Fall Lane County Home Improvement Show

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Celebrating Homecoming!

Welcome to the Annual Lane County Home Improvement Show!

Merriam-Webster’s defini tion for homecoming is “the return of a group of people, usually on a special occasion, to a place formerly frequented or regarded as home.” This is such a fitting theme for the 38th Annual Lane County Home Improvement Show presented by NW Natural.

Our family business, Berg Productions, has been looking forward to this homecoming, and we’re excited to present the area’s best contractors, sup pliers, retailers and amazing craftspeople to answer your questions and help you get your home and garden projects going.

The home show is the perfect place to begin projects big and

small. The best projects always start with a conversation, expert advice and scheduling experts to actually see your home or garden. Finding the best experts really is the first step to falling in love with your home again.

We’re thrilled to bring in the biggest lineup of entertainment EVER! Enjoy daily interior design seminars by Laurie Smith of TLC’s “Trading Spac es,” and MadDog & Merrill, “grillologists” who will keep you laughing while sharing tailgating recipes and grilling tips. And, world-famous giant pumpkin carver Scott Cully is back with Pumpkin Palooza on Saturday!

Our home and garden events are important to Lane Coun ty’s economy, contributing in excess of $18 million in incre

mental economic impact. The show also serves area home owners who need to source experts and advice to move forward with major home im provements. We are so grateful to our exhibitors and sponsors who have supported this fall’s reopening.

We’ve missed seeing friends

and neighbors in the aisles. We hope you can join us and that the 38th Annual Lane County Home Improvement Show is an outstanding home coming for all of you!

Enjoy the show!

Karen Ramus, Show Director

Karen Ramus, Show Director and her mother, Helen Berg, Show Founder

Trading – andinspiring – spaces

Designer Laurie Smith brings her TLC story and design tips to the home show

diences with her modern but classic design style.

“I loved it,” she says. “For me, design is an extension of the person living in that space. Back then, a lot of people really had limited access to designers and even to furniture and textiles. As a result, peo ple were very frustrated when taking on a space in their home. To me, it became a personal mission or calling, because I think everyone deserves great style in their homes.”

For Smith and the other members of the “Trading Spaces” cast, doing the show in the early 2000s was a lot different than it would be today. For starters, Smith says the short timeline and limited budget –usually $1,000 per space – forced designers to think creatively. Some retail box stores like Target, now the go-to answer for quick, affordable furnishings, didn’t even have home sections at the time. Smith says “Trading Spaces” helped change that.

“I think our show was part of a catalyst, and people started going into these retail shops looking for furnishings and textiles, rugs and lamps for their homes,” she says. “We watched the big box stores move with us.”

Sprucing up people’s spaces and giving them a reason to care about good interior design was also rewarding.

“I’m glad to have been part of a move ment that was inspiring people to care and feel empowered about their spaces and realizing that they, too, have a space that reflects them,” Smith says.

By Jon Bell

As a budding interior designer attend ing the New York School of Interior Design, Laurie was also taking audition technique classes at night. Long a devotee of the theatre – she loved it in high school and took some classes at Southern Meth odist University while earning a degree in broadcast journalism – Smith had hoped to audition for some commercials while she was in the Big Apple.

“I would take the subway downtown to audition classes, then ride it back at some ungodly hour,” she says. “Most of my theater friends would be going to audi tions, but I’d be working late on a design presentation due the next day.”

On those long subway rides, Smith would brainstorm ways that she could marry her love for design and theater. And then, after graduating, the perfect oppor tunity came to her in 1999 in the form of

a phone call. The voice on the other end asked her if she’d like to audition for a new TV show on TLC called “Trading Spaces,” where two sets of neigh bors would work with professional designers over two or three days to redecorate a room in each other’s homes.

“Who ever dreamed I’d use those auditioning techniques along with my love for design?” Smith says.

She landed the part, and for the next 10 seasons, Smith did just that, wowing au

“Trading Spaces” initially ran for 10 seasons, earning multiple Emmy nomi nations. It was rebooted for two more seasons in 2018.

“It was very fun and exciting,” Smith says. “It was like a reunion and a bonus.”

These days, in addition to serving as a consultant and brand ambassa dor, Smith says she’s focused on what’s closest to her heart – teaching.

“I love interior design and I love inspir ing others on their journey,” she says.

