interiors

In 2008, a section of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park was transformed into a haunted Halloween scene for the 11th annual Bremen Brothers Beach Bash. Among the tented areas for the event was a black-lit library-like space that recalled a haunted house.

Interior designer Leah Pickler interpreted Showtime's Dexter series when the network partnered with Metropolitan Home in 2008 for an experiential show house. Pickler's dining room included plates, chairs, and walls splattered with blood and a centerpiece comprised of vials of red liquid.

The 2008 Design Exchange gala achieved a haunted forest effect in the museum with graffiti artist Mike Echlin's white trees painted onto a black backdrop.

At the 2011 "Galaween" Benefit in Chicago, guests walked through a temporary graveyard outside of Venue One. Inside, the raw space was transformed into an enchanted forest foyer, a torture chamber dance floor, and a haunted mansion with rags hung from the ceiling’s chandeliers.

At this year's Dining by Design in New York, the table styled by Alexa Stevenson had rather a macabre centerpiece that included moss, succulents, and a skull inside a glass cloche.

Last year's Malibu Rum launch for its Black spirit filled New York's Good Units with Halloween-inspired decor. Even the bars matched the look, with black lights and skull-and-crossbones imagery at one and plasma balls on foil-covered shelves at another.

A mob of silent, masked people marching through the streets of Manhattan last year made for a creepy, if not ominous sight. The stunt was part of a promotion from Starz to herald the premiere of Torchwood: Miracle Day.

For the Central Park Conservancy's Halloween ball in 2010, Frank Alexander dressed tables in shades of brown and green and topped each one with alternating arrangements of tree stumps with hidden gnomes and fairies surrounded by flickering candles.

The Walking Dead celebrated its 100th issue at Comic-Con in San Diego this past July with a party that referenced the comic book's gory, zombie-filled contents. At the edge of the event, two zombie nurses interacted with guests.

The look of the Lexus event during the 2011 New York International Auto Show might have been more futuristic than spooky, but the eerie glow of blue lighting and the fog coming out of the drinks works just as well for Halloween parties. Caterer Creative Edge served up a liquid nitrogen cocktail of vanilla Absolut with tangerine and a vanilla kumquat marmalade alongside passion fruit meringues dipped in a bowl of nitrogen for the carmaker's preview event.

In 2006, the Art Gallery of Ontario threw a costume ball that put ghostly figures in the long, dark entry corridor. The performers played unearthly sounding melodies on tiny music boxes as guests entered the venue.

There was no shortage of inspiration for HBO when it hosted a premiere party for vampire series True Blood in 2008. In addition to Mexican relic shrines and cemetery lanterns, the event included a menu of blood-colored dessert bites.

Edward Gorey's morbid illustrations were the inspiration behind the design for the 2006 Central Park Conservancy Halloween ball. Inside the dining room, Grayson Bakula (a company that has since changed its name to Bakula Design) decorated the walls of the tent with projections of barren branches and hung menacing hooded figures from the ceiling.

The Art Gallery of Ontario's 2006 Shadow Ball had tables topped with skull-shaped candles from sculptor Marcello Dalmao.

At the 18th annual Dream Halloween AIDS Benefit in 2011, guests entered the main space of the transformed Barker Hangar only after walking through a series of five haunted tombs amidst a foggy forest.

At the Florida Aquarium's 10th annual masquerade ball, Nauti-Night, in 2007, the entire space was transformed into a spooky environment for drinking, dining, and dancing. The webs that covered the exhibit walls created ghostly passages for guests to explore.

At the 2009 Green Halloween launch, caterer Flavor Palette crafted a menu that included jack-o-lantern-, ghost-, and graveyard-inspired sushi.

Recalling the movie's dark themes and visuals, the premiere party for Dark Knight in 2008 had red-painted graffiti on the walls, tables, and windows of the Mandarin Oriental ballroom in New York.

Rather than creating elaborate centerpieces for the Central Park Conservancy's 2006 ball, Grayson Bakula (now known as Bakula Design) used intersected pieces of laser-cut plexiglass to form the ghostly dining table decorations.

For its Yelloween party in 2010, Veuve Clicquot filled bathtubs with skeletons and yellow rose petals at Tao Las Vegas.

