When I went to the Vancouver Home and Interior Design Show last year, I wasn’t a homeowner. Sure, I was interested in home improvement products and services, but it was more from the perspective of proactive research. This time around was a little different, seeing how we had since purchased our first home.
The 2011 Vancouver Home + Design Show was once again held at the Vancouver Convention Centre and much of the same kinds of products were being showcased there. To be sure, given the green leanings of the West Coast, there were more than a few environmentally friendly options being demonstrated at the show. This echoes the sentiment we saw at such shows as the EPIC Sustainable Living Expo.
So, what were some of the highlights from this year’s show? Let’s have a look.
This is no regular hot tub. This is a “portable” hot tub from the folks at Softub Canada. Now, it’s not portable in the sense that you can fold it up and load it into the back of your car. Instead, the hot tub is made with a high density foam (which offers great insulation) and it weighs well under 100 pounds. This means that you can easily pick it up and move it somewhere else, rolling it down the road if that’s what you want to do. It plugs into a regular wall outlet for power and a regular tap for the water supply.
Tight on space? A wall bed from Instant Bedrooms might do the trick. Murphy beds have come a long way and they’re actually a great solution for smaller spaces like condos and hotel rooms. The designs help them blend into the room quite well.
It’s not just about inside the home. Taking care of the outside is important too and that’s why you might turn to someone like Ratchet Pruners & Loppers. I thought the ratcheted pruner was interesting, since it goes through “gears” like a manual transmission car to help you cut harder wood. Granted, I know nothing about gardening and landscaping, so perhaps this isn’t quite as novel as I think.
Handling home and design also includes what you do in the kitchen. We saw several kitchen gadgets, to be sure, but there were food products too. You might recognize BKH Jerky from their appearance on Dragons Den. The Singaporean style jerky is quite different from the typical “western” style as the former is more moist and covered in sauce. Very tasty stuff.
Continuing in the kitchen, I found the range of products from Culinary Parchment. Many chefs may already be familiar with the versatility and utility of parchment paper, but it’s nice to see that it’s also available in baking cup and bag form too. The non-stick nature makes it ideal for muffins and cupcakes!
The biggest highlight of show (for Susanne) was the Zoku Quick Pop Maker. The idea here is that you can create homemade popsicles in about seven minutes. The container goes in the freezer and then the saline solution inside freezes to -15 degrees Celsius (about 5 degrees Fahrenheit). You pour in juice or whatever else and the frozen pops are ready in minutes without you having to put the whole thing back in the freezer. They had a “show special” price of $75, but it looks like you can buy it for about $50 online instead.
If you’re a fan of all the different programs on networks like HGTV, you’d enjoy an event like the Vancouver Home + Design Show. From fancy showers to fancy doors, revitalized antique furniture to exercise equipment, there’s something for any home enthusiast, including no shortage of steam mops (they seem to be all the rage these days). Regular admission was $15, but I was graciously offered a complimentary media pass. I look forward to attending next year’s show.
i have to pic up some home furniture for my new house which will be completed in some 4-5 months i hope