Project brief: Formica Group had big news and needed a booth that captured the attention of show attendees at the 2011 International Home Builders’ Show. The need to showcase their new, large-format 180fx as well as their premium laminate and solid surfacing product lines meant that the smaller-than-usual 20-by-30-foot space needed to work double-time to be seen from across the hall and draw on the crowd’s curiosity to venture inside the booth.

Approach: “Go Big, Go Basic, Go Bold, Go Solid,” spelled out in large-scale type, rose up from the booth floor to explain the essential thing that each of the main products offered. We decided that going vertical was the solution to capturing attention and making an impression on show attendees. Utilizing all 35 feet of allowable height, sheer and nearly solid banners as well as handmade lights hung in strand configurations added interest and glamour for those standing on the mixed-pattern carpet tiles inside the booth. The result was striking. Countless attendees said the booth design brought them in and they were eager to learn more.

Effectiveness: The success of the trade stand was evident at the 2011 IBS. The trade stand was inviting and attractive to attendees, producing high-volume traffic for Formica’s booth. Like all of the trade stands we design for our clients, the sustainability of the solution is a foremost concern. We utilize sheer, lightweight fabrics and reusable vinyl to create walls, limiting the need for excessive freight and raw-material consumption. We also use modular, recyclable carpet tiles from manufacturers that lead their industry in green practices. Casework designed for shows is shipped post-exhibit to the Formica Group showroom and used again or is used again in other trade stands. Powerful graphics, unusual proportions and using materials in new ways yield results that distinguish our client’s spaces. Television and new media outlets routinely broadcast from Formica Group spaces, spreading the love for Formica products well beyond the show floor.

Terrific use of vertical space. Smart environmental considerations both in material selection, waste, manufacturers, reuse and shipping. Very bold and engaging.