Calgary by design

More than 350 exhibitors on hand for 2014 Home + Design Show

Born in Calgary, interior designer Heather Draper spent seven years in Victoria before realizing her heart remained in Alberta.

"There's a vibrancy," she said. "Calgary resonates this positive energy that I absolutely love."

Draper will be sharing that positive energy, as well as some ins and outs of interior design, when she presents on the main stage of the Calgary Home + Design Show Sept. 18-21. "I'm going to talk a bit about the colour wheel and the science behind the colours," said Draper, who heads The Heather Company, which specializes in design and décor. The company also manufactures its own bedding line here in Calgary, selling its wares in stores across Canada.

"You know how you can pick a paint colour and you think it's really great? And you get home and its pink? But maybe you have cherry hardwood so it didn't look pink in the store. "[I'm] going to be talking about things like that – how colours slide around.

"We deal with a lot of colour around here."

This year's Home + Design Show will feature more than 350 exhibitors who will be showcasing everything from appliances to window coverings over three days at the BMO Centre.

"I think [the show] is great for so many various businesses in Calgary," said Draper. "I think [it's] one really great venue that Calgarians have absolutely come to rely on to really find the best of the best of the products available in the city."

As well as product availability, the show will be rife with advice on home design and improvement.

Among those joining Draper on the main stage will be Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan of Cottage Life TV's Colin & Justin's Cabin Pressure, Bryan Baeumler, host of HGTV's Leave it to Bryan, Calgary's Marie-Claire Williams and Clare Gardner of Cardel Renos.

For Baeumler, who also helms HGTV's Canada's Handyman Challenge as well as running Baeumler Quality Construction and the Baeumler Family Foundation for kids, his design motto is simple:

"Design, destroy, rebuild," he said. "In that order.

"I love getting out to the home shows – I mean, everything's there. I really like meeting and talking with the people that come down, because we all have a common interest. It's a great place to see all of the new products out there, and get some great design ideas while you're at it."

If home and design are not up your alley, the Trail Appliances Cooking Stage will help get your foodie on. Guests to the stage will include local chef Tomo Mitsuno of Blowfish Sushi and Goro + Gun and celebrity chef Corbin Tomaszeski of the Food Network's Crash My Kitchen.

"The main focus of our show is home and design, and of course our exhibitors tend to be geared more toward businesses that can help you out with design dilemmas or renovation problems or just future projects," said Calgary Home + Design Show manager Teri Salazar.

"Because we believe all aspects of your home include lifestyle, we (also) have a cooking stage because that's something that happens in your home and our home is sort of the core of where you are."

With home and design trends and advice, food stages and food trucks, the show will also be doing its part for Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta with the Ultimate Upcycle Challenge 2: ChairLIFT. The event will have chairs "upcycled" into new creations by locals such as Draper, Amy Jo Espetveidt of Calgary is Awesome and Patti Pon of Calgary Arts Development. Participants will have a $50 limit to spend on their chairs with their creations being sold via silent auction.

* Photos courtesy The Heather Company, Baeumler Approved