Yesterday I checked out the Ottawa Home and Garden Show going on this weekend at Lansdown Park. I am profiling some of the more interesting booths and trends that I saw during my visit. Make sure to check out Ottawa Home and Garden Show GUIDE Part One as well.

Larry Roy gave me a quick lesson on artificial turf over at the SYNLawn booth. Not just for putting greens anymore, now Larry installs the synthetic grass around pools, backyards, playgrounds, pet areas, condo balconies, government buildings, and the list goes on. A true expert in everything synthetic grass, Larry showed me around 40 different types of grass products, to allow for any budget or end look/goal. Of course the product is being used in many LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification projects because of its low VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and its environmentally-sensitive polyurethane backing. Not only is it a green product but it has almost effort-less maintenance - NO MOWING! Plus you do not need to water it or use any pesticides.

On the subject of artificial, check out the Northern Palm Company booth to see how you can make it feel more like the tropical season year round. Greg Combe explained how the Galvalume product that is used to make the tree’s is 55% aluminum and 45% zinc and can withstand up to 110 MPH winds. Just recently Greg and the crew were featured on Extreme Home Makeover with Ty Pennington, and also did a complete install for musician Kid Rock who puchased over $90,000 worth of trees. Prices start at $2,500 for a seven foot tree complete with lights, and go as high as 14 feet (see above picture).

At the RenoCoach booth, Daniel Wildgen walked me through his consulting business and how he can help “save your marrige”. With over 25 years of experience, Daniel and his team are there to help you make the most out of your renovation dollars. From the initial design, plan and schedual, to onsite project management and consultation, Daniel is deffinatly someone that you want in your corner when thinking about doing that addition or kitchen makeover.

I couldnt get through the show without some food, enter Jason Groulx from the Delta, who was doing a cooking demonstration for 100% organic burgers. VERY tasty, and worth the wait!

Make sure to check out Ottawa Home and Garden Show Guide part one.

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http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated - The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the RE/MAX or RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage.

The Ottawa Home and Garden Show is being held this weekend at Lansdown Park, so I thought I would spend the afternoon there today. There is over 300 exhibitors using the three large buildings, and worth the visit to each of them. Whether you are looking for a new contractor, a BBQ, new cooking recipes, or design ideas, the Ottawa Home and Garden Show has what you are looking for. A VERY large trend is ECO friendly, LEED, or Green products. More than ever before is it easier to bring an “earth friendly” products into the home. When you go this weekend, make sure you stop by some of the interesting booths that I visited.

Over at the Grun booth, Troy and his team were showing me around the Brill Razorcut push mower. Unlike traditional push mowers this German built device is designed with the user in mind. The typical push mower is hard to push let alone to cut the grass, but the Brill is designed for effortless cutting. Usually over time, the blades and other metal parts will corrode and make it very difficult to use, but the Brill mowers blades are contact free from the core of the machine, so it remains easy to use after 10 years. The mower sells for $269.00 and is also available at Home Hardware. The Brill mower was also featured in Esquire Magazine!

Make sure to check out the Sovereign Designs booth, to learn how they can help integrate your audio and video into your home. Lighting, climate, shading design and control, to home theater and media rooms, Russell and Johnny are able to help from the consultation to specific product sales and service, and even the installation. In the above picture, they are demonstrating how they hide a LCD tv behind a piece of art. So your ugly (yes I said it) LCD or plasma TV does not have to stick out in your room. These boys have done everything you can imagine and they know what they are talking about. Mainly dealing with RUNCO video products, also known as the Ferrari of home theater products, which run from $3,000 up to about $100,000 just for a LCD tv.

Who doesn’t like free stuff? Especially when it is expert advice! Stop by the CDECA or Canadian Decorators Association booth to get a free consultation from one of the accredited interior decorators. I spoke with Kim Koa, Ken Schliemann and Darlene Hall-Barrett who each gave me some great advice. Make sure to stop by and say hi.

