Listen, if there’s one thing I’ve learned about Mardi Gras, it’s that subtle is NOT in the vocabulary!

And honestly? That’s what makes decorating for it so much fun.

Let me tell you what I did with our entrance that had everyone feeling the festival vibes before they even rang the doorbell.

First up, I grabbed these totally over-the-top banners from Amazon. Super inexpensive and exactly what we needed – because who wants to spend big bucks on an entrance people just pass through, right?

But here’s where it gets really good (and cheap!). I created this amazing French Quarter vibe with DIY street signs – we’re talking French Quarter at the entrance with Bourbon Street, Royal Street, and Canal Street in the main party area!

And guess what? I’m sharing the SVG files in my printables library. Got a Cricut or a crafty friend with one? You’re golden!

Here’s the real kicker – this entire street sign project cost me just $2.25 for all four signs! No joke! Here’s the breakdown:

• One black Readi-Board from Dollar Tree (it’s the good kind with black inside)
• Two rolls of DT vinyl I snagged on sale for 50 cents each

For that tiny investment, I ended up with four large street signs (6 x 19-inches each) that looked absolutely legit. Pretty sweet deal, right?

What? You can’t access my library? No worries. Let’s take care of that right now. The password is at the bottom of all of my emails. Join us and join the fun:

Thanks Bunches! Now Back to the Party:

Bringing the French Quarter’s Hidden Gardens Indoors

You know those magical New Orleans courtyards and gardens tucked away behind iron gates? That’s exactly the vibe we were going for!

But because it’s Mardi Gras, we also threw in a touch of that deliciously spooky cemetery flair that NOLA is famous for.

Y’all, let me tell you about our showstopping dining table!

Since it’s the first thing guests see when they walk in (and let’s be real, where everyone spends most of their time), we had to make it extra special.

And when I say special, I mean we brought the soul of New Orleans right to the table!

Let’s walk through this gorgeous table that had everyone’s jaws dropping!

The best part? Most of these items can pull double (or triple!) duty for other parties throughout the year.

And everything else we had in our decorating stashes (myself and two co-hosts).

We started with a rich purple tablecloth (love it when you can shop your friend’s linen closet!) and layered on gold chargers.

Here’s a great tip for you – we used clear glass dinner plates on top so that gorgeous gold could shine through. Smart, right?

For the napkins, I found these amazing green ones on Amazon that are totally going to earn their keep – think St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas, or any time you need to add a pop of color!

And speaking of pops of color… purple Mardi Gras beads for napkin rings.

Purple Fabric Tablecloth

Green Cloth Napkins

Clear Glass Plates

Y’all, this is where the magic really happened! We created this incredible, moody New Orleans garden vibe right down the center of the table. Here’s how we pulled it off:

• Gathered a collection of concrete urns, pedestals, and pots (the more weathered, the better!)
• Some were perfectly imperfect – broken edges and tilting just a bit (totally intentional, wink wink)
• Draped and stuffed Spanish moss everywhere, which did double duty by hiding the thin gold wire of our battery-operated fairy lights
• Tucked in candles here and there for that perfect evening glow
• Added some faux plants for height and fullness
• Then the final touch – scattered Mardi Gras beads all around like they’d just rained down from a passing parade!

8″ Rustic Vase

10″ Boxwood in Planter

Spanish Moss

Here’s a fun little detail everyone loved – we wrapped each of those green napkins with a strand of purple beads. Not only did it look fantastic on the table, but guests layered them on to whatever they were already wearing. Because let’s be honest – can you ever really have too many Mardi Gras beads?

Just past the dinner table and next to the drinks (because that’s where all the fun conversations happen, right?), we set up this gorgeous vase filled with handmade Mardi Gras masks.

And when I say handmade, I mean our hostesses went ALL OUT – we’re talking feathers and sequins for days!

Each guest got to choose their own mask to wear for the night and take home as a memento.

Because nothing says “remember that amazing party?” quite like finding a sparkly mask in your closet months later!

If you don’t have time or the inclination to decorate your masks. Here are options:

12 Premade masks

Set 12 Masks

Loads of Beads — it’s required!

Remember those grand decorative pedestal pieces I mentioned that were hanging out in my decor stash?

Well, they got their moment to shine!

While they were a bit too dramatic for our table centerpiece, they turned out to be absolutely perfect for creating this incredible backdrop at the bar.

Standing like ancient garden sentinels, they watched over our lineup of hurricane glasses just waiting to be filled with something festive! We found these glass hurricanes at an unbelievable price of

Add one more garden urn to hold a candle and . . . you guessed it, more beads!

All I can say is this must be a mistake!!! Twelve of these glasses cost 21.99 at WalMart, even though that is also the price for a set of 4. Yes, they are glass, not plastic.

Take advantage of it while you can! (set of six is 27.99)

At 13.5 oz., they are smaller than a traditional hurricane glass. But well worth the extra trips to the bar for some.

Now, here’s a decorating challenge we’ve all faced – the mantel that’s visible but not quite in the main party zone. Since it’s across that big open floor plan, we needed something that would tie into our theme without stealing attention from the main areas…

Talk about working with what you’ve got!

When we took down the winter greens to transform for Mardi Gras, three command hooks were just waiting as the perfect foundation for our Mardi Gras magic. Here’s how we transformed the mantel into something special:

First up, in the center, we sat an elaborate black wrought iron candle holder that was my mother had used for so many gatherings and celebrations! For this party, it held 5 vintage hurricane cups (BTW, if you missed my previous post about upcycling those cups, you’ve got to check it out!).