Interior designer Laurie Smith will share design inspiration at four home show seminars.

Designer Laurie Smith, back left, and the cast of “Trading Spaces.”

Her seminars at this year’s Fall Lane County Home Improvement Show will touch on everything related to interior design, from infusing color and finding personal style to fresh ideas for updating any space.

One useful tip from Smith when it comes to reimagining a space? Find an object of inspiration, even if it’s something that doesn’t end up in the room. It could be a photo, a painting, a textile or even just a color combination. As long as it’s some

At the Home Show

Designer and former “Trading Spac es” star Laurie Smith brings her flare for design to four seminars on the Main Stage at this year’s show

· Interior Design – Finding Your Personal Style – Fri. 6:00 pm

· Interior Design - Fresh Ideas to Update Spaces – Sat. 12 noon

· Interior Design – Infusing Color with Fabrics, Paint & Art – Sat. 5:00 pm

· Interior Design – Before & After with Laurie Smith – Sun. 11:00 am

thing that’s inspirational to you.

“When I have the opportunity to work with something that inspires the home owner, that’s my touchstone,” Smith says. “If we get off course, we can go back to that object of inspiration and say, ‘Are we facil itating this mood?’ That’s a great spring board, just beginning with something that is inspiring.”

Don’t miss Laurie Smith’s seminars at this year’s Fall Lane County Home Improvement Show.

Laurie Smith

Interior Designer, Author, Trading Spaces Design Star

This is Laurie’s first visit to the Lane County Home Improvement Show. Her experience is extensive, having been on the hit show Trading Spaces for 10 years. She has been a spokesperson for Lane Home Furnishings and has a fabric line through Hancock Fabrics, and also has a line of lighting fixtures with Quoizel Lighting.

Laurie was nominated for a National Book Award for her book “Discovering Home –Find Your Personal Style”. She has appeared on The View and several times on The Today Show, where she decorated Katie Couric’s office, and has been featured in numerous magazines. Each seminar will include an “Ask Laurie” Q&A session.

Speaking Friday, Saturday & Sunday!

MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

Grilling and Tailgating TV Stars

Mark Mathewson and Gary Merrill, better known as MadDog and Merrill, America’s Grillologists, hail from Wisconsin. Self-confessed “cheese heads,” the grilling artists have traveled the country for nearly 30 years giving shows and demonstrating their motto, “If you can cook it, you can grill it.”

Their act, which features creative cooking ideas and recipes generously seasoned with a dash of humor. They are the stars of a highly successful TV show MadDog & Merrill Midwest Grill’n, airing in 110 markets and streaming in the US and Canada. MadDog and Merrill like to show people that anybody can cook and do it, but you can experiment and have fun with it!

Humor aside, MadDog & Merrill will be onstage with exceptional culinary skills offering both beginning tailgaters and experienced grillers hot tips at the fall show.

Speaking Friday, Saturday & Sunday!

Scott Cully

Show Speakers Master Pumpkin Carver

Scott has been carving large pumpkins for over 30 years, even holding a Guinness World Record for a time! He has traveled internationally displaying his skills, and appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, The Today Show, and been featured on NPR. Stop in on Saturday to see Scott in action to get carving tips, selfies, and inspiration to carve an amazing pumpkin this fall!

Cully is returning for his fourth year of Pumpkin Palooza at the Lane County Home Improvement Show. Scott is the retired nursery manager of Fall Creek Farm & Nursery – known for their exceptional blueberry plants worldwide.

Carving on Saturday!

Show Speakers

Mary-Kate Mackey

Award Winning Garden Writer

Mary-Kate is a lively and engaging speaker who offers great ideas for problem-solving in the garden. She’s an award-winning writer and the recipient of eight GardenComm media writing awards, including a Gold in 2021 for her column, “Rooting for You,” on the Hartley Botanic Greenhouse website. Her byline has appeared in numerous magazines such as Fine Gardening, Horticulture, Sunset and This Old House. Mary-Kate’s newest book, co-authored with Kathleen Brenzel, is The Healthy Garden—Simple Steps for a Greener World.

Speaking Saturday & Sunday!