During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York last September, retail display company Aux Armes crafted creepy black-and-white cutouts of spiderwebs, hand saws, and candelabra for Rachel Antonoff's presentation.

For the Dexter season 4 DVD release party in Miami, Showtime fashioned crime scene sets at the National Hotel's poolside cabanas using police tape, fake dismembered bodies, and blood splatters.

The Addams Family-inspired Citi Performing Arts Center Gala in 2011 was ridden with graveyard imagery.

Neuman's Halloween-themed table for the ISES competition at the 2010 BizBash New York Expo used skeleton hands napkin rings, mini coffins and cauldrons, and a barren hilltop centerpiece to set the eerie mood.

NYC Photobooth’s “Haunted Photocrypts” photo booth station includes an interactive talking skull to instruct visitors and a number of spooky backgrounds to choose from.

In 2009, Old Navy created a pop-up pumpkin patch in New York City's meatpacking district that had a plethora of carved pumpkins.

In 2006, when XBox 360 launched its Gears of War game at Hollywood's Forever Cemetery, the spooky and unconventional mausoleum made for a suitably morbid venue.

At The Simpsons Halloween-Carnival party in 2009, a mask-making station at the Barker Hangar in Los Angeles let kids and adults create their own face coverings as a unique event souvenir.

At the Brooklyn Museum's 2011 Artists Ball, the centerpiece of Aleksandar Duravecevic's table was a taxidermied ram.

Playing off the venue—the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles—and eerie plots of its forthcoming shows, Showtime's 2006 event was set amid dry ice and twisted scenery.

Friday's late-night dessert showcase doubled as the festival's fifth anniversary celebration, and, as a nod to this and title sponsor Godiva, a gilded Lady Godiva rolled around 82 Mercer handing out birthday hats.

Onstage performers participated in dreamy sequence scenes, which included a bathtub-bound actor and an assemblage of balloons and drapes.

In August, La Petit Poubelle opened, tucked inside La Poubelle restaurant (which has been around for 42 years). The private space has an artisanal cocktail menu and uses sustainably farmed, locally sourced ingredients prepared by chef Johnny Zone. The space has a secret door and holds about 30 for a seated event.

For a dinner Rollins hosted in honor of Oscar de la Renta that benefited Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, the hostess covered a long dining table with burlap and linen and topped it with simple arrangements of dahlias and wheatgrass. Fruitwood Chiavari chairs complemented the garden setting.

At the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, a collection of six marigold chandeliers filled the V.I.P. tent ceiling, each standing eight feet high and made from thousands of strands of silk marigolds in the brand's recognizable yellow shade.

In keeping with the event's Bollywood theme, an elephant made by Primetime Amusements led guests in a parade to the dining space at InterContinental Miami.

A welcome table at the entrance displayed 300 designer masquerade masks from which guests could select.

A pair of model vampires were on hand to help guests select their masks.

A purple pillow added a pop of color to a dramatic black seating group from Revelry.

Chandeliers encased in Lucite made for eye-catching high-top tables in the bar area.

Giving the tables a dramatic look, tall black candlesticks sat alongside Chameleon chairs from Classic.

A studded bar front added a chic, if prickly, twist.

Purple uplighting from Kinetic Lighting provided an eerie glow for the flowers from Sticks & Stones. The flowers stood in urns atop tall pedestals.

Jeweled spiders popped as decor.

The New York Public Library canceled this year's Library Lions gala as a result of Hurricane Sandy's impact on the city. The organization's major fund-raiser has, in previous years, seen Fifth Avenue's Stephen A. Schwarzman building lavishly decorated for some 500 guests; the 2012 event was to honor Nelson Mandela and Mikhail Baryshnikov among others,

Polonia Catering and Market brought in a mobile nitrogen ice-cream bar. Staffers offered samples of regular, low-fat, soy, or organic treats.

As an example of its passed event desserts, Zed451 offered in s'mores skewers topped with homemade marshmallows.

Nadeau's Ice Sculptures created an ice fireplace replete with a fire burning on a flat-screen TV. A functioning QR code, also wrapped in ice, was the centerpiece of the sculpture.

Nadeau's also brought in a candy buffet that had sweets spilling out of an ice chimney and an ice sculpture of an Eskimo. Guests could pop their heads into the Eskimo hood for a festive photo opportunity.

