Booth flooring is an important component in the exhibit design process.
Work with your exhibit house to make your space stand out - review design options, look at samples, consider 'green' solutions, think about longevity, and imagine it in the context of your booth.
Flooring can definitely set the tone for your entire exhibit. Take a look at Outotec's booth as an example. One design uses a white carpet - the other shows a grey option.
They have very different 'feels' depending on the colour choice for the flooring.
Which one do you like? I immediately fell in love with the white carpet but started worrying about visitors spilling drinks, dirty shoes leaving their marks, and all the other practical concerns I have!
Once again it's a form versus function debate: Yes, dark flooring is practical. Yes, it will be stain resistant. Yes, it will last longer. BUT - Our designer has won me over....I love the white flooring in this booth.
(For those of you who are not convinced - keep a carpet cleaner handy during the show, have your carpet washed after a couple of events, and set some funds aside to splurge on a fabulous new white carpet when the old one starts to show some wear and tear!)
Here are some tips on why carpet (don't worry - it does not have to be white) is still a popular choice:
Carpet is still the most popular choice
It comes in a wide range of colours
You can choose eco-friendly products
It is easily installed & dismantled for an event
It provides comfort (with underpad) if you are standing for hours
You can easily hide cables
Carpet is customizable (printing or inlays)
It is one of the most cost-effective solutions (purchase or rental)
Here is a short video on some of the other flooring products
we use for trade shows (I always thought the artificial grass was neat and am pleasantly surprised about how good roll-able vinyl flooring options have become).
In the video you will see samples of carpet, vinyl flooring, synthetic grass, LED light tiles, printed tiles, printed carpet & underpad.
This is Mucci Farm's exhibit where we used a 'wood' vinyl flooring along with a charcoal grey carpet.
Even though we are not always able to use residential or commercial flooring products at events - there are many great flooring solutions available that are made specifically for the 'temporary nature' of trade shows (interlocking tiles, 'easy' raised flooring, printed carpets, textured vinyls, etc.).
As I mentioned above, choosing the right flooring is an important part in the exhibit design process and in setting the tone for your booth. Look at samples, trust your designer, and take advantage of all the new flooring products available.
*If there are any cool flooring products you would like to share - please feel free to comment!*