Author: skadmin

Be spoke Options for Your Best Event

My friends at CORT Events always give me the inside scoop on what trends are hot and, sassies, this season it’s you! That’s right. Personalizing the details of every event you plan this year with branded furnishings is happening. It’s all about letting your brand story shine through, in every area of your event. CORT Events always makes it so easy for me to set the mood and let my clients shine.

Make your event stand out with CORT Events’ personalization services, including custom design assistance on dozens of products. You won’t have to lift a finger because CORT Events provides an elite level of service that lends distinction to every event. Their personalized products arrive ready for use, and you can trust that their furniture will be delivered on time and look exactly how you had planned.

They can make your event space dazzle with a custom graphic on a bar, lighting, ottoman cover or pillow that reflects your unique design inspiration. It’s CORT so you know you won’t have to worry about a single thing. This year, elevate any event or gathering with these bespoke products:

Lighting: Set the mood with CORT Events’ Luna Lighting Collection. These versatile lighting fixtures allow event planners to customize the sides and top of the Luna Column or Pedestal with a company logo or amazing graphic. The playful light that Lunas provide add an effortless glow to every venue for easy ambiance. They’re absolutely striking and so fun!

Bar: Make your brand the life of the party! Whether displaying a client’s logo or custom artwork, the Posh Bar comes with endless personalization options. The Maxim and Midtown Bars look amazing in any venue and add sophistication to your space!

Soft Seating: Branded pillows can add a custom element to any event, but you know I love to take it up a notch. CORT Events’ Endless Round Ottoman can transform a simple piece into a showstopping statement. Another customizable piece is the Vibe Ottoman, adding a pop of personalization in unexpected places. Customized covers and pillows are a great option for adding that unique touch to an office space or future event, and you can take them home with you – the party never stops!

Sassies, the best part about this hot trend is that it celebrates you and your brand! Add a touch of exclusivity to an event and make your client stand out with personalized elements that provide a true one-of-a-kind experience. These personalized products will help you add custom charm and elegance to create an event unlike any other! Tell me how you made your event perfectly personalized on Facebook!

Incorporating elements of the trends that speak to you will elevate your events in the coming year. I, personally, can’t wait to make these trends the focal point of every event I host this year. So fun!

To learn more about CORT’s event rental collections, visit www.cortevents.com. To learn more about CORT’s home and office solutions, visit www.cort.com.

A new year means new colors, new fabrics, and new design trends for your event décor. Whether you’re throwing the gala of the century or hosting an intimate get together for the Oscars, you’ll want to incorporate these ideas into your design concept to throw an event your guests will be sure to remember! We’re blending personalization, textured accents, playful colors and engaging tech. Mix creative and classic while embracing customized designs to stay on-brand and on-trend for every fabulous event you throw this year.

Color trends that are literally everywhere: Wireless technology, color pallets that can speak to the energy of any event, luxe materials and fabrics and an emphasis on personalization that is next-level.

• • Blue Seating: Gray is absolutely everywhere for fabric in seating, but blues are growing in prominence. Mix up your space with those on-trend grays and sprinkle in emerging brownish hues. I’m loving this shift toward warmer tones. These trends play well with popular color stories in 2019: warm earth tones, reminiscent of the 70’s; and more vibrant colors, such as rich cranberry reds, pinks, and salmon tones. These amazing colors bring life and vitality to designs, without losing the sense of calm.

• • Bold, Energic Colors: I am living for Living Coral. Pantone’s color of the year provides a fun punch of on-trend color to weave into events all year long. I’m already seeing this shade everywhere and it’s the perfect complement to the tropical modern motifs that are trending in furnishings and design. Whether you’re using CORT’s new blue fabric Montreal seating or the white canvas of the Baja collection, Living Coral accents and CORT’s Flamingo or Tropical Pillow collections provide a playful pop of Palm Beach Chic to any gathering.

• • Personalization: This year, event design is all about personalization. Creating unique, personalized event experiences that speak to your client’s brand story will keep attendees excited throughout the year. Personalize a bar or ottoman cover with the graphic of your choice or create customized pillows for your seating story: clients want décor that reflects their individual inspiration and aesthetic. CORT Events offers an array of products suitable for personalization, including tables, bars, chairs, ottomans, room dividers and lighting. I love igniting the party with the Luna Lighting collection. These acrylic columns, pedestals and tables are easily customized and lend a vibrant glow to compliment any design. What makes them even more perfect is that they’re available in alternating current (AC) or battery options. If you don’t know where to start, CORT Events offers personalization services that include design assistance and customized products, delivered ready for use. So perfect, sassies!