Market brought in a cotton candy machine. The pink, fluffy dessert was served in a miniature shopping cart, and the chef invited guests to step up to the machine to twirl their own cones.

Classic Party Rentals showed off new chair covers, including the flowery Camellia style.

Cort Event Furnishings showcased new lounge furniture swathed in black leather and grey-and-white snakeskin.

BBJ Linen displayed its new, retro-style line of Delirium linens.

At the Gold Coast All Stars booth, band members played a live acoustic set of songs including Rihanna's "Umbrella."

TouchTunes Interactive Network's Virtuo machine serves three functions: it's a digital jukebox, a karaoke machine, and a photo booth that prints out strips of images with a variety of backgrounds. The machine can be rented for meetings and events.

Event Creative's booth, surrounded with punctured wood walls, had new rentals including high-back white chairs and couches tossed with golden pillows.

The display from Hall's Rental had vintage-inspired plates, a farm-style table, and French Country chairs.

Jewell Events Catering hosted a Recreated Cocktail bar, where servers presented ice-cream-based drinks on chilled blocks of salt. Flavors included the Manhattan, which was made with orange sorbet, candied orange zest, and cherries soaked in bourbon.

CocoMori brought in silver and white cake pops inspired by holiday ornaments.

To showcase its ability to design cake pops inspired by an event's guests or host, CocoMori also showed off pops designed to look like specific fashion icons, including (from left to right) Andre Leon Talley, Grace Coddington, Anna Wintour, and Karl Lagerfeld.

Students of the Harrington College of Design were inspired by birds' nest-weaving techniques. Using found objects such as newspapers and plastic bags, they wove patterns into the walls surrounding their table, which also held natural accents such as flowers and branches.

In his vignette for Pagoda Red, designer Pavel Juricek set the table with blue-and-white Delft china. In lieu of traditional floral centerpieces, mossy bits of wood ran down the center of the table and illuminated trees sprouted out of one end.

On Sarah Dippold Design's table, small tureens held earthy arrangements of mosses, berries, and succulents.

Project Interior's table was one of the most interactive. Guests grabbed a pair of large golden scissors to snip affirmative statements written on small pieces of paper from an overhead canopy. The statements included phrases such as "Act With Love" and the Matisse quotation "Creativity Takes Courage."

Black and gold—a popular color scheme this year—dominated the Project Interiors setting.

VOA Associates Inc. designed a booth for Steelcase. Inspired by a sculpture in Texas called Prada, Marfa, the structure looked like a mini pop-up store within the showcase and was called—naturally—Diffa, Marfa.

Inside the Diffa, Marfa structure, photos of Prada, Marfa lined the walls. On the shelves, teeny cacti were planted in mason jars with dirt and stones. Guests of the Saturday-night gala were invited to take home the plants as souvenirs.

Carnegie's table, designed by Gensler, had a nautical theme. The table was surrounded by sails and was topped with rope-tied vases holding water and live fish. From the show floor, guests peeked into the vignette through a  circular window reminiscent of a ship portal.

Inspired by the concept of metamorphosis, the table Hok designed for Halcon had branches, logs, and lumber. Plates were topped with tiny twigs.

At the table that Charles Crispin designed for Legendary Floors LLC, glass balls decked plates as an avant-garde take on fruit. The local Talisman Glass Studio was commissioned to create the decorations and completed the task in just two days.

A particularly attention-grabbing booth—and one that had attendees buzzing—was Haworth's table designed by 4240 Architecture. Inspired by the concept of urban agriculture, the table had a wall aquarium and live flowers, vegetables, and greenery.

Kaufman Segal's quirky setting for Oscar Isberian Rugs Inc. had wooden hands, roses sprouting out of teacups, and more small cacti plants.

Leopardo's table, designed by Interior Architects, had a Mad Men-era vibe. The circular glass table was topped with fashion and art books, cut-crystal decanters filled with brown liquors, and a box of cigars.

Harley Ellis Deveraux's table for HBF/Gunlocke had a camping-inspired look. The installation held candlelit lanterns, old suitcases, plaid pillows and blankets, pinecones, and baskets filled with worn cooking utensils.

Jenn-Air's table, designed by Krengel & Associates, had cook-tops built into its surface. The table also had napkins and light-up ice cubes with the brand's logo.

