Spring Gala 2014

In addition to 22.5- by 22.5-foot plastic squares, the SuperLever collection also includes 15- by 45-foot fabric panels.

Turner Broadcasting Latin America presented its newest lineup at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center in October. At the preshow cocktail reception, Triton Productions cloaked the space with LED backdrops and placed a 40-foot-long bar made of ice on one side of the room. Behind the bar, a performer on a platform acted as the focal point.

Showtime hosted the second-season premiere of its drama series Homeland aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York in September. Glowing lanterns made the central outdoor bar easy to spot from afar.

For the grand opening of Mariano's newest Chicago location in October, Kehoe Designs arranged for a disco-themed soiree inside the supermarket. To bring a Studio 54 vibe to the space, the designers used shimmering bars and disco balls for the decor.

At the welcome reception for the BIO International convention at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center in June, Kehoe Designs created various themed areas including a Japanese-inspired space, where the bar was covered in koi pond imagery and live greenery.

John Laraio of Mobius8 performed at the Fusion Fashion & Art Show December 6 at LMNT Contemporary Art Space in Miami. Mobius8 is electronica performance art that combines lighting, visual effects, and lasers that morph to the beat of dance music.

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.

Colorful sweets topped a table at the preview night. "The day before and the day of Sneak Preview Night hosts nearly 10,000 media and auto industry executives, so it’s a challenge to set up for one event during another," the auto show's Callari said. "In addition to the limited setup time and juggling of events, the venue itself is vast, with high ceilings and thousands of windows. Making that space feel intimate and festive requires creativity. And we have to be conscious of costs since this is a charity event, but we do not want to lose the world-class look of the L.A. Auto Show."

Located in one of Miami Beach's Art Deco buildings, Freehand Miami hosts events in its garden, which can accommodate as many as 200 guests for a cocktail reception, and the Living Room lobby, which can host 100 guests. This spring, the property plans to open a restaurant and lounge, the House. The Broken Shaker, an in-house bar, can provide handcrafted cocktails.