Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS hosted Dining by Design at Chicago's Merchandise Mart November 4 and 5. This year, planners helped lower the benefit's costs by combining the event's opening-night cocktail bash on Wednesday with the Chef's Tasting, which offered bites from local restaurants. (Previously, the cocktail party and tasting event had taken place on separate nights.) On Thursday, the community viewing and gala dinner took place.
This year's event had a communal dining theme, and several long, adjoined tables were at the center of the space. Along the event's periphery, booths featured installations decorated by furniture manufacturers, event designers, interior designers, architects, and other creative types. Lush floral arrangements were rarely spotted this year (although not entirely absent), and several of the tables had a natural look that incorporated unexpected decorative items from crayons to balloons and candle wax. A travel theme inspired some of the installations, and others took inspiration from honey, hospital waiting rooms, and farmers' markets. Here are 18 design ideas to steal from the creative showcase.