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THE FOREST WITHIN
By : SDI Design
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN 19th edition
Distinctions
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Retail / Retail: Pop-up, Kiosk & Exhibition Space : Gold certification
Blurring the boundaries between trade show installation, immersive art experience, and branded environment, Grandeur Flooring’s 2026 Toronto Interior Design Show booth redefined how flooring could be experienced within an exhibition setting. Building upon the momentum of the brand’s award-recognized 2025 debut. which received “Best of Show” in its category; the 2026 installation expanded both in scale and ambition, transforming a 20' x 45' exhibit space into a theatrical journey through nature, materiality, and human connection.
Designed to showcase Grandeur Flooring’s newest engineered hardwood and laminate collections, the installation elevated flooring beyond product display and reframed it as an emotional and sensory experience. The booth perimeter was enveloped in 15-foot-high sheer fabric panels printed with imagery of towering forests and trees. Suspended three feet above the ground, the translucent scrim created a layered visual effect where passersby experienced silhouettes of movement within while maintaining a strong visual connection to visitors’ feet and the flooring beneath them. The result was both theatrical and atmospheric, evoking the sensation of walking through a forest while reinforcing the relationship between nature, material, and craft.
The spatial experience was intentionally choreographed as a labyrinth-like journey with a singular entry and exit point. Rooted in ideas of discovery and gamification, visitors moved through a sequence of immersive touchpoints, interactive vignettes, and sculptural moments designed to surprise, engage, and inspire participation. Interactive installations, including a tactile wood veneer art piece, encouraged guests to physically connect with the materiality and craftsmanship of the product while creating memorable and highly shareable moments.
At the conclusion of the experience, visitors were invited to leave their mark by writing messages on wooden dowels and hammering them into a collective pegged wall installation before entering the hospitality lounge, where conversations around product innovation and design continued. Balancing visual impact with modularity, efficiency, durability, and reusability for future exhibitions, the installation became more than a booth, it became a spatial expression of craftsmanship, community, and immersive brand storytelling.
Collaboration
Interior designer : SDI Design
General contractor : DCL Woodworking Ltd.
Communication & Branding : IAC: IMAGED ADVERTISING CREATIONS
Lighting : Lumina Sales Inc.
Photo credit