Five Coverings 2010 exhibitors recently netted Best in Show booth awards at the annual international tile and stone show and conference held at the Orange County Convention Center. This year saw a first as two companies were cited as the Overall Best in Show: Porcelanite/Lamosa and American Marazzi Tile.

The Porcelanite/Lamosa LEED-certified exhibit, achieved in collaboration with Mexican architect Diego Hernandez, underscored the sustainability commitment of the two brands. Aside from incorporating the company’s own recycled content tile products, the 40-x-60-foot booth featured plywood displays that appeared to be recently unpacked from the shipping containers and were used to create a perimeter wall of the space. All construction materials used in the booth were recyclable or featured recycled content.

At American Marazzi Tile, the concept was a space that had to work for both Marazzi and its sibling brand, Ragno. Above all else, it had to be a practical space focused on selling, which it proved to be even during periods when both sides of the booth were packed with visitors. Several meeting rooms helped define the inner space separating the two brands, and there was an abundance of product exhibited, though it was never overwhelming because of the discreet treatment of the displays. Another important design characteristic was the modular configuration, allowing the space to expand for future trade shows both laterally as well as upward with a second tier addition, if required.

LAND capped its 2010 Coverings appearance with a Best in Show prize. Its long narrow space was a visual treat with a novel, unexpected perspective. Tiles were not shown in a full frontal view, as is the norm, but rather were displayed as horizontal slats in uniform rows from top to bottom the length of the space, creating a colorful, decorative and highly dramatic effect.

A repeat honoree, Inalco this year highlighted the applicability of its tile products in a variety of lifestyle settings. It created the ambience of an outdoor terrace showcasing its product as an exterior façade. Then you stepped into a kitchen setting where its tiles were installed as a sleek, attractive cabinetry finish. A living room suite completed the space, which, once again was filled with inspirational ideas on tile usage.

Laminam went for a minimalist look. Billing itself as “the large and light ceramic surface,” the company relied on a simple construction of product and dramatic lighting fixtures. Both interior and exterior walls of the space were clad in the mirco-thin Laminam tile product. “Touch Me” was scrawled on the exterior surface, daring show-goers to believe it was tile versus a metal finish. The silhouette of a figure on a faux balcony above kept watch over the space and the bustling activity along the Coverings aisles.

Coverings 2011 is set for March 14-17 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Las Vegas. For more information on attending or exhibiting, contact NTP, Coverings Show Management, (703) 683-8500.