Then came the fun part – we created this amazing garland using super wide purple mesh ribbon (leftover from a Relay for Life station).

And here’s a game-changing tip for you: at the ends, I sliced that wide mesh into thinner strips that created these amazing natural curls as they cascaded down. So good, right?

Then some green netting gave us the perfect pop of that Mardi Gras color.

We used it two ways – woven through the candle holder AND to suspend this amazing vintage brass horn we borrowed from a nearby side table. Talk about getting creative with what you have!

And our host had two jester style ornaments. And since it’s Mardi Gras, I couldn’t leave them out of the fun!

Of course, we needed to add, you guessed it . . . beads!

Command Hooks

Set 6 – Two-Way Candle Holders

Mesh Ribbon (use two lengths to get the volume of mine)

Do you remember when I made large lanterns by upcycling lighting fixtures from the ReStore? Those lanterns were the perfect finishing touch for the mantel!

Placing one at each end added that balanced height we needed, and the large battery candles inside gave us that warm glow without any worry.

Isn’t it the best when you can pull something from your DIY archives that works perfectly for a new project?

PRO TIP: Thrift stores and ReStore are absolute goldmines for Mardi Gras decor if you think creatively!

We didn’t stop at the mantel! The room has two coffee tables, and each got its own mini Mardi Gras moment.

Side seating area: Another black iron candle holder found its temporary home here, with purple mesh weaving between the candles (because why mess with what’s working, right?)

Main sitting area: This trunk-style coffee table became home to the perfect little vignette – we started with a gold tablecloth tossed on at just the right casual angle, then topped it with this vintage black wrought iron lantern

It all started with another lantern that my mother used on our patio for as long as I can remember. I have such fond memories of those patio gatherings, I keep it in my decor stash.

Inside the lantern, we’ve got a classic glass hurricane holding a pillar candle that got a major glow-up. Be sure to read further about the candle details.

Using my Cricut (seriously, what did we do before these machines?), I created a custom stencil and used some craft paint to give an ordinary candle some Mardi Gras personality.

Then, because every good vignette needs different heights and textures, we added:

• A moss-covered garden orb (if you haven’t seen how to make these yet, check out my blog post from last year – they’re easier than you think!)
• A classic boxwood topiary nestled in another garden pot (keeping that courtyard theme going strong!)

It’s that rule of three in action – lantern, orb, and topiary creating this perfect little triangle of interest.

And the best part? Everything ties back to our New Orleans garden theme while bringing in those classic Mardi Gras colors and vibes.

Of course, we couldn’t resist adding a glittered mask and more beads casually strewn about.

I mean it’s Mardi Gras!
In the French Corner!
Restraint has no home here.
More is better!

Let’s wrap this up with all our best budget-friendly tips and a few extra details I just have to share!

Remember those $2.25 French Quarter street signs? They are so lightweight, we mounted them on columns throughout the party space using plain old painter’s tape – easy up, easy down, and no damage!

If you don’t have columns, they would look great extending beyond the corner of a wall.

For that extra touch, plan the placement.

Have “French Quarter” greet guests right at the entrance. It’s the perfect way to set the mood!

Pointing the way to the bar, of course should be “Bourbon St”!

Okay, I need to share a quick crafting lesson learned:

When I tried stenciling directly on those pillar candles, the acrylic paint just wasn’t having it with that waxy surface. On the candle that had the rough surface, no problem.

So here’s your solution: Create your fleur de lis design on colored paper instead (think green on gold, purple on green – you get the idea), cut the paper in a 2-inch wide strip and wrap it around the lower part of your pillar candle. Just keep it below where the flame will be!

Listen, if you think you have enough Mardi Gras beads… get more!

We scattered them EVERYWHERE:

• Draped over our garden-inspired centerpieces
• Woven through the mantel garland
• Spilling out of the urn on the bar
• As vase filler to hold the masks’ sticks
• As napkin rings for each place setting

And somehow, it still didn’t feel like too much!

• Those jester ornaments the hostess had? Perfect for finishing off the mantel garland corners
• Using battery-operated candles in most places meant we could party worry-free
• Mixing old and new pieces (like all those lanterns, saved from my mother and the ReStore) kept costs down
• Thinking ahead about reusable items (remember those green napkins? I’ll be using them for St. Patrick’s Day, and possibly Christmas)

1. Shop your home first (and your friends’ homes – with permission!)
2. Hit up Dollar Tree for basics like the Readi-Board and rolls of vinyl
3. Keep an eye out for after-holiday sales (that green netting, Christmas clearance)
4. Use what you have in creative ways (like those garden urns and pedestals)
5. Make your own decor when possible (street signs, candle decorations)
6. Think multi-purpose (decor you can use for other holidays)
7. Don’t forget places like ReStore for unique finds that can be upcycled
8. Don’t throw the Spanish moss out! Bag it up after the party and put it in your floral making stash to use again and again.

While you’re at it, don’t forget about your own sparkle:

Our hostess came up with such a fun and clever outfit.

She transformed this Mardi Gras shawl into a wrap skirt over a black skirt in her closet. All it required was a coupe of safety pins!

Don’t forget to jump over to my free printables library to get the SVG files for the street signs and fleur-de-lis.

Please Pin for easy reference :

Remember, Mardi Gras is all about celebrating and having fun – it’s perfectly okay if your decor (and your attire) is a little over the top. In fact, that’s kind of the point!

The best parties happen when you mix creativity, friendship, and just the right amount of sparkle – and maybe a few hundred Mardi Gras beads!

Happy Mardi Gras my friends! Please send pics of the Mardi Gras parties you help to throw.