On a normal Autumn day in the showroom, we’d be assisting multiple customers with selecting their rentals, or answering questions over the phone, but with the ever-looming Coronavirus pandemic, we’ve had a little more time to catch our breath. 

As more and more customers feel comfortable coming back into the showroom for appointments, we figured it was a good time to update our Design Inspiration Tables, and why not use this opportunity to showcase a potential event set up complete with social distancing, extra spacing between guests at each table, and some of our favorite newer rental inventory?!

The South Showroom Consultants Amanda and Chandler teamed up with our Administration & Employee Relations Speciality, Michelle to come up with a beautiful socially distanced design featuring four different table sizes in an ombre autumn-inspired theme, complete with a mockup of a miniature buffet station!

We started with a concept (which evolved throughout the planning):

This set up would utilize three different sized guest tables all at least 6ft apart from each other, with six place settings to show the different amounts of spacing you could place between guests for extra distancing, a sweetheart table for dramatic effect, two cocktail tables, our Wooden Champagne Wall as a backdrop for the sweetheart table, and a miniature 6ft buffet table. The conference table shown in the diagram is a permanent feature of our showroom, although it has gone unused since the local Stay at Home order took effect in March.

We then did what we’d do with any clients coming into the showroom, we brainstormed which items might go with our color palette and set up mock table settings with our showroom samples!

Once we were happy with our rental selections and the overall flow of how the ombre would progress, we checked our inventory to ensure that we had the correct sizes of table linens available to fit our layout. 

Next, we created an overview of the inventory items for each tablescape to assist in organizing the items during the set up so we didn’t have to refer back to a list or multiple photos.

We then pulled inspiration for centerpieces from pinterest and our own website, including our sister store, Party Time Rentals! In case you weren’t aware, we can happily source any of the rentals shown on Party Time’s website for your event here in Austin if there’s something they carry in their inventory that we do not! 

Our Creative Director reviewed our centerpiece inspiration and created a few custom arrangements and re-made a few others from extra materials we had laying around from previous arrangements. We’re all about Reduce, Reuse, Recycle here! A few of our centerpieces ended up with a little more spring in their step, than autumn leaves and pumpkins please, but we love how each arrangement really suits the individual table and showcases a range of how our rentals can be used throughout the seasons!

There are truly no rules anymore about color palettes sticking to certain seasons, or which tabletop items you must set your guest tables with. Your design should be a reflection of you and your style, but if traditional place settings are your thing, we can certainly help with that as well!

We completed our table designs with a fake (but delicious) dinner menu created in Canva, mimicking the ombre progression of the tables, as well as a price sheet reflecting each table’s rental selections to assist our customers in making the right decisions for both their style and budget.

We chose to pair our two cocktail tables with neutral linens to complement the progression, and a warm beige/buttery yellow linen for our faux buffet table, complete with plates stacked at the buffet, all food items to be served set behind a plexiglass divider, as you would normally see for a buffet set up during these COVID times we’re living in.

We have many other rental items such as hand sanitizer dispensers, rope and stanchions, easels, and more to assist with celebrating safely during the pandemic, and are happy to work with you to help create a socially distanced layout for your venue. 

We hope to work with you soon to help share in the joy of planning your next event, no matter what or when that feels right for you. Please let us know how we can be of assistance to you!