Tabletops

Diffa's four-day event ran alongside the Architectural Digest Home Show. Attendees entered the Diffa section of the trade show floor by walking through a tunnel of exposed lightbulbs that hung overhead.

As part of Diffa's Student Design Initiative, five of New York's top design schools created installations for the showcase, under the direction of industry mentors and within a strict budget. Students from the Pratt Institute, working with mentor Arpad Baksa, used Pegboard, twinkle lights, and individually placed test tubes to create a sparkling rendering of a world map.

Rachel Laxer Interiors' table settings included moss-covered chargers and—similar to the Kinky Boots table—corseted napkin holders.

Beacon Hill conceived a Midnight Garden vignette, which was hidden behind walls of boxwood shrubs draped in patterned fabric. The moody setting included an arrangement of twinkle lights, moss, orchids, and silk butterflies.

Kenneth Cobonpue's table was enclosed inside a sort of wicker birdcage. At the center of the organic wooden table was a mound of moss topped with bowls that held live Betta fish; directly above was a chandelier composed of glass jars holding faux fireflies.

Echo Design’s table celebrated nature by encasing artfully arranged insects, butterflies, and shells inside a clear tabletop. Several of the company’s patterned scarves were backlit on the surrounding walls.

The New York School of Interior Design led by Marc Blackwell set up a table that paid tribute to the fight against AIDS with a table runner composed of hundreds of red ribbons.

Titled "Dinner in the Boudoir de Madame," the installation created by Charlene Bank Keogh, Adeline Olmer, and Blane Charles was designed to look like the apartment of an eccentric socialite. Housed inside the base of one of the Lucite coffee tables were several pairs of red high heels.

Federico Delrosso for Corinthian Capital Group built a dining room inside a fabricated rooftop-style water tower. New York City rooftop views were projected onto the walls inside.

Resembling a canopy bed, Croscill's table was covered in a bright pink quilted tablecloth and surrounded by clear Chiavari chairs.

David Stark returned to create an installation for paint company Benjamin Moore. The entire room—from the floor to the chandeliers—was painted in a kaleidoscope of colors, and on the back wall, an LED screen looped a video montage of Stark's team designing the space from start to finish.

Vern Yip also went for orange with his design for Fabricut, which included an oversize, damask-patterned drum shade chandelier and a centerpiece composed of fabric flowers.

The table Frette designed for The New York Times was housed inside a black-and-white striped cabana. With rustic wood accents, fresh oranges, and arrangements of olive tree branches, the tabletop had a Tuscan countryside vibe.

The design from New York University students mentored by David Rockwell and Barry Richards was dubbed "Desconstructed Closet"; the table, chairs, and backdrop were all made using wire hangers.

Interior design firm EDG's offering was a collapsible, portable dining unit, designed to be used as a pop-up restaurant or alongside food trucks. The chandeliers were made from plastic straws, and the table centerpieces included frosted Mason jars holding votive candles.

At the Ralph Lauren Home table, vases filled with fluffy white ranunculuses echoed the oversize white paper lanterns glowing overhead. A slate waterfall backdrop flanked by palm tree trunks completed the tranquil scene.

Flexform & Dror's tribute to water conservation included chalkboard walls that had water factoids scrawled across them; at the center was a moving projection of a waterfall.

The table by Rottet Studio and Morgans Hotel Group displayed leather walls, exposed lightbulbs, and dishware that resembled curled-up book pages.

Working with Jes Gordon, students from the Fashion Institute of Technology composed a black, white, and gold look. Overhead, black-and-white portraits hung from a circular, glowing chandelier.

At Patrón's area, the walls were draped in sheer chiffon, and hanging tequila bottles held flickering votives.

Stefan Steilish composed an installation of individual tables separated by Lucite dividers. The idea behind the design was that people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS can feel isolated, but once that person looks beyond, he or she realizes that others are facing the same fears, and connection is possible.

