

Last year, my partner Pam and I completed a gender-neutral design board for the Hann family. We recently stopped by to see firsthand how they took our inspiration board and executed a modern-vintage nursery for their sweet surprise package, Amelia. While Mom and Dad are still working on the finishing touches, we thought a few of Sylvie’s lovely linen pillows provided them with just the right decorative accent in keeping with the room’s theme.


About the Author: Melisa resides in Los Angeles, CA. Mom to two little active boys, Austin and Chase, and partner in Little Apple Design, a children's interior design firm specializing in e-design inspiration boards. 

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, we selected NHofA's piece on a Bizarre Giant Snail Home. The website describes the home as follows.

This living place is located in Mexico City, Mexico. Many people in that country like this home design. Hovering beyond the smoggy city, this giant mollusk is house to Fernando Mayorga and Magali and their two children’s Allan and Josh. The impressive shell-like paint frames the language shaped furniture protrusion that cultivate from the nearby walls. A distinguished eco-factor of this alternative house is that it is created of a spray able ceramic named Grancrete. The spiral shaped design, material and construction schemes used to construct The Nautilus create it earthquake-friendly and simple to maintain. This is absolutely unique ideas for home designing. I hope you are getting some inspiration about your home design ideas after look at the pictures below.

What did we tell you? Delightful!

Photo credits: New House of Art

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and you can get involved in the many Earth Day projects going on at a local level. Opt to participate in local projects - from cleanups to volunteering at a park program - but you can also more consciously decorate and practice the Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle principals at home. Here is our editors' Top Tip for making a difference around the house and making everyday Earth Day.

Repair, restore, maintain, and reuse your home goods. Homeowners go to great lengths to be "consumers." We know what brands to buy, where to buy them, and how to get the best deal. We look at Consumer Reports product ratings and scope out new purchases that we're all eager to make. It's a joy to add something new to our homes, from great refrigerators to a new sofa.

But let's start to gather intelligence on the good repair and restoration resources you have in your community. Who can fix a refrigerator, reupholster a club chair, mend a wobbly table leg, or refinish your mid-century modern furniture so everything works and looks like new again?

Go to Angie's List, casaGURU, or other online resources. Talk to your neighbors and friends and put together a network of reliable and trustworthy vendors so you have a master service list. To handle the work yourself, research do-it-yourself repair, refinishing, and home maintainence methods. Stem the tide of making new purchases, and curb the urge to throw things to the curb. Here's an experience from one of our editors.

"We have a 7-year-old Bosch dishwasher in our apartment, and the dealers who sold the machine to us said that the lifecycle of this appliance would be about 7 years. Almost 7 years to the day, our machine stopped working. We tried everything to get the machine to drain, but it kept filling up with water, which we had to bail out. We asked the super in our building to look it over. He declared it DOA and advised us to get a new machine - since they're only supposed to last 7 years!

"Luckily, a neighbor told us of a great dishwasher repairman in the neighborhood. We called him and he came over right away. He shook his head when we told him our experience. He said appliances can run a lot longer than predicted if taken care of properly. He showed us how a piece of broken glass had gotten lodged in the drain. He explained that Bosch and other appliances have automatic shut-off systems when they detect a clog or obstruction. He showed us how to unscrew a plate and reset the machine.

"Our dishwasher has worked fine for the past two years, and by spending $75 on a repairman's house call, we saved over $800 on a new machine - not to mention the waste of throwing out a perfectly good appliance. We saved money, resources, transportation costs, and energy. And we moved from being consumers to being conservers."

 

It's a certain sign of spring when we get our favorite mailorder catalog, from the outrageous, iconic Auroa, NY homegoods company MacKenzie-Childs.

 Of particular note this year is their new line of Flower Market Enamelware. Evoking the strong colors of flowers from a country garden or a European master painting, these pieces have heavy gauge steel underbodies, enameled surfaces, and bronzed stainless steel rims - a nice extra detail.

The dishwasher safe line comes in color stories of black, blue, green, and white and all pieces can be mixed and matched for glorious floral punches of color at the table.

The basic placesettings consist of 10 and 20 ounce tumblers, breakfast bowls, chargers, dinner plates, mugs, pitchers, and salad/dessert plates. The service pieces are diverse, extending the floral magic to other rooms of the house with enamel pots, pump dispensers, serving bowls and platters, soap dishes, tissue box covers, vases, and enamel colanders. And - surprise! - the plates and bowls have colored glaze and hand-applied floral transfers on the bottoms as well as on the tops. Love the details!

