6 Reasons to Visit the Vancouver Home and Design Show

You won’t want to miss these presentations and events happening at this year’s Vancouver Home and Design Show.

Celebrity guests, designers, chefs and more will be on hand to share their expert tips and techniques at the Vancouver Home and Design Show happening this weekend (October 23 to 25) at its new location: the Vancouver Convention Centre West. Here’s our list of must-see presentations and events:

Around the World with Parker Barrow

Thursday, October 22 and Friday, October 23Janette Ewen and Jef Hancock, the duo behind Parker Barrow Creative Studio, recently shared their top spots to visit in L.A’s cool Hel-Mel neighbourhood, so we’re excited to hear what they have to say about their favourite design destinations (New York, Detroit, Barcelona, Verona and more). The duo also designed the Floform Lounge (presented by Western Living) where you can sit back and enjoy the show with a drink in hand.

Ultimate Upcycling Challenge: Take a Seat

Friday, October 23–Sunday, October 25Paint will splatter and fabrics will fly! Armed with a box of Rust-Oleum products and a $50 design budget, 15 participants—including Norma Reid of CTV Vancouver, Karen Daniels from JRfm and Western Living’s Stacey McLachlan and Julia Dilworth—have restored pre-owned furniture into must-have items. See all the refurbished seats and bid for your favourites at the show’s silent auction (all proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver and ReStore).

Meet the Masters Series

Friday, October 23–Sunday, October 25Stop by the Vancouver Magazine cooking stage for expert tips—and tasty samples—from some of Vancouver’s best chefs, including Zuzana Harsaghy, Sheldon Maloff and Taryn Wa (you may recognize their names from our Asian-inspired recipe round-up). Master the art of butchering and improve your knife skills (get a preview of presenter and chef Brandon Dac showing us how to break down a chicken here), learn about sustainable cooking and practice styling your food like a pro: presentations and seminars take place throughout each day.

For Love or Money

Friday, October 23Jillian Harris and Todd Talbot battle head-to-head on W Network’s Love It or List It Vancouver, but they’ll be joining forces on the main stage to share their expert design and renovation tips in a presentation called For Love or Money. We’re happy to have them back on home turf—the pair last appeared at the Vancouver Home and Design Show in 2013. Can’t wait until Friday? We’ve got you covered: Check out Todd’s reno tips or see Jillian’s favourite home makeovers.

Junior Chef Challenge

Saturday, October 24The Junior Chef challenge, hosted by Jonathan Chovancek (check out his recipe for Anastasia Perogies), is a culinary battle you won’t want to miss. School-aged home cooks will partner with two Vancouver chefs—Craig Scherer of Trattoria and Geoff Rogers of Blacktail Restaurant and Lounge—to prepare entrées and desserts, each with three mandatory secret ingredients. The last Junior Chef standing will receive $5,000 worth of Samsung appliances. Cast Iron Girl, Greer Ross-McLennan (Fun fact: she’s the daughter of Western Living‘s Food and Travel editor Neal McLennan) will be at the judges’ table—and will later give WL readers an inside scoop on the competition with an exclusive behind-the-scenes video.

Style and Design with PowerSmart in Mind!

Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25Aside from showcasing some of his favourite kitchen and bath products (like the Moxie showerhead from Kohler), interior designer Jamie Banfield will be sharing his expertise on making smart design decisions. He’ll have budget-saving tips, and of course, plenty of ideas about how to create a functional home. You can also see some of Banfield’s work in the BC Hydro House, where he’s building a kitchen with pre-owned cabinets from Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver’s ReStore.

Vancouver Convention Centre, 1055 Canada Place

For details, or to see the show’s full schedule, visit vancouverhomeanddesignshow.com. Other guests appearing on the main stage include Vancouver designer Sarah Gallop, Friendly Decorator Christine Friend, HGTV hosts Cheryl Torrenueva and Samantha Pynn, and Benjamin Moore Paint’s design specialist Leigh-Ann Allaire Perrault.