DesignSPARKS & Highlights: Miami

The end of summer sizzled at AFR’s National Networking Tour DesignSparks Miami! Six hundred guests showed up to the Perez Art Museum Miami to experience an evening at the museum and enjoy some inspired design, amazing furnishings, delicious food and great networking.

Since the Perez Art Museum Miami had just opened its doors in late 2013, our event doubled as a coming-out party for the museum to the events industry. As you can imagine, it generated no small amount of excitement (you know how we event pros love a new venue!). If you haven’t seen it, be sure to find out more about this amazing space and the different event spaces available, here.

On the night of our event, the museum opened its doors for AFR guests to privately experience some of the exhibits and tour the museum. We have one word: Magnificent!

Our main event was held on the Terrace, which afforded great views overlooking the waters of Biscayne Bay. Guests could also descend a flight of stairs and relax on the beach right next to the water.

ConceptSPARK:

THEME OF THE EVENT: Pantones: Let The Colors Inspire You!

Mother Nature... which can remind me the origin of who I am….like a ZOOM in a picture, when you appreciate the real COLORS of this LIFE! Amen!
– Jaquelina Zingales, Green Papyrus

Color use is one of the most impactful considerations for event designers. It’s also well known that Miami and bold color are synonymous. There couldn’t have been a more perfect theme for this year’s Miami Networker than to bring color and inspiration to life while showcasing our furnishings. We showcased an “Inspiration Wall” (shown on Everlasts’ amazing LED walls), quotes from over 50 event professionals in South Florida, the question was “What Inspires you?”, their answers were shown here.

For our overall palette, we chose intense hues of Yellow, Red, Orange, Brown, Gray, Blue and Black and innovatively designed Pantone color blocked sections that showcased our furnishings and shone a spotlight on the creative work and service offerings of our partner sponsors.

The evening also focused on the art of color and the inspirations found within the museum. All totaled, it was sublime!

The museum was the perfect place to showcase some of our new product offerings and infuse them into the overall design of the event. From our new Regale Chaise in the Blue Area to Aspen Tables on the beach, Butterfly and Gold Leaf Tables in the Pantone Mocha Train to the art display of Spectrum, Hylton and Aria Tables at the entryway, and iPad Stands throughout the event, new products were presented and integrated throughout the event in many unique ways.

For stunning color block displays throughout the space, we created lounge areas that highlighted our furnishings in the coordinating color and showcased lovely design and floral. Two of our favorites were the Blue and Orange areas.

In the Blue Block, we used Regale Sofas and Chairs intermixed with Function Armless Chairs covered in Custom Blue Missoni inspired slipcovers accented with blue pillows. White Shanti Bar backs were used as dividers and in each cubby, a single stem blue floral in blue glass and clear vases with colored water. Along the top were glass lanterns. Rose Accent Tables topped with simple blue floral finished the area.

In the Orange Block, we used Orange, Pink and Gold, which worked well together. For the grouping, we used Grammercy Sofas covered in custom Retro inspired slipcovers, Tangerine Ottomans, and Camel and Fuchsia Regency Cube Ottomans accented with Rose Phoebe Tables topped with matched glass vases filled with floral.

In the Pantone Mocha Train we used Winston Sofas, Elan Chairs and Harmony Tables for a luxurious and warm look. To accent the lounge perfectly, we used Umber Bars one side with Harmony sofa tables to create the effect of the inside of a train cabin; here we served organic iced mochas and coffee service.

Out on the beach, we created a Gray Block using our Florida Only Nobhill Collection with Aspen Tables, and Marcus Barstools. A Hombre color Nautilus Spiral created from stage chairs swirled from Midnight to Buckskin and Chamois Stage Chairs for an artistic take on product display.

Our Black Block included our Metro Collection paired with Black Cubed Accent Tables and Zinc Pub Tables backed by an LED screen, which looped imagery from sponsors and provided a great gathering spot for guests to network or enjoy a bite to eat.

