Until Next Time at the Vancouver Home + Design Show

That’s a wrap on the 2015 Vancouver Home + Design Show! With the big move back to the Vancouver Convention Center West, headliners including W Network’s Jillian Harris & Todd Talbot, Cheryl Torrenueva from W Network’s Game of Homes, and HGTV design star Samantha Pynn, plus a slew of local favourites and over 325 exhibitors, there was expert insight, innovation and inspiration for stylish living at every turn.

Couldn’t make the show? Take a tour of our favourite moments below, complete with covetable design, fierce competition and the best advice in the biz.

Everyone’s favourite design and real estate duo Jillian Harris and Todd Talbot from W Network’s Love It or List It Vancouver cracked plenty of jokes while dispensing expert insight on where to splurge and where to save when creating your dream home.

The Ultimate Upcycle Challenge: Take a Seat proved design with a conscience never goes out of style, raising a grand total of $750 in support of Habitat for Humanity Society of Greater Vancouver ReStores.

The Samsung Junior Chef Challenge paired top Vancouver chefs Craig Scherer from Trattoria Burnaby and Geoff Rogers from Blacktail Restaurant + Lounge with home chefs Maddie Lemieux and Matthew Tong. Craig and Matthew took home gold, with Matthew winning $5,000 worth of home kitchen appliances.

Design darling and star judge Cheryl Torrenueva from W Network’s Game of Homes Vancouver made her much anticipated return to the Vancouver Home + Design Show Main Stage where she walked guests through the pros and cons of DIY projects VS. delegating to professionals.

Mark your calendars for the 2016 BC Home + Garden Show, coming up from February 17th to 21st at BC Place Stadium! Visit bchomeandgardenshow.com for more details.

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That's a Wrap on the Calgary Home + Design Show!

With the end of the Calgary Home + Design Show upon us, it is now time to welcome fall with open arms after four amazing days at the BMO Centre. From interior design to culinary creations and celebrity sightings, it all came together under one roof – complete with the hundreds of local retailers, designers and experts who made it all possible!

Missed out? Don’t fret. We’ve rounded up our favourite features and the most memorable moments.

Our favourite contractor, Bryan Baeumler, lit up the Trail Appliances Main Stage with his wife Sarah, and had fans fawning over his renovation (and marriage) know-how.

The Parker Barrow design duo returned to Calgary just in time for fall, sharing their insider tips and tricks to incorporate worldly touches into your home.

Things got cookin’ on the Trail Appliances Cooking Stage with the Samsung Junior Chef Challenge, hosted by chef Pierre Lamielle. Congrats to Calgary’s own Ryley Pochapsky, who walked away with $5,000 worth of Samsung appliances for his family’s kitchen - not to mention a hip pair of Samsung headphones for himself.

Guests couldn’t resist the Ultimate Upcycle Challenge: Take A Seat - all 10 entries were scooped up and given a second chance at life! Designs by local media personalities, designers and tastemakers raised $1,295 for Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, thanks to their creative takes on pre-loved items of choice. Congrats to Melissa Wagner of Interiors to Inspire for scoring the top bid of $250.

And, don’t forget to mark your calendars! Catch even more fantastic features and celebrity guests at the Calgary Home + Garden Show, happening February 25 – February 28 at the BMO Centre & Corral. Stay tuned to our website for more details, coming soon.

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The Search is on for Samsung's Junior Chef Challenge Champion

Calling all up-and-coming teen chefs! We’re searching for Calgary and Vancouver’s most talented junior home cooks to go head-to-head in the Samsung Junior Chef Challenge at the upcoming Calgary Home + Design Show and Vancouver Home + Design Show

With Samsung’s premium home appliances, including the new Flex Duo Electric Range with Dual Door, at the ready, talented home cooks ages 12-17 are encouraged to enter the competition in hopes of coupling up a local celebrity chef. Contestants will have the possibility of being paired with Michael Dekker from SAIT, CRAFT Beer Market’s Eric Mah, Craig Scherer from Trattoria Burnaby and Blacktail Restaurant + Lounge’s Geoff Rogers.

