“Each table has a low arrangement comprised of one type of succulent. Using drought-resistant, living plants instead of cut flowers in the center- pieces means that they can be taken home later, not thrown away.” Arrangement by Britton Neubacher of Tend
Held on October 5, the evening included a dinner-dance at the Hilton Chicago. In the ballroom, lush golden trees from HMR Designs stood as centerpieces.
At the National September 11 Memorial & Museum Gala gala, held September 3, memorial visitors, construction workers, and first responders to Ground Zero were among those featured in the house-of-cards centerpieces. They were designed by 360 Design Events.
The New York City Ballet gala took over Lincoln Center on September 19. Designed by Bronson van Wyck, the decor included overhead replicas of hot-air balloons in cheery hues of red and white. Inspired by the notion of an early 20th-century party at the Grand Palais in Paris, the balloons were filled with 6,000 cubic feet of helium and were tied to the balcony rings with gold cording.
On September 17 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the New York City Opera staged the United States premiere of the opera Anna Nicole. At the after-party, Great Performances decorated the dessert table to look like a boudoir. The menu was written on mirrors in red lipstick, jewelry boxes and glass jars overflowed with candy, and Lucite displays held cones of pink cotton candy.
With dining-room vignettes from nearly 30 artists, architects, and interior designers, Diffa Chicago's “Dining by Design” in early November was a font of design inspiration. An elegant tailgate party inspired the vignette from Sparc Inc., designed by Richard Cassis and Hunter Kaiser, which had a tablecloth that looked like a football.
The September 7 gala in Chicago had a spacey vibe that was reflected in decor with hues of the night sky. Silky, dark-blue linens covered the dinner tables, and the Flower Firm's centerpieces were housed in tall, sparkly silver vessels.
The Holiday Chic Suite, a lush pop-up space at the 900 Shops on Chicago's Michigan Avenue, is rife with ideas for D.I.Y. office gatherings or home entertaining this season. Overseen by Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event, the setup features place cards tacked onto green apples with bejeweled pins.
