Associates of Crate and Barrel, CB2, and Land of Nod celebrated the holiday season in their very own “Bavarian Biergarten” reminiscent of a cozy and festive European winter evening.  

Met with the challenge of transforming VenueOne North Shore, former home of the Chicago Bulls training facility, our team immediately hit the drawing board to come up with a design plan that would take a large warehouse-scale space into a setting that would immediately envelop guests in a warm, intimate yet contemporary winter wonderland.

Inspiration board photo credits: Justina Bilodeau Photography via Hearth Magazine, CoolChicStyleFashion.com, Justina Bilodeau Photography via Hearth Magazine, 24 Carrots Weddings and Events, timezatimeza, Julia Davila-Lampe, Julia Lehman via DesignSponge.com, Logo: EJD Designs, LLC.

Blending various textures of pine, wood, and rustic outdoor elements with lush fabrics, contemporary acrylic and industrial metal, we immediately began laying the foundation for the setting of a refined, chic, “Crate-inspired” village at the base of the Alps. Guests entered to a glowing pathway of luminaries and candles and were offered mugs of warm mulled wine.

Further into the space, real pine trees lit with traditional large bulbs anchored the room and cafe lights twinkled overhead. Cozy lounge groupings with faux fur throws were mixed with counter-height communal wooden farm tables paired with chic clear-acrylic bar stools, giving guests multiple seating options as they enjoyed warm mulled wine, gruyere fondue, spaetzle and other German-inspired fare. A secondary “Aprés Ski” or “After Ski” area was transformed into a Ski Chalet with projections of snow falling on the walls around as guests roasted marshmallows and conversed with gourmet hot chocolate under a wooden pergola.

 

Vendors: VenueOne North Shore, Blue Plate Catering, Event Creative, Cory Chisel with William Bell, Sherry Dyanne, Chicago Live Music, VIP Violin, Delphi Glass, Signature Transportation, Smilebooth, EJD Design LLC, Collin Pierson Photography

And a huge thank-you to Crate and Barrel for including and entrusting our team in such a spectacular day!