24 Latest Trade Show Booth Design Trends to Watch

A boring trade show booth is certainly not going to attract the attention you desire. With so many booth setups at the average trade show, yours will be completely ignored if there are not certain elements in place.

Trade show booth rental designs are constantly evolving and each year seems to outdo the last. If your booth rental designs have become stagnant and irrelevant, these ideas will spark change.

Why Is the Design of Your Trade Show Booth Rental So Important?

A properly designed trade show booth rental is essential for your success. Many exhibitors make the mistake of setting up a plain table with a bland tablecloth and a few accessories and mistakenly think this will suffice. Does it sound attractive to you? If not, why would it to others?

The design of your booth is what is going to initially attract visitors. You cannot put a bit of glitz and glam and think visitors will be stunned. To truly attract visitors, you need to think outside of the booth and get creative.

Important Elements for Trade Booth Rental Designs

There are some key elements you will need to include in any booth rental design. These elements are proven to attract visitors and will help increase your success.

1. Bright, colorful and clean graphic designs
2. Logos and branding featured front and center
3. Varied types of illumination to create bright spots and shadows
4. Interactive technology
5. Promotional materials

24 Trade Booth Design Ideas:

There are now more trade show booth design options than ever before. With a little creativity, the options are endless. If you are preparing for your next trade show exhibit, consider the following design options to spark your creativity.

1. One of the most intriguing designs is a cardboard booth design. One smartphone manufacturer created a trade show booth that was made entirely out of cardboard and made to look like a phone box. The idea was so unique, visitors stood in line to see what was inside. If you do not have the money to go full cardboard, consider incorporating some cardboard elements.

2. Illusions are an excellent way to make your visitors take a second look. When implemented appropriately, your visitors will wonder if their mind is playing tricks on them. People are curious by nature. If you can grab their attention in a unique way, you are more likely to hold their attention. Add a prize element and they will be sold.

3. Go Zen and they will not want to leave. As you likely are aware, trade shows are sometimes sterile experiences and they can be draining. If your booth is inviting, people will stick around and want to learn more. A Zen experience is best achieved using the elements of nature. The sounds of water, a backdrop of the forest, and a few plants can create an amazing environment.

4. If you have not seen a custom printed floor at a trade show, this is something you must see to believe. While most exhibitors think the flooring is inconsequential, they are missing the chance for a fully cohesive design experience for their booth. If your rental space includes plenty of floor space, capitalize on this area and seek printed flooring options like carpeting, laminate, and even vinyl.

5. Responsive lighting is the key to most innovative trade show booth rental designs. Lighting can be sound-responsive and interactive. You can also have your lighting perfectly choreographed to a specific list of music. This type of display design invigorates all the senses for a memorable booth.

6. Imagine the beauty and aroma of fresh flowers. Think of the intoxicating smell and how it draws you in. Now imagine hundreds of fresh flowers hanging from their stems over your booth. Many exhibitors forget the ceiling area and this is a prime place for targeting the eyes and gaining the attention of visitors. Visitors will long remember the sites and smells your booth offered.

7. A fun photo booth option will always draw in visitors. Think of how many people take selfies on any given day. Imagine offering a gorgeous mural that beautifully brands your company and attracts visitors. Visitors will take photos of the bold mural and share it with friends, offering you free advertising in the process.

8. Invoking the feeling of secrecy will certainly draw attention to your booth. Most trade show booths are open and airy. By creating a place where visitors must enter to see what is happening, you will drum up incredible interest and see more visitors than if you had an open display. Remember to always capture their curiosity and you win.

9. Creating a booth that offers a homey and inviting place will draw tons of visitors. A trade show is fun, but it is also exhaustive. People often find themselves feeling a little overwhelmed at all the sights and sounds. Remember that home is where the heart is. Provide them a cozy place that helps them make sense of the chaos.

10. If you have never used a smoothie bike, you are missing tons of fun. No matter your products or services, feeding your guests and getting them active offers memorable experiences. With a smoothie bike at your booth, guests can choose their favorite smoothie flavors and then ride the bike to blend. Guests of all ages will enjoy this fun experience.

11. Think of whimsical pieces to add to your booth design. The great part about using this method of design is you do not have to spend tons of money. The piece does not have to be complicated, therefore it simply needs to be whimsical and fun. Just like in your own home, that one magical piece of furniture or art can completely transform the space.

12. Have you ever consider putting large arches into your booth design? With arches rising high into the background, the eyes will be drawn up. This an excellent space for branding and sponsorship opportunities. A little bit of architectural design can have a profound impact on the look of your booth.

13. A pop-up tent is a fun idea for any trade show booth design. When people see a pop-up tent, they naturally become curious and want to learn what is inside. This is an inexpensive idea that can offer tons of design options.

14. A miniature kitchen is the perfect design element for any trade show booth, even if you are not selling food products. Getting guests involved in the creation and tasting of foods that evoke your unique branding is a solution where everyone benefits.

15. Think big to gain attention. Google once used a giant gumball machine to attract visitors. Although you do not have to go to the expensive extreme they did, there are certainly ways you can implement larger than life elements into your booth design.

16. Think aerial designs and you will attract visitors from across the room. If your booth space is slightly limited, it never hurts to look up and think of design elements that can be incorporated. An aerial design will attract people and create interest in your branding.

17. Make your booth look like a movie set, effectively creating an entirely different world. Introduce your guests to space or the wild frontier. There are countless displays you can create to attract visitors who will be intrigued by the unique experience.

18. As discussed before, trade shows are exhaustively fun and people often need a little downtime to get away from the assaults on all their senses. Can you imagine creating a lifelike park experience that allows guests to sit down and chill? Imagine how many people your booth would attract!

19. Stand apart from other booth exhibitors by going green. Bring in a wall of beautiful green plants and people will instantly become captivated. Exhibit booths can be very wasteful. Show the attendees you are a green company who is concerned about waste.

20. Make your booth into a living business card and your business will speak for itself. One interior designer created a cozy bedroom design and visitors were in awe. She did not have to explain her services to anyone because the design spoke loud and clear.

21. Incorporate a colorful and textured printed backdrop. Color printing is more affordable than ever before and using printed backdrops certainly helps gain interest. Print a beach scene or a famous tourist location and draw visitors in for the view.

22. Interactive flooring is a big idea that is hot right now in trade show booth designs. Remember the piano floors? It is the same concept, only you have many more choices. Get visitors stepping by creating sounds, color changes, and design elements that appear with each step.

23. Imagine a trade booth design that incorporates the calming effect of jellyfish and other aquatic animals. No one can resist an underwater illusion. This type of booth offers a dream-like experience everyone will enjoy.

24. If you have enough space, choose an atrium design to draw in massive amounts of attention. Create graduated seating and closed ends for a fully immersive atrium experience. Screens can be placed at focal points to tell your story.

Conclusion

The above should get your creative juices flowing and help you choose your own unique design elements. With the right design, your trade show booth will garner more attention than you ever thought was possible. Take time and think outside of the norm to come up with innovative design elements for your next booth.