Event Review: Lounging in a Sea of Red Roses
In all things design, 2r Productions aims to achieve both over-the-top and understated elegance. “It’s a big wow, but not in an obnoxious way,” explains owner Raul Rodriguez. That guiding principle was in full effect in the lounge the Miami-based event production company created to welcome guests into an awards ceremony 2r executive produced and designed. Held at the Paris Theatre in Miami Beach, Fla., the event was the culmination of an incentive program for software company BackOffice Associates.
The 100 guests of the black-tie affair were invited to experience the chic space featuring an area rug of real rose petals. Taking the color scheme from BackOffice’s red and white branding, 2r created the wow effect the client was looking for while giving attendees the rare opportunity to lounge in a sea of red roses.
1 The petals of approximately 450 red roses were used to create the 12-foot by 12-foot floral carpeting. Finding that quantity of roses for a mid-December event when every red flower was being horded for Christmas-themed decorations was no mean feat, recalls Rodriguez. Because of the limited local supply, Medley, Fla.-based floral designer Jose Graterol Designs had them shipped in directly from Columbia for the Dec. 12 event.
2 Rodriguez wanted to brand the space, but conventional vinyl banners would have taken away from the high-end feel, so 2r had BackOffice logos silkscreened onto pillows that decorated the couches. The custom-logoed pillows were a hit with guests — “Whenever we do that for a client, the pillows always seem to disappear at the end of the night!” says Rodriguez.
3 A Plexiglas coffee table lit with LEDs was custom-fabricated for the event. The wireless LED lights inside the furniture were useful for their glow and equally important, they don’t emit heat, so the rose petals weren’t in danger of wilting or burning.
4 The company chose Louis Ghost Chairs to complement the other event furnishings for their clean, high-end look. Additionally, the clear chairs accentuated the rose petals instead of blocking them.
5 Rodriguez eschewed a more traditional curtain choice to select vinyl curtains. It was a risky move because of their industrial look, he says, but the right choice for the space because they reflected the lighting (by Media 17) better than regular fabric curtains would. And after all, marrying high-tech with high-end was a juxtaposition that fit right in with 2r’s design aesthetic.