Decor and Design

The seasonal greenery also appeared as table decor, along with lanterns and goblet-style votive candlesticks, complementing the rustic vibe of the dining space.

Tree stumps served as vases for white amaryllis flowers as well as candleholders and added a contrasting element to the glittery sequin linens at the corporate gathering.

"The cranberry bog that Tyger Productions created for Ocean Spray in November was definitely one of the most memorable. The juxtaposition of a beautiful table setup—which itself contrasted traditional and modern decor—and 900,000 cranberries in 21,000 gallons of water in the middle of Rockefeller Center in New York was so unique and so on-brand." —Anna Sekula, editor in chief

"An event that stood out to me this year from a decor perspective was the Museum of Contemporary Art’s art auction in Chicago, which took place in a tent designed by HMR Designs. The decor—all stripe-on-stripe—was so simple, but incredibly fresh and bold." —Jenny Berg, senior editor

"Another event that really stood out to me was the Field Museum’s Women’s Board Gala in Chicago. To honor the museum’s new permanent exhibition, the Cyrus Tang Hall of China, designers from HMR brought in beautifully evocative decor, including a canopy of pink cherry blossoms that hung above the dance floor." —Jenny Berg, senior editor

"During the N.B.A. All-Star festivities in New York in February, Nike's 'the Last Shot' installation by AKQA and production company Stardust felt like you stepped into a video game—or maybe Space Jam. It was a truly immersive experience that allowed fans to recreate two of Michael Jordan's most famous shots with a live announcer providing personalized play-by-play, crowd reactions (complete with 'boos'), and lots of throwback looks—including big mustaches and mullets for the 1982 N.C.A.A. Championship scenario." —Michele Laufik, style editor

"The Cinderella-inspired display at this year's P.H.S. Philadelphia Flower Show blew me away. Together, the larger-than-life floral displays, lush table linen, and candlelit centerpieces dripping with jewels created the grandest wedding design I've ever seen. All that was missing was Prince Charming!" —Amy Gordon, contributing editor

"Moncler Grenoble held its New York Fashion Week show on Valentine's Day this year, and it combined all of life's best things—love, chocolate, and interesting stage design! Models emerged from a giant heart-shaped 'chocolate box' as couples, and a pair dressed as a bride and groom kissed during the presentation. It was a fun, memorable way to showcase the fashion and nod to the holiday." —Claire Hoffman, managing editor 

"At Coachella, it can be hard to get attention over the cacophony of event offerings. But for PopSugar and ShopStyle's Cabana Club hotel takeover of the Avalon Palm Springs, a dramatic art installation made from multicolor neon ribbon was both a cool way for the party to distinguish itself visually and a serious selfie backdrop for social media message proliferation. The piece was a collaboration with Las Vegas' Life Is Beautiful festival." —Alesandra Dubin, West Coast editor

"At the AT&T Best of Washington party, it was so refreshing to see BMW utilize the front of the bar in its sponsored lounge to show a promo video rather than a standard TV on a stand or projection backdrop." —D. Channing Muller, contributing editor

"The interactive features at C2 Montréal, while not decor in the traditional sense, certainly stand out in my mind as some of the most visually striking things I saw all year. The Nest, the Cloud of Fog, and the chairs suspended from the ceiling were unique, eye-catching elements that all served a purpose: They created opportunities for the conference attendees to connect in unusual environments that fostered meaningful engagement." —Mitra Sorrells, technology editor

"The craziest piece of decor I've seen was the trash throne at the BuzzFeed/Jolly Rancher 'Keep on Sucking, NYC' gallery experience, mainly because of how creative the piece was and how well the idea was executed. It was inspired by the iron throne in Game of Thrones and built out of various pieces of trash—and was definitely the event's most popular photo op." —Ian Zelaya, assistant editor

"Another one of the coolest ideas I've seen this year was the checker-pattern listening wall at the JackThreads pop-up launch party in New York, which changed to the beat of the DJ's music." —Ian Zelaya, assistant editor

"A massive disco ball was the perfect over-the-top decor piece for a splashy real estate event in Miami. It took a giant crane to hoist the ball, which Triton Productions sourced for the sales launch of the Paramount Miami Worldcenter development. It served as a beacon for guests on their way to the outdoor event, and an envy-inducing symbol of what everyone else was missing." —Beth Kormanik, news editor

For a Van Cleef & Arpels dinner in November 2008, Glow Design Group worked with David Beahm Design to create an elegant setting lit in a rotating palette of jewel tones. Glow also projected video onto a backdrop by Atomic Design and installed Versa Tubes, which added a neonlike effect and played additional video.

