Big Party Rental Firms Forecast Top Trends for 2018: Part 2

Who knows best what’s hot at special events? The big event rental companies, of course. Every year, Special Events compiles all the info on the 30 biggest in the business, and here we share insights from our latest list on what the big guns say are the big trends. We showed you Part 1 earlier this week, and Part 2 starts right here …

See the complete information on our 2017 “30 Top Rental Companies” in our Fall issue, available to subscribers. Subscribe here or download this report (which includes revenue forecasts, management details and operations updates) for a reasonable fee.

TABLE IT
Party Rental Ltd.
Teterboro, N.J.
WHAT'S RENTING "The tables in our Furniture Collection have been very popular this year, including our new Loft Tables, Country Tables and Mason Tables," management says. "Clients love the linen-less look, and the tables can be styled rustic, industrial or even classic, which is right on trend." Also a hit: "Our Chalkboard Bar--it’s the perfect statement piece!--so we introduced additional surface choices  that coordinate with other pieces in our collection. Decorative tabletop pieces, like uniquely ornate chinaware, gold flatware, and textured glassware, add a ton of personality to designs, which our clients have been loving."
WHAT'S NEXT "We’re seeing increased demand in more furniture-like statement pieces that really 'wow' guests, so we’re in the process of developing new products for our Furniture Collection, like a beautiful, bold wood bar," management says. "While the classics never go out of style, we find that our clients want unique, stylized tabletop pieces that will set their designs apart, so we’ve been introducing a variety of collections to support that. Lastly, 'going green' and finding ways to be sustainable will be big trends for years to come, and embracing new technology has been an integral part of our efforts."

CONCEPT FIRST, THEN PRODUCT
Party Rent Group
Bocholt, Germany
WHAT'S RENTING The company has had great success with its original designs for event furniture from providers such as Vitra, Lapalma, COR and HAY from Denmark. Also, planners often ask for "concepts with an individual touch," they say. Creating tables from old wooden planks has been very successful, and "every piece that got into the trending 'craft' style is fast selling at the moment," they add.
WHAT'S NEXT "Rental companies have to work flexibly to answer the customers' individual preferences," management says. "It’s not the product that makes the decision--it’s the whole concept."

COMING UP ROSE GOLD
Peachtree Tents and Events
Atlanta
WHAT'S RENTING Rose gold and metallics are hot in Peachtree's markets right now; "Anything we can accent or get in those colors are being used like crazy," they say.
WHAT'S NEXT "We are experiencing solid revenue growth, and event planners are being given better budgets with latitude to provide custom experiences again," management says. "The cookie-cutter approach is disappearing and clients are asking us to create environments. It is a trend back to creativity and value being placed on that creativity, rather than the events that feel more like a 'commodity.' We are also starting to see many acquisitions going on in our space as a result of that profitable growth. In fact, PTE is expanding and will be in additional markets by year-end."

‘TRAVEL’ A STRONG THEME
Peak Event Services
Woburn, Mass.
WHAT'S RENTING Trending this year: "Textured and patterned linens, such as crushed velvet or blush/dusty blue, with pops of metallics pair to create a glam and modern look," they say. Also big: "Mixing round tables covered in linen with farm tables to create depth to a space and mix up the floor plan." And: "All things metallic/matte--gold, rose gold, silver--especially flatware, to easily tie look of table together."
WHAT'S NEXT PEAK forecasts the future: "We are starting to see more and more people incorporate their love of travel into their events. Whether it’s modern with clean lines inspired by Copenhagen or use of more textiles, colors and bold pieces inspired by a trip to Mexico, immersion in travel and culture will play a big role when determining what event rentals to choose. Couples are creating their own signature looks and branding their celebrations."

‘RUSTIC’ STAYS HOT
Peerless Events and Tents
Arlington, Texas
WHAT'S RENTING Just how cool is "rustic"? "Our rustic line is still as hot as a Texas summer day," management says. "We also recently invested in the Eureka X2 tent system, which is a standard frame tent that is kedered like a structure tent. This style of tent allows us to offer our budget-conscious tenting customers a less expensive option to a more costly structure tent, yet gives them all the stability and beauty of the more costly option."
WHAT'S NEXT Good to grow: "We have continued to grow financially as well as in the customer service field," management says. "We have designed an 'Inspiration Box' that will be introduced in 2017. Our customers will have the ability to go to our website, order samples of linen, tabletop, even a table, and we will deliver them in a specially designed box to their front door. We feel that this will bring our showroom into our customers' living room, allowing them to 'play' with our equipment on their own timeline and terms."

GOOD TO GROW
Perfect Settings
Landover, Md.
WHAT'S RENTING Nature calling: "We envision natural and rustic design elements as the direction in which the industry is trending. In addition, we believe the present trend of neutral palettes interspersed with bright colors will carry on for the foreseeable future," management says.
WHAT'S NEXT "To date, 2017 has been a record-breaking year for Perfect Settings in terms of sales volume," the teams says. "A new administration in the [U.S. presidential] Oval Office often leads to a spike in the number of events throughout the greater Washington metropolitan area. Perfect Settings plans to ride the wave of this burgeoning economy, which should allow Perfect Settings to grow exponentially in 2017 and beyond."

