Everyone loves a good drama. Having a dramatic theme for your event can be incredibly powerful, as it adds cohesiveness to any designs you choose, makes planning much simpler and gives an experience guests won’t forget. However, take event styling further and choose a theme which allows event planners to push the envelope and create an event that doesn’t just follow trends but helps create them.

We’ve compiled a list of 18 fantastically stylish event themes that give you plenty of opportunity for chic decorations and a sophisticated atmosphere. You can really let your creativity run wild and put on an event that will leave a lasting impression. It’s time to get Instagram set ablaze with your event. (If you’d like to see more event themes then take a look at our post on 150 event themes that you can truly pull off.)

If you are looking for more inspiration, then take a look at some of our previous designs.

1. Art Deco

An art deco theme differs from a Great Gatsby party as the focus is on the design and architecture of the 20s. This includes dark colours, brass and silver decorations, leather furniture, and bold cubist and modernist designs. Many large hotels and older theatres already have some art deco design and are perfect venues for this theme.

2. Jazz

Jazz takes on a life of its own and it manages to capture an atmosphere that is relaxed and buzzing with energy at the same time. The classic jazz club look is dimly lit with smouldering candles and intimately-sized tables. Jazz event themes work particularly well in venues with a 1930s or art deco style.

3. Edwardian Elegance

The Edwardian era was a short-lived period of time after the Victorians and before the First World War. It’s a time well-known for its elegance and is well suited as the basis for a period-piece event. Your event should pull from Edwardian high-tea parties, audacious gowns, and make use of pastel colours.

4. Psychedelic

A psychedelic themed party is an opportunity to get really creative and wild with your decorations. Colour and lighting are very important with neon swirls and waves of bold colours surrounding your guests. This is a good choice if you are looking for something different.

5. Steampunk

Steampunk is a popular theme even if not all of your guests will be aware of what ‘steampunk’ is. It’s an aesthetic that takes the style and architecture of the 19th century and reinvents it with fantasy technology. Your venue should end up looking like the parlour room of a mad Victorian inventor with lots of brass finishing and spinning cogs.

6. Hygge

‘Hygge’ is a Danish word that roughly translates to ‘cosy’ and is used to describe the type of feeling you get when sitting by the fireplace while wearing a thick jumper. It’s a good autumn or winter theme and it allows you to combine autumnal colours with thick-knit fabrics, fairy lights, and earthy wood furniture.

You can learn more about the cultural phenomena of hygge here.

7. High Fashion

The world of fashion and supermodels provides ample ideas for designing an event. You can create your own catwalk, install spotlights, and design your own range of avant-garde and beautiful decorations to bring a sense of high fashion to your event.

8. Parisian Party

Paris is a city that is known for inventing its own style and it has a unique atmosphere that translates well into an event theme. You can choose to begin decorating with iconic French and Parisian landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. Incorporate the high-fashion and meticulous design that Paris is known for with ornate decorations and a monochrome colour scheme.

9. California Dreaming

A California theme makes for a laid-back but stylish event and goes well with venues that have a modernist and relaxed atmosphere. A California theme should try to capture the design and feel of millionaire-homes resting along Big Sur with 60s-inspired minimal designs and a light and airy colour scheme.

10. Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey has been an enormously popular show and its backdrop of an early 20th century country estate is good inspiration for an event. The style of the event should be more reserved than you might normally have with a 1920s design and it should create the atmosphere of a stately home.

11. Prom

The American-style school Prom is meant to be one of the most memorable events of a lifetime and it’s a great style model for an event. You can choose for a traditional black tie event or go for a truer school prom feel by converting a simple venue into a grand ballroom with streamers and balloon decorations.

12. Vegas Party

Going to Vegas is always an event and you can make guests feel like high-rollers. As well as the usual decorations you’d expect from a casino night, a Las Vegas themed event welcomes the use of over-the-top lighting and monuments from all around the world in one location.

13. Dickensian Party

A Dickensian themed party allows you to create an event that has a highly stylised Victorian feel. You can take inspiration from all of Dickens’s work, whether it is Miss Havisham’s decaying dining room or a scene from ‘A Christmas Carol’.

14. Monaco

Monaco is home to the Grand Prix, polo tournaments, enormous casinos, and is James Bond’s favoured hangout. If you want to go all out with a display of luxury and high-class sophistication, then Monaco is good inspiration for an event. Make good use of chandeliers and baroque style decorations.

15. Underground Bar

There’s nothing cooler than an exclusive club or hidden away speakeasy and it makes for a strong event theme. Imagine you are designing your own bar and try to fill it with all the character you’d expect it to have, this can work particularly well if you are hosting your event at a venue which might not typically have a bar.

16. Surrealist

When you are looking to be creative and to challenge your guests, a surrealist theme can be an excellent choice. The idea is to create the feeling of being in a living dream by using designs and decorations that use everyday objects to create a strange but intriguing atmosphere for guests.

17. New York

New York City has many different styles involved but when it comes to a theme people will immediately turn to the art deco feel of Manhattan. Black and gold are the natural colour scheme for New York City themes and you can make nods to landmarks and icons such as the Empire State Building or yellow taxi cabs.

18. Russian

A Russian themed event can be ideal for the right crowd and the right venue. You can draw from classic Russian designs and colour schemes (typically using deep reds and pinks), and choose decorations inspired by Russian dolls or an art nouveau style.

Moscow’s meticulously crafted metro stations are a great source of inspiration when styling a Russian-themed event.

A Style People Will Remember: Event Themes

By choosing a style-focused theme for your event, you can take the matter of planning and designing your event seriously. Guests are certain to be impressed by a theme that you are passionate about and is well-realised.

At Table Art, we’re all about taking a theme and elevating it to an entirely new level that will leave guests stunned. If you want help planning your next event, then get in contact with us for a consultation.