good ideas

Rental company Archive Rentals has a showroom in San Clemente offering vintage items, handmade furnishings, and antiques for events. The company’s vintage Western- and camp-themed rentals (think reclaimed wood tables, picnic linens, horse tack, canoes, and retro Airstream trailers) are ideal for summer events.

Little World Design specializes in sculptural, botanical objects and installations. Owners Heather Pando and Manuel Acosta favor long-lasting materials, like branches, seed pods, feathers, moss, stones, linen, and even real butterfly wings.

For the Clean the World gala, held at the Peabody Orlando in 2011, Special Event Floral filled fishbowls with blue marbles, then added battery-operated lights. The Peabody Orlando's duck soap appeared to float on top of each centerpiece.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.