by Bruce Baker

Does Your Booth Need a Makeover?
This three-part series starting this month offers ways to get a fresh, new look

I see this situation at craft shows all the time — booths that have a well-designed skeleton, but the skin could use some improvement. The booth may function well, but the artist is sick and tired of it; tired of setting it up and dragging it around, and tired of the booth’s look.
Frequently, the reality is that the booth has stayed the same while craft merchandising has moved on. A booth that looked great in the ’80s or ’90s now looks outdated.

When I teach workshops on this subject, I usually hear comments like, “I need a new booth.” Sometimes this is the case, but often the artist is overlooking some fine-tuning that can drastically change the look of their existing booth.

Booths built from wood that hasn’t been painted nor given some surface treatment, have not reached their full merchandising potential. Wood that is highly grained or a bad color is not as effective a display material as painted wood. Ironically, there is a great deal of reluctance on the part of many artists to paint wood.

I see booths constructed of unfinished wood that look inconsistent with the merchandise displayed. When I suggest that the artist paint the booth, I usually get a resounding, “Are you crazy? I can’t paint it, it’s wood! I love wood! I would never paint it.”
This line of thinking is quite common, and, I think, erroneous. I was fortunate to find the following two craft artists who were willing to take my advice and suggestions during booth makeovers.

Makeover 1: Bill Smith, KIWI Studio

In Bill Smith’s booth for Kiwi Studio, he has beautiful ceramic objects that he creates in several different palettes. His booth is well designed with modular shelving that can be adjusted to different levels. Using shelf units to create different display heights adds to the visual appeal of the booth. In addition, shelves should have a depth of only 10 to 12 inches or less. Shelves that are too deep prevent overhead lighting from reaching lower shelves and discourage customers from touching hard-to-reach merchandise.

The overall look of his display is not bad, but it can be greatly improved if Smith paints the booth and makes a few simple modifications.

In Smith’s case, I would take a cue from the color palette of his work and paint the vertical elements of his display a soft matte black or a very dark gray. Then, I would pick another color from his palette and use that to paint all the horizontal elements. This will warm up his booth and create a welcoming environment.

Smith should also consider adding a skirt from the bottom shelf to the floor creating an area for inventory or storage. Fabric secured with Velcro, window dressings or woven bamboo screening all work well as skirting.

Smith could add a green plant or two to make the booth look a bit cozier. And his trade sign should look more like a sign and less like a banner. Trade signs send powerful messages to customers and should not be considered as afterthoughts.

Finally, on the right side of Smith’s booth, he is trying to show that he makes dinnerware by displaying a place setting on a pedestal. His idea is right on, however, what he created was the look of a lonely dinner for one. Smith can greatly improve this ambiance by hanging on the wall a large photograph of his dinnerware set on a table (flowers and all). This photograph will actually romance his work and drive the point home much better than the pedestal setup. And the floor space the pedestal is taking up can be used to show more product or as an area for order writing or retail sales.

Makeover 2: Mary Anne Brown Mize

I first met Mary Anne Brown Mize at the “Kentucky Crafted, The Market” show in 1999 where she had signed up for a booth evaluation. Her ceramic art has very soft, subtle forms and colors.

I suggested that Mize paint her unfinished wood display to complement her work.

When she presented her work on unfinished wood, it dominated her pottery and made it hard to see. Her booth looked more like a yard sale and less like a craft/art show.

She took my suggestion and when I saw her this year at the show, bingo, there it was. Taking the same booth and finishing it in a subtle gray color made it look so much more professional. The wood now disappears and what you notice are the pots. I think this fresh new look is a great improvement.

Mary Ann Brown Mize gave a fresh look to her booth by painting over bare, unfinished wood that distracted from her work.
TIP FOR PAINTING YOUR BOOTH

The look is over for unpainted wooden displays, especially for sophisticated or contemporary work. Don’t be afraid to paint wood — your booth is not like a fine antique. If your merchandising would be enhanced by a clean, fresh look, go for it.

Wood or other booth materials need to be clean and free of grease and oil. There are many solvents available at hardware stores to prepare and clean the surface. To get the best results, the surface needs to be smooth and sanding may be necessary. You’ll need to seal any knots with a sealer such as Bin Seal, to prevent the sap from the knotholes from bleeding through your new paint job.

After it is cleaned, smoothed and sealed, the surface will need to be primed to help the new paint adhere. Primer is no place to skimp on quality. Benjamin Moore brand has a primer called “Fresh Start” that cannot be beat.

Paint it with an oil-based enamel for best results. Latex enamel will not hold up as well. You can apply the paint by brushing it on or by spraying it to get a smooth, flat finish.

Paint will yield a hard, durable surface if it is allowed to dry completely. Depending on the weather and where it is drying, paint can take up to two weeks to dry. It is only fully dry when you can no longer smell new paint fumes. If you try to display your work before the newly painted surface is completely dry, the finish will get scuffed up quickly.

Bruce Baker is a jeweler, gallery owner and nationally recognized expert on booth design. He and his wife, Nancie Dunn, own two craft shops, Middlebury Jewelry and Design and Sweet Cecily, both in Middlebury, Vt. Contact him to arrange a seminar or to order his audio cassette, titled “Be a Dynamic Craft Seller,” at (802) 388-3434. Write to him at 40 Main St., Middlebury, VT 05753, or visit his Web site at www.dbakerinc.com.

AUGUST 2002: TABLE OF CONTENTS