Visit the MacKenzie-Childs website to further explore their romantic, exuberant Flower Market Enamelware line.

What celebrates Spring and the coming of St. Patrick's Day more than adding a touch of green to your home decor? Adding a chair with a green cushion, upholstery, or even a green throw will provide a quick touch of this refreshing, relaxing, rich color in any room. Pictured at top is Patricia Urquiola's fantastic Re-Trouve chair. Diana Vreeland urged homeowners to go mad and decorate a single room entirely in green, adding every possible shade of green in furnishings and accessories. You can't go wrong!

Enjoy our other 10 favorite green chairs, and happy St. Patrick's Day and Spring to you.

Margaret Elman has a whimsy we can't get enough of. She's created this Green Chair, combining a classical chair style with a grassy "turf" upholstered twist. Check out Margaret's Chair Couture website for more information.

This BB02 Chair is a contemporary charmer in green. It's perfect for any child's room, don't you think? Available from Clever Tomato, a great resource for contemporary children's furnishings.

Design icons Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen teamed up for Vitra on their Organic Shell Chair. Done up in green, it's a stunner. Look how it adds a crisp color note to this room!

The Panton Chair has been a classic forever, and Verner Panton's plastic fantastic curves have made it a favorite chair source for both indoor and outdoor dining. We'd use it as a single side chair by a home office desk or line up a few along a hallway wall (they're so sculptural) and bring them down to the dining room or kitchen when you need extra seating. They stack up beautifully, too, when not being put to use.

Green means GREEN with this eco-consciously-made chair from New Zealand's Conscious Design group. The Tio Chair is a triple threat: lovely to look at, comfortable, and build with materials that are easy on the environment. You can't go wrong with this chair choice!

We love the stunning looks of this ergonomically wonderful Mirra Chair from Herman Miller. The space-age design is incredible, and we hear it costs much less than the expensive Aeron chair (the Mirra looks much nicer, too).

This comfy molded Truffle Chair adds not only the green burst of color we're looking for, but it also adds a sense of humor, too. Whimsy in any room is a key to great interior design. Too serious and fussy will kill the look and comfort of any design scheme. Jean Marie Massaud's design creation is sublime and contemporary. And, surprise! The chair is light and it swivels, too.

Kartell produces Philippe Starck's iconic Mademoiselle Armchair, which soulfully combines acrylic legs on an upholstered body. This green upholstery is pretty natty, don't you think? We also love the wild floral prints that Starck and Kartell offer for this groovy seating.

The Saarinen Tulip swivel chair is an icon of chair designs, and it's easy to see why. The crisp white styling and aerodynamic body of this chair will never date, and it's easy to add a burst of color with the upholstered, comfortable cushion. Another chair triumph from Eero Saarinen.

Marc Newson's chair designs command attention from furniture collectors around the world, and his chairs command good prices at auction. We love his Komed Chair, all done up in green and the way the tubular base relates to the body of the chair is sensuous and gravity-defying sensational!

Most everyone is caught up in the eye-popping beauty of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, the 3D spectacle that follows the fantasy adventures of Alice as she falls down a rabbit hole and winds up in an upside-down world where most anything can happen - including tea parties! In honor of spring coming, we thought it would be fun to gather your family and friends together for something light, fun, and entertaining. Throw a tea party and then take a caravan of cars over to the nearest multiplex to see Alice's tea party in the movie.

We were inspired by the Tim Burton movie, but also by the perfect tea party (and tabletop) accessories, HomArt's Tiered Twig Servers (see photos above and below). There's something magical about the branch-like Round 3-Tier or the Rectangle 2-Tier servers that will make them the hit of your tea party. They're great ways to pile up small tea sandwiches, sweetes, scones, and other tea party treats. They also make a great centerpiece for the table, a serving station for any dinner or dessert you want to serve buffet style - think "come and get it yourself!" - or a nifty way to display decor items when you're not using them for food. We'd put collections of seashells, beautiful stones, bird nests, pine cones, and other natural found objects; but use them for more formal displays of small flea market treasures.

