Marie Kondo may not believe in owning more than 30 books, but event designers have long disagreed. Books are a colorful way to create an intimate, residential feel at events—even if they're artificial. Many events around the country, including two of last week's most high-profile Golden Globes parties, have used paintings, projections, or monochromatic props to create eye-catching faux bookshelves. If these ideas don't spark joy, we don't know what does.
Fox's Golden Globes party on January 6 also created a living room-inspired atmosphere, this one designed by 15/40 Productions. Deep blue and red tones accompanied by eclectic pillows and rugs created a warm, intimate atmosphere inside the tent. Situated around the room were a series of artificial bookshelves that added to the cozy feel.
Photo: Line 8 Photography. All rights reserved.
Held at the Beverly Hilton on January 6, the 20th annual Warner Bros. and InStyle Golden Globes party had an elegant, living room-inspired atmosphere designed by JOWY Productions. Black-and-white artwork was framed by a series of bold, glossy bookshelves that featured black and white books and gold accessories.
Photo: Heather Kincaid
To introduce media to its holiday offerings, Amazon hosted a festive preview event in New York in August. The design from Shiraz Creative took guests into various parts of a home, including a posh library. A nearly ceiling-height set of bookshelves contained books painted in red and green to create a Christmas tree.
Photo: Beth Kormanik/BizBash
FX celebrated the premiere of its series Pose with an authentic 1980s queer ball in a former church in Harlem, New York, in June. The event had a series of vignettes, including a library dotted with colorful neon books and other props.
Photo: Sean Smith
Event designers have used the bookshelves-as-decor look before. For the opening of Hermès's Beverly Hills flagship store in 2013, organizers created a residential-style library room lined with faux books. Hermès memorabilia referenced the history of the brand, while one set of windows overlooked a Paris nighttime scene and the opposite wall held a view of downtown Los Angeles.
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography
Hermès also used the idea for a 2010 launch party in New York, which celebrated the first dedicated Hermès men’s store. The event included a 3,000-square-foot library, where the focal point was a wall of 8,000 hand-dyed books.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/PatrickMcMullan.com
Another older example comes from an additional InStyle and Warner Brothers Golden Globes party, this one held in 2011 and designed by Thomas Ford. Ford was inspired by a luxury penthouse and constructed a tent over the hotel pool to transform the space, creating the feel of a dark, chic library with custom black leather tufted couches and 3,000 wrapped books on elaborate bookshelves.
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography
Bulgari's 2011 fund-raiser for Save the Children and Artists For Peace and Justice used real books—and graphic versions—to create a lavish library look at Ron Burkle's private Los Angeles manse. Sketched fabrics on the tent walls imitated library shelves, while children's books redone with white book jackets served as centerpieces for the tables.
Photo: Line 8 Photography. All rights reserved.
At the 2012 Diffa Dining by Design showcase in New York, David Stark's whimsical installation for sponsor Benjamin Moore played off the slogan “A whole new chapter in paint color technology is being written.” The library-inspired setting featured a table made from handcrafted books, plus monochromatic bookshelves.
Photo: Courtesy of David Stark Design
Acer's 2010 press conference in New York used floor-to-ceiling projections of books to create a cozy area within the white-walled event venue.
Photo: Chuck & Sarah Fishbein
