The Minneapolis Home and Garden Show: A Grand Spring Experience

A sense of excitement ruled the atmosphere a t the Minneapolis Convention Center. A great day had arrived. The Home and Garden Show is the most significant spring event in the city. Groups of people gathered around the entrance with the anticipation of seeing some of the most magnificent home and garden designs in the nation. But this wasn’t an ordinary year. City officials, including the Mayor, were there to celebrate the 25^th year anniversary of the event. I had never attended such a show before, but I had heard wonderful things about it. Now I was ready to be captivated by the beautiful home and garden designs. With my big camera in hands, I was ready for the experience of a lifetime. Mayor R.F. Rybak welcomed the spirited crowd and proceeded with the ribbon cutting ceremony. “This week is declared the Home and Garden week,” boasted the jubilant Minneapolis Mayer, surrounded by other elated city offices. Soon after these words, the doors to the event slid open.

The Minneapolis Home and Garden Show is a spectacular spring event designed to inspire homeowners with wonderful and innovative ideas for their homes and gardens.

Elegant Wall Art & Lamp Lights

You could feel the joy and expectation build as you entered the front entrance of the Minneapolis Convention Center. Along the walls were elegant displays of beautiful wall art, gorgeous oil paintings and photography, including portraits of families and children. You could see how such fascinating wall decorations can transform a home and give it depth and personality.

People strolled down the aisles with big yellow bags and shopping carts, stopping here and there to view the sparkling lamplights and chandeliers that hung from perfectly crafted ceilings. Every space of the Home and Garden show were filled with something awe inspiring. The layout of the exhibits and displays stunned the imagination with innovative ideas and suggestions.

My camera in hand, I took pictures of each exhibit, including the giant mirrors which hosted my image. “That is so beautiful,” said a woman to another as the observed state of the art appliances, including refrigerators, stoves and washers and dryers. Many people were fascinated by the arrangement of small items, especially eco-friendly friendly glassware and kitchen items.

Amish Furniture and Roof Designs

In addition to the inspiring wall art displays, on each side of the hallways were the most beautiful furniture displays. Home owners could just imagine their living rooms and dining rooms decorated with beautiful Amish furniture: high quality cabinets, tables and chairs that caused many on lookers to stare in awe.

Around the next corner, a group of remodeling designers stood along the aisle, offering irresistible deals on constructing and renovating high quality ceilings and roofs as well as walls and floors. The more I walked about building and saw the glamor of the home and garden show, the more I became inspired to own a home. My mentality had suddenly changed from an observer with a camera to a participant with a grand vision.

People who attend home and garden shows leave with a repertoire of ideas for fixing up their homes and gardens. They become creative again. Investing more into their homes becomes an exciting adventure that helps them see ideas way beyond the lackluster appearance of their living room or bedroom.

Home and garden shows can provide the home owner with a wealth of innovative ideas when it come to home and garden design.

The Munificent Aisle Displays

As I turned another aisle, I became aware of soft music echoing out of the sound system above my head while the smell of freshly popped, mouth- watering popcorn filled the air. A woman stood on a small stage, demonstrating a group of exercises that were designed to keep the waste neat and trim. Wearing yellow tight-tees, tennis shoes and a headband, she started of slow in a running position. Then she became faster and faster a she paddled on the exercise bike. In the end, people applauded.

Turning my attention away from the exercise demonstration to focus on the rest of the Home and Garden show, I observed a group of proud looking eco-friendly window and door designers standing near the middle of the aisle. They smiled at potential customers as they walked by. Somewhere in the close distance, just on the other side of the hallway, I could hear children, who had accompanied parents to the event, playing on two large playground systems, fully equipped with swings, slides and seesaws.

The next exhibit featured what many home owners dreamed of: large fully constructed kitchen displays. A giant kitchen model with white electric stove wowed the imagination of observers. A family could move around in the kitchen space freely, without interfering with one another’ cooking experience. To home lovers who loved big kitchen, this model home was already on their A-list.

Another attraction was the fancy heating system and fireplace designs that made one think of the warmth of the home on a cold winter’s night. The system was designed to encourage buyers to consider creating and maintaining energy efficient homes.

Just around the corner from the heating systems were the luxurious bathing systems, which included a variety of Jacuzzis, pools and spa designs. Warm bubbling water made you want to jump into the Jacuzzi and relax the whole day long. I couldn’t resist taking out my camera and running my hands through the water, enjoying the soothing sensation.

The Grand Design: Homeowners Dream

A few yards ahead of me, the Ideal home exhibit was stealing the show. A large crowd had gathered for an opportunity to enter the home. After about twenty minutes, I was the next in line to be allowed to enter. I immediately took out my camera and captured a shot of the awesome living room adorned with a beautiful scarlet sofa and a well-polished hardwood floor. You could see your reflection. Redwood side tables, with small lamps, stood on opposites sides of the sofa. Each table neatly hosted a small stack of classic reading books.

As I walked out of the living room, I could see the astonishing display of the kitchen. It featured a large black marble table coordinates with gold and silver sinks and a square-surfaced, eco-friendly black stove with big silver frames. You could imagine yourself cooking a great holiday meal of turkey and dressing, macaroni and cheese and sweet potato pie.

After leaving the kitchen, I encountered a small study room that contained a study table and overhead lamp. This was no ordinary study room. In the corner, stood a washer and dryer. Designers created this special room so that people could read and write while waiting on the clothing. It as a unique ideal for people who would rather be doing something else than washing. For me, the idea was perfect.

For a long while, people stood gazing at particular displays in the home such as the wall art that gave it a dimension of wealth and distinctiveness. The tour guilders had to encourage them to move along because many other people on the outside were waiting to get in. “Wow”, “That’s so beautiful”, “ Oh My God, that’s wonderful” were some of the words and phrases you could hear as people encountered magnificent displays.

Next up, I found myself staring at a large majestic, master bedroom design with a crimson king size bed with white and read sheets that matched the beautiful walls and uniquely designed furniture items. The atmosphere of the bedroom just made you want to shut the door and stay there forever, resting in the beauty of privacy.

I continued to make my way through the house, passing by people who had stopped in awe of the sheer elegance of the home. All space in home was populated with materials and objects of royalty. How could anyone refuse to stop and stare and allow their imagination to run wild? I didn’t desire to leave myself, but I knew I had to keep moving.

The Breathtaking Appeal of the Gardens

The garden designs were the most breathtaking. Water fountains and flowers of ever rainbow color adorned the gardens along with beautifully crafted water fountains. Little brick pathways led to small rock ponds and waterfalls.

Backyard gardens will enhance the overall value of the homeowner’s property. I learned this from the designers that were eager to answer all my questions. I took brochures and business cards just in case I could someday afford such home and garden elegance.

I enjoyed the Minneapolis Home and Garden show. I left with a great sense of awe and wonder as well as the excitement of owning a home one day. As a participant, I will never forget the excitement and smile on the people face as they journeyed throughout the event. And I will always value energy and connection I made with the wonderful people I encountered along the way.