Highlights of Home Show: Celebrity Announcement, Smart Home and a $25,000 Donation The Greater Kansas City Home and Lifestyle Show presented by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City (HBA) on March 22-24 offered Kansas Citians everything they need to create happy, healthy and hip spaces wherever they live. “Our theme this year was #HowYouHome, and we wanted to offer design and home improvement tips to people in whatever place they call home. That may be an apartment, townhome, loft or house,” said 2019 KC Home Show Chair Matt Ernst of Ernst Brothers Construction. “Decorating styles, technological innovations that you saw displayed in our Smart Home, and home design trends are always changing, but home—and a sense of home—remains our anchor.” For 71 years, the Home Builders Association’s Home & Lifestyle Show has offered Kansas City the most current and wide-ranging displays of home improvement, and 2019 was no exception. Presented by Makita, the show featured guest appearances from entrepreneur and TV personality Bethenny Frankel, as well as Tamara Day, star of DIY Network’s Bargain Mansions. On the Main Stage, Day announced some breaking news — her Bargain Mansions show is moving to HGTV as of April 15. An interactive smart home courtesy of Patriot Homes took center stage at this year’s show. The home featured the latest in technological innovations, including a Samsung smart refrigerator with touchscreen door, voice-activated Kohler smart mirror and Moen shower head and an automated lawn mower by Gobomow. The Smart Home was outfitted by Ferguson/Factory Direct and demonstrated just how simple life can be with a few gadgets and a reliable Wi-Fi network!
attendees to walk through. To support VCP, HBA members and Bonner Springs High School built playhouses that were auctioned off to the highest bidder during the show. Additionally, $1 of every ticket sold online benefited VCP. In total, the HBA donated $25,000 to VCP. The 2019 show featured a Backyard Oasis sponsored by Stonebridge Outdoor, Price Chopper Cooking Stage featuring Instagram’s #detoxinista and other local restaurant chefs, an interactive play area sponsored by Backyard Specialists, Pub in the Park with TVs airing March Madness action, and dozens of vendors.
The Home & Lifestyle Show partnered with Veterans Community Project (VCP) this year. Co-founder Brandonn Mixon spoke about how VCP got started and its plans to help homeless veterans moving forward. VCP also brought one of its tiny homes for show
10