Sawbridge Studios, a Chicago shop specializing in handcrafted home furnishings and accessories, provided celadon pottery for dinnerware.

Championship rings stood in for napkin rings at dinner settings at a recent event that saw members of the N.B.A. champions Miami Heat in attendance.

Events by André Wells designed and produced the January 11 BET Honors Dinner in Washington. The event's signature color is purple, which Wells used in several sequined tablecloths from La Tavola. The linens provided sparkle, which was essential because the venue, the U.S. Library of Congress, did not permit candles or any open flames.

Sequined magenta tablecloths brightened up the auction tent at the 13th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival in January. Festival co-chairwoman Terry Edwards designed the event with linens from La Tavola. "I thought something sparkly would add some glamor and support our theme of When Stars Align," she said. "We also used star-like lighting in the tent, and for the first time we used high-resolution TV screens to show the auction items and live bidding. The colors really popped."

The theme for DirecTV Super Saturday Night Super Bowl party in New Orleans in February was "Eyes Wide Shut," which CL22 Productions created with S&M touches such as costumed characters wearing feathers, latex, leather, and chains—and black sequined tablecloths from Town and Country Event Rentals.

To show off renovations to the Teddy Roosevelt Memorial Rotunda and North American Mammals Hall, the museum hosted a 1920s-themed event last month. Highboy tables were dressed in gold-hued sequined tablecloths from the Finishing Touch. Invision Events designed the gathering, which drew event and conference clients.

This table at Toronto's Canadian Film Centre gala is beautiful, yes. But I'd be worried placing my cocktail, glasses, and notebook.

The menu also offered high-end takes on corn dogs and chicken and waffles.

Fourth Wall Events designed each of the 67 centerpieces. A custom slide unit helped load each heavy block of ice into the center of the table.

In addition to winning first place, Pamela Ferrari Productions' table also won the People’s Choice Award, voted on by the 350 event professionals who attended the event.

La Boheme Events' tabletop came in fourth place and included moss-covered geometric shapes housed inside clear acrylic boxes.

Event producer Alexandra Rembac-Goldberg of Sterling Engagements designed a showcase table with a bubble theme. The entire look was placed inside a clear bubble structure from Casa Bubble.

Contemporary Catering put together a menu of passed hors d'oeuvres that included ahi tuna tartar in wonton crisp taco shells.

Contemporary Catering also set up a modern Italian charcuterie bar. Servers sliced everything to order while standing in front of a themed back-bar display of meats and cheeses.

P.C.M.A. kicked off its annual meeting at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego with an ocean-inspired welcome reception.

Centerpieces included shells and other sea-inspired elements.

Bronson Pelletier, who plays Jared in the Twilight movies, was the first actor to take the stage at the Official Twilight Convention. Pelletier and the other cast members at the event signed four large banners used as the backdrop. At the end of the convention, organizers sold the banners to attendees in an auction.

The Dutch has 170 seats in its main dining area.

The new all-white line from Full Pot Flourishes includes this resin vase.

Pistachio cheesecake cones are on the holiday menu from Fresh Catering and Events.

For both the "Mad Men" and "Party Before the Party" packages, guests are treated to a manicure at Salon Vaso's manicure stations.

Nuage Designs' holiday linens feature elements of sparkle and shine.

Seared steak with cranberry chutney on a rice crisp with chestnut aioli is one of the holiday menu offerings from Shiraz Events.

For the holidays, A Joy Wallace created a White Christmas cocktail.

Lucky Strike Lanes gift cards can be used for food and bowling.

The new Florence holiday charger is a festive option from Atlas Party Rental.

An Italian masquerade-inspired stilt walker greeted guests in front of a coliseum replica.

Female gladiators welcomed guests at the registration entrance.

The cocktail area housed the Piaget lounge.

Children played with stuffed animals at a merchandise display featuring items from pop artist Romero Britto.

Patrón sponsored a photo booth for guests in the cocktail area.

Guests placed bids on handbags to raise money for Best Buddies International Inc.

