Picture this: I’m sitting at my desk “working” with half-and-half tea in hand (that’s half sweet, half unsweet, for the newbies—keep up!), scrolling Instagram instead of finishing up client work, when, suddenly, WHAM—a plate from an upcoming sale smacks me upside the head like a caffeinated bunny on a mission.
Meet La Lapin, French for “the rabbit,” a CE Corey creation that’s quirkier than my great-aunt’s Easter hat collection. One look, and I was toast. I had to have it. If you’re into funky patterns that scream personality, Google CE Corey pronto—your eyeballs will throw a party.
Why did I lose my ever-loving mind over this plate? Oh, let me count the ways.
First, that rabbit’s mid-hop, rocking full “Tortoise and Hare” vibes. I can see him now, stretching for the finish line with a cocky grin, only to spot the tortoise sipping a latte past the tape, all “Bless your heart, speedy.” That story was my childhood obsession—still is.
Second, the edge? Scalloped perfection. Not those big, floppy scallops I hoard like a dragon with gold, but tight, pinched ones—like I used to wrestle into shape during pottery class back in the day.
And third, the colors: green and blue, my soul’s happy place.
Y’all know I’d wallpaper my entire existence with Bradley Acres’ green pastures and those Appalachian blue skies. Blue’s a neutral in my book—pairs with every t-shirt, sweatshirt, or blouse over denim, duh—and I’ve got Ivy Odom from Southern Living agreeing with me on that. Southern Living also has an article, “We’re Calling It: Blues and Greens are the New Neutral for 2025.” Yes!!! Then some genius in a Facebook tablescape group dubbed blue and green “Nature’s Neutrals,” and I hollered, “PREACH!” Every leaf on this planet’s strutting some shade of green—case closed.
Last Easter, I trotted out these La Lapin plates, and the “oohs” and “ahhs” hit like a tidal wave. Naturally, they’re back for an encore, and I’m spilling all the tea—half-and-half, of course—on this year’s rabbit-fueled table shenanigans. Buckle up, because this one’s hopping with chaos, chocolate bunnies, and a whole lotta me being me.
The Inspiration…
Duh, it’s the La Lapin plates! They’re fabulous—leapt off the screen and demanded I build a table around them like some diva dictator. How do you say no to a rabbit with that much charisma? You don’t. End of story.
Here they are on last year’s table…
Select the Color Palette…
Green and blue were locked in tighter than my prince’s toolbox—non-negotiable, done deal. But the third color? Last year’s white was so 2024, and my green moss bunnies were yesterday’s fairy tale. Then, fate—or TikTok, same diff—threw me a bone. I’d stumbled across that viral hack: spray-painting ceramic bunnies to look like chocolate ones. Y’all, I was in—all-caps, screaming-from-the-tower IN. I’d passed up so many bunnies at estate sales, kicking myself for missing out on the magic. But no use crying over unpainted ceramics—past is past, and I’m not about to invent a time machine over some dusty rabbits. My prince and I are estate-sale scavengers extraordinaire, so I sent up a prayer and wouldn’t you know it, He delivered—six bunnies in one glorious day! Not the jumbo jackpot I’d dreamed of, but I’m a “make it work” princess—Tim Gunn would be proud. (Ignore the mess!! We had a ceiling leak being repaired and when my estate sale finds were added to the pile, well a bigger mess was created! Just keeping it real, lol!)
With my bunny posse in tow, brown hopped into the palette like it owned the place. I’m a Rule of 3 fanatic—though, confession time, I sometimes don’t count neutrals or metallics (It’s okay if you do!). They’re the cool kids who don’t play by the rules. But brown? Oh, it was getting the red-carpet treatment—three starring roles on this table, no questions asked.
Make it All About the Patterns…
The La Lapin plates were the large-scale pattern, no contest—center stage, spotlight, mic drop. “That’s not a pattern!” you scoff. Oh, honey, sit down. In my fairy-tale design kingdom, pattern’s all about repeating elements—lines, shapes, colors, textures—for some visual rhythm. These plates repeat around my table like a bunny conga line—boom, pattern. Plus look at the definition of pattern online… See! Told ya!
That left medium and small scales to play with. I’d been hoarding a green-and-blue tablecloth from Etsy like a dragon with a crush—waiting for its moment to dazzle. This was it.
Last year, I went moody navy, but this time, I craved brighter blues for the small pattern. Enter my FBMP find… these Blue Lace Mottahedeh chargers—tiny pattern, massive attitude. If you’ve caught my Rule of 3 sermon, you know mixing pattern scales is my holy grail. Three sizes keep the chaos from tipping into “hot mess” territory, and I’m never done piling on patterns ‘til my heart says, “Yes, ma’am!”
I’m also working on a post to help you “train” your FBMP feed to show you all the things you love!
Pick Your Stack…
I plopped the Charger on the tablecloth, but it begged for a breather—some “negative space” (design speak for “give my eyes a nap”). Brown was AWOL in the charger and the salad plate, so my brown rattan chargers swooped in, framing it like a pro and nailing brown #3. Double chargers too much? Maybe if you’re a minimalist snooze, but I’m a layers-or-bust diva. Skip it if you hate joy—I won’t judge.
