These Homes Say Happy Mardi Gras!

Happy Mardi Gras, everyone! In case you’re wondering how the date of Fat Tuesday is determined, it’s easy — it’s always the day before Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday is the last day of the carnival festivities, the last day to whoop it up before starting more solemn preparations for Easter and observing Lent. Here’s a flash of Mardi Gras spirit that everyone can enjoy today. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Mardi Gras is a time for costumes, masks, eating king cakes, listening to great bands, eating po’ boys and Popeyes’ fried chicken, and drinking bourbon slushes while watching fabulous parades. It’s also a great time to expand your collections of bead necklaces, krewe cups and doubloons, as krewe members toss them into the crowds (these items are called throws). While New Orleans is the best-known spot for celebrating, cities all over Louisiana have their own Mardi Gras parades, as do cities in other states, including Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Florida and Wisconsin.


The Krewe of Muses was the first all-female krewe to parade in uptown New Orleans. They’ve been showing their love of footwear longer than Carrie Bradshaw has; they throw hand-decorated glitter shoes out into the crowds from the float.

This collection is worthy of a cherished spot on a mantel.

Check out more Krewe of Muses shoes





Mardi Gras revelers bedeck themselves and their homes in Mardi Gras regalia. Any costume goes, and you’ll see plenty of beads hanging from trees during this time.


The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green and gold. Even if you are many miles from a Mardi Gras parade or gala, pull those colors out of your closet today to feel festive.

This elegant Mardi Gras door has live plants that bring in the green, and it incorporates the fleur-de-lis, the symbol of New Orleans and the official symbol of the state of Louisiana. And the New Orleans Saints, of course.


Add some Mardi Gras decor to your dinner table tonight.


Gorgeous chair sashes and peacock feathers make for more formally elegant dinner-party decor.

There’s no dinner party at my house tonight, but I may just put on my beads and watch the series finale of Treme. No matter how many decluttering purges I’ve done during the past 20 years, I’ve never been able to let go of my Mardi Gras beads.


If you were lucky enough to make it to the parades, make sure you grab an overpriced king cake at the airport to share with envious coworkers upon your return. They’ll get so involved in trying to get the piece with the baby in it that they’ll forget how much they resented you for getting to go. I promise, this simple gesture works every time. It’s also kind of funny, because finding the baby means you have to buy the next king cake.

Also, you may find you’ve filled the bulk of your suitcase with Mardi Gras beads and cups. Put them to good use at home to remind you of the great time you had, as this homeowner has. Perhaps they’ll inspire you to throw a Mardi Gras party if you can’t make it to a city that celebrates it next year. You can order up a king cake to arrive overnight from Haydel’s Bakery and use your throws as favors.

Now you: Please share your Mardi Gras decor by posting photos to the Comments section.

URL: These Homes Say Happy Mardi Gras! http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-22933.html