Auction items included Italian jewelry.

A facade designed to look like the Rialto Bridge highlighted the entrance to the dining area.

Blooming Design & Events used white draping and red and cream floral arrangements to transform the Fontainebleau's ballroom.

Crystal chandeliers hung above floral centerpieces on the dinner tables.

Heffernan Morgan Ronsley Design Group created a black-and-white setting meant to look like an illustrated image come to life.

A centerpiece of red flowers popped against the black-and-white palette of the table, which was set with lacy white plates and glossy black wine glasses.

Skender Construction's table, which also had a black, white, and red color scheme, was lit by a fixture made from umbrellas.

The black-and-white theme continued at Knoll's graphic table, which was designed by Gensler for the Chicago High School for the Arts.

Students from the Illinois Institute of Art, mentored by fashion designer Maria Pinto, designed a table setting inspired by Alice in Wonderland.

Mismatched teacups, clocks, and playing cards were scattered across the tabletop.

Alice in Wonderland also inspired a vignette by a team of designers from the Merchandise Mart's Designers on Call program.

Clocks, plates with mismatched patterns, and cookies decorated the table.

The work of pop artist Roy Lichtenstein was the inspiration for the MDC Wallcoverings vignette, designed by Perkins and Will.

The setting had a comic book style skyline as its backdrop, and drawings of lamps and paintings decorated the walls.

The table from Leopardo, designed by Interior Architects, had a  circus theme.

A working popcorn machine added an appropriate aroma to the setting.

Small, silver buckets of popcorn were overturned on each plate.

Students from the International Academy of Design and Technology, mentored by fashion designer Alessandra Branca, designed a table with an ocean theme.

A woven fixture that looked like a fisherman's net filled with colorful sea creatures hung above the table.

Elevated fishbowls were lined up in center of the table.

The ocean influence also appeared in a vignette by another team of designers from the Merchandise Mart's Designers on Call: Silky, jellyfish-like lanterns hung above the table.

Plates and utensils had a coral motif.

The table was fashioned from a glass-topped copper bathtub filled with water, coral, and other representations of sea life.

Another beach-inspired setting came from students of the the Harrington College of Design's graduate program, mentored by Cary Johnson. A surfboard draped in nets hung over the table.

LED votive candles were placed in sand-filled vessels, and seaweed was tucked under napkin rings.

Lanterns and jewel-tone fabrics hung above the table from Oscar Isberian Rugs Inc., designed by Susan Fredman Design Group.

Walls made from rolled up carpets gave the installation a log cabin feel.

Bright colors and layered patterns were the focal point of the table from Kravet Inc.

Decorative holes in the table functioned as cup holders.

Tall white orchids filled vases, while pink blossoms decorated plates.

Filled with white pillows and a hookah pipe, the setting from Carnegie, designed by Gensler, resembled a hookah lounge.

Silky threads created a tent-like roof.

Gilt City's table, designed by Nate Berkus and Associates, featured a rustic centerpiece by Epoch Floral that combined yellow tulips, logs, and seasonal vegetables.

Hanging film strips and filament light bulbs decorated the futuristic setting from Erg International, designed by Weetu.

Film strips also appeared inside glass bowls on the mirrored tabletop.

The shape of a vintage TV framed a vignette from Coalesse and Steelcase, designed by Nelson.

TV-dinner and cocktail trays decorated the living room setting inside.

At a table designed by students from the Harrington College of Design with Daniela Ghertovici, miniature origami swans served as drink garnishes.

Strands of origami swans hung beside the table.

Spell books sat at each place setting.

A screen broadcast forest-inspired imagery such as moons and sinuous branches.

The event took place at the Mandarin Oriental Boston.

The Environmental Media Association doled out its awards at a show at Warner Brothers.

Guests watched the show from a theater-style setup on the studio's lot.

Justin Timberlake was among the evening's honorees.

Versa tubes on the stage required only the power equivalent of three household outlets.

A glowing green bar stood at the entry to the after-party.