In my line of work, some of the commissions I receive are a little ‘out of the ordinary’ and this was one of those jobs! I was asked by Match to style their Datemaster Bus – which is touring London this week offering singles the chance to meet fellow singletons on their commute to work. Match found that due to busy work schedules, it’s challenging to meet new people, so why not combine the dreary daily commute with dating!
My mission, when styling the bus, was to create a space that would really lift the mood and (hopefully) evoke great conversation. Atmosphere is KEY and it drives me mad when you go to a restaurant where the food is amazing and yet it’s too dark, or the music is too loud (or there is none at all) or, worst of all, the lights are so bright that it’s like a canteen!
I wanted to avoid anything that was too themed and relating to love such as; hearts, roses and cutesy items, they were most definitely out! Instead, I started with a modern palette of mint, coral and gold and built my look around this. My accessories and soft furnishings needed to be fun but also ‘on trend’ and so the geo cushions from Made.com were perfect and looked great combined with my soft chevron throws. I then followed the geo theme with my plates and coasters from Talking Tables, who also sell the most amazing selection of table accessories, all in my chosen colours! I fell in love with their hanging tassel garland in mint, coral and gold and used them at either end of the bus to create a focal point when you step onboard. Garlands are a great way to add real visual impact to party décor.
For the finishing touches I used some fabulous faux palm leaves from Hobbycraft and combined them with some pretty faux flowers, I chose fake over real due to practicalities of keeping them fresh and not having to have water in the vases (which were stuck down!) I was thrilled with the overall look; the bus was inviting without being too over bearing. I can’t wait to see what the daters think! Click this link if you want to take a ride on the bus on Friday 12th August 2016!
