The talented people at Kehoe Designs, JDetailed Events, and BluePlate Catering collaborated to produce this one-of-a-kind Mexican-themed rehearsal dinner for some very lucky Chez clients. We recently sat down with Kehoe’s Joshua Jones, the creative mind behind the design, to get the scoop on the details.
CHEZ: Describe this event in one sentence.
JONES: A whimsical, modern spin on a spicy south-of-the-border fiesta.
CHEZ: The space came alive with color and light. Could you tell us how you achieved this effect?
JONES: We wanted to preserve the contemporary, clean backdrop of Chez’s light and airy interior so that the vibrant colors would really pop. We brought in crisp white furnishings such as our contemporary sectional sofas, tulip highboy tables, and paired lacquered dining tables with crystal chiavari chairs. Lighting was a huge design element for this colorful fiesta. The crisp, white walls and gorgeous glass staircase of Chez really embraced the orange and magenta up lights and textural lounge washes that we incorporated to transform the space into a sophisticated night club.
CHEZ: Could you tell us a little about the unique floor plan you created at Chez?
JONES: The client did not want a typical dining room setting, so we created a floor plan that felt more like a high-energy club lounge. We divided the space with a central lounge group that consisted of a long, white leather sofa, tables, and ottomans. Above the central lounge group, we installed a lush treatment of colorful over-sized lanterns intermingled with playful piñatas.
CHEZ: The floral design is so clever. We especially love the floral arrangements in the stone guacamole bowls! Could you talk us through the design?
JONES: Working alongside the talented planners of JDetailed Events and listening to our clients’ unique perspective, we found creative ways to incorporate a Mexican flavor. We wanted to create a thoughtful design while maintaining an element of fun and whimsy. Inspired by a desert sunset, we conceptualized colorful floral in shades of orange, coral, hot pink, fuchsia, and yellow. For texture and interest, we incorporated unique floral such as magenta cockscomb, yellow craspedia, and desert succulents. Giant palm leaves were hand-painted with Mexican-inspired graffiti by our talented in-house artists at Kehoe Designs.
CHEZ: Was there one special detail that you loved?
JONES: I wanted to add a unique cocktail experience that nodded to our design concept. Our graphic arts department treated illuminated bar fronts with colorful custom artwork that was inspired by Mexican folk art. The bars, bar-back shelving, and up lights looked brilliant against the textural brick walls of Chez.
CHEZ: Lastly, we must ask about the life-sized bride and groom piñatas!
JONES: Weren’t they a hoot?! The life-sized piñatas that resembled our bride and groom were completely the clients’ idea! We got the call from JDetailed Events and we were ecstatic that our clients wanted to incorporate such a playful element within their event. Events come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. It’s such a pleasure playing a part in each client’s event design journey.
CHEZ: Thanks so much for spending some time with us today Joshua.