Each competitor will be tasked with creating an entrée and dessert with three mandatory secret ingredients over the course of one hour. Based on judges’ scores, the winning competitor will be crowned the Samsung Junior Chef Champion, flush with a Samsung Home Appliance prize package valued at over $5,000.

Do you, or someone you know, have what it takes to win the Samsung Junior Chef Challenge? Head to the Calgary Home + Design Show & Vancouver Home + Design Show contest pages to enter. For more information, rules and regulations, please click here.  

Be sure to arrive early to catch all the action on the Trail Appliances Cooking Stage in Calgary on Saturday, September 19 at 11:30 a.m. and on the Vancouver Magazine Cooking Stage in Vancouver on Saturday, October 24 at 12:00 p.m. Visit our Facebook page to save on show tickets - right now you can get two for the price of one!

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Goodbye For Now From The Vancouver Home + Design Show

After four incredible days at last weekend's Vancouver Home + Design Show, we had to say goodbye. We know it's hard, but all good things must come to an end - and what a whirlwind weekend it was!

Missed the show? We've curated our favourite moments to make you feel as though you were there for every important moment.

Our favourite Scots, Colin & Justin, brightened up the Metrie Main Stage with their signature humour and styling tips for bringing Canadian cottage style into any home.

The one and only Bryan Baeumler took to the Metrie Main Stage to share his renovation know-how with his adoring Vancouver fans.

Things heated up on the Vancouver Magazine Cooking Stage with the Samsung Cooking Challenge: Tag Team Kitchen, hosted by Chef Corbin Tomaszeski. Elaine Vuong and her professional partner, Geoff Rogers of Blacktail Florist, beat out the competition and Elaine walked away with $5,000 worth of Samsung Appliances. What a win!

Urban Barn's Next Top Designer: Reloaded stole the show when three local undiscovered designers and decorators went head-to-head in the ultimate micro-management exercise. Each contestant designed a 150 square-foot space with $5,000 worth of Urban Barn furniture and accessories for display (and public vote). The winner, up-and-coming decorator Dexter Dolores, went home with $1,000 to Urban Barn, a feature in Westcoast Homes & Design magazine, and a 10x10 booth at the Vancouver Home + Design Show, 2015. Congrats, Dexter!

The Ultimate Upcycle Challenge 3: ChairLIFT raised over $600 for Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver and their affiliated ReStores. The chair with the top bid? That went to the friendly decorator herself, Christine Friend, for her fun and sporty Canucks chair.

We're also proud to announce the winners of the Best Booth Awards, including:

• Best in Show: Save More Plumbing & Lighting
• Best Use of Large Space: Floform Countertops for Life
• Best Medium Space: Future Living Development Ltd.
• Best Small Space: By Nature Design
• Rookie Award: ifresco
• Going the Extra Mile: Nitor Lighting

Congrats to everyone! We're sending loads of gratitude to all of the guests, exhibitors, and presenters that made the Vancouver Home + Design Show 2014 so memorable. Don't miss out on your next chance to exhibit or visit, find details for the BC Home + Garden Show here. Mark your calendars for February 18-22, 2015 at BC Place Stadium.

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Calgary Home + Design Show: That's A Wrap!

All good things must come to an end, and so on September 22 we wrapped the Calgary Home + Design Show after four amazing days at the BMO Centre. From interior design to culinary creations and celebrity sightings, it all came together under one roof - complete with hundreds of local retailers, designers, experts who made it all possible! We couldn't have done it without them.

Missed out? Don't fret. We've rounded up our favourite features and the most memorable moments from the show!

Our favourite contractor, Bryan Baeumler, lit up the Trail Appliances Main Stage and had fans fawning over his renovation know-how. Leave it to Bryan to bring on the crowds!

Oi! Scottish designers Colin & Justin had everyone in stitches with their signature humour and tips for designing the perfect Canadian cottage.

It got hot up on the Samsung Cooking Challenge: Tag Team Kitchen with host and celebrity chef Corbin Tomaszeski. Congrats to Calgary's own David Pyle, who walked away with $5,000 worth of Samsung Chef's Collection appliances for his own kitchen.

Guests cherished ChairLIFT! Local media personalities and tastemakers raised over $1,000 for Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta and their affiliate ReStores thanks to their creative takes on pre-loved chairs. Congrats to Nyla Free of Nyla Free Designs for scoring the top bid of $220 for this beauty.

