The home and garden show in Oklahoma City was last weekend from January 21 through January 23. It was a big weekend, at the Bennett Event Center, with hundreds of exhibitors. And the displays ranged from automotive to financial to health and wellbeing. Also, there were various discounts offered by dozens of exhibitors.
In addition, this annual event is Oklahoma City’s largest home and garden show. And because the Pandemic has changed the way many of us work, interact, and socialize, many homeowners started making changes to their homes. Furthermore, with the high cost of housing and ongoing work-from-home, a number of Oklahomans have a completely different set of demands and wishes for their homes. Thus, the goal of this show was to meet those needs and wants.
Exhibits at the Home and Garden Show in Oklahoma City
Construction/Renovation
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There were 26 options for construction and renovation. And of those, nine exhibitors offered promotions. But most of the deals applied if show go-ers mentioned something from the show or signed up for something. However there were also military discounts as well.
Additionally, this section included a variety of 7 home-building and remodeling demos. And the remaining exhibits in this section contained
- foundation repair
- house painting with traditional paint or alternatives
- concrete work, including driveways, repair work, and concrete coatings
- and outbuildings, like sunrooms, and carports
Financial/Mortgage
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Even though there were only 6 financial displays, these were probably some of the most important. Multiple insurances, including life insurance, financial planning, and banking are all integral to home ownership. Besides, with interest rates as low as they are, a home equity loan is one way of meeting your home improvement needs.
Flooring
Four flooring demos were at the home and garden show last weekend. Three of them sell and install carpet, hardwood, vinyl, tile, and rugs. And the third demo is a carpet and upholstery cleaning business. Furthermore, two of those demos offered discounts on either products or services.
Health and Well-being
Since we’re working from home more, 20 exhibitors took advantage of that with demos. And they varied one from the other. Such as one demo geared to scan your body. No, the high-tech CT scanner wasn’t at the show. Although the idea was to be informative and get people scheduled.
Besides the demo for body scans, there were exhibits for
- massage chairs
- exercise equipment
- funeral or cremation services
- game boards
- shoe insoles
- chiropractic care
- medication-free pain relief
- and sewing and embroidery machines
Those exhibitors realized that as we’re home more, we need to remember to take care of ourselves too.
Heating and Air Conditioning
This section of exhibits included traditional heating and cooling. However it also included air purifiers, germicidal UV light systems, whole house fans, and generators.
Businesses are taking the Pandemic seriously while coming up with solutions for cleaner air inside our homes.
Furniture and Home Decor
This subdivision devoted to home decor and furniture is a necessity. At least four different companies displayed mattresses and pillows, which is essential for good health. Although, the other exhibits in this section were
- candles
- wall art and woodwork
- fine art photography
- permanent lighting
- and African wood carvings, woven bowls, and bags
Home Products and Services
While there were 45 exhibits in this section, around 37% of the vendors offered some type of discount. And the services and products were assorted. Several were designed with the immediate safety and security of homeowners and loved ones in mind. For example, shelters, safe rooms, and doorbell cameras are all developed to provide safety and security.
Other exhibits in this division offered
- water treatment
- pest control services
- moving services
- generators
- solar and other energy
- pressure washing
- furniture restoration
- and internet service
Kitchen, Bath, and Organization
Even though Houzz recently conducted a survey on bathroom trends, there were only ~ nine bath exhibits last weekend. And they all consisted of fiberglass shower enclosures. However there were also kitchen demos displayed, as well, in this subdivision. And my favorite kitchen demo was Shelf Genie. Which could have easily worked with the organization section too. Other demos in kitchen and bath were
- cabinets
- remodeling
- fixture resurfacing
- countertops
- and hardware
Likewise, since the organization category was small, with only 3 exhibits, I’ve included it with kitchen and bath. And it probably had the best turnout for promotions, with ~67% of its exhibitors offering discounts or promotions.
Garden and Landscaping
The section for gardening and landscaping was the biggest of the three day event. Coupled with greenery, pergolas, and outdoor decor, it was also the most beautiful. Additionally, about 36% of the vendors offered special deals during the show. Other demos featured in garden and landscaping were
- pergola covers
- tree and lawn service
- storage sheds
- sand, gravel, and stone hauling and delivery
- array of fences
- fruit and vegetable co-op
- yard decor
- flagpoles
- hammock chairs
- fireplaces, pits, and decks
- gardening tools
- patio furniture
- tractors and mowers
- carports and sunrooms
- and outdoor grills
Pools and Spas
Pergolas and mattresses were two of the most recurrent features at the home and garden show in Oklahoma City last weekend. However, hot tubs were another often repeated exhibit. And that’s due to the sheer size of each display.
Despite spas being the most visual example in this category, in-ground pools had more human representation. Some additional demos were
- aboveground pools
- and pool and spa servicing
Roofing, Siding, and Gutters
Next, the subdivision for roofing, siding, and gutters also had a lot of giveaways. At nearly 40%, the promotions included free products, installation, and even cash giveaways. Furthermore, there were nearly the same amount of displays for each.
Windows and Doors
Finally, the last category I’ve considered is windows and doors. While there were choices of wood, fiberglass, or vinyl windows, doors had similar options. Although there were even steel or storm doors. And you could even order a custom built door.
Also, some demos sold shutters, blinds, and even motorized screens. Furthermore, there was even a demo that featured a skylight.
In Conclusion
To summarize: The Oklahoma Home and Garden Show in OkC last weekend was a very big affair. There were a lot of vendors, patrons, and a lot of excitement.
We spend so much time in our homes: it’s where we work, teach our kids, and break bread with each other. So much of how we renovate our space comes down to what we plan on doing in our homes. Thus, the trends we’ve been seeing in home improvement the past couple of years.