We went to the Southern Spring Home and Garden Show at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart this weekend. If you have never been to one of these shows you may not know what to expect otherwise you are well aware you are paying admission to an infomercial but sometimes there are pleasant surprises none the less.
Well $5 for parking and $18 for 2 adult admissions didn't buy too much in this showcase.
The garden show was good, the layout was good but the lighting for whatever reason was quite dark and a little gloomy. From Sean's pictures you can see the orchid display was really amazing and was the only area we both really enjoyed. I smiled indulgently at the whole outdoor rooms with fireplaces etc for your patio -- look I just want some idea of how to make a small patio outside my house look remotely interesting and colourful without forking over a lot of cash -- but some people have money for fountains and fake boulders and more power to them.
The home show part was disappointing compared to the garden area -- I expected and got the appliance displays, vinyl siding booths and the standard hot tub display but I was looking for better showcases of design. The few designer showcases we did see lacked inspiration. I am sorry but a very large painting of the face of a giraffe is not what I would choose to add some whimsy to a stuffy study. Oh yeah I don't have a study, but trust me Sean's computer room would not be improved with this print and/or a lot of fussy pillows.
Anyways there was not a lot to look at here and what there was was not terribly interesting.
The merchandise area was just too overcrowded to really enjoy and I left unable to determine just what people had purchased in the bags they were carrying. I think we have spent the same quality time at a shopping center with a Home Depot, Linens and Things and a furniture store and the parking is free. Then again shopping centers don't always provide the same photo opportunities...