When it comes to mixing fun with relaxation and roofing, London has it nailed. For 25 years, the city’s home builders association has provided a mid-winter break by hosting the three-day Lifestyle Home Show, the largest event of its kind in Southwestern Ontario.
The anniversary edition of the show featured 600 exhibitors and many special appearances. Don’t-miss features of this year’s show included a high-tech flower on the Boulevard of Dreams. The “smart flower” is solar-powered, gathering energy through its panel-like petals. It’s portable and meant for poolside or cottages.
The Boulevard of Dreams itself is an upscale section of the show, featuring higher-end items for the home and home improvement projects. Among those on the Boulevard of Dreams are Grand River Natural Stone, Okewood Timberworks, TLC Landscaping and Pools, and Ironstone Building Company, along with Smart Flower by Nu-NRG Group.
Community work and charitable causes are a big part of the show. In addition to Habitat for Humanity Heartland, the show welcomes the London Community Woodshop, a new membership-based community shop where you can hone your woodworking skills and build your projects.
Hope Agua Vita, created by Doug Tarry Homes of St. Thomas with partners Purifics Water, focuses on long-term disaster recovery in Puerto Rico with solar energy and water purification initiatives as the Caribbean island continues to recover from hurricane damage.
At the London Home Builders’ booth, there’s a photo op that virtually puts you on an iron-beam high above London’s skyline.
This year’s prize draws included a dining room suite with a live edge table valued at $7,500 from Rembrandt Homes and a $5,000 vacation voucher provided by Ironside Building Company.
