CONCEPT TO REALITY: Book Bound Brilliance!
The Book Table Centre: Created January 2020
Elevating events with a literary tone. A new book styled base to cleverly conceal our light technology. The Book Table Centre is launched!
As a result of the growing popularity of the Tiffany collection, a vintage alternative to the current modern base has been in high demand. We have created a leather-bound tome conceals the light base and gives you the opportunity to either brand or customize with a bespoke title on the spine. This blog features an event with an Around the World in Eighty Days book title and partnered it with our Cabaret Lamps. A fantastic choice for a book table centre hire.
The Concept
Pinterest arguably leads the field in setting trends across the event industry. Often a go-to resource for event planners. They spend time in Pinterest searching out ideas suitable for their client’s theme. Furiously copy and pasting imagery into their proposals. The next stage is getting in touch with their suppliers. Keen to see whether the event manufacturers can re-create what the planner has sourced out on Pinterest. When these enquiries come through to the sales team, the results can be very hit and miss. Fairy light bell jars are a common request and as such we have developed table centre to match. Similarly, clients looking for a more literal theme jump to book style table centres hire.
Initially these types of enquiries filled us with dread. Finding it wildly impractical to source out appropriate second-hand books and then to simply place our table centre on top. An unsightly combination which instantly recalls the phrase ‘Pinterest Fail’. Table Art are not ones for failure. Our design studio sought out the solution and have come up with these fabulous book bases.
Looking at Gary’s initial set of sketches, aiming to create a hallow book base. Externally it would look like a vintage style book. Internally concealing our state-of-the-art lighting technology. Once happy with the initial set of concepts, he proposed his ideas to the studio.
A Blank Canvas
Beyond the aesthetic, anything made by Table Art needs to fulfil the following brief:
Easily Transportable | High Quality | Durable | Resistant to Damage
Now the later can be hard to achieve without careful consideration. That is why, before the undertaking of production- materials need to be tested out. In this instance, the material options limited owing to the shapes we wanted looking to create. The Studio settled on the idea of fibreglass and set to task making a prototype.
Fibreglass is an inspired choice for a plethora of reasons. Primarily it is the dimensional stability of the material. Once formed into the required book shape, it will not shrink or stretch. With high tensile strength is something we are confident wouldn’t get damaged in transit. A huge plus here at Table Art! Finally, and arguably the most important factor is its electrical insulation properties. It is important that the material did not affect the safety of our light technology.
With a mould created, a set of prototypes cast. The next step, to look at the finish of the book. How best to paint it and make it scratch resistant?
Painted to Perfection
In the heart of many members of the design team is a talented artist. When there is a chance to get something painted, there is always a que of eager beavers putting forward their services. On this occasion, the task fell to both Gary and Joe Martin. They settled on a traditional brown pallet with cream pages. Adding gold gilding to the spine, they worked hard to bring a vintage finish to the piece. To achieve that they did some contour work in the painting that gave the appearance of shadows etc.
They then looked to making the bases scratch resistant’. Always a daunting task, they tested out two types of varnish and selected the best. The result, a sleek finish that protected the paint work but isn’t overly visible.
Once happy with the prototypes, now it’s time to get cracking on the production. As standard, we hold somewhere between 50-100 quantity of any given design. A new design for us and the popularity of it untested, Gary settled on making 50. Predictably, the studio went into overdrive. Making additional moulds, able to create 5 book table centtre at any one time. With over 100-man hours, we had 50 book bases to show for our efforts.
Custom Titles
The beauty of the book table centre is the ease in which they can be customised. One of our assets in the office is the fact that four of the sales team have photoshop skills. We certainly utilise that! Anyone looking for a visual can expect lighting quick work from our sales team. Why the tangent on photoshop? Well because its what feeds the designs for the book spines.
Looking at a Jungle book theme? No problem at all, our guys will create visuals for you to see the book base with your chosen book title. An invaluable service that will help you upsell the product to your client. Not restricted by book titles, you can opt to have a company logo or an event phrase- the world is your oyster!
With the debut of the book table centre, the client has an ‘Around the World’ theme. As a result, we picked out a Victorian style title for the Jules Verne’s Novel. Here you can see close ups of the design and you can see how beautifully it works with the book. Let me tell you a secret… it is a sticker! Easily applied and removed, it’s high quality that couldn’t look further from what you think of when you picture a sticker.
We cannot wait to see what book titles the clients come up with, we are ready and waiting for your enquiry!
The Book Table Centre
Big thanks to Pinterest for pushing the trend on this! Since their debut, the book bases are a common request A fabulous addition to many of our table centres, they offer a vintage look that many clients are keen for. Particularly brilliant as an alternative base to the Cabaret Lamp, they perfectly match in aesthetic.
These books are an effective way of delivering a theme but not compromising on quality. Contact our team today for a quotation. We will happily put together a proposal with custom visuals as standard!
For the best service in the world of Table Centre Hire, Contact Table Art:
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