For Easter this year, NYC event designer David Stark is skipping the standard palette of pale pinks, yellows, and greens and opting instead for a moody, jewel-toned tablescape. The best part? He’s managed to go dark au naturel by dyeing a mix of white and brown eggs using only fruits and vegetables, set against a backdrop of dark blue linens, painted egg cartons, and pewter-hued plates.
Photography by Corrie Hogg of David Stark Design for Remodelista.
Finished Product
The Process
Supplies:
- Brown and white eggs
- Red cabbage
- Beets
- Grape juice
- White vinegar
- Jars or lidded bowls
Dying Eggs with Cabbage and Beets
Step 1: Hard boil your eggs (this should take from 10 to 12 minutes).
Step 2: Chop your vegetables to yield a cup and boil them in two cups of water and cook until tender. Drain the water and save in a jar or other container with a lid.
Step 3: Once the liquid has cooled, stir in one tablespoon of white vinegar.
Step 4: Carefully lower your eggs into the dye. For a light stain, soak the eggs for 30 minutes. For a dark stain, soak overnight.
Dying Eggs with Grape Juice
Step 1: Hard boil your eggs (this should take from 10 to 12 minutes).
Step 2: Mix one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of grape juice in a jar or container with a lid.
Step 3: Carefully lower your eggs into the dye. Again, vary soaking times for a lighter or darker stain.
Note: Try mixing dyes for more variation; David’s team used a combination of beet and grape dyes for some of the eggs shown here.
“The marbling and variation in color is natural and a little unpredictable, so have fun experimenting,” said David.
See more Remodelista collaborative Easter tablescapes here:
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