Last weekend I had the opportunity to help plan and decorate for a Roaring 20's birthday party at a client's home that I took lots of deliciously Great Gatsby-esque pictures of! I didn't have a chance to take step-by-step pictures of each decor item, but directions for all are listed below and most are straightforward, simply, and affordable. I had a wonderful time crafting each item, and while I generally don't consider myself artistically-inclined, I felt like I had some Roaring 20's stylistic intuition this time around!
Coffee Table
This coffee table was dressed up with a gold table-runner, some star-shaped confetti, and sitting on a mirror is a candle-holder that I stuck some fluffy ostrich feathers through. Around the top I looped some plastic strings of pearls, and some more pearls and gold plastic "grass" underneath.
Coffee Table Centerpiece
Here's a close-up!
Fireplace Room
Near the coffee table is a fireplace we decked out with some sheer white curtains and some wine bottles wrapped in gold wrapping paper.
Fireplace
I did some line-contrasting with the pearls against the shapes in the fireplace cover.
Fireplace Cover
Just LOOK at it!
Wine Bottle Candle Holder
The empty wine-bottles have been spiffed up with some gold and white ribbon, strings of pearls, and topped off with a white taper candle. If you stick the taper into the open bottle with a bit of force, they should stay upright.
Feather Candlestick Holder
With other candlestick holders, a simple golden bow with an ostrich feather stuck in at an angle is era-appropriate while also ridiculously easy and affordable. If you hunt online, such as on eBay, for these feathers, you can find 100+ for $10 or so.
Feather Centerpiece
Speaking of feathers, I used about 30 stuck in at angles in a Styrofoam cone to make a beautiful feather centerpiece that is absolutely picture-worthy! My client had a peacock feather on hand that we stuck in at the top to add some extra color.
TV Stand
We stuck these babies on each side of this TV, and some extra pearls, a gold napkin, and a $1 store feather boa was all this so conveniently antique TV stand needed.
Cup Holder Stand
Here's some simple confetti and a string of pearls we plopped here to add a sprinkle of Great Gatsby glamour. A little goes a long way with this stuff!
Palm Tree
Here's another example of where a little goes a long way--3 pearl necklaces managed to make this palm tree a part of the party atmosphere.
Porch Candelabra
On the porch entrance of my client's house I looped some pearls around the handles of this candelabra.
Kitchen
The kitchen chandeliers got similar pearl-attention, alongside some white balloons fastened to the ceiling with fishing string to create a floating effect. Some $1 store plastic gold swirls were also tacked from the ceiling for some extra bling.
Chandelier
Both white and silver pearls were used, all at different lengths, to create interest and a casually-luxurious feel.
Pearls and Balloons
I love working with strings of pearls because they don't require anything to fasten them with as long as you are looping them. If you twist them together, they'll snap together without a hitch.
Photo-booth
We also created a photo-booth using "Happy Birthday" wrapping paper, black paper under the gold fringe, and two sheer white curtains tacked up and tied with a gold tassel we had on hand.
Stairway
Speaking of gold fringe, I really went to town with this stairway that we taped yards and yards of the stuff too along with pearls and white streamers. At the top of the stairway, we covered a handrail with a lace tablecloth and a $1 feather boa.
Entrance Way
It dressed up the party area and complimented the entrance very nicely. On this entrance-way table are more of those feathered candlestick holders, a feather boa, and some more--you guessed it!--pearls.
Piano Room
A nearby, surprisingly era-appropriate upright piano got similar attention. Notice more wine-bottle tapers on the corners!
Chandelier
Last--my absolute favorite item!--here is the gold fringe chandelier we fashioned with tape, fishing string, a hoola hoop, and a two-tiered hanging plant-holder we suspended from a chandelier chain already attached to the ceiling. Imagine that!
I had a blast working on the decor for this party, and hope my pictures and simple instructions can inspire you guys to dream up and execute your own 1920's decor. A little party never killed nobody, right?