A Chic New Year's Eve Party - Connecticut in Style

{A Chic New Year’s Eve Party – Ideas and Inspiration}

If you celebrate Christmas, I hope that it was wonderful! We are savoring the last helpings of Christmas Dinner leftovers: prime rib sandwiches, pan-fried Brussels sprouts with crispy bacon, chicken sausage stuffing and Bobby Flay’s Gingerbread Trifle with Lemon Curd filling and Blackberry Sauce (it is a religious experience). Everyone in my family had a Christmas “hangover” from an abundance of festivities and lack of sleep. I’m so glad that we had a weekend buffer before it was time to switch gears and think about the New Year’s Eve celebration.

For NYE ideas and inspiration, Connecticut in Style is providing a week-long series devoted to hosting a Chic New Year’s Eve Party! This week we’ll cover everything from a festive New Year’s Eve tablescape, a DIY photo booth with props and the perfect party menu with food that pairs beautifully with champagne (yum!). Of course, no New Year’s Eve celebration is complete without fun & flirty fashion to ring in Two Thousand Sixteen in style (hint: Banana Republic’s got you covered).

{detail of the custom blend made for Connecticut in Style by the Confetti Bar}

For ways to elevate the biggest party of the year, I enlisted the help of The Confetti Bar. Headquartered here in Connecticut, The Confetti Bar provides the most amazing confetti – designed and blended to a perfect mix by Jessica Serra Huizenga, Chief Confetti Thrower & Expert Confetti Mixologist (that’s her real title). Please check out their website for much more information. Almost all the photos that you will see this week were taken in her uber cool office/production facility which is a loft space with hardwood floors, brick walls and soaring ceilings. Jess gets all the photo credits too (she’s got talent with the camera).

If you follow my blog, you know how much I love setting a table when I entertain. To me, it sets the stage, the tone and the mood for the occasion. Clues about the event are derived from the table starting with the tablecloth and ending with the details in the setting. When Jess and I first met to collaborate about this week-long post, we talked about a theme and a color palette. It didn’t take us long to agree on black & white and pink & gold…and from there it was an easy leapt to incorporate black & white stripes (ala Kate Spade). So, for the first post of the week, we are going to start at the bottom (literally) because I am going to show you how to take $1.50 plastic plates and quickly and easily transform them into chic black & white striped chargers that look like a million bucks. Ladies and Gentlemen, ready your spray paint.

I purchased these black plastic plates at Michael’s craft store for $1.50 each.

In addition to the plate, you will need spray paint, painter’s tape, and I suggest you wear a mask and disposable gloves.

NOTE: When you spray paint, be sure to do it in a well ventilated area and follow all the instructions on the spray paint can.

Carefully apply the tape being sure to keep the spaces equal.

Spray the taped plate with light, even strokes. It is better to spray it lightly and wait for it to dry before applying a second coat if needed.

Once the paint is dry (about 15 minutes), slowly peel off the tape.

For the table, I used a white tablecloth with a pink stripe, gold-toned flatware, and a floral arrangement of white hydrangea and light pink roses. Sprinkle heavily with confetti!