Building VIP experiences through decor at festivals and outdoor events.

Reading Festival 2024

Reading Festival is one of the UK’s biggest music festivals, held over the August Bank Holiday weekend. It’s home to a diverse range of music styles, from indie and hip hop to electronic and lots more! With such a broad musical lineup, the festival attracts a wide mix of ages and demographics. Because of this, tailored experiences and curated customer journeys werre more important than ever.

Among its offerings, the festival provides VIP, exclusive experiences. From boutique village accommodation and lounge spaces to fast-track access to bars.

After successfully adding elements of tropical colour and surprise to the festival in 2023, we were thrilled to be contacted again by the production team behind the magic.

This time around, the brief called for a “rock” aesthetic that was cohesive with the broader festival atmosphere while offering a fresh twist from the previous year. The space also needed to feel inviting and comfortable, with practical options around outdoor durability and ample seating capacity.

Returning After A Successful Year

READING FESTIVAL 2023

As always, with sustainability front of mind, we began by exploring our existing inventory. From there, we selected pieces that fit the brief perfectly, identified a few to adapt and customise and anything we didn’t have to hand, we got to work crafting with reclaimed materials.

The Installations

Our work started where the guest experience begins: the entrance to The Lounge.

The goal was to create a “wow factor” that set the tone for the event and left guests eager to discover more, and that’s exactly what we delivered.

This entrance installation was a striking, modern structure made from black frame plinths, neon light tubes, disco balls, and faux greenery. It served as the perfect visual hook to entice and intrigue guests into the exclusive seclusion of The Lounge.

Show-Stopping Entrances

The production team behind Reading Festival made it clear that seating was a top priority, with a specific number of seats outlined for the VIP area. Using this number as a foundation, we created fully tailored seating packages for every corner of this VIP space. Each setup included carefully chosen accessories to match the aesthetic and add an extra layer of comfort.

Festival Seating Like No Other

Our reclaimed wood sofa sets were the ideal choice for the outdoor lounges; practical, weatherproof, and a perfect match for the overall look. For indoor spaces, we continued the industrial vibe with our poseur tables and black Tolix-style stools. These two seating styles created a versatile experience, offering spaces for lounging, dining, and socialising across both indoor and outdoor areas.

And of course, we couldn’t resist adding a little fun! Our Rope Seats made a bold statement, unique, unexpected, and a total hit with guests. They were a photo-worthy favourite throughout the weekend.

The Furniture

To carry the theme and aesthetic inside the geo-dome tent, we created this bespoke ceiling installation. This design echoed key elements from the entrance (such as the plinths and disco balls) to maintain a cohesive and immersive look throughout the space.

Ceiling Installations

If you know us, you’ll know we never scrimp on décor or skip the details when it comes to creating cohesive, immersive spaces. With that in mind, we brought together some of our standout props that screamed rock aesthetic with a twist of natural texture.

The final touches included vintage speakers, faux plants, bespoke head statues, and a smattering of mini disco balls, layered throughout the space to keep every corner visually engaging!

Creating Interest In Every Corner

This festival happened to coincide with another one of our festivals, Leeds Festival. The only challenge was that both of these festivals were in opposite directions!

With that in mind, careful planning and efficiency were absolutely key when it came to installation days. Thanks to detailed prep, tight time management, and a can-do attitude on site, we delivered everything (and more!), despite a few inevitable, external delays.

Collaboration was another crucial part of this project’s success. We worked closely with a number of other suppliers, including site crews for the entrance arch scaffolding and lighting teams for the neon tube effects. Flexibility and open communication made for a smooth and seamless install from start to finish.