And, don't forget to mark your calendars! Catch even more fantastic features and celebrity guests at the Calgary Home + Garden Show, happening February 26 - March 1 at the BMO Centre & Corral. Stay tuned to our website for more details, coming soon.

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Sponsor Spotlight: Samsung

We're thrilled to have Samsung join us for the Calgary Home + Design Show (September 18-21 at the BMO Centre) and the Vancouver Home + Design Show (October 16-19 at BC Place). Here's a little inside scoop on what's cooking with Samsung.

1. What are your featured products this season?
This season we're introducing the new Samsung Chef Collection - a suite of premium culinary appliances inspired by renowned chefs from around the world. Every appliance in the collection combines breakthrough technology and sophisticated design to build the best kitchen possible and ensure the highest quality results.

• Food Preservation at its Finest - With its thoughtful attention to innovation and design, the Samsung Chef Collection 4-Door Refrigerator represents the next generation in food preservation, storage, organization and meal preparation.

• Meal Prep Innovation - Samsung's Chef Collection features three new sleek slide-in range innovations (gas, induction and electric) with Flex Duo technology to conveniently make two different dishes at the same time at two different temperatures and provides a custom, built-in finish that instantly upgrades any kitchen.

• Cook Every Meal to Perfection - Samsung's Chef Collection Over-The-Range (OTR) Microwave's new sensor cooking equips home chefs with the ultimate in cooking performance with a simple touch of a button. 

• Don't Forget the Dishes - Beautiful spotless dishes are just as important to the dining experience as the food itself. But the basic technology and design of dishwashers - with their inefficient conventional rotary and circle water sprays has not advanced in 40 years, until now. 

2. What inspires your products?
The new Samsung Chef Collection was designed in collaboration with some of the world's finest Michelin Star master chefs. Inspired by their insight and expertise, we've revolutionized everything but the kitchen sink, creating innovative ways to store, prepare, and present your favourite foods. From innovative touches to impeccable design, it's everything you need to go from cook to chef.

3. What can we look forward to from you at the show?
At this year's show, three home cooks will each partner with a top chef in Calgary and Vancouver in a battle for culinary supremacy. Armed with Samsung's Chef Collection appliances, fresh ingredients, and plenty of ambition, the dueling duos will race against time as they take turns behind the burner to create the perfect entree and dessert. Expert judges, including Chef Corbin Tomaszeski, will select the winners, with the last home cooking standing scoring $5,000 worth of Samsung Chef Collection appliances for their own kitchen.

The Samsung Cooking Challenge: Tag Team Kitchen will take place on Saturday, September 20th at 1PM in Calgary and Saturday, October 18th at 2PM in Vancouver. Don't miss out on Samsung's fine features - buy your tickets to the Calgary Home + Design Show and the Vancouver Home + Design Show now!

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CHEF KNOWS BEST AT THE CALGARY HOME + DESIGN SHOW

This fall at the Calgary Home + Design Show, we’re proving that chef really does know best. From September 18-21, 2014 at BMO Centre, catch your favourite foodies as they dish out delicious dining ideas on the Trail Appliances Cooking Stage. From sweet to savoury (and always insanely scrumptious), these chefs have something in store for everyone.

Before you meet them on stage, say hello to our talented line up.

Chef Corbin Tomaszeski

Celebrity Chef

Chef Corbin earned his claim to fame in the Food Network’s Crash My Kitchen and has since made a flock of faithful fans. This fall, catch him doing double-duty hosting and judging the Samsung Cooking Challenge: Tag Team Kitchen. He’ll select the winners (along with a panel of esteemed local culinarians) and the top home cook will walk away with $5,000 worth of Samsung Chef Collection appliances for their own kitchen.

When: Saturday, September 20 at 1PM (Samsung Cooking Challenge: Tag Team Kitchen) and Sunday, September 21 at 12PM (cooking demonstration)

Chef Tomo Mitsuno

Executive Chef, Goro + Gun

Born and raised in Osaka, Japan, Chef Tomo Mitsuno attributes his love of cooking to his grandfather, who always encouraged him to try new food. Before seeing him on stage, you can meet this busy chef at one of his many restaurants in Calgary, including: Blowfish Sushi, Wild Orchid, Ubu Lounge and his latest venture, Goro + Gun. 