Let's be frank. Most families won't throw a tea party, for themselves or for others. While it's fun to do something whimsical and different every now and then, most families will use one or both of the Tiered Twig Servers to serve regular, everyday meals. They're great for holding appetizers, dinner rolls and bread, hamburgers and hotdogs and all the fixings, and other sides and entrees.

The Round 3-Tier Server is 13 inches x 23 inches and comes with three round dishwasher-safe ceramic plates, great for serving food and cleaning up afterwards. The Rectangle 2-Tier Server is 19.5 x 9 x 14 inches and comes with two rectangular dishwasher-safe ceramic plates. Both servers have cast aluminum stands that mimic tree branches, adding to the fantasy feel of the pieces. Both stands fold flat for optimal shipping and storage when not in use.

But back to tea parties (go on; try it out!). We were inspired by "10 Tips for Tea Party Etiquette," from the web's Advice with Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee. They note the difference between two different types of tea parties.  Full tea usually consists of three courses, such as scones, tea sandwiches, and sweets. Light tea will have just scones and sweets along with the tea. (Think full tea as a light lunch substitute and light tea as something between meals.)

Here are some tea party etiquette tips:

1. Eating with fingers is A-OK. But use a fork if something has a running filling or is naturally a bit messy. The fun of any tea party, however, is that this is mostly a drinking tea and picking up food with your hands sort of occasion.

2. If you lay all the courses out on your table at the same time, eat them in this order: scones or muffins, then tiny sandwiches, and save the sweets for the end. Pretty much like a regular meal where you first begin with some bread, then the main course, and ending with dessert. We recommend using small side, salad, or dessert plates for each place setting rather than a full-sized dinner plate. The food is light and bite-sized, so you don't need to serve small portions on a football field!

3. For scones or muffins, break off a bite-size piece, then put a small amount of jam or butter on it. If Devonshire or clotted cream is available, a small amount can be dabbed on after the jam. This thick cream is for scones, not for the tea.

4. Take bites of the tiny sandwiches. Never stuff the whole thing in your mouth, even though it's small.

5. If you're using sugar in your tea, try not to dip the sugar tong or sugar spoon into your tea.

6. Stir sugar and/or milk with your teaspoon, then place the teaspoon on your saucer.

7. When drinking tea, hold the cup and saucer near your chest, then take the teacup off the saucer and bring it up to your mouth to drink.

8. If the tea is hot, leave your teacup on the table to cool. No blowing allowed!

9. Hold the teacup normally. Do not stick the pinky out when drinking tea. (Sorry, Johnny Depp, but you're pouring the tea incorrectly - see movie photo at top.)

10. Try to serve the tea from teapots, but if you are using tea bags, place a small dish at your guests' place setting so the drippy tea bag can be set aside when not used to steep the tea.

But let's put the emphasis on PARTY. If tea party rules aren't followed precisely, it's still going to be a fun time. And we highly recommend the whimsical HomArt Tiered Twig Servers to add a touch of fantasy to your tabletop, available at the Design2Share Shop at OpenSky.

Design2Share was excited to host Elizabeth Kurtz of Gourmet Kosher Cooking in the Manhattan apartment of interior designer Irwin Weiner. Elizabeth found some teriffic placemats, napkins, napkin rings, cutlery, dinnerware, and silver seder accessories; Irwin rounded out the place settings with wine and water glasses and other tabletop items. Irwin styled three different Passover table settings. It's not too early to plan your table settings in time for Passover; this year it's from Tuesday, March 30 to Monday, April 5.

But we also love these table settings for any occasion, even dressier family dinners, so there's some takeaways here for every family, Jewish or not.

This is the first table setting we shot - a stunning black and silver theme. Elizabeth walks us through some of the beautiful elements of the table and where different items came from (including a great wine recommendation) in the following video. 

Irwin used his lovely 400-year-old Jacobean table for the shoot. The table is normally used as a compact library table, but two wings slide out to turn the table into dining length. Our first black-and-silver scheme plays off the rich wood grain of the table for a rich effect.