Stay tuned for more!

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http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage, Independently Owned and Operated - The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the RE/MAX or RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage.

Visit the Ottawa Home & Garden Show presented by Remax, March 26-29 at Lansdowne Park to find out what’s hot in home renovation, decoration, landscaping and outdoor living.  Up to 300 exhibitors will showcase home products and services, stage presentations will entertain and inform and a line up of show features will provide inspiration and ideas for your next home project.

The Ottawa Home & Garden Show, runs for four days from Thursday March 26th to Sunday March 29th and is full of opportunities for visitors to win thousands of dollars worth of prizes. Admission is $11.00 for adults, $9.00 for seniors and $9.00 for children 13-17 and children under 12 are free (prices include GST). Also note that I have seen a number of coupons around Ottawa Rec Centers to save $3 per ticket.

For more information visit:  www.ottawahomeshow.com

Show Hours:
Thursday: 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Friday:   12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday:   10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

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http://www.MattRichling.com

With the cold weather arriving fast and energy prices higher than ever, I get countless questions from customers asking about ways to save energy around their home.  What surprises me most is that people think that saving money on heating and water bills require substantial initial costs.  Although this holds true for items such as a solar hot water heater, there are many things that you can do around your house that are very inexpensive or even FREE.  Here is a list of 10 super easy ways to save energy this winter season:

1. Turn off the lights when you aren’t in a room.  Next time you are out driving in your neighborhood take a look at some of the houses.  How many needless lights are turned on?  Such a simple concept but so few people actually do it.  You can take this one step further by adding motion / light sensing timers to outside lights.  This will ensure they are only on when they need to be.
2. Lower the water temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Install CFL light bulbs.  These bulbs demand much less energy than standard bulbs and actually last years longer!
4. Wash your clothes in cold water.  This reduces the amount of hot water that you use.  Plus it’s actually better for your clothes!
5. Instead of having your dishwasher dry your dishes, let them air dry.
6. Program your thermostat to lower the temperature a few degrees at night.  Set it so it increases the temperature half an hour before you wake up.  If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, go out and get one.  Basic units start around $50.  This tip is like making money while you sleep!
7. Open blinds up during the day and close them at night.  By having them open during the day, you are using the suns heat to naturally heat your space.  When the sun goes down, closing them will act as an insulator to keep hot air in and cold air out.
8. Turn off computers and unused power bars.  Computers use a lot of power even when they are in hibernation mode.  Shutting them down will also make your computer last longer as it does not have to work as hard.  Although electronics are turned ‘off’ they often used what is called phantom power.  This amount may be small but when you start factoring in each electronic it adds up.
9. Take a look around your windows.  Better yet, run your hand under water and feel around the window frame for drafts.  Having the water on your hand will better enable you to feel the cold air.  Once a draft is found, look and see what the cause is; is the caulking damaged or cracking on the outside of the window?  You can also check for drafts from electrical outlets, dryer vents and air ducts.  A drafty house can increase your heating bill by as much as 25%!
10. Finally but just as important, go find your hot water tank.  You will have two pipes coming out; one for cold and one for hot.  Putting foam insulation over the pipes for the first 6 feet is super cheap and will save money on your water heating bill.  You can take this one step further by installing an insulated blanket around your hot water tank.

Go ahead, challenge yourselves!  Take a look at your last energy bill and implement some of these ideas.  You don’t have to do them all at one shot.  Start by even doing one every 2 weeks and I guarantee you will notice a nice difference by the end of the winter.  Nobody likes throwing money away; especially when there are lots of ways you can avoid it.  And if you do like throwing it out, feel free to drop your garbage off at my house any day of the week!  Happy holidays and all the best in the new year!

Mitch Parker
Owner – Prestige Property Development
“From creation to completion…professional renovations done RIGHT”
613-668-1330
Mitch@prestige-renovations.com

- Http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage