[Vancouver Sun – February 9, 2019]

The BC Home + Garden show, February 20 – 24 at BC Place is brimming with projects to revamp your living space, big or small.

It doesn’t matter how many times it’s happened before: Every time the BC Home + Garden show opens, show manager Tyson Kidd feels a mix of excitement and satisfaction at a job well done.

“We really try to keep ourselves dialled in to what’s fresh and exciting,” he says. “We work with so many skilled designers and landscapers and renovators, who keep us tuned into hot button issues and trends that work for our speakers’ stages.”

This year, the speakers include ever-popular HGTV host Bryan Baeumler, decluttering expert Jane Stoller, custom home design pro Kathy Yuen and hometown boys Mickey Fabbiano and Sebastian Sevallo of HGTV’s Worst to First. The renovators specialize in turning Vancouver-area fixer-uppers into dream homes. Since they’re based locally, Kidd expects them to field a lot of questions around the budget and timeline realities of renovating in Greater Vancouver; it may even be that they find their next family to feature in the audience.

He’s also looking forward to how the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) has expanded its audience interaction capability at the show. In addition to presentations, this year there’s a one-on-one space available, so that attendees can have more in-depth conversations directly with HAVAN members.

This year’s show home—an 800-square-foot yurt—is new territory for the show.

“You can get any builder to put up four walls and a roof—this is probably the most unique home we’ve ever done. Vancouverites are so focused on small-space living; this is everything associated with that, put into a round home with Jamie Banfield’s signature West Coast style.”

Kidd says every year the focus may be on what’s new and different, but there are also significant positives about the 80 per cent of exhibitors who keep coming back year after year. He believes their ability to continue exhibiting at the show sets them apart from fly-by-night operations that may not be trustworthy. The dedicated exhibitors appreciate the face-to-face conversations they have with consumers, allowing them to really explain what their companies stand for.

Even if an exhibitor is new to the show, it doesn’t automatically follow that they’re a new player in the Vancouver market. Kidd points to Kerrisdale Lumber, which has taken a booth at the show for the first time.

“They’re a ‘mom and pop’ that’s been around a really long time, and they offer a wide range of outdoor products, BBQs, patio furniture, and lawn and garden equipment,” he says. “They’re just one of the ways people can shop local and offline, and we love that that’s a component people can find at the show.”

Kidd says kitchen and bath renovations are by far the main reason for attendees to go to the show, followed by landscaping and outdoor projects. Others come in search of more information around products like flooring, roofing, and windows and doors.

He recommends that people try to plan out in advance a route through the show, by going through the website. Then, they should set aside at least four hours for a visit, including times to stop and have a snack or beverage. Finally, in order to be seated for very popular speakers, Kidd says people should arrive 30 minutes before the end of the previous presentation.

The BC Home + Garden Show runs February 20 to 24 at BC Place Stadium.