Inspired by textile artist Alexander Girard and a child's bedroom, Herman Miller's table designed by IA Chicago was surrounded with colorful pillows. After the event, the pillows were donated to the Boys & Girls Club.

The foresty vignette from Kadlec Architecture & Design had candles, butterflies, and a floor filled with autumn leaves and glittering pinecones.

An origami-like chandelier hung over the CS Interiors table designed by Kaufman Segal with Jesse Chicago. The table also had centerpieces filled with tightly rolled up magazine pages and arrangements of pink and peach roses.

At the table from Shaw Contract/Vortex Enterprises, designed by Box Studios, laptops and tablets showcasing images of food replaced traditional place settings.

Knoll/Spinnybeck Leather's vignette, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz Interior, had the look of a city apartment. Brightly colored lounge furniture filled the space, as well as a graffiti-style painting that spelled out "Grit and Glitz."

Reminiscent of an artist's studio, a table for CS Interiors designed by Casa Spazio with Atelier Turner had paper walls, ample brushes, and open jars of paint. Guests were encouraged to get creative and add to the background mural.

Marc Blackwell designed a table for national sponsor La Crema and filled the space with whimsical, sea-inspired touches. Glass domes covered seashells that were spray-painted gold, and small sea urchins covered porcelain soup tureens.

Designed by Jonathan Adler, Kravet Inc.'s table was surrounded by patterned walls with lantern-shape cutouts.

Kehoe Designs' eye-catching booth had an oversize stallion statue, a curvy, mirrored bar, disco balls, and color-changing light.

The guilty-pleasure phenomenon 50 Shades of Grey inspired Nelson's vignette for Teknion. In the monochromatic space, handcuffs served as napkin-holders.

The $515 million Marlins Park opened in March with an array of options for events, including 45 suites for private events, an outpost of South Beach mainstay the Clevelander, and a 4,600-square-foot pool-lounge that holds as many as 250 guests on game days and 300 for private events. The 928,000-square-foot space, which is certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Buildings Council, can hold as many as 37,422 and features a retractable roof that can open or close in less than 15 minutes. Additionally, the stadium offers the Skyline terrace and Diamond Club lounge: The 12,000-square-foot terrace, which can hold 350 seated or 1,000 for receptions, overlooks the downtown Miami skyline and has retractable glass window panels; the lounge has room for 200 and offers a 400-bottle tempered wine room for private buyouts.

The 500,000-square-foot Miami Airport Convention Center, formerly the Miami Mart Exhibition Center, completed a renovation in March that remodeled 172,000 square feet of meeting space. Among the updated spaces is the education conference center, which has 40 new breakout rooms, a 29,000-square-foot ballroom, and the ability to host more than 400 trade show booths.

The 243-room St. Regis Bal Barbour Resort debuted in January and offers several options for events. As a pre-function space, the 2,529-square-foot Astor area seats 70 banquet-style. There are also five ballrooms, which, when rooms one through four are combined, offers a total of 4,077 square feet and a capacity of 400. There are also areas suited for smaller gatherings—like the 402-square-foot John Jacob Astor boardroom and the 400-square-foot Rockefeller room. Outdoor spaces include a 240-person terrace and 9,617 square feet of pool space.

The Philippe Starck-designed SLS Hotel South Beach from SBE opened in July with 130 rooms in the main tower and 10 villas. The tower penthouse and villa penthouse were designed by musician Lenny Kravitz and Kravitz Design. The luxury hotel features two restaurants: the Bazaar by José Andrés and Katsuya by Starck. The property also includes Hyde Beach, an 8,000-square-foot lounge with indoor and outdoor seating.

Owned by developer Michael Dezer, the 250,000-square-foot site houses Dezer's $140 million car collection, which includes notable items like the 1948 Ford "Greased Lightning" from Grease. Eight separate spaces allow groups to host events around the luxury cars with rooms that hold between 50 and 2,500. The 25,000-square-foot Dezer Showplace, the largest room, can be customized with a range of automobiles from the collection to fit a specific theme. Depending on the configuration, the space seats 1,500 or holds 2,500 for receptions. Smaller spaces include the 1,500-square-foot James Bond lounge, which holds 200 for a reception. The Batman lounge, containing Batmobiles and other items from the Batman movies, also holds 200. Less car-focused spaces include the jukebox-filled American Classics '50s-style diner for 300 guests, the Arcade room for 500, and an indoor drive-in theater.

