o sell luxury carpet, the mise-en-scene that Stepevi Carpet creates in its showrooms is one of stylish urbanity intended to make its elite clientele feel at home. But conveying that refinement in a trade show exhibit at Maison & Objet Paris 2011 required an inventive design that could be assembled under time constraints while still reflecting the company's elegant persona. Stepevi turned to A24 Design Studio for a solution that combined luxury and portability, and looked more like Stepevi's Milan showroom than a temporary display.

"Look up the word sophisticated in the dictionary, and you'll find a picture of this exhibit," one Exhibit Design Awards judge said. Atop gray laminate parquet flooring, designers constructed several vignettes in the exhibit where Stepevi's carpets were displayed like priceless works by Picasso. Flanked by dark oak and stainless-steel trim, the carpet samples were illuminated by warm spotlights that added moody drama to the swank space. In an area closest to the aisle, a stainless-steel pedestal elevated a patch of carpet reverently, inviting attendees to sit down and run their hands across the plush fiber.

Glass panels with laser-etched stainless patterns delineated client-reception and project-meeting areas that felt separate yet expansive thanks to open lines of sight. In those areas, dark oak cabinetry contained additional product samples, and wall-sized sliding panels allowed salespeople to show prospects the latest carpet designs in a polished and effortless fashion.

Creating showroom opulence in a temporary structure is easier said than done. But by taking the extra care and time to infuse the exhibit with delicate, decadent elements and materials, Stepevi was able to imbue its distinguished image as a company that lives and breathes - and sells - refined modern luxury.e