Staring at the walls of your home this winter may have helped you decide to freshen up or renovate a few rooms.
The 15th Annual North Atlanta Home Show on Feb. 10-12 at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth comes at the right time if you’re considering, or in the midst of, making changes.
“We have people that say, ‘I’m glad I came down, I was in the middle of something and it’s not too late for me to tweak what I’m doing,’” said Michael Schoppenhorst, the show’s director.
It’s timed before the spring selling season, so the ideas you see may help sellers make their property stand out.
“When we see and hear what’s going on in the industry and what people are asking for, that’s what we use as a guide,” he said.
The speakers and nearly 150 exhibitors at the show, which drew nearly 10,000 attendees in 2011, will address areas inside and outside the home. Here’s a look at some of those presenters and products.
Floors
HGTV’s Tonya M. Williams of “Designed to Sell” and “Bang for your Buck” will share tips on adding value with fabulous floors (2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday). “If you’ve got old terrible flooring, that stands out to (buyers),” Schoppenhorst said. “There’s so many flooring options right now.”
Decks
Outdoor exhibitors include Statham-based Tailor Decks, with its Tailored Wood (www.tailored-wood.com) deck railing system designed to make deck lighting easier to install and to conceal electrical wires. In screened porches, its shiplap decking eliminates the need for screening under the decking board with a hidden fastener system.
Lawns and gardens
With the LawnBott (www.lawnbott.com), a gas-free robotic lawnmower, you can set parameters around flowerbeds, play areas and other spots, Schoppenhorst said. The price tag for the LawnBott LB 1500 SpyderEVO, created by Lawrenceville-based Kyodo America Industries and expected to be available this spring: $1,799.
Tennessee-based Reel Barrels (www.reelbarrels.com) converts used bourbon barrels into rain barrels, trash barrels and a reel barrel, which has a garden hose reel mounted inside. Karen Alexander, a UGA Extension Master Gardener, will discuss rain barrels, joining gardening expert Walter Reeves and other UGA experts.
Storage
If storage space is a premium at your place, you can see ideas and products from companies such as Marietta-based ShelfGenie (www.shelfgenie.com). Its Glide-Around blends the ideas of a Lazy Susan and a drawer in a cabinet to make use of wasted space in the kitchen.
Box
North Atlanta Home Show
When: Noon-6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11; noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12
Where: Gwinnett Center, 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth
Cost: $7, $6 for seniors 65+ with ID, $5 for military personnel with ID, free for 12 and under. For free tickets, visit www.hometalk.com/homeshow and register prior to arriving at the show.
Info: 770-998-9800, www.AtlantaHomeShow.com
