Steampunk Top Hat Centrepiece

Doffing our cap to the Steampunk Top Hat Design, an industrial style creation.

Here at Table Art, we can certainly be described as Steampunk crazed! Loving all things industrial, we have been the forerunners in Steampunk Event Styling. Leading the field, we continue to build on the range, making it the most comprehensive steampunk collection.

This blog focusses on the Low-Level Steampunk Top Hat we developed especially for the Lancashire Business Awards. Keen to bring a Steampunk theme to their annual awards show, the client fixed on using our Airship at the event entrance. Although loving the range of centrepieces we had on offer, Aileen and her team at LBA wanted something low level for the tables. MD Gary Martin stepped up and undertook the brief. Looking to take the steampunk style but transform it into a jaw dropping low level table centre.

Concept

When you think Victorian, you think top hats. Dandies of London in all their finery, doffing their hats to passers-by. It is by far one of the most common accessories for guests at a Steampunk Event. As you can see from the selection of images from Pinterest below. Steampunk draws in an eccentric crowd that take great pride in their costumes. With the Steampunk top hat featuring so heavily across the board, a must to feature on this Table Centre.

With the top hat the catalyst, the inspiration to the design. The first task, to sketch out design options. For those of you familiar already with our Steampunk range, you will know of our Steampunk Chandelier. Popular on events, it features top hats alongside industrial print umbrellas. In between those key elements are hanging filament light bulbs. Now it is those bulbs that Gary wanted to draw in as the light source for this centrepiece.

Once the light source had been settled upon, now to the task of accessorizing the hat. The first thing that came to mind is the industrial style goggles that are again a common feature on steampunk costumes. A fitting choice, we set the googles around the rim of the hat.

Finally, time to consider the base. We needed to elevate the steampunk top hat, add a dynamic base that would draw the eye. The solution? To utilize our vintage style cogs. The warehouse has a steampunk section which is almost full to the brim with cogs. These cogs prove to be a fabulous accessory to our styling and are featured heavily across the range. To bring these into the centrepiece design is a no-brainer.

Production

One of the strongest drives in our design studio is the need to create centrepieces of the highest quality. The studio takes great care in sourcing out the best materials, certainly the case in this design. We have all seen the cheap top hats you can buy from wholesalers, but the quality is evident from the moment you set eyes on it. For that reason, Gary and the team spoke with costume specialists- looking for recommendations in sourcing the best top hats. A fruitful enquiry, we found a supplier of top hats which made the pieces in quality materials. With an event looking to dress over 100 tables, we sourced out 115 hats (allowing ample spare for those last-minute additions!).

Next step – the goggles which we found again at a costumier. The fun part here, the boxes and boxes of goggles that turned up. The office transformed into a production line as Clare and Helen quietly assembled the hat and google combo.

Meanwhile, the guys downstairs in the warehouse donned googles and face masks. With a pile of cogs to paint, the team covered the warehouse floor in these small cogs. Painting each one individually, a gold base paint applied. Following that, a black spray that added a contour element to the paintwork, giving it that industrial shabby chic look.

The Event

With the strategic loading of the van, we managed to get the 100+ table centres loaded. Travelling up to the Blackpool Winter Gardens Venue, Gary, Andy and Rob started off early. Once they arrived, now it is all hands-on deck! Doing in steps, cogs out on the table first followed by the hat and light.

A hyper cool feature of this centrepiece is the DMX lighting that we featured. Although they can only be lit white, they can be dimmed, brightened and blacked out on command. This effect utilised on the awards show. For every winner announced, the filament light bulb flashed enthusiastically. With the AV lighting working in unison, a Steampunk tone set. Guests dressed to impress had their very own steampunk feature at the heart of the table.

Blackpool Winter Gardens is a fabulous venue for a steampunk style. Its old-world Victorian charm lends itself effortlessly to the theme. These Low Level Top Hat Centrepieces elevated the theme and a much admired detail.

Table Art are THE best when it comes to Table Centre Hire:

For your own steampunk soiree, contact the team today and we will fire across a proposal to suit!