Tabletop ideas

At NBC Universal’s Golden Globes party in Los Angeles in January, candlelight and varying metallic objects dotted long communal tables under pierced metal chandeliers as the focus in the center of the party space.

In Los Angeles in June, Luxe Linen and Rayce PR hosted the Luxe Launch showcase event. “Gold Metallique” linen from Luxe set a backdrop for a rustic-meets-glamorous look in antique ivory and blush tones at the table known as “Memoirs Of Romance," designed by Charis Events & Design and Avant Garden Events.

The Tate Americas Foundation's artist’s dinner, which took place in May in New York, featured decor and architectural centerpieces by David Stark that were inspired by the sharp geometry and twisting shape of the Tate Modern’s new building, which was soon to open.

Revlon hosted its annual philanthropic luncheon in Los Angeles in September in support of the beauty brand’s Women’s Health Mission, which in part served to raise awareness for this year's philanthropic initiatives including Revlon's second annual Love Is On Million Dollar Challenge. And from that initiative came a “love” theme executed in clean, graphic decor including centerpieces: clean white block lettering spelling out “Spread the Power of Love,” with red roses set in black vessels at the base, running the length of long, spare tables. The idea was to infuse Revlon branding into the space in a way that did not detract from the philanthropic messaging.

When David Stark created the decor for a Culture Lab Detroit dinner in September 16, he took inspiration from Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen's Cosmopolitan Chicken Project, a multimedia examination of chicken breeding; Vanmechelen incorporates the project in his solo exhibition at the Detroit art gallery Wasserman Projects, where the dinner took place. To pull in the theme, Stark topped tables dressed in natural canvas with raw wood risers that held open egg cartons, containing 80 dozen eggs. After the party, the eggs went to the Oakland Avenue Urban Farm to be sold alongside their produce.

Thought-bubble placemats inspired by Hank Willis Thomas' exhibition "The Truth Is I See You" served as tabletop decor at the Public Art Fund's spring benefit in New York in April. The messages transformed into different languages thanks to the optical illusion design. Design came from 360 Design Events.

Elle’s annual Women in TV celebration took over West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont in January. The residential-like, understated hotel is not known for events with over-the-top decor, and accordingly, Elle’s event relied on candlelight and understated flowers for a dramatic look against glass windows.

The second annual Dinner by Design presented by Caesarstone in support of Casey House and Design Exchange took place in Toronto in 2016. Guests to the exhibition viewed 12 original dining installations by Canadian designers, including a striking white set-up topped with a vivid colorful centerpiece that spilled from a clear sphere.

During Golden Globes weekend this year in Los Angeles, W hosted an event at A.O.C. in celebration of its picks for so-called "Hollywood It girls." Covered glass dishes on the tabletops provided feminine flair alongside pink blooms.