You may go to a special event or trade show and see gorgeous white leather seating & tables, acrylic chairs or funky bar tables and chairs.  Chances are they have used furniture rental.  When you go to that fund raiser that has 1000 beautiful cloth covered chairs or to a corporate product launch that has the most unique theatre seating or space age tables and lights, chances are that is also all thanks to furniture rental.  Furniture rental is an integral part of any special event.  Show contractors, exhibit managers, hotel catering departments, meeting planners, corporate special events and so many more professionals depend on the furniture rental industry to supply modern, unique product that can produce the “WOW” at any event.

If you are exhibiting in a show, your show contractor or manager will always have a standard variety of furnishings available for rent.  If you are looking for the “unique” or different look from everybody else, calling local independent furniture rental companies may be your best bet.  Initiate your search by seeing what products they have online.  Make sure they are reputable and that their business specializes in trades shows and special events.  Get references.  Don’t be shy to ask.  Also make sure that whichever furniture rental company you choose, that they can deliver and pick up.

So what’s new in exhibit product lines?  Certainly modern is in.  Bright colours, as opposed to the black and gray that dominate specialty furniture for decades.  Furniture with curved, instead of boxy design and seating with no arms for flexibility purposes.  The reality of today’s furniture market is an Italian designed product, say a sofa, can be displayed at the Milan Furniture Show and three weeks later it is available for export from Asia for 1/3 the cost.  The exhibitor, in the end, usually wins.  I should mention that another current trend is that furniture rental companies are beginning to assist their clients with space planning and CAD design.  (Cort Trade Show Furnishings in the United States is pioneering this service).

I have a lot of respect for those in the exhibit and special events industry.  What I enjoy the most is the passion everyone in it has.  As the old adage goes, “There is no business like show business!”

Connect with me on Google