Yes, it’s true. I am actually an 80-year-old grandma trapped in a 22-year-old body. I have many “old people” hobbies, like crochet, and visiting various trade shows that have no current relevance to my life. Hence my recent visit to the Des Moines Home + Garden Show.
The Des Moines Home + Garden Show is the largest home show in Central Iowa and has been running for 39 years! There are more than 400 exhibitors, thousands of industry experts, amazing feature gardens, and a few sneaky celebrities. (I see you DIY Network/HGTV!)
I started my day at the home show at about noon. I drove downtown and parked in my work parking garage. The half mile walk to the event center was worth saving the $7 parking fee. (Plus I was able to rack up some steps for my Fitbit. Double bonus!)
I meandered around for about two hours; meeting people, gathering information, and tasting delicious food samples. At 2 pm I headed to the Inspiration Stage to learn about 2017 Paint Color and Trends from the owner of Peterson Painting, a local Des Moines painting company.
Kerry and Cara shared some helpful information about the various things that impact your paint color choice: such as light, wall texture, etc. Then they shared the various ways to sample colors, from the effective (wall swatches) to the ineffective (computer simulations). Finally, we learned about trends. Trends tend to start in Paris on the fashion runways and trickle into the home market. From there they migrate to the States, starting on the East and West coasts. Saving the best for last, trends usually reach the Midwest about 2 years after they leave the runway. Some upcoming trends to keep an eye out for are grays, greiges, and deep colors.
Next on the inspiration stage were Andy and Candis Meredith, the stars of HGTV’s, Old Home Love. They spoke about their love of renovating old homes and their experiences with filming a TV show. They were hilarious to watch. You could tell they really love their work and each other. I plan on binge watching their show online soon and recommend anyone who likes home improvement shows give them a chance. For more information about the Meredith’s and their show visit http://oldhomelove.com/.
After those two seminars, I walked around the other half of the show; ate more samples, entered some contests, and enjoyed the Feature Gardens. The Feature Gardens are sample gardens provided by local landscapers. They provide a nice place to sit, away from the booths, to just enjoy being indoors, but surrounded by nature. My favorite garden was the fairy garden.
Eventually, my stomach started to talk, and at its behest, I made my way over to the concession stand where I enjoyed the gourmet tastes of a brat, fries, and Sprite. Not the healthiest of meals, but alas, when in Rome…
I found my way back to the Inspiration Stage at 5 pm to watch interior designer Meghan Blum talk about Mixing Patterns and Colors – Designer Do’s and Don’ts. While she wasn’t the greatest public speaker, the presentation was interesting and I got to enjoy some pretty interior design pictures. She shared how color, texture, and pattern combine to create beautiful spaces and how it is important not to be afraid to experiment.
Finally, I got to watch Jason Cameron, of Desperate Landscapes and Man Caves fame, talk about his best tips and stories. He was AWESOME!! He shared hilarious stories from the set and imparted some great wisdom for fixing desperate landscapes. I will definitely be going back and rewatching the old shows for more inspiration.
After his talk, he had a meet & greet. I had him sign my program and I got to take a picture with him. I also showed him pictures of Mom’s backyard. He was very impressed and even said he might steal the circle concrete patio idea for a future show!! He was so nice and I really enjoyed talking with him. Visit http://jasoncamerononline.com/ to learn all about him.
Then my day at the Home + Garden Show was over. I made the half mile trek back to my car (still worth it!!) and drove home. I had a wonderful time and highly recommend you check the show out!
The Des Moines Home + Garden show runs through February 12th! If you haven’t stopped in yet, do so! It’s great! For more information about the show, visit http://desmoineshomeandgardenshow.com/.
Alycia's World 