Ideal Home Show Chicago to Feature Ahmed Hassan

Home is where the heart is. Or in this case, it's where top designers descend on The Windy City for the inaugural Ideal Home Show Chicago. The three-day event will offer ideas and inspiration from the Chicagoland's top home and remodeling experts. Expect on-site professional advice, demonstrations of the latest products, and new trends for making the home a more beautiful place.

This comprehensive shopping opportunity for buyers for home d�cor and remodeling ideas will motivate homeowners to start preparing for their remodeling projects for this spring. Featured will be Ahmed Hassan from the original HGTV's and DIY Networks "Yard Crashers," presenting on landscaping and green living all weekend on the Ideal Main Stage.

?"The opportunity to produce a new, high-quality home show at McCormick Place is something we are thrilled about," said Grayland Productions Owner, Jessica Boweak. "We look forward to the opportunity to connect home and remodeling companies with homeowners in a face to face experiential marketplace."

The weekend long event will feature a bevy of top practitioners in the home d�cor industry providing insider tips and advice to attendees. Designers will be on site to answer the toughest design questions, from completing a basement remodeling project to choosing the best paint color to matching kitchen walnut cabinets.

EDGE had a chance to ask Hassan about his personal design insights for the coming year:

EDGE: With winter upon us, do you have any tips for bringing the garden indoors
Hassan: Winter is a wonderful time to slow down and strategize, plan your spring garden, start growing some commonly used herbs indoors and even propagate or divide your houseplants. Think "preparation" and enjoy the slow winter season while it lasts.

EDGE: What are the best perennial indoor plants and are there new trends in terms of utilizing them throughout the home?
Hassan: There's no such thing as "the best" perennials, plants are like people. They respond to their environment. Paying attention to the type of environment you have at home indoors will determine your success with growing plants indoors.

The bathroom and kitchen are the easiest areas to keep plants happy since these rooms have sinks and are often lit artificially or naturally. Most plants that we grow indoors come from the tropics, with warm temps just like inside your home and are adapted to the forest where tree canopy creates bright but indirect light.

These kinds of conditions are conducive to growing plants and the minimal humidity from occasionally running water and cooking food or showering is much appreciated by your leafy friends?.

EDGE: What are some of the general design trends that you're anticipating for 2015?
Hassan: Going geen is where it's at! In 2015 expect to hear more on sustainability, go Green, environmentally conscious and continued interest in the Organics movement. The race consciousness is becoming more and more concerned with our own health and the health of the planet. Recycle, reuse, and eco-friendly will continue to show up in landscape and life design. This is where my interest and attention is as well. Edible gardening and buying local is where most all of us can start. I'll speak a little on this when I come visit Chicago this January. Folks will also continue to see my hashtag #GoGreenWithAhmed on both Facebook (Ahmed Hassan Celebrity Landscaper) and Twitter (@AhmadandAhmed).
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EDGE: Are there any color palettes that people are gravitating toward this year?
Hassan: While I have nothing to do with the pantone color selected each year, I do know that natural colors and tones outdoors will continue to be used. Pantone colors and pops of color with textiles and accent walls, structures, etc. will also continue to add flavor and flare.

EDGE: Is there resurgence in any specific style in furnishings?
Hassan: Recycle, up cycle, and rustic all speak to conscientious use of what's old, used, creative and eco-friendly in the sense that things formerly destined for the dump, are now painted, rusted out, modified and or distressed in a way that's artistic and classy indoors or out.?

What can attendees hope to experience at the forthcoming Ideal Home Show in Chicago? Only the most awesome home and garden event ever to hit Chicago! This is our inaugural event. I've hand-selected a team of design/build contractors and artists to work with me at the show. We'll have a beautifully landscaped booth and be on hand to speak directly with folks, answer questions and share invaluable information. I intentionally don't have a canned presentation. I seek to share relevant, informative information in a fun, relaxed and entertaining way.

The Ideal Home Show Chicago
Friday, January 23, 12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Saturday, January 24, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday, January 25, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

For more information and to purchase tickets in advance, visit www.idealhomeshowchicago.com.