The Catering station also reflected our Inspiring Color theme adding four more hues to the overall palette: green, red, orange and yellow. Not only were they color themed, but also the food served from each station was coordinated to match. It was a true WOW!

To create each station, we used Regency Cube Ottomans, stacked Novel Cocktail Tables and Acrylic LED Table Pedestals interspersed with Phoebe Tables to create “windows” to serve foods. Each station was finished with Pantone colored coordinated menus, floral and matching accessories creating an innovative yet consistent look throughout each station.

Taking the idea a step further, foods matched the color of each station. For instance, at the Orange station, guests enjoyed Confit Moroccan Chicken Crepe, Maple Butternut Squash Puree, Roasted Baby Carrots and Annatto Crème. At the Red Station they found Cured Ahi Tuna, Fresh Tomatoes, Roasted Red Beets, Pomegranate Vinaigrette and Micro Beet Greens. At the Green Station, Garden Pea & Black Pepper Flan, Jumbo Asparagus, Green Goddess Dressing and Fried Kale Salad. At the Yellow Station, guests discovered Saffron Polenta Cakes, Sweet Corn Puree, Charred Baby Corn, Creamy Turmeric Goat Cheese, Yellow Frisée and Yellow Pea Shoot Salad. Not only were foods aesthetically beautiful, they were over the top delicious!

Not to be out done, the bars were equally creative. Perrier used our Grass Bars and created interesting flavor infused waters including Cotton Candy, Lime, Grape, Grapefruit and more while Bacardi used VIP Glow bars with custom Pantone Color and Product Graphic acrylic adhesives to create flavor infused specialty cocktails. Custom Noir bar with gold front served as coffee stations and a local company offered organic iced mochas and aromatic coffees outside at valet. Down on the beach, a local brewery served up delicious beers from our Florida-only Noir Bar paired with Black Shanti Bar Backs.

A huge LED inspirational wall was filled predesigned content including quotes, conceptual sketches and drawings, colors and design – anything that inspired designers throughout the Miami area. Another large screen showcased social media live streams as guests took pictures and posted them to their favorite social media platform on Twitter: #afrTOUR. Yet another screen served as a scenic element for the stage.

Everywhere a guest looked, there was something inspiring to see, touch or taste or do. The evening was an experiential extravaganza on steroids.

For entertainment throughout the evening, we used a progressive band concept. Starting with a DJ, every 30 minutes, the band added another instrument and then rounded out the evening with a full dance set.

Inside the venue, during cocktail hour, a troupe performed artistically interpreted dance numbers.

A cigar roller on the beach provided custom cigars and guests could relax in the lounges and enjoy the rain-free evening on the beach.

Guests could have their pictures taken in a fun photo booth which turned the pictures into either pop art, Andy Warhol styled prints or color abstracts and were printed right on the spot made for a fun attraction and event take away was really popular throughout the night.

A brain art station was fascinating for guests. If you’ve never seen one, a guest chooses a color palette, puts on a sensor visor and sits in front of a monitor. The art is created through the activity of brainwaves, which is translated onto screen and then printed out. It combined, emotion, inspiration and color all together to create art that is as individual as the person that is doing it. No two are the same. It was amazing!

The winner of the TSE Full Package for the 2015 The Special Event Conference & Trade Show at the end of the night was Leonardo Lanaro of Flower Bazaar. Congratulations! We’ll see you in sunny Anaheim in January, Leo!

This year’s Miami Networker was a blast. To end the night perfectly, each guest enjoyed a swag bag filled with goodies like champagne and Perrier water and black and white cookies. It was an evening of art, fun, design and color inspiration and awesome networking. It was truly a team effort thanks to our partners and sponsors! If you missed out, you can check out the video recap of the event, here.

We’re off and running for our next tour date in Chicago. If you haven’t registered yet, you can click right here and take care of that! We know you won’t want to miss it!

Please check back often for more exciting updates and please join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by using the official tour hash tag: #afrTOUR.

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