Stunning Silver

Product Sourcing and Concepts: Elizabeth Kurtzman of Gourmet Kosher Cooking

Table design by Irwin Weiner ASID

Photographed by Simon Scheiner at The Perfect Portrait

1. Fiore Kiddush cup by Sharon Geller-Metal, available at Gotham Judaica $420 – $590

2. Stunning Silver plates by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the Gourmet Kosher Cooking shop, pictured large black, large paisley, medium black, small silver border, $6 – $18 per plate.
Placemats, sterling round metal bead by Kim Seybert available at Lagoon Linens $42.50
Rosette napkins by Kim Seybert, available at www.kimseybert.com $32
Silver/crystal dome napkin ring, available at Lagoon Linens $21
Black Jewel Acrylic Stainless Steel Cutlery (set of 16 pieces), available in the GCK shop, $20

3. Flowers by flowers by Debbie, available at www.debbieflowersonline.com

4. Wave Seder Plate by Sharon Geller-Metal, available at Gotham Judaica Worth the splurge! $1700 – $3000

Look at how beautifully our Passover and Spring Dinner Party table scheme changes when we add color! Lots of soft greens, some pinks and reds, and orange lines in the glass plates punch up the place setting and turn our thoughts to the coming season.

Our second place setting scheme covers the table with a beautiful linen cloth, with eyelets allowing the rich grain of the wood table to show through. The entire setting focuses on the celebration of Spring, fitting for Passover.

Spring Is Here

Product Sourcing and Concepts: Elizabeth Kurtzman of Gourmet Kosher Cooking

Table design by Irwin Weiner ASID

Photographed by Simon Scheiner at The Perfect Portrait

1. Carmel Private Collection, Cabernet Sauvignon, available at www.onlinekosherwine.com, $17

2. Spiral Stem wine glass, Yurana glass, available in the Gourmet Kosher Cooking shop, $12

3. Tuscany Pattern large plate, made by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the GCK shop, $12
Medium green tempered glass plate, made by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the GCK shop, $9
Small tuscany plate, made by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the GKC shop, $6
Green jewel Acrylic Stainless Steel Cutlery (Set of 16 pieces), available in the GCK shop, $20
White/Green Crochet Edge Napkin, available in assorted edge colors, available at www.lagoonlinens.com or www.kimseybert.com $18
Green Sequin Dragonfly Napkin ring, available at www.lagoonlinens.com, $21
Plastic green flatware, by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the GKC shop

4. Streit’s Matza, available at supermarkets nationwide

5. Frog plate, made by Yurana glass, available in the GCK shop $21

6. Wave Seder Plate by Sharon Geller-Metal, available at Gotham Judaica Worth the splurge! $1700 – $3000
Fiore Candlesticks, by Sharon Geller-Metal, available at Gotham Judaica, small and large, $1000-$1800
Wine drop Kiddush Set, made by Sharon Geller-Metal, available at Gotham Judaica, $410 – $600

Irwin's third place setting focuses on a rich, warm combination of black and gold tones. The dramatic, deep hues of the flowers on the table go perfectly with this dressy, yet clean styling.

This final place setting scheme covers the table with a linen cloth and uses a clever gold/tan runner down the center of the table to help tie in all the rich gold in the seder accessories and plates. Elizabeth Kurtz highly recommends all the inexpensive plates we used for the shoot, available from their Gourmet Kosher Cooking shop on OpenSky. It's a great idea to spend very little money for festive glass plates that you can use for Passover or any family or party dining occasion. And Design2Share would like to thank both Elizabeth Kurtz of Gourmet Kosher Cooking and Simon Scheiner Photography, Brooklyn (ThePerfectPortrait).

Glamorous Gold

Product Sourcing and Concepts: Elizabeth Kurtzman of Gourmet Kosher Cooking

Table design by Irwin Weiner ASID

Photographed by Simon Scheiner at The Perfect Portrait

1. Flowers by Flowers by Debbie, available at www.debbieflowersonline.com

2. Glamorous gold charger, by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the Gourmet Kosher Cooking shop, $18
Large tempered glass black plate, by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the GCK shop, $12
Medium paisley gold and clear plate, by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the GCK shop, $10
Small black and gold rimmed plates, by Two Lumps of Sugar, available in the GCK shop, $6
Black Jewel Acrylic Stainless Steel Cutlery (set of 16 pieces), available in the GCK shop, $20
Organza napkin by Kim Seybert, available at www.kimseybert.com $28
Tablecloth by Mona, available at www.lagoonlinens.com $324

3. Streit’s matza, available at supermarkets nationwide

4. Seder Plate, by Esther Shahaf, available in the GCK shop, $224

5. Segal Cabernet Sauvignon, available at www.onlinekosherwine.com $18

6. Beaded Kiddush cup, by Esther Shahaf, available in the GCK shop, $110