cool ideas - decor

A balloon backdrop behind a glowing bar set the stage for the Institute of Contemporary Art's 75th Anniversary Gala’s after-party in November 2011.

A stilt walker outfitted in a balloon spaceship greeted fans at the world premiere of Disney’s Tomorrowland, which took place at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in May 2015.

Hermès threw a beachside party in Palm Beach, Florida, in March 2013 with balloons wrapped in the luxury brand’s silk scarf prints at the entrance.

At the Friends of the High Line’s opening summer benefit in June 2009, held at the Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers, hundreds of green balloons hung overhead in the cocktail area; the attached strings were intended to look like blades of grass.

Self-taught “balloon twister” Addi Somekh makes unique, larger-than-life balloon installations, such as the pink poodle that greeted guests at the event registration area at BizBash Live: The Expo Los Angeles, which took place in July at the California Market Center. In addition to funky decor, Somekh can provide live demonstrations for events, creating balloon hats and inflatable crowns custom-designed for guests’ personalities and style.

In April, event designers Tinsel & Twine created an ethereal balloon canopy installation for a media party introducing LeSportsac's latest bag collection at the Glasshouses in New York; the balloons were reflected in the mirrored-top tablescape.

For its 20th birthday, Old Navy held a “selfiebration” in Times Square in October 2014, complete with a “balloon billboard.” Covered with 1,000 custom balloons, the 15-foot billboard was created by Deeplocal, which referred to the creation as a “selfie machine.” The marketing agency’s software grabbed images from Twitter that had the “sefliebration” hashtag and rasterized the photos to display them on the billboard via inflated balloons.

Balloon Express constructed a floating, multicolored display for the Wildfox pool party in the Boulan South Beach pool during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim in July 2014.

The cocktail reception at the Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association’s annual Mirror Ball fund-raiser, held in November 2014 at Toronto’s Liberty Grand, included a silent auction and a balloon burst from sponsor Hudson’s Bay; the balloons contained prizes, such as gift cards. The gala benefits two programs—Look Good Feel Better, a workshop for women with cancer that provides makeup and skincare products, and FacingCancer.ca, an online support community for women with cancer.

At a Vogue Eyewear launch party, which was held at a private home in Los Angeles in March 2013, a wall of colorful branded Mylar balloons served as an eye-catching step-and-repeat.

Chicago-based Balloons by Tommy creates a wide range of balloon decor installations, including centerpieces, arches, bouquets, sculptures, and more. For a wedding at Ovation in July, the company designed a floating wall of balloons in various sizes. Pricing ranges from $250 to $20,000, depending on the style and size of the installations.

“The Conveyer Belt by Signature Rentals is our personal favorite rental because it is a unique alternative to welcome cocktail, desserts, and food stations.” —Jeffry Roick of McNabb Roick Events in Toronto  Conveyer Belt, $1,500, available in Canada from Signature Event Rental Shoppe

XO laptops replaced flowers as centerpieces in the dining room, flashing images of bouquets and alerting diners to their next course.

Centerpieces That Give Back Instead of flowers, tables at the Ve'ahavta's Starry Night gala in Toronto in November had towering glass vases filled with abstract-looking arrangements of navy and white socks�a donation from McGregor Socks that doubled as charitable gifts to the homeless.