• • Mixed Metals: Y’all know I love to mix it up. Faux wood and marble laminates continue to dominate surface textures and the modern industrial chic furnishings. My personal favorite is  CORT’s new brown Wentworth chair with a black swivel metal base, which perfectly showcases  this trend where rich brown colors mixed with hard black surfaces easily blend for a balanced design aesthetic.

• • Luxe Textures: 2019 is promising to be evening more luxurious than last year. Art deco inspired furnishings incorporate design details such as channel stitching, curved edges, lush fabrics and soft colorful hues. I’m crushing on textured fabrics and velvets that balance the metallic bronzes and marbles that are sparkling on surfaces. Danish modern silhouettes take center stage on soft seating and are updated with rounded edges and surprising finishes, such as black metal frames.

• Wireless Tech: Sassies, I used one of CORT Events’ new Wireless Charging Cube  at an event and I swear I will never be the same. The sleek table features a wireless charging pad and allowed me to simply place my phone on top for a quick and convenient charge while connected with other event attendees. I picked up my phone later and was ready to share my amazing experience! As an event planner, I appreciated that the white accent table can be styled into any modern design and incorporates AC, USB and wireless charging capabilities into the furniture design. As an event attendee, I loved the extra special touch it added to my experience.

Sassies, I can promise you this, these trends are hot! Incorporating elements of the trends that speak to you will elevate your events in the coming year. I, personally, can’t wait to make these trends the focal point of every event I host this year. So fun! Tell me all about your event design ideas for the year on Facebook!

To learn more about CORT’s event rental collections, visit www.cortevents.com.

By Steve Kemble

Everyone knows that CORT Events can throw a party and their recent event in my hometown of Dallas was the best yet! Color Me CORT pushed boundaries in event space design and kept guests guessing all night long. With more than 250 VIP attendees, including LeeAnne Locken from the Real Housewives of Dallas in attendance, the evening was absolutely sparkling. Held at Venue Forty|50, I emceed this unforgettably vibrant and exciting evening!

Working with event designers from Perfect Surroundings, Intl., the event space was drenched in color and light to bring the theme of the evening, Color Me CORT, to life.

Sassies, you have never been to an event like this one. Every aspect of this event pushed the boundaries of color and event design. Perfect for an absolutely gorgeous night in Dallas, the event space also played up the indoor/outdoor trend by blending the lively indoor space with a quieter “zen” outdoor patio space, designed with unique configurations of the modular Dune collection. Indoors, Luna columns adorned with beautiful custom graphics added a touch of personalization while bathing the room in a warm glow, and unpredictable combinations of accent pillows added another level of vibrancy throughout the venue. Out-of-the-box furniture arrangements, including six hexagonal seating arrangements, encouraged conversation and mingling.

For those of you planning an elegant evening, don’t be afraid of a little extra creativity! Color Me CORT showcased how a colorful event can be just as refined as a black and white event, reminding me how fun it is to play and experiment with unconventional designs. CORT Events was inspired by Dallas’ wild side to host an event that was completely unexpected and engaging. The amazing CORT Events team mixed traditional Fielding chairs with Hayworth cocktail tables, and sleek Baja Sofas with versatile Beverly Bench Ottomans made the space feel eclectic yet comfortable and curated. Another fun surprise was the pop art and graffiti wall that brought an edge and youthful energy to the atmosphere.

Throughout the evening, CORT Events surprised and delighted VIP attendees with experiential entertainment and awesome prizes. Singers, dancers and disco ninjas lit up the dance floor and pumped up the party. Prizes throughout the night included fine food and drink, a food tour of Dallas, a Ritz Carlton spa package, Apple products and designer travel gear.

I have to thank CORT Events for this colorful night in Dallas. The ambiance and energy were truly unforgettable, and I am so impressed by this out-of-box concept as well as the immaculate attention to detail and thought given to the guest experience. Congratulations to everyone on a perfect evening and y’all know I’m already ready for the next event!

To learn more about CORT’s event rental collections, visit www.cortevents.com.

Fresh and Fabulous Fall Event Décor Design

Sassies, soon the leaves will turn all kinds of gorgeous golds, oranges and reds. The air will cool, and sweater weather will return with crisp beautiful breezes, gathering friends and family by firesides. Isn’t fall the absolute best?

