Get Inspired by PNW Beauty

Pacific Northwest Inspired Decor for Your Event

Hosting an event in the Pacific Northwest and looking for local inspiration for your decor?

We are beyond lucky to live in such an incredibly beautiful, creative, and special part of the world that sometimes we Pacific Northwest locals forget just how amazing our home is for those who don't see it every day. With so much culture, nature, and history around us to draw from, there's a ton of options for making your event special that connect back to where it's being hosted. So kick back, set the scene with some local music (which would also be great background music for a locally inspired party!), and let one of these ideas spark your creativity!

Go Natural

Urban Inspo

Draw from Culture and History

Go Natural

We're surrounded by lush green forests, breathtaking mountains, and the waters of the Puget Sound, so there's a ton of nature to be inspired by. It just makes sense that a Pacific Northwest event would have ties to these natural elements!

Want to bring the forest into your event? Incorporate wooden elements, such as log slices, reclaimed wood tables, and wooden signage. These items evoke the region's abundant forests and give your event a rustic feel. Use fresh evergreen branches, like pine and fir, in your decor. Create wreaths, centerpieces, or garlands to infuse the scent and look of the Pacific Northwest. Add moss and lichen-covered decor to mimic the lush undergrowth of the region. Consider faux-moss table runners, place card holders made of mossy wood, or terrarium centerpieces. Pine cones are a quintessential Pacific Northwest decor item. Incorporate them into table settings, bouquets, or use them as place card holders.

Evoke the feel of the Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges with a dark grey and white color palette for your linens brightened with splashes of color inspired by mountain wildflower meadows. Lupine, Aster, Jacob's Ladder, Penstamon, Mountain Heather, Subalpine Daisies, and Thistles are common wildflowers found near Mt. Rainier, and will add luscious pops of blues, purples, and pinks that will stand out against the muted grey and white of your mountain-inspired linens. For additional immersion, consider naming your tables after local mountains using their traditional native names: Tahoma (Rainier), Pahto (Adams), Kulshan (Baker), DaKobed (Glacier), Sunh-a-do (the Olympic mountains).

Our beautiful beaches and waterways can be evoked by incorporating driftwood, seaglass, rounded stones, and seashells into your decor, along with muted shades of blue. Dried kelp bulbs make an unexpected and textural addition to floral centerpieces. Most beaches in the Pacific Northwest aren't known for being particularly sandy, so use more tumbled stone (think like river rock) and grey tones in lieu of where you'd use sand for a tropical beach.

Of course the wildlife of the region are iconic as well, whether by land, air, or by sea. By land, river otters, elk, black bears, coyotes, cougars, and beavers are some of the first animals that come to mind when thinking of the area. By air, we're known for our crows, ravens, great horned owls, and bald eagles. And by sea, of course, we're known for our Orcas (and our incredible whale watching in general), harbor seals, sea otters, harbor porpoises, and our salmon (especially our salmon migration). Consider decorating each table at your event themed around one of these animals, with faux fur or feathers (or silver sequin fabric to emulate salmon skin), and a color palette that matches the animal of your choice, with a centerpiece featuring a plush or figure of that table's animal. You can then raffle off the plushes or have a fun teambuilding game where they can serve as prizes! Place facts about the animals on cards at the table to spark conversation. For an added bonus, consider making a donation to a wildlife rescue organization such as SR3, a local marine mammal hospital, and place a card at the table letting your guests know you've made a donation in their honor.

Urban Inspo

Of course there's a lot of local culture to draw on as well. Local landmarks such as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market make for iconic backdrops that scream Pacific Northwest, but there are some icons of the area that aren't tapped as often for design inspiration. For example, our local ferry system is heavily featured in TV shows that take place in Seattle (ahem, Grey's Anatomy, we're looking at you specifically!) but is rarely used as design inspiration. Go for a slight (but not over-the-top) nautical theme and draw on the Washington State Ferry color palette (white with dark green, pictured below) for your color scheme. Name your tables after the ferries in the system, and give away an Orca card pre-loaded with the amount needed for a ferry trip as a prize for one of your attendees.

But speaking of TV shows that take place in Seattle, there's a lot of inspiration you can draw from films or TV shows that either take place in or were filmed in Seattle! The 90's are trendy again (we know, we're upset about feeling old, too), so it's the perfect time for a Frasier-themed reception, complete with a coffee bar and a radio-themed photo booth for attendees to take fun pictures. You can turn the ferry idea above into a Grey's Anatomy themed party with very few modifications, just add a photo booth with doctor's coats and stethoscopes! And of course cult classic series Twin Peaks is a Pacific Northwest classic. To capture the Twin Peaks look, use some of the nature-themed elements above, like the forest decor, add a waterfall-themed element (an indoor fountain, perhaps?), and make one of the tables owl-based. After all, the owls are not what they seem.

Draw from Culture and History

Our region has a rich and multicultural history that makes it a deep well for inspiration. Native artwork and specifically Coast Salish Formline Design are one of the first things that come to mind when thinking about the arts and culture of our region. However, it is important to remember that native peoples are not just a part of our history but of our living, breathing present as well. If you want to bring native art elements into your decor, be sure to work with an artisan or vendor who is a local tribal member to avoid concerns over cultural appropriation. Need help making connections? Let us know and we can help you find the right folks to work with!

You can also choose to work with a venue that is directly connected to local history. The Highline Heritage Museum, for example, offers after hours private events to allow you to soak in local history while you have your event. And The Museum of Flight is directly tied with our region's history as an aviation hub, as longtime headquarters of Boeing. You can even see the original Red Barn that was home to Boeing's first manufacturing facility!

Speaking of aviation, drawing on a connection to our regional exports is another great way to theme your event. Have balsa wood airplanes serve as name cards, and theme your event after a great era of aviation history. The Pacific Northwest is also closely tied with the lumber industry, as well as with the fishing industry. Both of these make for fun themes as well. For lumberjacks, incorporate lots of plaid flannels along with the forest decor described above. For the fishing industry, nets as tablecloths, anchors, and plenty of blue are a great way to connect to our nautical roots. Combine these with the beach ideas above and you have a cohesive look. Both of these themes have great photobooth opportunities, too!

Many Nordic immigrants came to the Seattle area to work in the fishing and lumber industries, and so adding touches of hygge, or the Danish concept of coziness, is a great addition as well. Soft blankets and pillows, chunky knits, and comfortable seating areas combined with low, warm lighting create a homey and comfortable atmosphere that will encourage your guests to get comfortable and get to know one another.

Your Local Experts

No matter what decor or theme you go with, our event experts at Explore Seattle Southside can help connect you to local venues and vendors to help make your vision a reality. Reach out to us to find out how we can help bring your Pacific Northwest event to life!