Conference News - Research White Papers - CORT's Top Event Design Trends of 2012 - Successful Meetings

Conference News - Research White Papers - CORT's Top Event Design Trends of 2012 - Successful Meetings

CORT's Top Event Design Trends of 2012By Matt AldertonJanuary 24, 2012Share
View CommentsIn partnership with designer Richard Carbotti of Perfect Surroundings, a Miami-based event design company, CORT Event Furnishings has developed a list of the top event design trends for 2012, it announced today."Event planners are challenged to design unique event experiences that speak to brand personalities and create a 'wow' experience, particularly in unusual spaces," said CORT Trade Show and Event Furnishings Director of Marketing Kevin Dana.Added Carbotti, "Everyone is looking for the next great event venue and that requires an extra effort in planning logistics and furnishings that can go wherever the event is held; on a ship, rooftop or even on a mountain."According to Carbotti and CORT, this year's biggest event design trends are:

• Color Everywhere: Clients are increasingly comfortable using color to set their designs apart, according Carbotti. I see warm colors playing a key role in this year's designs when mixed with energetic and exciting tones," he said. "Tangerine oranges and sunflower yellows, for example, mix beautifully with fuchsias, purples or last year's Pantone Color of the Year, Honeysuckle. Designers should also never rule out cobalt blue, a lively shade of blue that always provides a bold color balance and a cooler temperature if need be."

• Indoor/Outdoor Furnishings: Events are no longer confined to hotel ballrooms, according to CORT, which said clients are increasingly challenging event planners to create "visually appealing and comfortable seating at increasingly exotic outdoor locales." Because these events require furniture that is weatherproof, durable and portable, indoor/outdoor furnishings — including, for example, inflatable furniture, indoor/outdoor ottomans and indoor/outdoor modular sectionals — are becoming increasingly popular.

• Luxury is Back: As the economy improves, many corporate clients have larger budgets to spend on designing and outfitting events, particularly luxury brands that need to differentiate themselves. Demand is therefore strong for high-end furnishings and designer pieces, according to Dana. "Clients aim to make a tasteful statement with understated elegance and sophisticated modern furniture design," he said

.• Mixing Styles, Patterns and Textures: According to Carbotti, mixing different styles creates surprising and one-of-a-kind accents. "There are two precepts foundational to event design: First, knowledge and respect for space and how it affects people, and second, a working knowledge of artistic or cultural styles and periods as they are developed throughout history," he said. "Design is not simply in 'the things' themselves; it is in how those things are used and arranged in ways that get people to feel something."

• Creative Modular Seating: Every client wants to design seating tailored to their particular event, but the Millennial generation is reinventing traditional event expectations and demanding more casual meeting and networking environments, according to CORT. "Large serpentine or linear seating that wraps around dance floors or doubles as dining areas are all the rage," Carbotti said. "Blurring the lines between lounge seating and traditional meeting setups will continue in 2012."

• Social Media: In 2012, most events will have a social component to generate interest before, during and after the event, according to CORT. "Whether it's live tweeting at the event or blogging before and after, planners have to incorporate social media engagement into the overall strategy and budget to ensure attendees stay informed and those who cannot attend are still able to participate," it concluded.