Our exhibit is feeling old and outdated, but I don't have the time nor money to invest in a complete overhaul. What's a quick and fairly painless way to breathe new life into our booth?

One of the simplest but most often-overlooked answers is flooring. When you don't have a large budget or ample time to devote to redesigns or refurbishments, simply switching out your existing flooring for something new or different can easily and inexpensively update the look and feel of the entire exhibit.

This change could include merely purchasing new, spotless carpet, perhaps in an on-trend tone or with an eye-catching inlay. Or, you could reuse some of your existing carpet but intermix it with new material in a complementary color to offset product areas, presentation theaters, etc.

Another option along these lines is to use new or existing carpet to create directional pathways. Simply adding a swoosh of color through your booth or from the aisle to a specific product display can often draw attendees' eyes – and their feet – into your company's trade show exhibit.

Or, you can roll up and toss your carpet altogether and opt for a totally different look with anything from inter-locking foam mats, which are available in myriad colors, wood tones, and more, to vinyl tiles that can resemble everything from wood to granite. If you're looking for something a bit more "out there," consider sisal or turf, or maybe even touch-sensitive flooring that glows when users tread upon it. Or, go all out with a raised flooring system, which can add an air of sophistication to even the most outdated exhibit.

And if you really want to catch the cutting edge of a trend, consider simply polishing the concrete under your space. While this look probably isn't appropriate for all exhibits, several design- and sports-related industries are riding this wave. Some exhibitors are simply placing their exhibitry atop the polished concrete while others are choosing to adorn it with floor-attached graphics. Alternatively, others are using various colors of tape to delineate product areas within the space, direct traffic to a specific part of the booth, or communicate a simple message. While different, each method can help capture attendee attention, relay messages, and eliminate flooring costs altogether.

As you can see, then, there are countless flooring options available to choose from, each one of which can help breathe new life into your company's exhibit – and perhaps even extend its lifetime.