Skip to main content

7 fancy Easter egg decorating ideas that everyone will covet

With Easter celebrations right around the corner, it’s time to start looking for inspiration for your Easter egg designs. Decorating eggs is a fun tradition that the whole family can enjoy, but after a while, making solid-colored food-dyed eggs for your Easter egg hunt can become a little boring.

These seven creative design ideas go beyond the standard pastel-colored dyes to create projects that are enjoyable for the whole family. Plus, the end result is so stunning, the entire neighborhood will be jealous! So say goodbye to store-bought dye kits forever and make gorgeous Easter eggs with one of these unique decorating ideas.

Mother and daughter painting Easter eggs
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Easter egg FAQs

Learn everything you need to know about decorating Easter eggs with these commonly asked questions.

Recommended Videos

How do you prepare eggs for decorating?

Hard boiling is the easiest way to prep eggs for decoration.

  • Place the eggs in one layer at the bottom of a large pot.
  • Fill the pot with water until it’s an inch or two above the eggs.
  • Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
  • Then, turn off the burner, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit for ten to 12 minutes.
  • Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water using a slotted spoon.
  • Once they’re cool, you can decorate the eggs or store them in the fridge for up to seven days.

How do you decorate a hard-boiled egg for Easter?

The most common way to dye an egg is using food coloring or egg dye and vinegar. You can also use acrylic or watercolor paint, as well as more unconventional methods like nail polish, tissue paper, and more.

How do you make Easter egg patterns?

If you already have a pattern in mind, try painting the eggs by hand or create the design using decoupage. You can also make a design by wrapping the egg in washi tape or fabric before dying. For a free-form marbled look, there are many techniques to try that we’ve outlined below.

Pink and orange marbled Easter eggs
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sophisticated egg decorating ideas

Take your Easter eggs to the next level with these fancy decorating methods.

Marbling

Creating a marbled pattern on your Easter eggs is a fun project that’s simple enough for the kids to do. There are a few simple techniques to create these funky, colorful eggs. Make a fun tie-dyed design with food coloring and paper towels, use oil and vinegar to achieve a speckled, galactic look, or marble the eggs using shaving cream or cool whip.

Decoupage

Decoupage is simply decorating an object by gluing paper cut-outs to it, a method you can use to create unique and sophisticated Easter eggs. While you can achieve with look with any kind of paper, we find that tissue paper works exceptionally well because it’s so delicate. Use Mod Podge to attach the paper pieces to the shell in any design you want, experimenting with different shapes, colors, and textures.

Fabric-dyed

Create funky patterns on the eggs by using textured fabrics like cheesecloth, lace, and netting for subtle adornment. Wrap the egg tightly in the cloth of your choice and secure it with a rubber band. Dunk the egg in food-safe dye to create a delicate pattern.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Gold leaf

Adorning your eggs with gold leaf is a simple way to create a look that’s upscale farmhouse chic. Add a bit of glitz and glam to your holiday and cover the entire egg with gold leaf, or, for a more rustic look, coat the egg with teal acyclic paint and add pieces of gold leaf to replicate the look of natural patina.

Hand-painted pastel Easter eggs
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Paint

Classic design methods are popular for a reason: They look great. When using acrylic or watercolor paints, your only limits are your imagination. Channel your inner Jackson Pollock and create modern splatter-painted eggs. If you’re more detail-oriented, use paint to add the finishing touches on your traditionally dyed Easter eggs.

marbled Easter eggs

Nail polish

Looking for a show-stopping design? Use dark indigo nail polish to create stunning Shibori-inspired Easter eggs. Fill a plastic container with water, add a few drops of nail polish, and stir to create a marbled look. Then, wearing gloves, drop the egg in the water and swirl it around to achieve the trippy design.

Washi tape

Consider using washi tape to decorate your eggs or create interesting patterns with egg dye. For example, try to craft a dual-tone basketweave look by applying thin washi tape in a grid design. Let the egg soak in the dye for five minutes, remove the tape, then repeat with a lighter shade of the same dye.

Decorating Easter eggs should be fun, so don’t stress about creating the perfect design. Instead, experiment with your family and find methods or patterns that fit your holiday celebration, whether it’s laidback, sophisticated, or somewhere in between. Happy Easter!

Editors' Recommendations

Shannon Cooper
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Shannon Cooper has written about everything from pet care and travel to finance and plumbing in her seven years as a writer…
6 heartfelt Mother’s Day gift ideas that cost less than $50 to make
Mother and daughters in bed having a spa day

While we're grateful for the women in our life every day, Mother’s Day is a special time to show our moms, grandmothers, aunts, and other extraordinary ladies just how much we appreciate them. Showing admiration on this holiday is about more than buying an expensive or flashy Mother’s Day gift. In fact, one of the best ways to show your love is with a self-made gift that comes right from the heart. Whether you’re on a budget or just want to gift something more personalized, a homemade present is the way to go. Here are six Mother’s Day gift ideas that cost less than $50 to pull together.

Countertop herb garden
Herb seeds: $8
Soil: $8
Terracotta pots: $6 for four
Fabric scraps: $8
Mod podge: $4
Total price: $34
For an avid home chef, nothing is better than having fresh herbs on hand. If your mom loves to cook, a DIY windowsill herb garden is the perfect gift. To make a basic version, all you need is some seeds, soil, and pots. Choose popular herbs for the garden, like basil, rosemary, parsley, mint, cilantro, and sage. Add some personality to the garden kit by making custom plant markers or decorating the pots. This tutorial provides some great tips and tricks to give regular terracotta pots a custom touch with fabric scraps and mod podge.
Instagram flip calendar
Printed Instagram photos: $0-$0.39 each
Supplies: $20
Total price: $20-$25
Surprise mom with a gorgeous, personalized calendar. This modern and minimalist flip calendar features the date as well as your favorite Instagram pics of you and your family members. Choose a variety of photos and print them at home or at a store like Walgreens. Constructing the calendar is simple — all you need is a black poster board, hole punch, wire, and glue. You can view the instructions here, along with the full materials list and a downloadable template for the date cards.

Read more
These easy Easter dinner ideas will make your holiday meal a hit
Easter place setting on table.

Roasted turkey, leg of lamb, or glazed ham are typical Easter dinner favorites. But for those of us who don’t have the time to make those, or who might be hosting a smaller crowd, some of the traditional choices may not be right for us this year. Luckily, there are other options that are every bit as festive and tasty, but just a bit easier to prepare and a whole lot faster to cook.

With a nod to tradition but a practical approach, we looked for recipes that are special enough for the holiday but won’t require you to spend days preparing or hours in the kitchen. With a focus on seasonal produce, and new spins on classic Easter favorites, you can create a memorable holiday meal your guests are sure to love.

Read more
Wow your guests with these incredible Super Bowl party ideas
16209 the best football party supplies

It’s the biggest football game of the year and arguably the biggest party day of the year, too. If you’ve volunteered to host this year’s Super Bowl party for your friends and family, you’re going to need to have more than a big-screen TV and a competitive football pool if you want to really wow your guests.

We’re here to help with fun games, decorating tips, recipes, and more that will make your party guests cheer as much for you as they’ll do for their favorite team. Whether your guests are watching for the game, the commercials, or the halftime show, these Super Bowl party ideas will wow just about anyone.

Read more