Come and see us at Grand Designs Live and Soak Up Rooms full of inspiration
11Apr '16
Grand Plans At Grand Designs 2016
Where can you go this spring to get more inspiration per square metre for your home and garden than anywhere else?
Answer: The Grand Designs Live show at London’s ExCel Arena. There’ll be more ideas for transforming your home than you probably thought possible under one roof.
Lots about this show is big - from the venue, London’s biggest indoor arena at the heart of the buzzing Docklands area, through the number of exhibitors’ stands - more than 500 at the last count - to the number of days it takes over this huge indoor space. It’s on for nine days, so whatever your work schedule or other commitments, you should be able to fit in a visit around them.
And as a leading trade organisation representing designers and installers of kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and home offices, KBSA will be on hand to advise you and point you in the direction of the nearest experts to you in any of these kinds of projects.
So if you see something at the show which really inspires you, and you want to talk to an expert local to you about how you can recreate the look in your home, we’ll be able to put you straight on to your nearest trusted, experienced specialist.
KBSA’s Grand Mission
At the KBSA, we support local, independent companies in all parts of the UK. Our role is to ensure that our members achieve the highest standards of design and installation work, which in turn means you can choose your supplier and/or installer with confidence, and experience total satisfaction in a job which is carried out efficiently, considerately, in a timely fashion, and to the highest possible standards.
Of course, we and every one of our members try our utmost not to underestimate the scale of the work involved - and to minimise the upheaval which can be created - when a major building, modification or renovation project is in its preparatory stages or in progress. But our ultimate aim is to ensure that you get honest, professional and helpful advice that takes your best interests into account.
To help you get a handle on all the work involved in any project which our members can help you with, you’ll be able to take away from Grand Designs Live our series of brochures which are designed to guide you through your choice of everything you’ll need, whether it’s the products and appliances themselves, or the right company with the expertise and knowledge to guarantee a high-quality job.
What Can You Expect To See
Grand Designs Live features more than 500 exhibitors, grouped into one of seven sections:
You can save £5 on the cost of each ticket by booking your admission to Grand Designs Live, at the ExCel Arena, in advance.
- Interiors: products and advice designed to add the perfect finishing touch to any home, with live demonstrations of a range of interior design techniques. Due to these being live events, the timetable had not been finalised at the time of writing, but more details of the running order will be available here as they are confirmed.
- Technology: see first-hand the latest innovations designed to transform your home and the enjoyment you get from it. Lighting and home entertainment systems are just two of the product areas which will be featured.
- Kitchens: the latest designs combine with innovative products, and ideas for maximising the space you have available. You can even try out some of the newest appliances, and get some tips about how to use them to their best advantage.
- Bathrooms: investigate the most on-trend colours and shapes in bathroom design, and discover inspiration among the exhibitors specialising in ideas for your smallest but one of your most important rooms, and with the knowledge and technical ability to make it a space you really enjoy winding down in.
- Gardens: with so much emphasis having been placed in recent years on ‘bringing the outdoors indoors’, this is a chance for you to see inspirational ways you can make your garden an integral part of your home. The show also seefast-tracks the awarding of the coveted title of Garden Designer of the Year to a novice gardener who can show they can bring imagination to a rigid project brief.
- Grand Village: the section of the show which spotlights new eco-friendly and sustainable building styles and products designed to support your objectives in minimising the environmental impact of your building or renovation projects. Again, experts in the field and TV celebrities will be on hand to dispense advice at a regular programme of seminars from which you’ll be able to take masses of inspiration.
- Build: whatever the nature and scope of your project, you’ll be able to talk to several experts, all endorsed by the Royal Institution of British Architects. You can also book a free consultation with a range of specialists, from architects to builders, to help you get your project off on the right footing or pick up some valuable design tips.
A VIP Experience ticket is also available which, for £39, gets you fast-track entry past the queues into the show, access to a VIP lounge where complimentary coffee and pastries will be available all day long. You’ll also get a free show guide to help you plan your visit, and access to a ‘shop and drop’ facility, where you can leave your purchases, and collect them when you’re ready to leave.
So make space in your diary some time between Saturday 30 April and Sunday 8 May - now is the time you should be booking your train tickets if you want to grab the best deals, which is why we’re making sure you know about it well in advance.
Are you planning a trip to Grand Designs Live? Tell us about what inspiration you hope to get from your visit to the show - then let us know what you thought of it afterwards.