Ideal Home Show Spring 2012

Did you realise that the Ideal Home Show has been running for 104 years? That's pretty impressive. This year they're back and it's looking better than ever. I have often received pr emails about this event but to be honest this is the first year that I have ever been interested in paying attention to it, because I've always been a live-out-of-a-suitcase kinda gal (not always by choice, but definitely by circumstance, so I am now excited by the prospect of owning pieces of furniture and kitchen equipment without knowing that I'm going to have to sell them somehow to get rid of them before I get on a plane. This doesn't mean that I won't ever travel or live abroad again, but I definitely want to have something to come back to when I do (or be able to take them with me!). Below is a little more info for those of you who are also looking to settle down a little bit and become a "homemaker."

I'm not very good at coming up with ideas for homes. I could never be an interior designer, I need to see it all put together first to know that it all works. I have more luck with outfits in that way. That's why I'm pretty excited to know that the showhomes at the show are actual life-size mock ups in a residential street. It'll be like snooping around the homes of interior designers. Very Location, Location, Location-esque but with a glamorous element. Not that the lovely Kirsty Allsopp isn't glam enough herself! Speaking of Kirsty, she was on hand to visit the Prince's Pavillion. An entirely eco-friendly concept in partnership with the Princes' trust, this attraction is new for 2012, celebrating great British design, sustainability and traditional skills. I am a big fan of this idea, as I am currently celebrating Why Britain is Great in a series of blog posts. For more info on this project, visit this page.

And for those not quite as willing to knock down walls willy-nilly like the lovely Kirsty, then there will be a simple How-To-Theatre for DIY newbies, as well as a huge gardening section to prepare you for getting outside when the warmer weather finally arrives. I'm a bit of a gadget geek, so the ideal Home of the Future section from Virgin Media will be showcasing all of the latest domestic appliances to make it more fun to be in the kitchen or avoid the cleaning.

I love food. I love cooking and I'm excited to know that the Ideal Home Show has a lovely cookery section, with live shows from celebrity chefs and Masterchef favourite I-love-my-puds food critic Gregg Wallace will be on hand to do some tasting with you.

But if you aren't quite into home decoration or getting on to the property ladder, don't forget that the Ideal Woman section will feature a live catwalk show and there will be a plethora of shopping options. They'll even ship your purchases to you, should you go a little crazy and don't fancy getting on the Tube with your stash.

For more info on attending the Ideal Home Show Spring 2012, the lovely PR people for the event have sent me all of the finalised details here:

Ideal Home Show 2012 sponsored by Everest, 16^thMarch to 1^st April, Earls Court, London.
To Book tickets now log on to http://www.idealhomeshow.co.uk or by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0844 858 6763. Group bookings can be made by calling the Groups Hotline on 0871 230 5581. The show will open its doors from the 16^th March – 1^st April 2012, and will be open Daily 10am - 6pm. Thursday open until 9pm.
The 2012 show is once again supporting the Ideal Homes For Heroes appeal in aid of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity – see www.idealhomeshow.co.uk/ideal-homes-for-heroes/ for details.