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Stool Samples
Mention the word "stool," and most people conjure images of ratty metal bar stools or rustic wooden numbers that are about as exciting as a Senate debate. Providing little more than some "cush" for your tush, a boring, backless chair is just about the last thing you'd want to stick in your booth where every element speaks volumes about your brand. So don't resort to staid stools. Instead, take some inspiration from these six options that offer variations in color and form and aesthetics that range from funky to fanciful. By Linda Armstrong
PHOTO: Olaf Schiemann
Great Gehry
Exhibitor: Solon Energy GmbH
Show: Solar Expo Supplier: Heller Inc., New York, 212-685-4200, www.helleronline.com
Part of the Frank Gehry Furniture Collection, these cube-like seats offer booth visitors the perfect perch for a presentation. A study in style and simplicity, the collection features these futuristic silver-grey stools as well as a bench, easy chair, and coffee table.
Wood Working
Exhibitor: Kenneth Cobonpue
Show: Boutique Design New York
Supplier: Kenneth Cobonpue USA, New York,
888-889-9005, www.kennethcobonpue.com
Sometimes, the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts. After all, this clever contraption comprises mainly wooden dowels sitting within an elevated base. But working together, the simple dowels create a unique aesthetic and a surprisingly comfortable retreat for the seat.
Sit and Be Fit
Exhibitor: ErgoErgo Inc.
Show: International Contemporary Furniture Fair
Supplier: ErgoErgo Inc., New York, 212-792-6500, www.ergoergo.com
Designed as an ergonomic chair for office environments, these whimsical cuties also translate for the exhibit industry. A cross between a traditional stool and an orange accordion, the little beauties bend and flex, allowing seated
visitors to work their core while they chat with your staff.
Funky Focal Point
Exhibitor: Optima Design
Show: GlobalShop
Supplier: Optima Design, Montreal, QC, Canada, 514-288-3952, www.optima-design.com
For most exhibitors, a stool is merely a locale to take a load off. But Optima Design's Moroccan-inspired stools create a critical design element in an otherwise sparse space. Aside from a desk and back wall, these funky yet functional fabric-covered seats are the only elements in the exhibit.
Box Seat
Exhibitor: Elevations Inc.
Show: GlobalShop
Supplier: Elevations Inc., South San Francisco, CA, 650-588-9115, www.elevations.com
How do you turn a wooden box into a cool stool? If you
are Elevations Inc., you adorn two sides with colorful, distressed metal plates, stencil on the word "studio," and give the top surface a curve to communicate that these boxes are indeed "seat" ready.
Paper, Please
Exhibitor: Kubik Inc.
Show: EXHIBITOR Show
Supplier: Molo Design Ltd., Vancouver, BC, Canada, 604-696-2501, www.molodesign.com
While these Fanning Stools from Molo Design Ltd. are a lovely accompaniment, they can also be adjusted to create serpentine or straight configurations. Perfectly at home in Kubik Inc.'s exhibit, these sturdy stools add a fanciful flair and give new meaning to the term "paperwork."
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