Auckland Home Show Prepares for Onslaught

Auckland Home Show Prepares for Onslaught as Property Boom Continues

The Auckland Home Show (9th–13th September at the ASB Showgrounds, Auckland) Australasia’s largest home, building and renovation event, is bracing itself for record sales as the national property market boom continues.

Despite expanding by almost 200msq last year and adding even more exhibition space for the 2015 event, the Auckland Home Show has been sold out since January, with a waiting list already in place for next year.

Exhibition Director Amanda Magnus says that the show has been expanding at a steady rate since the Global Financial Crisis hit the property market in 2007 and indications are that the home-hungry public will be attending in force this year, looking for ideas, inspiration and bargains for their own home or investment properties.

“Exhibitor confidence just couldn’t be stronger,” says Magnus. “We’ve got more than 500 exhibitors vying for the attention of the public and the amount they’re spending on exhibition concepts, marketing and social media has never been higher.”

Magnus says that last year 47,000 visitors spent upwards of $60million at the show and expects this number to be exceeded this year.

Despite the surge in scale and spend, the trends aren’t all for luxury, however. The show is seeing growth at both ends, with people wanting to see value for money products as well as the gold-plated options.

A particular trend is for home owners to seek ways to activate under-utilised areas of their home to accommodate family members, boarders and flatmates to help share the escallating costs of home ownership.

Likewise, energy economy has surged from a small feature before the GFC to being an issue that every exhibitor needs to contend with.

“People are increasingly concerned with energy efficiency,” says Magnus. “They might be doing it to save money or to save the world, or both, but either way, we hear now that every exhibitor needs to be able to justify their product’s energy usage, lifespan and eventual recycling,” she said.

Another trend is in new home building as the housing shortage in Auckland bites, with over 35 exhibitors promoting new home builds, and more showing pre-built re-locatable homes or buildings.

But the big interest as always is in kitchens and bathrooms, the most important areas of the home and the places where money well spent bears the greatest returns in both liveability and capital gain.

“The Auckland Home Show is the first and last word in appliances, tapware, materials and surfaces anywhere in New Zealand,” Magnus says.

“If you’re planning or simply dreaming about any home project or build, the Auckland Home Show will help you to turn it into reality, quicker, smarter and better,” she said.

Key features of the Auckland Home Show include:

The Space Module: The Innovation Space, a journey of discovery featuring the latest home interiors, furniture, colour and technology from an array of New Zealand’s top residential product and service specialists. Created by Sonya Cotter Design, The Space Module is designed to challenge traditional concepts of kitchen, bedroom and bathroom design, breaking down pre-conceived ideas of what a home should look like and reinterpreting how to use materials, finishes and furniture elements.

Finesse Residential is proud to present the Ask the Building and Renovation Experts consultation area, where visitors can book to sit down with a building and renovation expert to discuss their next project to ensure a successful home build/renovation that suits your needs, style and budget. Pre-booking is highly recommended – see website to prebook.

The Design, Renovate, Decorate Seminar Series, proudly brought to you by Resene, is a free interactive, presentation dedicated to providing the inspiration, ideas, knowledge and know-how to complete that important renovation or decoration project. Award-winning industry experts will cover a range of topics from Kitchen Renovation Trends, Bathroom Renovations, Interior Design Trends, Building & Renovating Advice, Colour Trends and Decorating Options, Outdoor Living Spaces and Landscaping, Future-Proof Building and more.

Another opportunity for expert advice is My Designer Time, a collaboration between Kitchen Things and ASB, with support of Laminex, Smeg and Resene, this feature gives pre-registered visitors free access to an award-winning designer or specialist for a meaningful 30 minute discussion on a project of their choice.

The Walk of Gardens, presented by Auckland Landscape Supplies, and landscaped by leading landscape designers. Show-goers can view a variety of landscaping products, materials and techniques which have come together in this inspirational collection of 13 different garden settings.

The Designer Living Pavilion is one of the most popular iconic features of the Auckland Home Show. Taking up the majority of Hall 8, the stylish Designer Living Pavilion features the latest, inspirational products to transform any home into a designer show home.

The SMEG Cooking Theatre in association with New World, is where visitors can see these appliances brought to life and also sample some delicious tasting food!
This impressive space plays host to a fantastic lineup of celebrity foodie talent to inspire and delight, hosted by SMEG partner and ex Masterchef contestant Vanessa Baxter.

And the iconic Street at the Auckland Home Show, is a full scale walk-through feature of the latest innovations in landscaping, materials, plants, construction and lightweight or portable buildings - this year sponsored by leading real estate company, Barfoot & Thompson, and landscaped by Cubag and Green Room Projects.

For more information, tickets and a list of daily seminars and topics, head to www.aucklandhomeshow.co.nz

ENDS

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