HOT: WHITE PLUS BOHO
PRO EM Event Management
Phoenix
www.proem.org
WHAT'S RENTING What's in: A clean, modern look using white furniture with color accents using pillows and rugs, as well as a Bohemian vibe with bright jewel tones, farm tables, mix-and-match furniture, and accents such as greenery. Charging stations and branding options have become very popular as well, they say.
WHAT'S NEXT "For 2017, we will continue to see our clients interested in upscale products, soft furniture decor and unique lighting elements," management says. "The current event environment features clients looking for the 'wow' factor for their events. Our clients seek more personalization and attention to details and look for a company who can fulfill those needs. Social media is playing a large role in this trend as clients are seeking inspiration from the various available channels. Additionally, as sustainable practices become more and more prevalent in our industry, willingness to be proactive and develop 'green' solutions to event management is also a priority for some corporate events and institutions."

OUTLOOK BRIGHT BUT PRESSURES BUILD
Signature Party Rentals
Santa Ana, Calif.
WHAT'S RENTING Chandeliers, sequin linens and black matte flatware from Signature add glamour to events. "We also continue to see strong demand for lighting and furniture," they say.
WHAT'S NEXT "Cautious optimism continues as the southern California economy continues to be strong," management says. "However, minimum wage pressure and overall expense increases will present challenges to maintain margins. Recent changes in the competitive environment will also need to be observed and responded to accordingly."

WONDERFUL WORLD OF COLOR
Special Event Rentals
Edmonton, Alberta
WHAT'S RENTING Colored glassware and unique cutlery are extremely hot right now, management says. "We are also seeing an increase in the rental of floral overlays, while sequin linens remain popular," they add. "Farm tables and benches continue to rent as rustic-themed events continue."
WHAT'S NEXT Good news: “2017 has been a year of growth within our company," management says. "The local economy is improving, and we are seeing an increase in corporate events, festivals and personal events.”

CUSTOM WORK IS COOL
Stamford Tent and Event Service
Stamford, Conn.
WHAT'S RENTING Sailcloth tents are still popular, management says, and wide-plank floor coverings continue to be strong sellers. "Custom tenting is very hot right now," they say.
WHAT'S NEXT An above-average increase in sales coupled with improved efficiencies has made for a very good year, management says, and the team is projecting similar results in the year ahead.

TENTS MAKE GREAT EVENTS
Stuart Rental Co.
Milpitas, Calif.
WHAT'S RENTING Tents are as popular as ever, management says. "Our customers love that they provide greater flexibility and customization than traditional brick-and-mortar event venues. We’ve also invested in new styles of linen, furniture, chairs, and other custom-built pieces to keep up with our clients' desire for unique pieces that stand out among the usual rental options."
WHAT'S NEXT "A steady customer demand for customized experiences has reinforced our mission of staying on the leading edge of event services and production," management says. "Our customers continue to seek out not just an increased variety of rental options, but the expert assistance of a rental team who draws on decades of experience to be able to reliably and professionally handle whatever is thrown their way. Being in the heart of Silicon Valley, we expect a continued push for innovative event spaces and experiences."

ADDING EXTRAS TO STRUCTURES
TentLogix
Fort Pierce, Fla.
WHAT'S RENTING What's hot: Full-color printed graphics, unique floor coverings,  curved-beam structures, mono-pitch structures, and low-pitch roof systems, they say, along with glass walls with printed custom graphics, colored tinting, and frosted and mirrored finishes. Highly customized event structures with stadium entrances, porches, mezzanines, patio extensions, recessed gables, curved sections, and printed graphics on the tops and gable ends "allow discerning clients to create their tented environments from the ground up," management says.
WHAT'S NEXT Highly customized and fully engineered tenting solutions will continue to be the trend for the high-end event market, they say, along with unique event furnishings, vintage items, alternative materials and "the introduction of new products currently not available to the rental market."

INVESTING IN INVENTORY
Town and Country Event Rentals
Van Nuys, Calif.
WHAT'S RENTING To keep up with demand, T&C has spent in excess of $3 million dollars this year in expanding its tenting and structure along with an across-the-board “beef up” of the basics that include major increase in cooking equipment, furniture and new chair offerings, such as replacement of 14,000 wooden folding chairs and 600 new market umbrellas, management says. Another $1 million has been spent on additional china, glassware and flatware patterns.
WHAT'S NEXT "Rustic is still holding strong and doesn’t seem like it’s going anytime soon," they say. "However, clean contemporary looks also dominate style trends. Clients are looking for anything custom that truly sets their events apart from the others. We have invested in machinery, large-format printers and computerized CNC routers to provide custom products and signage." But costs are a worry: "The cost of labor and insurance, along with overly burdensome government regulations, is a continuing challenge that we battle every day to keep costs down," they add.

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