Research and White Papers
CORT's Top Event Design Trends of 2011
January 20, 2011
In partnership with Steve Kemble, who describes himself as "America's Sassiest Lifestyle Guru," CORT Event Furnishings has developed a list of the top event design trends for 2011, it announced this month.
"Event designers are still doing more with less, but they're challenged to give events a fresh look by being more creative," said Kevin Dana, director of marketing for CORT Trade Show and Event Furnishings. "Designers need to dig deep and dream big to find new ways to create fabulous décor on a budget. Mixing textiles and patterns with rich colors, surprising accents and floral will make spaces feel new while echoing the past."
According to Kemble and CORT, this year's biggest event design trends are:
• Color: Purple is the new go-to color. "It's modern, hues range from blue to deep violet, and it pairs well with grey," says Kemble. "Don't forget orange, as its importance continues to grow, while blues and greens round out the palette. White is still the most important color, as it complements and transforms any color with lighting and accents."
• Patterns and Textiles: According to CORT, event planners are introducing themes that "fuse world patterns with modern Hollywood glamour to reflect clients with a broad world view and diverse cultural backgrounds." Varied textures, color and patterns create a layered effect that enhances the event experience.
• Creative Seating: Designers are moving beyond sofas and chairs by customizing seating to fit the event space and theme. Modular seating, for example, enables event planners to design seating with curves, serpentines, squares and circles. "The best events incorporate seating with surprising and unusual configurations," Kemble said.
• Technology: Technology, including touch screen monitors, LED lighting and video games, continues to be a popular event design trend, according to CORT, which says event planners are increasingly integrating technology into exhibits to provide an engaging attendee experience.
• Luxury: Despite the soft economy, there remains a demand for luxury events, according to Kemble. "There's a market for sophisticated designer furnishings that make a statement," he said. "Certain clients demand the best and appreciate that good design reinforces a luxury brand."
• CSR: Because corporate social responsibility is increasingly important to consumers, businesses are using their corporate events to build socially and environmentally conscious brands. "Companies use events to communicate their good works," Dana said. "We work with each company individually to assess their goals and then provide branding solutions based on those needs."
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