If you’re planning events this season, there is so much fun to be had with dramatic themes or cool abstract minimalism. Trends that I am loving for fall events this season include: art deco opulence, mixed minimalism with touches of rustic and industrial and the funky pop vibes of the 1980’s.

• Art Deco: Nothing is more decadent or gorgeous than the Art Deco movement of the 1930’s. To pull off this theme, create an event featuring metallic finishes and dramatic colors, utilizing pieces that glint and sparkle, like the Alondra Cocktail Table. Create lush, luxe event designs that are dramatic in color. Deep blues, greens, and reds pair fabulously with metallics. Geometric patterns lend a feeling of luxury and sophistication. The Art Deco trend reminds attendees of the Golden Age and creates a whimsical escape, so don’t be afraid to go all out for an elegant and theatrical evening event.

“The best way to add drama to an Art Deco event is to pay attention to the details,” Kevin Dana, executive director of marketing and product development at CORT Events, shared with me. “Start with gorgeous, customizable bars, like the Midtown Bar. These illuminated bars set the mood of an event and can be easily branded with either custom graphics or logos. To play up the Art Deco theme, mix marbles and metals and dress up classics, such as a Wilshire Sofa, with eccentric touches like Garbo Stools. Cozy up on faux fur rugs and pair with metallic accents to create an ambiance with a warm glow that feels refined and expensive.”

• Mixed Minimalism: For events that aren’t looking for too much attention, but still want to feel effortless and classy, try mixed minimalism. Mixing rustic with industrial creates a look and feel that is cool, classic and modern. To accomplish this, event planners will want to refine the outdoorsy feel of rustic décor for a more eclectic look that feels comfortable for guests, yet still feels modern and updated. Dana shared with me the Rustique collection – boy, does it really blend wood and metal to truly ground the space! Metallic gold accents pair effortlessly and transform a simple event space into a chic and curated gathering place.

Wood laminates are also a clever way to incorporate the rustic feel into décor design. The Maxim Bar with its wood front, paired with Boxwood Hedges, feels warm and organic. The Lexington Table mixes materials with black metal legs and wood tops and features AC and USB outlets so your guests can plug in and charge their devices while they have a fabulous time at your event!

• 1980’s: Sassies! You know I love the 80’s, so when CORT Events told my that my favorite decade was making a comeback in décor design, I freaked out! The pops of color and patterns are transitioning the 70’s trends of the summer into the 80’s trends of the fall. Event planners can transition through the decades by playing with iconic shag rugs and color pallets that feel retro and radical. The Endless Collection provides the perfect, simple canvas to bring in exciting 80’s elements while warm metallics like gold, bronze and rose gold will pop with the fun and funky patterns and colors.

Now, not every event is screaming for a theme. If you just want your festivities to feel like fall, lean on classic trends that remain cool and trendy year after year. Danish modern pieces compliment autumnal hues like deep purple, warm yellows and spicy oranges. Don’t be afraid to mix trends in with a traditional seasonal feel and show me your take on all these amazing décor design ideas on Facebook!

To learn more about CORT’s event rental collections, visit www.CORTevents.com.

Can You Say Cannes? CORT Channels the Mediterranean in Manhattan
By Steve Kemble

Old-world charm, the sea breeze blowing through the air and some of the most beautiful views in the Mediterranean? It could only be Cannes. I was transported to the French Riviera by CORT Events for an unforgettable evening in New York City. They hosted a VIP event at the Lotte New York Palace in Manhattan and the entire evening exuded the luxe lifestyle of the French seaside town. Even sassier than that, I was the emcee for the event!

Working with event designers from Perfect Surroundings, Intl., CORT Events transformed the second floor of the Lotte New York Palace into a destination many can only dream of!

Sassies, you would have died. Every corner of the event was designed to emulate the classic yet tropical vibe of Cannes. The venue already had lovely old-world architectural elements and the design team used CORT products to create the ambiance of the Mediterranean. Perfectly combining the fabulous, yet simple European design with simple and sweet touches of the coast, the space was enchanting.

The attention to detail was immaculate. The Perfect Surroundings team used custom graphics with versatile pieces like the Marche ottomans to create clean, classic designs celebrating summer and the spirit of the Mediterranean. I was wowed by the delicate yet bold mixture of marble and florals on the bars, Luna Columns, as well as custom-printed drapes that created a light, airy feeling, reminiscent of the shore. Are you literally packing your bags right now? This night had me ready for a Mediterranean vacation!

