While Norah Jones was cleaning up at the Grammy awards ceremony, event designer David Tutera of David Tutera Inc. was finishing up preparations for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' official after-party. The blowout bash for 4,000 took over five rooms at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers. The centerpiece: An astounding 40-foot wall of water in the middle of the Imperial Ballroom that served as a projection screen for images of the Grammy award and its past winners. White fabric and brushed metal filled the rest of the room to create what Tutera called a "very chic, contemporary club feel."
The other rooms were designed as separate environments with different decor and music: A Latin-inspired space had tall sections of bamboo, palm leaves and lots of bright orchids. A lounge inspired by the Blue Note was "very soft and sultry," Tutera said, with a relaxed, loungey atmosphere. And a red room featured—big surprise here—red velvet-draped walls, table linens, lampshades and flowers.
Tutera also designed the nominees' reception the day before the ceremony in the same space. So after Tutera and his crew loading in everything on Thursday, they put up the reception's decor (think lots of blue and gold fabrics and a bath of cobalt blue light) first. Then after Saturday's reception ended around 10 PM, work on the after-party went until 11:30 PM Sunday, as the ceremony finished and everyone headed to the Sheraton. Tutera also designed the big party the last time the awards were in New York, five years ago.
—Mark Mavrigian
Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com
Read our Impresario profile of David Tutera...
The other rooms were designed as separate environments with different decor and music: A Latin-inspired space had tall sections of bamboo, palm leaves and lots of bright orchids. A lounge inspired by the Blue Note was "very soft and sultry," Tutera said, with a relaxed, loungey atmosphere. And a red room featured—big surprise here—red velvet-draped walls, table linens, lampshades and flowers.
Tutera also designed the nominees' reception the day before the ceremony in the same space. So after Tutera and his crew loading in everything on Thursday, they put up the reception's decor (think lots of blue and gold fabrics and a bath of cobalt blue light) first. Then after Saturday's reception ended around 10 PM, work on the after-party went until 11:30 PM Sunday, as the ceremony finished and everyone headed to the Sheraton. Tutera also designed the big party the last time the awards were in New York, five years ago.
—Mark Mavrigian
Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com
Read our Impresario profile of David Tutera...
At the official Grammy awards after-party at the Sheraton New York, a dramatic, 40-foot wall of water fell in the middle of the Imperial Ballroom, showing projections of the Grammy award and past winners.
