Great Big Home & Garden Show // Recap

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Sunday we had the opportunity to check out the Great Big Home + Garden Show at the IX Center. Between the Home + Garden Show in the Spring and the Fabulous Food Show in the Fall, we tend to make these events a regular occurrence in our lives! But this show was special because it was the first time we brought Ari with us.

Last year we decided not to bring him because pushing a stroller through large mobs of people is not my idea of a fun time. This year he’s a bit more manageable AND — bonus! — he loves baby-wearing! So I strapped on the Infantino Mei Tai (it’s the only one we have that sits him on my hip like I’m holding him so he’s kind of facing forward-ish) and we headed in the show!

Our plan was to get there early to try and beat some of the crowd. And I’d say that was a mission accomplished! We got there around 11:30. It was definitely busy, but I don’t think it was nearly as crowded as the previous years. In years past it was way too busy. This year was a more manageable busy (Thank God!).

We walked through the Outdoor & Garden displays first. Each year different landscapers and architects build outdoor garden and home entertaining areas for a walkthrough and display. The amount of time, energy and detail put into each display is incredible. This year my favorite was the ‘beer garden.’ They used different taps and bottles to create the coolest looking bar patio ever!

The entrance to the garden was a waterfall/fountain display of the Great Lakes! It was such an awesome display of local pride!

The beer theme (and fountain theme) continued with draft-handle water fountain:

And a bottle-lit wall!

Then Chad found his dream girl… I mean, grill. Ha!

 And then there were these pants…

I literally have no idea what the deal is with the pants from Petitti Garden Center, but they were funny.

Thankfully, Ari hung in there long enough to walk around most of the show! We even got to walk through the featured vacation home (they built TWO actual houses inside of the IX Center — a ‘home’ and a ‘vacation home’ — which was three times the size of our house! Ha!). That’s where I found my all time favorite home setting ever:

YEP. A giant porch swing with Scrabble pillows! I’m pretty sure this patio is speaking my love language! Overall we lasted about 1.5 hours walking around the show. The extent of our major ‘home purchases’ were two Doc McStuffins travel coloring books. Such is the parenting life! 🙂

Did anyone else go to the H&G Show? What was your favorite exhibit?