Your Ticket to the Philly Home + Garden Show

It’s finally here! The first-ever Philly Home + Garden Show opens its doors this Friday at 10:00 a.m. at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, and we couldn't be more excited! There is so much to do and see at the show, so we’ve put together an outline of 10 must-see features, events and exhibits to help you make the most of your visit to the show.

1. Celebrity Guests: Jonathan and Drew Scott - better known as Property Brothers - and Chip Wade, host of the new HGTV show Elbow Room, will be appearing live at the show. Show attendees will have the opportunity to learn from these experts during their presentations on the main stage, live Q&A sessions and a meet & greet.

2. Smart Home: Powered by XFINITY®, Built by Rudloff Custom Builders. Rudloff Custom Builders designed a full-scale model home inside of the exhibit hall that will feature the latest styles and design trends along with cutting-edge devices and environmentally friendly materials. Attendees are invited to walk through this one-of-a-kind house, powered by XFINITY®, to gather inspiration from the beautiful decor, designed by Deanna Lorenti of Deanna’s Interiors, and learn about how they can be more “green” while reducing their utility bills, and improving efficiency and functionality throughout the home.

3. Feature Gardens: As attendees enter the show, they will be greeted by six dream gardens that will provide inspiration and ideas for creating a dream backyard. Featured landscapers include Village Nursery & Gardens , Devine Escapes, Crystal Clear Signature Pools, Turpin Landscaping, WJA Landscaping and AJR Environmental. Guests who tour the feature gardens can learn more about the products and services used and discuss tips and recommendations for improving their outdoor living space.

4. Main Stage: The main stage will host a series of presentations from celebrity guests and home & garden experts. Presentation topics range from Preparing Your Home for a Snopocalypse and Strategies for Living a Clutter Free Life to Help and Hope for People who Hoard and “Greening” your home. View the full schedule here.

5. Crafted: An open market where guests can shop for hand-made, finely-crafted items, antiques and original art to add instant character and charm to their home.

6. Make-It, Take-It: An interactive DIY demo session where guests can test their DIY skills. With some guidance from an expert, homeowners will create a DIY project they can take home to display. Check out the schedule to find out when sessions are being hosted and what crafts you’ll be making! Click here for more about the Make-it, Take-it exhibit.

7. Mailbox Makeover: The center aisle of the show floor will be lined with mailboxes, creatively designed by local artists, designers and some of Philly’s VIPs, to provide inspiration to show-goers looking for a fun, colorful way to add character to their home’s curb appeal.

8. Front Door Challenge: Attendees have the chance to put their creativity to the test with this fun, interactive challenge. A plainly decorated front door will be on display, surrounded by lots of accessories. Participants have two minutes to create their best display, snap a pic and post it to Instagram. A panel of show designers will then choose a winner.

9. Alex’s Room: The host of Fox29’s Good Day Philadelphia, Alex Holley, is working with Ballard Designs and Denise Sabia of The Painted Home to create a lounge at the Philly Home + Garden Show. Using Denise’s design expertise and Alex’s personal style, they will select furniture and décor pieces from Ballard Designs’ new location in the King of Prussia Mall to create Alex’s dream room. Show-goers can use the lounge to sit and relax during their busy day at the show while gathering inspirations from the room’s beautiful design.

10. Exhibitors: The show will feature more than 150 exhibitors sharing products, services and expertise to help you with all of your home projects from plumbing, electric, painting and closets to patios, basements, cabinetry and roofing – just to name a few! Check out the full list of vendors here to learn about how they can help you and where they’re located on the show floor.

Don't have tickets yet? Get 2-for-1 on Facebook and treat a friend or family member to this amazing event. We can't wait to see you there!

GREATER PHILADELPHIA EXPO CENTER AT OAKS
JANUARY 15-17, 2016.

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Getting to Know HGTV Star Chip Wade

Chip Wade comes from a long line of experienced carpenters and woodcraftsmen, but the Atlanta-based owner and lead designer of Wade Works LLC is the first in his family to take his talents to television.

Since 2007, Chip has led his carpentry skills to the HGTV shows Designed to Sell,  Curb Appeal: The Block, Showdown and Design Star. He’s also appeared on Oprah and CNN. Chip is now the host, designer and contractor of Elbow Room, where he leads homeowners on the journey through concept and construction to create homes that suit their lifestyle. He calls it “ultrapersonalized design.”

“So many designers create spaces that look great, but don’t reflect the homeowners’ personalities,” Chip says. “I take pride in the fact that my designs let you learn a bit about the people who live in the space every day. My rooms aren’t designed to make it easier to sell your home to the next owner, though that might be the result, anyway.”

We sat down with Chip to ask him a few questions in advance of his appearance at the new Philly Home & Garden Show, to be held January 15-17 in the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks. Chip will appear on the Main Stage throughout the weekend to talk about the lessons he has learned through 10 years of TV makeovers. 

Q: What is your favorite space to makeover and why?

A: "The kitchen. It’s where people spend most of their time."

Q: What’s one thing you think people should splurge on?

A: "Anything that gets touched or walked on a lot. I recommend spending a little too much on a nice hardwood front door and hardware set."

Q: What’s one simple thing homeowners can do to improve their landscape or garden?

A: "Create clearly defined walkways through your property. This makes your family and guests feel so much more comfortable in their approach of the property. It makes them also feel as though you are ready to have someone over."

Q: If you had to give up Facebook or Instagram, which would you pick?  

A: "Facebook. Instagram is a better platform for me to show my design work."

See Chip live on the Main Stage at the Philly Home + Garden Show on:

• Friday, January 15, at 2 p.m. & 5 p.m.
• Saturday, January 16, at 11:30 a.m. 

The Philly Home + Garden Show takes over the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks on January 15-17, 2016. With hundreds of home improvement experts ready to help with your next project, it's a must-attend event for Philadelphia homeowners.

Don't have tickets yet? Get 2-for-1 when you connect with us on Facebook and treat a friend or family member to the show. We can't wait to see you there!

GREATER PHILADELPHIA EXPO CENTER AT OAKS
JANUARY 15-17, 2016.

Read More