Edible Birthday Garland

Planning a child’s birthday bash? Forgo traditional garlands, which are often made of synthetic materials, and instead opt for playful strands of candy necklaces. When guests begin to file out, encourage the kiddies to help with clean-up duties (they’ll love snacking on this sweet party treat!).

Photo: Martha Stewart

Aromatic Jelly Jar Candles

Reused jelly jars are ideal vessels for votive candles. Create a rustic table setting by adorning a collection of jelly jar candle holders with pliable plant clipping (rosemary and eucalyptus are good options). Simple secure the ends of the clippings with a small piece of wire to create a one-of-a-kind eco-chic tabletop.
Photo: Martha Stewart

Mismatched Candlesticks

Who says table accents have to perfectly match in order to create a sense of design coherency? An assortment of found candlesticks (scour garage sales, flea markets and the like for inexpensive finds) look chic when paired with elegant tapers in a neutral hue. 

Photo: Martha Stewart

Reuse: Jersey Pom Poms

Floating pom-poms are a playful way to dress up any party space. Consider making an eco-chic version of this party-pleasing craft by substituting tissue paper with recycled jersey.
Photos: Craftaholics Anonymous

Easy Woodland Centerpiece

In a word, eco-entertaining should be easy. That’s why we are so in love with this simple, yet sophisticated, woodland centerpiece. By assembling some found wood, natural moss and a simple vase filled with several textural sprigs, anyone can easily create an affordable eco-chic centerpiece.

Photo: Green Wedding Shoes

A Fresh Centerpiece

Add a bit of cheer to a winter celebration by creating clean and crisp citrus centerpieces. A simple glass bowl filled with lemons, tangerines or other citrus fruits is a simple and cost-effective way to create colorful centerpieces year-round.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Gothic Glamour

Add a touch of gothic glamour to your table setting by substituting traditional vases with vintage pharmacy bottles. Online vendors, such as Etsy, carry an eclectic assortment of the bottles at fair prices (we love the bottles adorned with French script, see below).

Photos: Etsy & Ruffled

Lovely Lace

Nothing says “wedding” like layers of lace. When planning the décor for your homemade wedding be sure to browse consignment shops for scraps of vintage lace. Consider trimming table edges or the edges of your cake stand with this elegant accent. Looking for another option? Thick strips of vintage lace will serve as unexpected “hangers” from which you can drape small glass candleholders.

Photos: Austin Wedding Blog

Reclaimed Elegance

When wintry weather blows into town, a burst of bright color can go a pretty long way. Get out of a cold weather rut by setting your party table with brightly colored vintage plates, secondhand pastel-hued glasses and reclaimed bold blue mason jars.

Photos: My Kate Parker Wedding & Gracie Lou Events

Elegant Eco Wall Hangings

Add a bit of drama to an otherwise bland wall or window by creating unexpectedly elegant wall hangings made from recycled bottles and a few locally grown flowers (we also really like the “curtain rod” made from a natural branch, as pictured above).

Photo: Once Wed

Charming Woodland Table Numbers

There is no need to over think creative eco place card options thanks to this simple DIY idea. Simply secure homemade tags made from twine and recycled cardstock onto thick pieces of fallen branches in order to create charming one-of-a-kind table numbers and place cards.

Photo: Ruffled

Recycled Paper Streamers

Ring in the New Year with chic recycled décor. With just a few snips and a bit of creativity, leftover rolls of holiday wrapping paper are transformed into decidedly sophisticated streamers.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Last Minute Eco Ornaments

Time to put the final trimming on your tree before your holiday guests arrive? Use resources that you likely have around your home, such as loose buttons, to create quick last minute touches for your festive soiree.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Cranberry Place Cards

There is no need to waste tons of money (and resources) in order to add a splash of festive color to your holiday table setting. Handfuls of cranberries (which can be cooked or composted after serving a decorative use) offer beautiful bursts of red to any tabletop. Fill small glasses and votive holders with cranberries as well as simple handwritten notes for instant holiday place cards. For an added pop of color sprinkle loose cranberries down the center of your table or around your holiday centerpiece.

Photo: Country Living

Elegant Recycled Holiday Décor

While cleaning up before your holiday guests arrive, be sure to think twice before tossing old magazines. With just a few easy steps you can transform these glossy pages into glittery decorative tabletop trees.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Coffee Filter Paper Flowers

We love the paper flower craze that has been blooming these past few months for so many reasons. In addition to being adorable, paper flowers can be reused again and again, thus helping hostesses to reduce their party impact in style. If you’re in the market for paper flowers be sure to browse Aunt Peaches’ paper flowers. These lovely ornate flowers are crafted from coffee filters, providing them with an interesting texture as well as an extra dose of eco-chic flair.

Photos: Design*Sponge & Aunt Peaches

Recycled Paper

When incorporating recycled paper into your party décor think of unique options that surpass bags of confetti. This lovely table setting features rippled placemats, napkin covers, chair accents and other small table accessories all crafted from reclaimed book pages.

Photos: Green Wedding Shoes

Natural Linens

We’ve been big fans of Emerson Made for a while now and have featured several of their products on our site. After spending a good deal of time this weekend in search of simple, yet elegant eco table linens, you can imagine our excitement when we discovered the company’s new-ish line of table linens. These hand-stenciled napkins and table runners are made using 100% natural linens and are shipped in a muslin bag. Whether you plan to use these for special occasions or for everyday use the neutral colors ensure that they will be used in your home year-round.

Photos: Emerson Made

Charming DIY Garland

All it takes to make a charming strand of garland is a collection of vintage fabric scraps or mismatched cloth napkins. Drape the garland across a fence at an outdoor affair or from ceiling beams when hosting an event indoors.

Photo: Once Wed

Unexpected Elegance

Convinced that recycled cans can’t be elegant? When paired with colorful floral clippings and sweet treats simple aluminum cans serve as affordable vases. Because aluminum cans can easily be punctured, consider using a few simple tools and some twine to drape floral-filled cans from the backsides of chairs or around the perimeter of your party.

Photos: Bridesmaid