The 2012 Home Design and Remodeling Show took over Miami Beach for a five-day Labor Day weekend extravaganza from August 31st to September 4th. This revered annual event, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, brings South Florida consumers the opportunity to get an indepth and personal taste of home improvement, interior design and remodeling, and even celebrity techniques. Don’t be deceived by looks alone, however: what makes this event truly stand apart is upclose- and-personal interaction with the industry’s top professionals all in one convenient location- a unique type of one stop shopping for homeowners.
“The interaction with the crowds was the most unexpected thing for me,” said Matt Muenster, star of the DIY Network’s Bathcrashers. “This is going to be my fourth presentation in two days and no two of them have been the same because everyone wants to ask questions, interact.. but that’s cool, it’s on the fly, and it’s what I love about our show too!” Guests got the opportunity to speak directly to the popular television personality after each of his presentations and approach him with their own personal home design dilemmas, from bathtub grout to tile style. The show is also a tremendous platform for local talent and services, as Miami architect and interior designer Amelia Rozas attests. “This is such an amazing opportunity for myself and for my fellow designers. Being invited to present was so exciting and brings so much exposure, allowing me to spread my mission of helping homeowners with their struggle to find and design their dream home,” she said. A12 year veteran of the industry and owner of Amelia Rozas Design Incorporated, she presented a “Ten Tips to Design It Yourself “seminar to Home Show goers. Even more appreciative of the personalized presentations were the guests themselves. “What was really neat about the show was Amelia’s process- we’ve been walking around getting our own ideas to remodel our kitchen and two bathrooms, but with her little concept of putting the 10 steps together, it’s going to help us really project manage the process,” said Carlos Padilla, who has devotedly attended the show with his wife Maria since 1989.
Another unique facet of the event is collaboration between local designers and celebrities: once matched, a handful of designers each creates a room to reflect their paired celebrity’s personality or aura. First-year exhibitor Sandra Diaz Velasco did a room for NBC 6 anchor Adam Kuperstein, and enjoyed every minute of the process. Yet she is not shy to say that the real highlight of being a part of the show was meeting her fellow professionals and being able to collaborate together, as there is “a niche for everybody.. at the end of the day, there’s space for all of us.”
Amongst the endless plethora of any home service or product imaginable, from personalized ponds and financial services to light fixtures and door knobs, what could be found? Endless eager crowds to enjoy every amenity. Sharon Berube, Director of Marketing of the show for more than 30 years, is continually impressed by the turnout and proclaims that the people themselves are what truly distinguish this event from all others. “To me, the heart of the show is the people,” she explained. “The products and services are what are here to see, but it’s the people- interacting, talking to an exhibitor about something they specialize in, talking to a designer or a home improvement specialist finding out what’s the latest technology to protect or minimize energy loss in your home- that is most important. All of the rest is added value
” For those who may have missed out on this home design experience, it is not too late! The Home Design and Remodeling Show will be held on November 16th at the Broward Country Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, and return in the spring to Miami Beach on March 22, 2013. To learn more, visit www.homeshows.net.
