Style Series // Calistoga'd and Ready
- Team Ellie
- Jun 13
- 3 min read
A corporate retreat that traded PowerPoint for Polaroids and made “cozy” part of the agenda.
When you're hosting a three-day retreat at Solage, yes, the one tucked away in Calistoga with the cottage-style rooms, mountain views, and bikes just waiting to be Instagrammed...you could let the setting do all the work, but that’s not really our style.
This wasn’t just about getting a group of high-performers in the same room. It was about creating a safe place where they could slow down, settle in, and actually connect without it feeling like a breakout session at a beige convention center.
So we packed our props (and our pillows), added layers of thoughtful detail, and made a corporate event feel... dare we say, personal?
Want to know how we did it? Okay, okay, we’ll tell you!
📸 Polaroids or It Didn’t Happen
Polaroid Camera, Printer & Film
Between the Polaroid camera and printer, guests had options: old-school snap or modern print-from-phone. Both resulted in fridge-worthy memories, no filters required.
The Rattan Wall
We turned a blank wall into a living photo diary. As the days went on, guests pinned up their pics, a visual reminder that yes, this was work, and yes, it was also very fun.
🧺 Comfort, but Make It Branded
Custom Embroidered Blankets
Each guest walked into their room to find a personalized blanket just waiting to be wrapped around them. It was part welcome gift, part fire-pit essential, and 100% coming home with them in their carry-on.
The Picnic Lineup
Picture this: layered throw pillows, sunglasses that actually looked good on everyone, soft blankets, and the kind of baseball hats people kept wearing after the event. Styled just enough to feel elevated. Chill enough to stay for hours.
✍️ On-Theme, On-Glass
Custom Glass Marker Illustrations
We used clean, travel-inspired illustrations (think: passports, globes, hot air balloons) to bring the event theme to life - directly on windows and mirrors. It was subtle, branded, and definitely had people asking, “Wait, how’d you do that?” No messy paint pens. No accidental smudges. Just a little visual magic.
🚲 License Plates > Lanyards
Custom Bike Tags
Every attendee had a bike outside their room, because of course they did...it’s Solage. We added custom license plates so each person could spot their wheels at a glance. It was functional, photogenic, and honestly kind of adorable.
🌿 Details That Do the Heavy Lifting
Locally Sourced Essential Oils
Each room drop included a tiny roller bottle of calming essential oil inspired by Calistoga itself. Because if you’re going to unplug for a few days, you might as well smell amazing while doing it.
The Boobookaboodle (Blog Coming Soon, Don't Worry) Every guest showed up prepared—not by accident. Enter: the boobookaboodle. It’s our signature pre-event packing guide-slash-survival kit, and no, we didn’t make up that word (okay, we did). It deserves its own blog. More on that soon.
Want to see more from this event? Check out our event recap.
Send us a pic of decor styled your way to be featured on our social channels. Happy styling!