Review Chicago
Sweet home Chicago Back for its second year since lockdown, The Inspired Home Show in Chicago is all about the innovation – and inspiration! Sarah Selzer visited A trip to The Inspired Home Show in Chicago always guarantees a full schedule. You will already have decided to visit stands with an eye on potentially securing new business if you’re a distributor or new suppliers if you’re a retailer. But there are so many supplementary exhibits like ‘new exhibitors’ and ‘trending today’ on the first morning before the show opens plus talks and comp shopping around Chicago, you could be on the go from the moment the show opens. Not to mention when the show closes
and the various networking opportunities on offer! That is probably one of the most significant plus points of the show – the enhanced experience that accompanies the opportunity to see new product and make new connections. There are displays on design, colour, trends (‘Market Watch’ in the lobby area outside the electricals Lakeside hall brings that together) and an annual highlight – the gia Awards – which celebrate not only best in product but also retail merchandising innovation
from around the globe. Principally though the show is all about the product. It is based across three large halls – North with Discover Design and Clean & Contain, then across the lobby to South for Dine & Decor and up over the short walkway to Lakeside for Wired & Well and, out in the lobby area, Smart Home and the Inventors Revue. One of the overriding plus points is the opportunity to see North American brands in their natural habitat i.e. a large-scale product selection! On the Dine & Décor side,
Canadian brand firming up interest from lots of markets as a result of exhibiting at both Frankfurt and Chicago this year is Viva Scandinavia. The products that were real talking points were the glassware featuring ‘peaks’ inside the glasses – more than just a sculptured surface, but actual ‘peaks’ modelled on mountains including Mont Blanc, Everest and Fuji. The effect is incredibly visual, as well as tactile, and they have a practical element too, allowing you to freeze the glasses and enjoy whisky without ice!
Next year’s show runs March 16-19, 2024. Visit www.theinspiredhomeshow.com 98 TABLEWARE INTERNATIONAL