With people having children at an older age, the deeper implication of fathers and a higher sense of design than in the past, there is a need for more stylish baby shower party themes.
More and more future parents value schemes that are far away from the same old matching baby showers offered by large retail chains. If you are planning a baby shower party for hip urban parents, I got a few ideas to pull off this challenge.
First, any event revolves around the food, the décor and the atmosphere. That is what I show you on my inspiration board.
The Invitations
Even if it is the first thing you should send, you must work out the details of the party before selecting your invites. An invitation sets the tone of the party. The festive note cards I displayed are miles away from the juvenile look typically associated with baby showers. Since it is a parent baby shower, a gender neutral model is the way to go.
The Baby Circles from Fabulous Stationery is light-hearted and sweet. The color palette mimics the food. An eco-chic option is the Shower box set by Binth. These fresh and modern cards are screen-printed on 100% recycled stock.
The Food
I decided to build the theme around the food. An Italian antipasto feast would be perfect for an afternoon event. Last month, the UK magazine Living etc. featured an antipasti party styled around the fashionable modern country look. One stop by the Little Italy neighborhood nearest you will provide all the food you need.
The best tip from Living etc is to
conjure up an impressive platter in an instant with a selection of Italian cured meats, parmesan cheese, cherry tomatoes on the vine and antipasto of all sorts.
Take a look at the Antipasto Platter from ItalianFoodLovers.com for quick clues.
Gift suggestions
No baby shower occurs without a gift distribution. And buying a gift for the discriminating parents is not as easy as it seems. Usually, they preferred buying the basic baby stuff themselves. Available at Greener Grass Design, the handmade one of a kind felt animal by artist Chika of Chikagraphy or the Fresh Produce bags by Eazy Bean should please the cool urban new parents.
Beware that Donatello the Deer is not a baby toy, it is a decorative item. From a design viewpoint, baby bedroom normally incorporate items to give personality to the bookcase. These felt animals would be a winner in all décor style.
The Fresh Produce bags are available in 2 sizes of tomato, green tomato, skyberry, blueberry, gridberry and persimmon.
Mobiles are a key element in baby room. Again, I looked for something more stylish. Kenneth Wingard sells the Antique Brass Open Mo-bi-le-o online and in its San Francisco stores. Its treatment has nothing to do with child play. And why not display them as party décor? It is a great way to reduce the cost of a party.
These big and bold mobiles look great whether you hang them on the living room or the kid bedroom. It is a look that can grow with the child.
Adding a child feeling
If you wish to reduce the grown up factor of the antique brass mobile, there are several things that you can do. One easy way may be to paint all the open squares, each one with its own pastel color. You can play on tints to stay subtle.
You could display monochromatic illustrations inside the mobile. My advice is that whatever you do, make sure that you do not overwhelm the structure.
Sourcing:
Recipe: Antipasto Platter on ItalianFoodLovers.com
Buy online: Baby Circles at Fabulous Stationery – starts at $45 USD for 25 custom printed notes cards with envelops
Buy online: Shower by Binth – price: $ 14.25 USD for 6 cards with envelops
Buy online: Donatello the Deer By Chikagraphy at Greener Grass Design – price: $84 USD
Buy online: Fresh Produce bags by Eazy Bean at Greener Grass Design – price: $225 for a small, $270 for a large
Buy online: Antique Brass Open Mo-bi-le-o at Kenneth Wingard price: $92 USD for a 6-square mobile
Photo credits: Italian Antipasti party pictures were taken from Living etc – October 2007 issue
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