For the February 2009 gala celebrating the reopening of Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, Bentley Meeker Lighting and Staging worked with 360 Design Events Ltd. to create a glowing atmosphere with undulating panels of fabric overhead lit in soft, skin-flattering shades of violet, pink, and green.

For the Field Museum's diamond-themed gala in October, Frost used 40 digital projectors to show a video clip of tumbling diamonds on an entire wall of Stanley Field Hall, creating a bold backdrop during dinner.

In October, Kinetic Lighting worked with Poko Event Productions to give the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage's annual gala an appropriately country vibe. Kinetic used a video projector to illuminate the outside of the tented dining room with high-resolution image of women riding horses. Gobos projected patterns on either side of the photograph.

For a private event in August, Levy Lighting NYC projected a wave pattern onto the outside of a tent made out of sailcloth. To reduce clutter, the equipment was positioned outdoors while the pattern appeared on the inside.

Barkley Kalpak Associates built a futuristic command center to showcase new technologies at the World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems in November 2008. BKA lit the display with equipment from PRG, includingoverhead lights, stacked HD projectors, and LED and moving light fixtures programmed in time with video segments playing on the central screen.

For the Public Enemies premiere in Los Angeles, Entertainment Lighting Services and Angel City Designs used an array of old-fashioned hangings and table lamps to create a space inspired by a 1920s bank. To add color, ELS lit bamboo and other plants with green LEDs.

For a Halloween party at New York's Buddha Bar, Caramel Production stretched fabric over the venue's large skylight to create a surface for a flickering fire projection.

In collaboration with Fornasetti, Valentino devised a five-room installation entitled "The Five Senses" that realized the senses of touch, sight, smell, taste, and sound. Representing sound was a grand piano placed in a blacked-out gallery space, with an animated projection of butterflies—a house code—on display.

The touch room featured a sectioned-off gallery space bedecked with dozens of hanging Fornasetti arms that guests could weave their way through. Flanked on either side were enlarged Fornasetti face abstracts.

Sight was illustrated, quite literally, by a massive Fornasetti artwork that mimicked wallpaper plastered against one entire gallery wall.

Iconic Fornasetti drawings showcasing smell were applied to the walls of another gallery in the concrete building. From inside a large keyhole cabinet—another classic Fornasetti object—Valentino's Assoluto fragrance wafted out.

The taste room featured more than 90 Fornasetti plates showcasing a selection of the artist's 350 interpretations of a woman's face—easily the night's most Instagrammed set-up. Two oversize murals were applied to the former museum's walls while a table featured a pile of candy for emphasis.

Valentino chose the Whitney Museum of American Art's former Madison Avenue space in which to unveil a special six-piece collection of objects exclusive to the Fifth Avenue flagship, including sunglasses with eyewear case box, scarf, stool, tray, and plate. A row of eight iPads along a back wall offered detailed descriptions of each product, along with additional imagery.

The evening's main attraction was a "Sala Bianca" fashion show of all-white haute couture looks designed exclusively for and in homage to New York and the new Fifth Avenue flagship. The show took place in the Emily Fisher Landau Gallery, juxtaposed against the iconic suspended concrete grid ceiling designed by Marcel Breuer.

At the preview of the Jason Wu for Target collection in January, DJ Harley Viera-Newton’s raised booth was surrounded by rose-filled window boxes to resemble a French balcony, part of the Parisian-street-scene set created by ExtraExtra in New York.