The multimillion-dollar overhaul of the 10,000-square-foot Design Center of the Americas event space in Dania Beach includes Cay, a 1,100-square-foot, 84-seat restaurant that debuted in October. The design concept’s inspiration was old Key West, with direction from Miami designer Sam Robin. Kitchen and catering operations are helmed by Thierry Isambert of Thierry’s Catering and Event Design, and the menu features fresh seafood that can be served at private events using the 2,000-square-foot catering kitchen. The entire DCOTA event space seats 350 guests or holds 500 for receptions.

The 4,000-square-foot cocktail and gastro-lounge opened in April. The sleek space has a colorful, European club-inspired design anchored by images throughout that pay homage to notable women in art, music, and fashion. The main lounge includes a bar and dining tables for 40, which leads into a second lounge area, accented by glowing LED tables and U-shaped leather seats. The glass-enclosed V.I.P. mezzanine holds 50, while the entire venue is available for buyouts for a maximum of 250 guests. As for the grub: a list of 30 handcrafted cocktails is supplemented by a menu of small plates.

Modeled after a luxury hotel concept, the 3,500-square-foot Room Service comes with a bellman, a butler, and a private suite. The restaurant-lounge opened in September with seating for 94. French maid service and a DJ take over the late-night shift, where 270 guests can enjoy specialty cocktails. There's a private area for as many as 30, and the entire venue is available for buyouts.

Villa Azur, which opened in March, brings a French Riviera feel to its South Beach home. In addition to catering outside events, the restaurant seats 250 or holds 300 for receptions for complete buyout. La Cave d’Azur, tucked inside the restaurant's wine cellar, is a private dining room with more than 190 wines and seating for 12. Private events can also be held in the restaurant’s 4,000-square-foot courtyard for 110 seated guests.

South Beach's Studio 743 opened its doors in May and features a dramatic entrance with a water feature and a towering, colorfully lit obelisk. The space has 6,000 square feet of event space with a capacity of 245 seated or 550 for receptions. It has two entry lounges for crowd control plus V.I.P. access. Audiovisual capabilities include interior programmable, multicolored LED lighting and exterior lighting of the façade and tower.

Swank Productions is offering a Winter Wonderland holiday party package for corporate clients that allows them to mix and match decor elements such as silver linens, votives in acrylic "ice fragments," and artificial snow. Although Swank recommends clients book as soon as possible for holiday parties to avoid rush fees, the company has pulled off past events in as little as three days.

NYC Photo Party is offering a variety of holiday- and winter-themed photo station setups, complete with appropriate props. Among the options are the company’s recently introduced printed graphics with face cutouts that allow guests to place their faces into photo scenes, like a Mr. and Mrs. Claus cartoon (pictured). All photo station packages include instant photo printing, instant sharing via email, Facebook, and Twitter, and branded photo overlays. NYC Photo Party can create custom photo booth backdrops and step-and-repeats, too.

Add an educational element to the evening's liquor offerings with a tasting bar manned by a spirits sommelier. Known as the “alcohol professor,” Adam Levy from All Spirits Events can gear tastings towards topics like Whiskies from Around the World or Craft Spirits from New York State. Another holiday party-appropriate idea: Set up spirits tasting tables around the venue and provide guests with a passport-like booklet, with each table having its own specific stamp. At the end of the night, conduct a prize drawing for everyone who completed his or her passport. All Spirits Events can work at any location and with groups of any size, and because the company is not tied to any specific brands, it can provide a wide variety of liquors.

Add some sparkle to holiday tabletops with Nuage Designs’ collection of linens decked out with sequins and paillettes. The options include a red-sequin mesh fabric (pictured) and linens covered in red-and-gold paillettes.

The Little Glass Slipper is a new floral shop in Greenpoint owned by Cary Pereyra, who creates arrangements that offer a dose of aromatherapy. Her premade bouquets and custom creations can include botanicals targeted to a variety of symptoms, like echinacea for a weak immune system or mood-boosting lavender for seasonal depression. For the holidays, Pereyra is offering herbal holiday wreaths: The eucalyptus-and-rosemary wreath is meant to help battle respiratory infections and maintain health during the holiday season.