Spring table reimagined: Decorating for Sham El-Nessim
From hand-dyed eggs to whimsical tableware, Sham El-Nessim offers the perfect excuse to bring a burst of spring into your home — and onto your table — with this Ahram Online guide.
Synonymous with Easter and rooted in ancient Pharaonic times, Sham El-Nessim is one of Egypt's oldest festivals. It celebrates the rebirth of life and the arrival of spring, a tradition that continues to bloom in modern Egyptian homes, blending time-honoured customs with vibrant contemporary style.
This festive atmosphere invites creativity. As the season turns, many find themselves inspired to engage their artistic sensibilities, transforming their homes and tables into joyful expressions of spring.
While traditionally associated with outdoor picnics and park outings, Sham El-Nessim has evolved into a celebration just as charming indoors. Interior designer Ghada Bahgat notes a growing trend: families now gather around elaborately styled tables adorned with vivid illustrations, bold colour schemes, and playful décor.
At the heart of every Sham El-Nessim table sits the coloured egg, an enduring symbol of renewal.
More than just a cultural icon, it doubles as a canvas for creative expression. Eggs are often decorated with cheerful, freeform designs, unrestricted by rules and guided by imagination.
For those favouring natural dyes, Bahgat recommends boiling eggs with ingredients like beetroot for red, turmeric for yellow, spinach for green, and hibiscus for a delicate pink. The result: soft, pastel tones that echo the season's nature-inspired spirit.
Fresh flowers and blossoming plants are another essential element, bringing life into every corner of the home.
Beyond the table centrepiece, Bahgat suggests placing them throughout the room to create a refreshing, joyous environment.
Herbs such as parsley and mint not only add a burst of greenery but fill the air with their uplifting aroma.
Candles, too, play a key role. Their warm glow and gentle scent contribute to the festive intimacy.
Small candles can be incorporated into floral arrangements or scattered across the table for a sense of serenity and warmth.
To further elevate the whimsical mood, decorative figurines shaped like rabbits or butterflies are often added, delighting children and adults and reinforcing the playful spring theme.
When it comes to table setting, Bahgat advises starting with a base of natural fabrics such as cotton or linen for a clean, elegant look.
The central floral arrangement — or "table bouquet" — can range from classic flower bunches to more imaginative displays, like tree branches in clear vases adorned with colourful egg ornaments hung in delightfully haphazard patterns.
Lighting, too, can be used creatively.
Stringing small LED lights or candles in a zigzag down the length of the table brings warmth and intimacy.
For an artistic flourish, Bahgat suggests intertwining lights with large green leaves to craft a harmonious, nature-inspired tablescape.
Vibrant tableware — plates, glasses, napkins — completes the scene.
Choosing pieces in cheerful colours and patterns not only lifts the mood but turns the meal into a multisensory celebration.
As for this year's trending colours, Bahgat points to a palette that marries earthy and metallic tones with bright spring hues.
Think terracotta, olive green, and warm browns paired with shimmering gold and silver, alongside lively pops of pink, yellow, and blue.
It's a wide spectrum that invites personal expression and a fresh take on tradition.
From : Al-Ahram