With the double chargers in place and the La Lapin salad plates waiting, my stack was almost to glory. The charger’s blue and La Lapin’s color mashup screamed, “Green dinner plate, stat!” I yanked out my trusty Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage, but—ugh—no sparks, no fireworks. So, I pivoted to another BP fave: a basketweave stunner from Facebook Marketplace (hit-or-miss lately, but this was a home run). It’s technically Pier 1, made in Portugal by BP, with a fern medallion instead of the usual basketweave center—same family, sassier cousin.
Check the math: this stack’s Rule of 3 perfection—salad’s large, dinner’s medium, charger’s small.
Select the Linens…
With the tablecloth locked, napkins stepped up to the plate. I had blue ruffle-trim ones from Kirkland’s and buffalo check from Amazon—both cute as a bunny’s tail. I’m a pattern fiend, and the buffalo check was vibing hard—scale and palette on fleek.
But—plot twist—I went solid. Why? Negative space, y’all! Those ruffles gave my eyes a timeout, letting La Lapin strut its stuff, while the buffalo check was over here hollering, “LOOK AT ME, NOT THE RABBITS!” Nope, not today!
Plus, those ruffles? Pure Easter nostalgia—new Sunday dresses with bows and frills, twirling in the church parking lot ‘til I was dizzy. So, I dug out my DIY bow napkin rings from Christmas. They’re a hoot, and so easy—want a tutorial? Scream in the comments, and I’ll spill the beans!
Time for the Glassware and Flatware…
Glassware hit me with a triple whammy of drama—two related, one rogue, but let’s start with the headliner. Green stems? Pass. Blue? Only had some estate-sale bubble glass (maker unknown—send help if you’ve got a clue).
That left my clear stems, gathering dust on a shelf I avoid like it’s cursed—I’ve legit considered banishing them under the stairs to make room for more colored glass. I mean, I’ve scored some killer clear stems at estate sales—you’d think I’d use ‘em, but nah. Still, my Waterford Bloomfield (estate-sale steal, stamped and all) strutted in to save the day. Experts bicker about Waterford stamps—always stamped, not always stamped—but I’m not risking it; I hunt the logo like it’s buried treasure.
Fancy glassware deserved fancy flatware, and oh, the comments I get! “Love your Gorham Strasbourg!” they swoon. Wrong, darlings—it’s Birk’s Louis de France silverplate, from a Canadian outfit that’s long gone. Looks like Strasbourg, mixes with it, and fools 99% of the room. Snag it on eBay—just don’t impulse-buy; stalk those prices like a hawk.
Centerpiece Magic…
Back to my brown bunny scheme—I dreamed of a green “field” with chocolate bunnies hopping around like it’s Easter Coachella. I grabbed Espresso spray paint from Home Depot, gave ‘em three light coats, and… dark chocolate realness. Hmm, I mused, I wasn’t blown away, yet.
Usually, I save the centerpiece for the grand finale, everything else set before I dive in. But this time? Something nagged me. And yep, those dark chocolate bunnies blended into the green like wallflowers at a dance—too tonal, no pizzazz. I wanted milk chocolate vibes!
Back to Home Depot for Chestnut Brown, another paint sesh…
And voilà—bunnies that popped like they were ready for their close-up.
The Final Touches…
After the bunny switcheroo I added the glassware and flatware and stepped back to assess what I thought was my vision. The centerpiece felt meh. The bunnies stood out, but it needed oomph.
I tossed in white anemones from Seed to Petal, my local grower—improvement, but still just “eh.”
She’d added some bonus daffodils into my bouquet, and I had already used lots of yellow flowers on earlier table, but spring was like, “Tough luck, princess.” Double daffodils, ranunculus (OMG, swoon!), and some fringy yellow blooms (name TBD—florist friends, drop a hint!) and okay finally, the table was belting showtunes. All was right in my kingdom—or at least on my table, LOL.
I even decided to add these Maxcera cabbage dishes for bread and butter plates.
Capture the Look…
Here’s the final masterpiece. I didn’t think I’d top last year’s La Lapin extravaganza, but this one’s my new obsession—until the next table steals my heart (probably next week, knowing me). It’s a rabbit hole of whimsy, chocolate dreams, and green-and-blue glory. Hoppy Easter, y’all—may your tables be as extra as mine!
From My Table to Yours,
Melissa
4 Responses
I loved these 🐇 plates since you first posted them last year! Can you say – different?! I think you can 😜.
As usual, a great read and great visuals
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Thank you! 😊 They’re definitely a fun and unique addition to the table! 🐇💙💚🤎 So glad you enjoyed the post and the visuals! 💕✨
Love your whimsical story, Delightful dishes, stems, and table linens. Especially loved how your bunnies hopped onto your table, via a dip in the chocolate pot !
Thank you so much! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the whimsy of my table—those bunnies just couldn’t resist a little chocolatey adventure! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your kind words! 💕🐰🍫✨