The absolute highlight of my evening was the Inspiration Challenge! Event planners showcased the amazing ways they had used CORT Events furniture for their incredible events all over New York City and across the United States. I joined Evan and Jordan Carbotti, designers at Perfect Surroundings, to judge each event and decide whose inspired design and excellent execution would earn them the top prize. I also had the opportunity to speak with some of finalists about their favorite parts about working with CORT. The designers agreed that vast inventory; a production team that was prompt and dependable; CORT’s online SocialTables 3D space planner, which helps their clients understand how the final space will look; and CORT’s commitment to the entire event, from inspiration to execution, were the most valuable parts of the CORT Events experience.

Fantastic prizes were given to the designers who showed the most creativity and best execution. A huge congratulations to SmartSource Rental and Empire Entertainment for winning third and second place, respectively. Sassies, the designers were so incredible we even had a tie for first place! Congratulations to Frank Alexander NYC and Johnson & Johnson! I hope I get an invitation to their next event!

I have to thank CORT for an evening on the French Riviera, without all the hassle of going through customs! This night was certainly one to remember and these designers are proving to me and their impressed clients that your imagination is the only limit when you’re working with an incredible partner like CORT Events.

To learn more about CORT’s event rental collections,

visit www.cortevents.com.

Must-Have Event Décor for Your Summer Soiree

As the weather warms up, you know I’m ready to have a little fun in the sun. If you’re planning any sassy summer gatherings, you’ll need to be on board with some on-fire trends.
Trends that I absolutely can’t get enough of for outdoor events this summer season include: transitional furniture, deliciously elegant patterns and color pallets, Mediterranean inspiration, and luxurious comforts outdoors.

• Transitional Furniture: Bring the indoors, out! Just because a space is outdoors doesn’t mean it should be any less sophisticated than an indoor venue. Outdoor spaces are an extension of the indoor event space and are increasingly more elegant with furnishings that mirror indoor styles. Mix up seating with dining areas and plenty of bar tables for drinks and food plates while guests mingle and use furniture that can be designed and re-arranged based on the flow and function of your event space.

Kevin Dana, executive director of marketing and product development at CORT, shared with me the ultimate event design sin that so many party planners are guilty of, “The worst design sin when planning an outdoor event is not having enough bar tables for guests to casually network while they eat and drink. It’s common sense, but so many planners forget about having enough tables.” Sassies, can you imagine?!

• Deliciously Elegant Patterns and Color Pallets: No matter what theme you’re planning for your event, you absolutely must make it burst with color. Blue is everywhere and it’s serving every aesthetic this summer. Deep blues paired with dark greens and jungle prints make for a playful and mysterious evening, while antiqued whites and true blue can be paired for a classic summer feel. CORT’s new outdoor wire tables in green, white and blue add functional pops of color to your event. Vibe cube ottomans provide versatile vibrant outdoor seating with colors of the summer and can be easily moved around for casual networking.

Break out your bikinis for Palm Beach Chic and channel the cool, casual vibes of Miami in the 1970’s. CORT’s new tropical pillow collection lends an effortless cool-factor to any design plan and their LED lighted pieces – like lighted plastic orbs, cubes, tables and columns – help set the mood and add additional color when the sun goes down!

• Mediterranean Influences: If you need inspiration from overseas, head to the Mediterranean. Tuscan-style gardens pop against black and white, and extravagant foliage adds pops of color to an otherwise neutral color pallet. Think French Riviera with mixed furnishings, like wood benches and marble tables. Boxwood hedges can transform a large venue into more intimate spaces for more private conversation. Add floral to the hedges to bring in a romantic and elegant hanging garden look.

• Luxurious Comforts: When your guests attend your outdoor event, they shouldn’t feel the annoyances of being outside. Bring the comforts of the indoors to them by providing everything they could need to enjoy your event. If you don’t have lots of covered patio space be sure to have enough large umbrellas placed over seating groupings, dining and bar tables. Create points of connection at water stations for guests to stay hydrated. Set up tables around the event with water infused with citrus or fruits. Guests can help themselves without lining up for the bar and the stations look absolutely gorgeous when paired with linens. Finally, for a touch of glamour and functionality, add citronella candles on tables around your event. They create a warm ambiance and keep away any pesky mosquitoes.

These trends are heating up as fast as the summer and I can’t wait to attend some sweet summer soirees. Keep these ideas in mind as you pull together the most beautiful event of the season, and show me how you used these trends on Facebook!

To learn more about CORT’s event rental collections, visit www.CORTevents.com.