hat's black and white and stunning all over? It's this award-winning, chalk-covered exhibit for Holtmann GmbH & Co. KG, a manufacturer of custom exhibits, brand architecture, and retail systems. The brainchild of design firm RaumHoch GmbH, this 26-by-26-foot beauty - which Exhibit Design Awards judges called a "brilliantly architectural space with a wealth of surprises" - offered a unique contrast: a simple exterior paired with an interior space that was both sophisticated and sublime.

Debuting at EuroShop 2011, the exhibit comprised two separate structures divided by an exhibit-hall aisle. The eye-catching outer shell was covered with a black, slate-like material. Bearing the Holtmann logo in bold white, the exterior walls featured numerous hand-drawn images of Holtmann's work.

"The chalk drawings captured attendees' attention," said Frank Tommek, architect at Holtmann, "and the soothing, contemporary interior encouraged them to stay and learn more about Holtmann's offerings."

That soothing interior featured a lounge space on one side and a hospitality area on the other. In the lounge, attendees relaxed on benches or tucked themselves inside a cozy alcove. Protruding out of a side wall, two seemingly unsupported wooden planks displayed iPads, which featured photos and information about Holtmann's projects. On the hospitality side, a white bar with a 2-foot-wide strip of brown laminate housed snacks and refreshments and gave visitors an obvious point of contact with Holtmann staff.

Merging a neutral palette and a basic box structure with traditional lounge and hospitality functions, designers crafted a seemingly effortless space. But don't be fooled. You can chalk up that sense of ease and refinement to the power of exceptional design. e