Along with chirping robins and budding crocuses, homeowners making treks to home improvement and hardware stores are an annual sign of spring.
So after more than 5 feet of snow this winter, the Spring Home Show at Stabler Arena and Rauch Fieldhouse in Bethlehem is apt to look like an oasis to a Bedouin.
On March 28-30, the home show will draw almost 300 vendors showing off more than 400 booths with displays on everything from kitchen renovations to landscaping, from solar panels to outdoor fireplaces.
Chuck Hamilton, executive officer for the Lehigh Valley Builders Association, which runs the show, says, “I think when you get that cabin fever and you haven’t been able to do anything around the house because of the ice and snow, it’s the perfect time to get out and get ideas and get reinvigorated on what you want to do for the summer.”
Contractors are starting to see home construction and remodeling pick up, he says. Upgrading kitchens and bathrooms continues to be popular.
“As the home values are steadily increasing, we’ve seen an increase in both new home construction and remodeling,” Hamilton says. “Home additions have been very popular as a substitute for moving to a larger home.”
Among the trends the association is seeing:
Reuse of materials or “green materials”
Ruhmel Contracting and the Design Studio at HoudenHAL will be among vendors with exhibits about using sustainable energy sources and recycled products.
Robin Ruhmel of the Design Studio at HoudenHAL says the company has seen increased demand for sustainable energy sources to heat homes. Within the last year it’s installed several solar hot water systems.
“Those are investments that they’re making in the future of their house, which will save money over the long term,” she says. “People are more concerned about the environments that they’re living in.”
HoudenHAL (Houden means “to sustain” in Dutch) is a LEED certified, “green” home built about three years ago in Weisenberg Township, just off the New Smithville exit of Interstate 78. It is powered by solar, geothermal and wind power. Design Studio also sells eco-products such as carpet and countertops made from recycled materials.
Robin is the wife of Ruhmel Contracting President Hersh Ruhmel. Ruhmel Contracting, which makes custom homes, can talk to home show-goers about ways to make their homes more energy efficient by using different types of framing materials and insulation.
Outdoor rooms
More homeowners are adding rooms outside, including fully equipped kitchens, complete with stoves, grills, refrigeration, work spaces and bars. Some are adding outside fireplaces or built-in fire pits.
Landscaping vendors can show people options for making their yards more private while adding scenic touches, Hamilton says.
“In our awards program, one of our people created a waterfall from the top of a hill, and that’s a fairly extensive job,” he says. “Coy ponds or regular ponds are popular yet.”
White on white kitchens and bathrooms
After years of homeowners opting for dark woods for remodeled kitchens, Hamilton says he’s starting to see more white cabinets, flooring, backsplashes, counters, fixtures and appliances, with just splashes of color added.
“It’s gone through transitions of real heavy cabinetry with dark woods to a nice cherry, which is still very popular,” Hamilton says. “The woods are still very popular. But I’m starting to see the white on white.”
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