<p><strong>Fabric elements such as linens, swags and  liners transform tents into events.</strong><br />
  InTents | December 2011<br />
  By Holly O’Dell</p>
<p>  An outdoor wedding in  the San Diego area used only tent framework. Fastened to the frame, “the fabric  was the environment,” says Glen Hansen of <a href="http://intentsmag.com/articles/1211_f2side1_liner_tips.html"><strong>Liner  handling tips</strong></a></p>
<p>When it  comes to creating the right look for a tented event, interior fabrics play an  important role. Fabric liners, for instance, continue to be a popular choice  for clients who want a refined look. “When people use a liner, they generally  do so in frame-style tents to cosmetically clean up the interior of the tent,”  says Glen Hansen, vice president of sales for <a href="http://classicpartyrentals.com/" target="_blank">Classic Party Rentals</a>–Chicago, McCook, Ill.  “But we don’t get a whole lot of requests for liners in tension or pole tents  because there isn’t a lot of aluminum or infrastructure that needs to be  disguised by fabric.”</p>
<p> Although  clients still seek the more traditional gathered or pleated liners, many event  rental companies report an increased interest in smooth or flat ceiling liners  over the last several years. “They give the tents a more contemporary look,”  Hansen notes. “We’ve had people come in and say, ‘We do not like the gathered  liners because they look like the interior of a coffin.’”</p>
<p> Hansen  also cites cost as a determining factor. “The smooth liners are cheaper than  the gathered ones. They take a lot less material to make and therefore rent for  less.”</p>
<p> Spencer  Etzel of the <a href="http://www.thesecgroup.com/" target="_blank">SEC Group</a>/BaytexUSA,  Wilsonville, Ore., says that smooth liners are appearing in corporate  environments. “The smooth liner hides all the mechanisms in the tent structure  and becomes a perfect palette to project pictures or corporate logos onto.  We’ve created a number of high-end display liners for national brand clients  such as BMW and Cadillac who want the event interior to be smooth and sleek  like their corporate image.”</p>
<p> The  fabric composition of liners has remained relatively unchanged, but some event  firms are switching up the looks. “We’ve recently used Mystique Satin fabric  because there are 180 color options,” notes Barbara Friesen of the SEC  Group/BaytexUSA. “We’ve built liners with the satin side for higher reflection  and brighter color and the matte side so that it becomes muted and softer. The  texture of the fabric is very sophisticated.”</p>
<p> <strong>Color palette</strong></p>
<p>  Tent  liners are no longer static elements of interior design. Ceiling liners come in  a palette of colors, while white, creams and champagne remain the most popular.  However, a client who selects a white or off-white liner doesn’t have to settle  for design mediocrity. “People can add a lot of color onto them with color gels  or LEDs,” Etzel says.</p>
<p> Black  also has emerged as a popular color. Clients like using a black liner “because  it makes the surrounding space disappear,” Friesen says. “Lighting effects on  decor and props make the event very dramatic.” Like smooth white liners, black  liners are particularly popular with corporate events.</p>
<p> Occasionally  tent rental companies receive requests for a patterned ceiling liner, but don’t  expect to see any increase in their availability or use. “Patterns tend to be a  more specific design and because of their design limitations can only be sold a  few times, so most companies do not even carry them,” notes David Merrell,  creative director and president of AOO Events in Los  Angeles, Calif.</p>
<p> <strong>Superior swags</strong></p>
<p>  Fabric  swags serve as an easy way to either complement or replace ceiling liners  altogether. Plus, they add an element of customization. “Swags are great  because they are unique to each event,” says Brian Richardson, president of L&amp;A  Tent Rentals in Hamilton, N.J. “The green you might like is not the green  I’m going to use at the next event.”</p>
<p> The  client will bring in a swatch, which L&amp;A matches with fabric from a local  store or wholesale provider. The company fabricates the swags in-house, then  disposes of them after the event.</p>
<p> Karl’s  Event Services, headquartered in Oak Creek, Wis., finds that its clients like  to use various-colored swags to accompany liners and complement tablecloths and  runners. Indeed, swags can punch up a tent’s interior. “One color we’ve been  using quite a bit is steel gray,” says Jimmy Parks, vice president of sales.  “It is a subtle color that blends well with a lot of different themes. It is a  very clean look.”</p>
<p> <strong>Linen appeal</strong></p>
<p>  Like  liners and swags, linens make a strong decor statement. Merrell indicates that  linen trends vary by location and category of client. “On the whole, corporate  clients tend to be more on the conservative side, choosing traditional patterns  and textures such as pintucks, bengalines and crushed silks or velvets,” he  says. “When you get into the social aspect, like weddings or bar and bat  mitzvahs, those clients are more daring and go with bold patterns and damasks.”</p>
<p> On the  color side, Merrell says that color palettes emerge every year, then disappear.  However, some hues never go out of fashion. “Orange always seems to stick  around, or at least different versions of it,” he says. Merrell also has seen a  transition from neutrals to brighter colors such as vibrant blues, fuchsias and  oranges. “When you are in a recession, neutrals, which are more conservative,  generally are more prevalent, and when there is an upswing in the economy,  bright colors come back out.”<br />
  In  addition, Merrell suggests ways to make linens more enticing. “Use a more basic  cloth and spend a little extra effort and time on a runner. A runner is a lot  less fabric and yet it has a custom feel to it. Fun additions include adding  tassels at the end of the runners or tying up the corners of linens. These are  simple ways to make a basic linen seem more expensive.”</p>
<p> In  tough economic times, customers are looking for creative options for their tent  interiors without breaking the bank. “We are finding many clients are willing  to cut back on the type of chair they are renting and are going with a less  expensive carpet, but they are still willing to have fabric treatments as part  of their event budget,” says Richardson. “They know that when most guests leave  the event, they won’t be talking about how wonderful the chairs were or how  plush the carpet was. They will, however, probably notice and be talking about  the overall decor of the tent, which includes the fabric.”</p>