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Desks of Distinction

When booth visitors need information, where's their first point of contact? It's your reception desk, of course. So given the power of first impressions, a laminated box with four legs just won't do. Here, then, are six reception desks that incorporate unique shapes, inventive colors, and interesting accoutrements to draw the eye and intrigue the mind. Use these examples to spark your creative inspiration and help ensure that your next desk results in a lasting, positive first impression. By Linda Armstrong

A Cute Angle
Exhibitor: Nomadic Display
Show: EXHIBITORLIVE
Design: Nomadic Display, Springfield, VA, 800-336-5019, www.nomadicdisplay.com

Placed aisle side, this desk for Nomadic Display combined gorgeous colors and forms that took advantage of the structure's 90-degree angle. As if the rich graphics alone weren't enough to stop attendees in their tracks, an underlit panel atop the desk added further visual interest.

Double Duty
Exhibitor: Emtec International
Show: International Consumer Electronics Show
Design: Nude, Paris, 33-1-55-60-18-95, www.nude.eu

To quickly convey that its Soundunity speakers can be used indoors and outside, Emtec International wrapped its reception desk with graphics depicting hardwood flooring and green grass. The addition of text reading "In & Out" helped emphasize the speakers' primary selling point.

Level Two
Exhibitor: BD Expo Srl
Show: EuroShop
Design: BD Expo Srl, Milan, 39-35-61-81-45, www.bdexpo.it

Sometimes sleek and simple is more powerful than fast and flashy. That was the case with this split-level desk for Italian exhibit house BD Expo Srl. Comprising pressed wood topped with wood-grain laminate, the minimalist design was a welcome respite on the frenetic show floor.

PHOTO: Oscar Einzig

Sweet Treat
Exhibitor: Brownie Brittle LLC
Show: Winter Fancy Food Show
Design: GAI Exhibits, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 954-817-4884, www.gaiexhibits.com

With a company called Brownie Brittle LLC, you can't offer attendees a white-bread exhibit. This kitchen-themed booth lived up to the whimsical name, due in part to the stainless-steel-topped reception desk that reinforced the homey motif while branding the space.

PHOTO: Kubik Inc.

Simply Sensuous
Exhibitor: Koninklijke DSM N.V. (DSM)
Show: European Coatings Show
Design: Kubik Inc., Mississauga, ON, Canada, 905-272-2818, www.thinkubik.com

This elegant desk relied on simple materials, such as matte white and wood-grain laminates. However, paired with an eye-catching backdrop featuring the firm's tagline and multicolored logo, not to mention a highly textural wall section covered in faux turf, simple became sensuous.

PHOTO: Czarnowski Display Service Inc.

Curves Ahead
Exhibitor: General Motors Co. (Buick)
Show: North American International Auto Show
Design: Czarnowski Display Service Inc., Chicago, 800-247-4302, www.czarnowski.com

General Motors Co.'s exhibit for its Buick brand boasted this "curvalicious" desk. Situated on a reflective flooring system, the structure seemed to defy gravity as it swooped up and away from the floor via a graceful arch, a design element repeated throughout the stunning stand.