When: Saturday, September 20 at 5PM and Sunday, September 21 at 1PM 

Ashley Rogers

Lead Gelatiere, Fiasco Gelato

If it’s something sweet you’re after, you’ve come to the right place. A Vancouver expat, Ashley Rogers traded her love of flaky pastries for frozen desserts as Fiasco Gelato’s Lead Gelatiere. We can’t wait to see what she has in store – we know it will be delicious.

When: Friday, September 19 at 3PM

Sharon McCormick

Owner, Poppy Innovations

Goodbye bran! Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring. The desire to create healthy and tasty dishes led Sharon McCormick to open Poppy Innovations, offering “gate to plate” programs and workshops that teach about growing, harvesting and cooking. Share in Sharon’s enthusiasm for fresh cooking and learn a thing or two about cooking with ingredients that are as delicious as they are wholesome.

When: Friday, September 19 at 1PM and 4PM

Carolyne McIntyre Jackson & Jodi Willoughby

Owners, Crave Cupcakes

Have a sweet tooth? Then you can’t miss this sister act. Carolyn McIntyre Jackson and Jodi Willoughby teamed up to create Crave Cupcakes in 2004 to bring their love of good old-fashioned fresh baking to Calgary. With a decade of sweet treats under their belts, we promise you’ll leave inspired to create your own oh-so-good solutions.

When: Friday, September 19 at 2PM

Catch these culinary innovators and more this September at the Calgary Home + Design Show.
Remember, it pays to buy your tickets online! 

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Feature Forecast: What's Happening at the Vancouver Home + Design Show!

It should come as no surprise that we can’t wait for fall - even with the gorgeous weather outside. Why, you ask? The Vancouver Home + Design Show, that’s why! We’re thrilled to announce exciting new features that are sure to capture your attention this October. To pump up the pre-show anticipation, we present you with the top 5 features at this year’s Vancouver Home + Design Show, happening October 16-19 at BC Place Stadium.

1. Urban Barn’s Next Top Designer: Reloaded

Back after a hugely successful inaugural year, three of Vancouver’s up-and-coming interior designers will go head-to-head in Urban Barn’s Next Top Designer: Reloaded. It’s the ultimate micro-management exercise: designing a 150 ft² space with $5,000 worth of Urban Barn furniture and accessories for display. Cast your vote at the Urban Barn booth and you could walk away with a $5,000 Urban Barn shopping spree! 

2. Ultimate Upcycling Challenge 3: ChairLIFT

Local media personalities, designers and tastemakers will each upcycle a pre-loved chair for silent auction, with 100% of proceeds benefitting Habitat for HumanityGreater Vancouver and its affiliated ReStores. Be sure to stop by and bid on your favourite stylish seat – but best keep close tabs on the action, or it could be lost to a higher bidder!

3. Vancouver Magazine Cooking Stage

Home cooks, take note. Catch well-known chefs, like Food Network’s Corbin Tomaszeski and local favourites, as they demonstrate top recipes and expert techniques live on stage! Plus, don’t miss the Samsung Cooking Challenge: Tag Team Kitchen, where three home cooks will partner with a top chef in a battle for culinary supremacy (not to mention $5,000 worth of Samsung home appliances for their kitchen).

4. BC Hydro Power Smart Home

Eco-lovers, rejoice! BC Hydro’s Power Smart Home is back by popular demand. Design darling Jennifer Scott from A Good Chick To Know will marry cool style and electricity conservation in this green-loving space. Learn how to stay chic and shrink your home’s carbon footprint at the same time – now that’s called sustainable style.

5. Floform Lounge presented by Western Living  

After a day of digging up design inspiration, you’ll need to recharge and study up on fall’s must-have home trends, courtesy of Western Living magazine. Enter the Floform Lounge, designed by Megan Baker from A Good Chick to Know. Located just steps away from the Metrie Main Stage, you can lay back and relax without missing any of the celebrity action – vino in hand, of course.

Join us this October for these exciting features (and much more!) at the Vancouver Home + Design Show. Remember to buy your tickets online now, for the best deals. 

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