Event trends for 2018: Bold, rich and sexy!

Grey seating, a 1970s vibe and tropical patterns are in our future, according to the experts at CORT Events.

The furniture, lighting and accessories rental company has identified the top event and meeting furnishings design trends for 2018. Expect to see bold and energetic colors, tropical and graphic patterns, luxurious curves, rich textures and modern industrial chic design with a ’70s vibe.

Event decor design is moving in a more refined, luxurious and sexy direction, company representatives and customers say.

“Oversized patterns and accessories in bold colors, but used in a more tailored minimal way with lots of copper, bronze and brass all come together to channel that sexy cool vibe reminiscent of Palm Springs or South Florida in the 1970s,” says Jordan Carbotti, creative director at Perfect Surroundings, Int’l. of Newport Beach, R.I., and Miami, Fla. CORT’s upcoming Tropical pillow collection adds a touch of vintage that ties the themes together effortlessly.

Gray is the dominant neutral for fabric in seating and is a natural canvas for the saturated colors seen in accents and ottomans. Desert rose tones, terracotta, deep greens and Pantone’s color of the year, ultra violet, exude luxury and energy. Fabrics are contrasted with black metal frames to anchor the palette and provide a foundation of stability. CORT’s new Munich and Century seating collections reflect the year’s trends with soft velvet-like gray fabrics, espresso and black frames and soft rounded seat backs.

“Gray is the new foundation color for soft seating. It’s a fresh look that’s neither black nor white, and provides a lot of flexibility because it pairs with nearly every other color,” says Kevin Dana, executive director of marketing and product development at CORT Events.

Rustic designs are evolving and are now more eclectic and chic. “That reclaimed wood feel is going out, but black lacquers, smooth edges and some vibrant colors mixed in for contrast are coming back,” says Evan Carbotti, partner and lead designer at Perfect Surroundings Int’l. “Found objects painted bold colors and transformed into something new are authentic and not so old and antique feeling.”

This “modern industrial chic” vibe incorporates more refined textures, upgraded natural woods, lush fabrics and bold colors and patterns. It combines finishes such as marble, lacquer and metallic surfaces with wood and greenery to create a sophisticated and surprising mix that’s easy to customize to suit a client’s theme or brand.

“I foresee 2018 being the year for bold sophistication,” says Ingrid Adolphs of Perfect Surroundings, Int’l. “Marble stays. Mixed metallic finishes will remain but silver will be taking the back seat and copper, brass and bronze will take on more important roles. That said, muted earth tones like rose and terracotta are also on trend, but I expect to see them paired with unusual combinations of geometric and tribal patterns, contrasting vibrant colorful accents and faux fur, velvets and leathers for texture.”

CORT’s faux fur animal hide and large collections of on-trend colorful ottomans, unique accent tables, pillows and rugs can be used to achieve this chic style for any event.

According to Pantone, its spring 2018 color palette is “exploding with zest and energy.” The pure bold colors create a high voltage vitality to event decor designs. Many of these fabulous Pantone hues are offered in CORT’s ottoman collections, including its new Beverly bench ottoman collection.

“Our new Beverly collection comes in a range of 10 vibrant colors and features ‘channel stitching,’ a design element seen everywhere at the Milan furniture fair last April,” Dana says. “It’s the details that matter in design, and channel stitching is a fresh way to add visual interest and more texture to soft seating.”