Belly Up!

Bar Excellence

Belly up!

More and more these days, exhibitors are employing in-exhibit hospitality bars to foster relationships and draw out dwell times. But to capture those value-adds, it's critical that your bar is more of a hip scene or than a has-been happening. So here are six examples of top-shelf experiences that offer form, function, and style straight up. By Linda Armstrong

PHOTO: Padgett and Company Inc.

Style Harmony
Exhibitor: Peco Real Estate Partners (PREP)
Show: RECon
Design: Journey Communications Inc., Wayne, PA, 610-240-0774, www.journeycommunications.com; Lorenc+Yoo Design, Roswell, GA, 770-645-2828, www.lorencyoodesign.com

A variety of design styles collide in this bar space for Peco Real Estate Partners. Slick modern chairs and a matching countertop sit beneath suspended Edison-style light bulbs. Meanwhile nearby wall-attached graphics and a cozy banquette offer a decidedly retro feel. While seemingly disparate, the choir of styles sings.

PHOTO: Modul A, Stefan Roehler

Surf's Up
Exhibitor: Salesforce.com Germany GmbH
Show: CeBIT
Design: Atelier Damboeck Messebau GmbH, Neufinsing, Germany, 49-8121-975-0, www.damboeck.de

Offering a subtle nod to the exhibit's surf-related theme, this bar provides not only a whimsical surfboard on the back wall but also a simplistic "hang-loose" vibe. Smooth, neutral surfaces comprising metal and laminate are paired with an ocean-blue back wall that adds a pop of color and interest.

PHOTO: Padgett and Company Inc.

Natural Selection
Exhibitor: Boulder Brands Inc.
Show: Natural Products Expo West
Design: 3D Exhibits Inc., Chicago, 800-471-9617, www.3dexhibits.com

The brand identity for packaged-food firm Boulder Brands Inc. revolves around a healthy, outdoorsy, and authentic vibe. Thus, this sampling bar, which features environmentally responsible beetle-kill pine and industrial-style metal stools, is spot on with the brand – and no doubt with attendees as well.

PHOTO: Padgett and Company Inc.

Natural Wonder
Exhibitor: Natural Organics Inc. (Nature's Plus brand)
Show: Natural Products Expo West
Design: 3D Exhibits Inc., Chicago, 800-471-9617, www.3dexhibits.com

A pairing of natural-looking elements and an almost laboratory feel is a winning combination for Natural Organics Inc., the provider of the Nature's Plus brand of natural vitamins and nutritional supplements. Three different tones of wood laminate provide warmth while a drop ceiling and various lighting creates a sense of intimacy at this sampling bar.

PHOTO: Pinnacle Exhibits Inc.

Black Diamond
Exhibitor: Faraday & Future Inc.
Show: Auto China
Design: Pinnacle Exhibits Inc., Hillsboro, OR, 503-844-4848, www.pinnacle-exhibits.com

This little, black, dressed-up bar is the epitome of simplicity and sophistication. A single wall of transparent glass along with two opaque dividers in semigloss black surround the dainty bar tucked into a back corner of the exhibit. Nearby, a back-wall menu in two languages displays the bar's offerings.

PHOTO: Stefan Roehler, Modul A

On-Trend Tooling
Exhibitor: Mate Precision Tooling Inc.
Show: EuroBlech
Design: Forum Your Brandbuilder GmbH, Krefeld, Germany, 49-2151-56789-0, www.yourbrandbuilder.de

Sleek and stylish, this bar would be perfectly at home in a modern wine bar. However, this surprising find adorns a corner space in the exhibit for Mate Precision Tooling Inc. Smooth laminate and metal team up with inventive angles and a neutral palette to create a decided urban flair.

PHOTO: Stefan Roehler, Modul A

All the Right Angles
Exhibitor: Lenovo
Show: Internationale Funkausstellung
Design: Forum Your Brandbuilder GmbH, Krefeld, Germany, 49-2151-56789-0, www.yourbrandbuilder.de

Shapes, angles, and colors perform a masterful dance in this bar comprising wood, metal, and Plexiglas. The bar's neutral grey, white, and black components are positioned at an angle under an upper-level meeting area and adjacent to glorious pops of orange and red, which adorn the walls, flooring, ceiling, and furniture.

PHOTO: Stefan Roehler, Modul A

Caffeine in the Round
Exhibitor: Albert Horn Sohne GmbH & Co. KG
Show: Paperworld
Design: Forum Your Brandbuilder GmbH, Krefeld, Germany, 49-2151-56789-0, www.yourbrandbuilder.de

Sleek and stylish, this bar would be perfectly at home in a modern wine bar. However, this surprising find adorns a corner space in the exhibit for Mate Precision Tooling Inc. Smooth laminate and metal team up with inventive angles and a neutral palette to create a decided urban flair.