Decor Tips from Autumn Hues to Halloween Ghouls

Oct 21, 2009 6:50 AM, By Lisa Hurley

Whether fall inspires special event designers to go spooky with Halloween ghouls or gorgeous with autumn's hues, the season is rich with design opportunities.

PUMPKIN POWER

Susan Keels, director of catering at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, Mich., lets the rich color of pumpkins inspire her buffet and tabletop decor. "Color trends are very similar to the [fashion] runway in New York,” she says. She turns to popular colors including burnt orange, copper, moss green and shades of plum for her autumn tablescapes. "When planning an event, it's important to select an inspiration piece, identify your color story and select elements that share a common thread during the entire dining experience," she says.

Keels lets pumpkins stand in for candles on candlesticks, and recommends giving the gourds a quick spray of Armor All—"It gives them a wax coat and makes them shine," she says.

HALLOWEEN IN A HURRY

Beverly Hills, Calif.-based event planner Andrea Wyn Schall, head of A Wynning Event, has done plenty of high-event events, but shows off plenty of creativity on a small budget, too.

For a Halloween tabletop, she shops at sales for traditional items on Nov. 1, then mixes in some contrasting elements and tops it all with lights. The result is a quick and long-lasting centerpiece.

Schall offers more budget-friendly advice in her downloadable book "Budget Bash: Simply Fabulous Events on a Budget."

Theme Decor Making a Comeback, Special Event Designers Say

Jun 18, 2009 3:15 PM, By Special Events Staff

Although some special event designers pooh-pooh event decor with an obvious theme as being less sophisticated than decor that instead creates a subtle ambience, 48 percent of respondents to a recent online poll from Special Events say they are creating more true themed events.

Forty-seven percent of respondents say they are creating event decor that creates ambiance rather than a clear theme. Three percent of respondents said they have not made any changes in their design objectives.

"Events that create a mood have a sly power," notes Special Events editor Lisa Hurley. "The guests are influenced by what they see but can't quite put their finger on what's going on. "

TOY WITH ME

But she has a soft spot for well-done themes with a bit of cheek, she says. "I recall a bridal shower by [Miami-based] A Joy Wallace Catering Production & Design Team for a woman who was Barbie-crazy as a kid. How can you not love a party with such great details as cocktails served out of Barbie's pink Corvette, and waiters hired because they are Ken doll look-alikes?"

But there is one theme Hurley says is completely played out: "Austin Powers parties. I thought we would never see the end of those."

Theme Decor Carries the Message at Events

Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Natasha Garber

Design Mind: Mark Wells, Hello Florida!, Orlando, Fla., www.hello-usa.com

Dojo Design: Hello Florida's martial arts-theme sales meeting celebration combined organic Zen-garden serenity with hands-on (and hand-to-hand) interactive decor elements.

Garden Party: Large-scale Zen gardens designed by Hello Florida and built by Orlando-based Party Guys at the event's beach location got their Japanese feel from a combination of railroad ties, custom bamboo tools and garden accents. Cocktail tabletop versions of the gardens offered activity, sparked conversation and encouraged networking.

Dynamic Decor: Lest guests be lulled into an overly meditative state, Hello Florida designed the “Bungee Foo” interactive stage backdrop and “photo ride,” which gave participants clad in martial arts costumes the chance to strike an airborne karate pose — a unique live-decor highlight. Meanwhile, an 18-by-24-foot inflatable video screen provided by Orlando's PTE Productions gave the event's video DJ a chance to entertain guests on the beach.

Pro Quote: “I truly feel that in order to create cutting-edge and contemporary design, you must start with the understanding that the event art is temporary and that there will be a minimal amount of time to influence the guests and a maximum amount of influences. One should ask oneself, ‘How many touch points can the budget allow, and what are my influences?’” — Mark Wells

Design Mind: David Merrell, president and creative director, AOO Events, Los Angeles, www.aooevents.com

Fashion Forward: For a Dream Foundation benefit at Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, Calif., Merrell and his AOO dream team kept things spare and sophisti-cated, letting a couple of key focal points steal the show. The result was a stunning benefit themed around fashion designer Valentino.

Pure and Simple: Decor hinged on a 20-foot-high custom stage made of padded white suede panels, 5-foot-wide chandeliers and a full-room draping of white velvet. White calla lily centerpieces, clear Chameleon chairs and transparent chargers added to the pristine scene.

Tailor-made: More cost-effective and easier to transport than glass — not to mention quieter during dinner service — faux-antique mirror tabletops, accompanied by a matching stage treatment, were designed especially for the fashion-themed fête. Merrell and crew used mirrored plexiglass, acid, paint and “a lot of elbow grease” to get the right look, the designer notes. “But it was worth it,” he adds. “This product has now been used on other AOO jobs and has met with great success.”

Pro Quote: “I think today's theme events tap into looks that begin in the interior design industry. This is especially true of the events we do for the entertainment industry. Fabrics, lighting, accessories — even the carpeting — all are pulled from the looks created by today's top interior designers.” — David Merrell

Design Mind: Chris Blumke, president, Decor 'N More, Denver, www.decornmoreinc.com

Mod Squad: Working on an annual event with a repeat client usually means striving to outdo previous years' efforts, and Decor 'N More's “Abstract Modern” theme for a conference on precious metals investment did just that.

Event Evolution: For the event's Internet Cafe area, Chromalink chain-link drape from New York-based Dazian — a nod to the client's association with metal — replaced the stretch fabric and acrylic panels that Decor 'N More has used in the past. High-tech graphics digitally printed on Airtex material by Phoenix-based ImageCraft stood in for the hand-painted pix of yore in the event's stage area.

Sign In Style: Of special note was the registration area — a famously functional but dull conference feature — which the design firm transformed into a chic focal point with a sexy, curved counter sporting a marble veneer front and uplit acrylic top.

Pro Quote: “Our clients come to us for creative, unique designs that reflect current products and technology, even if the theme is an old one. We ask for their vision. We ask for the goal of their event. Then we design to accommodate both. Today's contemporary theme designs are more abstract, crisp and simple, with effective lighting. Our custom designs — especially stage sets — reflect that trend.” — Chris Blumke

SCENE STEALERS

SCULPTWARE's new stretch-to-fit SplashBacks chair accents let designers create custom arrangements with up to three colors or prints per chair. Simply pull down a SplashBack over a Sculptware-covered chair back, add a color band, and await the oohs and aahs. Visit sculptwareonline.com.

BLOWUPTHINGS' Light Bulb illuminated inflatable features an internal 500-watt fixture with color-changing capability. Easy to suspend from a single rig point, the nearly 14-foot-high sculpture offers a sleek surface for high-profile projection or killer custom branding. Visit www.blowupthings.com.

The programmable Diamond Display Centerpiece from ICE MAGIC features 10 4-inch optic crystal diamonds that can be customized with your client's logo or message. And so everyone remembers the event, the centerpiece's dazzling diamonds do double duty as guest gifts. Visit www.icemagic.biz.