Father’s Day Decoration Ideas

Dads are about sports, outdoor recreation and getting those do-it-yourself projects done -- at last. They're about fishing, long car trips and old timey music playing on the basement jukebox. To honor your dad this year, put away the lace and pastel from Mother’s Day and think bold.

Father’s Day Style

Let's think about man style for a minute. It's refreshingly casual. Whether your dad has a garage workshop decked out with lots of goodies or a man cave where he hosts a Friday night poker game, take a look around. Are you seeing a fondness for leather, sports memorabilia and fine cigars? Does your dad have a collection of ball caps or baseball pennants? Does he spend his weekends working on that classic Corvette in the garage? Is he a fisherman with a special fly for every possible finny specimen he may encounter? The way he spends his time will give you clues about how to use his personal style to decorate for his special day.

Motifs for the Man of the House

Let's say you decide that dad is all about baseball, Elvis and grilling the best porterhouse steak on the planet -- maybe not in that order. Use what dad loves in your Father's Day decorating scheme. This is easier than it sounds: Buy a few Elvis posters and be prepared to play Elvis music during any dad day activities you'll be holding. Gather your dad's ball cap collection together for an homage we'll discuss in the next section. Find some fun grilling recipes and other grilling props like charcoal briquettes, oven mitts and long grilling forks and brushes for some decor flair he'll never forget. These elements don't have to look new and pretty. Actually it's probably better if they're don't. Dad will not be moved by the kind of pretty decorating you indulged in over the Easter holiday. For this occasion, you're going for the laugh.

Once you've identified what dad likes or what reflects his daily life (in law or advertising or sales), gather those props together to use as raw material in the decor projects in the next section. If your dad is into cars, start collecting spark plugs and assorted nuts and bolts. If he's into Texas Hold'em, find a deck of cards (or two or five). If he loves NASCAR, make up some checkered flag banners. You get the idea.

Tributes to Make and Display

Now comes the fun part. The stuff you've been collecting can be used in lots of different ways around the house in:

• Banners
• Wreaths
• Swags
• Posters
• Tabletop displays
• Shadowboxes
• Bouquets

Instead of making these traditional decorating elements using flowers and ribbon, make them using the elements you collected in the last section. Assemble a wreath made out of fishing flies, or cards, or spark plugs. Mount them to a pine, grapevine or straw wreath base. Make a decorative swag for your entry using crepe paper, twisted wire and assorted nuts and bolts attached with pipe cleaners. Attach ball caps to clothesline with laundry pins and loop the line along your staircase bannister. Use basic decorative elements, but fill them with your dad's quirky personality.

Homemade Crafts

Most of the suggestions here are do-it-yourself propositions, but they don't have to take forever to make. Just assemble some simple supplies like:

• Glue gun
• Craft wire
• Wire cutters
• Craft tape
• Pipe cleaners
• Stapler
• Crayons
• Colored pencil
• Butcher paper (wide paper available on rolls)
• Colored paper
• Copy paper
• Card stock
• An inkjet printer

Once you have tools to work with, how about asking your son or daughter to make a series of crayon drawings of all of dad's favorite activities (like napping and reading the Sunday newspaper). Assemble them into a tabletop scrapbook. That book will look good on your table this Father's Day -- and for many Father's Days to come.

You can also use the internet to find clipart of things dad may like but not have the time or resources to buy right now, like a dirt bike or a family trip to Australia. Add those images to the scrapbook, too, or to a banner or big Father's day card. Here's an idea: Decoupage them to funky paper plates and then glue magnets to the plate backs and display dad's wish list on your refrigerator.

Say it with a Photo Gallery

While you're thinking about ways to decorate for Father's Day, don't forget to bring out the family photos. These days there are lots of ways to display family photographs, and dad is probably a big softy when it comes to looking at the kids' baby pictures. Photo frames and slideshows designed to run on a television screen are very popular and arresting. When a collection of photos take center stage on a fireplace mantle or coffee table, it will attract comments and inspire some happy memories -- and fun (or funny) stories. Assembling a fun slideshow to run on your flat screen during a Father's Day party is a nice way to turn that big black box into your family's own history channel. Dad will appreciate it, and so will everyone else.

Tantalizing Tablescapes For Father’s Day

We couldn't wrap up without discussing the table. Before you bring out all of Dad's favorite dishes, start the proceedings with a tablescape worthy of applause. Choose a dark plaid tablecloth to start. We like madras quilted plaids if you're opting for a cotton tablecloth. You can also find a number of Father's Day themed tablecloths at your local party store. You might even try making a tablecloth out of butcher paper and have the kids write Father's Day wishes on it in crayon or colored pencil. This works particularly well when decorating an outdoor picnic table.

Don't stop there. Construct a Father’s Day centerpiece, too. Use an inexpensive plastic toolbox as a vase (or base). Fill it with flowers and lots of greenery. Having a few wrenches, screwdriver handles and other tools peeking out here and there is a nice touch too.

Make this Father's Day one to remember with decorations that play up the personal angle and highlight your dad’s favorite things. This will be one celebration he'll never forget.