CORT Event Furnishings, an event furniture, lighting and accessories rental company, and designer Richard Carbotti of Perfect Surroundings share their top event design trends for 2012. This year, competition will be fierce as clients use design to communicate their individual brands and values at events, tradeshows and conferences.
“Event planners are challenged to design unique event experiences that speak to brand personalities and create a ‘wow’ experience, particularly in unusual spaces,” said Kevin Dana, director of marketing for CORT Trade Show and Event Furnishings.
“Everyone is looking for the next great event venue and that requires an extra effort in planning logistics and furnishings that can go wherever the event is held; on a ship, rooftop or even on a mountain,” said Carbotti.
Color everywhere
“I see warm colors playing a key role in this year’s designs when mixed with energetic and exciting tones,” said Carbotti. “Tangerine oranges and sunflower yellows, for example, mix beautifully with fuchsias, purples
or last year’s Pantone Color of the Year, Honeysuckle. Designers should also never rule out cobalt blue, a lively shade of blue that always provides a bold color balance and a cooler temperature if need be.”
White remains the most popular furnishings color for events because it provides a blank palette to paint a rich experience with lighting, wall art and other accents such as pillows and vases.
Indoor and outdoor furnishings
Events are no longer confined to hotel ballrooms as clients challenge event planners to create visually appealing and comfortable seating at increasingly exotic outdoor locales. These cutting-edge events require furniture that is weatherproof, durable and portable while exuding style that will surprise clients. CORT’s indoor/outdoor collections are designed to marry the multipurpose requirements of today’s event furnishings without sacrificing modern style. Some of CORT’s newest event furnishings include:
Inflatable Furniture: Durable, functional, and fun; air-filled seating opens up a new world of possibilities for planners. Blofield Air Design by CORT is a European-designed collection that goes from the beach to the board room.
Indoor/Outdoor Ottomans: Whether plastic or vinyl, ottomans provide cost-effective seating that can withstand any environment. CORT’s new Vibe ottoman cubes are lightweight, waterproof vinyl ottomans available in seven colors and can be scattered across a pool, deck or lawn.
Indoor/Outdoor Modular Sectionals: Create seating to conform to unusual spaces of all sizes, from roaring galas to intimate events on a terrace or under a tent. CORT offers the exclusive new Danish designed Briza sectional in a grey-taupe all weather fabric.
Luxury is back
As the economy strengthens, many corporate clients have larger budgets to spend on designing and outfitting events, particularly luxury brands that need to differentiate themselves. Demand is strong for high-end furnishings and designer pieces.
“Clients aim to make a tasteful statement with understated elegance and sophisticated modern furniture design,” said Dana.
Mixing styles, patterns and textures
Richard Carbotti believes in the value of mixing different styles to create surprising and one of a kind accents.
“There are two precepts foundational to event design: First, knowledge and respect for space and how it affects people, and second, a working knowledge of artistic or cultural styles and periods as they are developed throughout history,” he said. “Design is not simply in ‘the things’ themselves; it is in how those things are used and arranged in ways that get people to feel something.”
Creative modular seating
Every client wants to design seating tailored to their particular event, but the Millennial generation is reinventing traditional event expectations and demanding more casual meeting and networking environments. While there is always a place for sofa and chair vignettes, planners need options to design seating that is customizable for indoor and outdoor events in upscale and casual atmospheres.
“Large serpentine or linear seating that wraps around dance floors or doubles as dining areas are all the rage,” said Carbotti. “Blurring the lines between lounge seating and traditional meeting setups will continue in 2012.”
Social media
In 2012, most events will have a social component to generate interest before, during and after the event. Whether it’s live tweeting at the event or blogging before and after, planners have to incorporate social media engagement into the overall strategy and budget to ensure attendees stay informed and those who cannot attend are still able to participate.
Images courtesy of CORT Events. www.cortevents.com