John Fischer, The Relaxed Gardener

Retired Meteorologist, Master Gardener, Radio Host and Garden Writer

John’s career as a meteorologist allowed him to share his passion for year round gardening. Upon his retirement from KEZI-TV, John became a perennial favorite at all three of the Eugene Home Shows. With 70 edible gardening, composting and irrigation talks under his beard, John continues to delight and entertain gardeners with his relaxed organic garden gospel!

Speaking Friday & Saturday!

Since 1982

PRESENTED BY

Seminars & Workshops

MAIN Stage PROJECT Stage REMODEL Stage GRILLING Stage

Room 1 off North Lobby Room 4-East off South Hallway Room 4-West off South Lobby North Hall

Friday, October 14th

5:30 pm Fire Up with Tailgate Grilling GRILLING by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

6:00 pm Interior Design - Finding Your Personal Style MAIN by Laurie Smith, TLC’s Trading Spaces Design Star

6:00 pm Winter Crops & Lasagna Compost for Next Year REMODEL FREE MAGIC BEANS! by John Fischer, “The Relaxed Gardener”

6:30 pm 4-H Small Animals “Show-N-Tell” PATIO by OSU Extension 4-H Youth Team

7:00 pm Home Additions + Remodeling REMODEL by Matt White, Neil Kelly Design/Build Remodeling

7:30 pm ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Grilling GRILLING by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

Saturday, October 15th

11:00 am Fire Up with Tailgate Grilling GRILLING by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

11:00 am Kitchen Cabinet Makeover Takeover REMODEL by Home Depot Home Services Design Consultant

11:30 am Sustainable Landscapes - Driplines PROJECT by Chuckie Aanestad, OSU Master Gardener

12:00 noon Interior Design - Infusing Color with Fabrics, Paint & Art MAIN by Laurie Smith, TLC’s Trading Spaces Design Star

12:30 pm Landscaping to Reduce Your Home’s Risk to Wildfire PROJECT by Lauren Grand, OSU Extension Forester

1:00 pm Kitchen Design + Remodeling REMODEL by Stefanie Rotella, Neil Kelly Design/Build Remodeling

1:30 pm It’s All About Grillin’ Meat! GRILLING All About Rubs, Sauces, Mops & Marinades by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

1:30 pm Making Insta Pot Yogurt

PROJECT by Celeste Percy, OSU Food Preserver

2:00 pm Party Perfect Gardens!

MAIN Quick & Easy Tips to Make Your Garden Shine by Mary-Kate Mackey, Award Winning Garden Writer

2:00 pm Big Ideas for Bathroom Remodels REMODEL by Don Delaplain, Revision Design Build

2:30 pm Fall Tree Planting - Right Tree, Right Place PROJECT by Alby Thoumsin, Certified Arborist, Sperry Tree Care

3:00 pm Cruising & Touring Alaska - Both Land & Sea MAIN by Gary Smith, TravelPerks, Nation’s #1 Cruise Agent

3:00 pm Disaster Bathrooms - Sad to Stunning! REMODEL by Forrest Castile, Castile Kitchen & Bath

3:30 pm Grillin’ Up Pre-Game Hors d’oeuvres

GRILLING by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

3:30 pm Moles, Voles & Gophers - Driving You Crazy?

PROJECT Tips to Regain Your Sanity & Yard! by Grant Williams, Ultimate Pest Control

5:00 pm Interior Design - Fresh Ideas to Update Spaces

MAIN by Laurie Smith, TLC’s Trading Spaces Design Star

5:30 pm Drying Fruits & Veggies - Easy Healthy Snacks!

REMODEL by John Fischer, “The Relaxed Gardener”

6:00 pm ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Grilling GRILLING by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

Sunday, October 16th

11:00 am Fire Up with Tailgate Grilling GRILLING by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

11:00 am Interior Design - Before & After with Laurie

MAIN by Laurie Smith, TLC’s Trading Spaces Design Star

11:00 am Fighting Climate Change One REMODEL Energy Efficient Window at a Time by Home Depot Home Services Window Consultant

11:30 am Making Kimchee

PROJECT by Celeste Percy, OSU Food Preserver

12 noon 4-H Small Animals “Show-N-Tell” PATIO by OSU Extension 4-H Youth Team

12 noon Disaster Kitchens - Awful to Amazing!

REMODEL by Forrest Castile, Castile Kitchen & Bath

12:30 pm

Gardening for Pollinators

PROJECT by Jan Gano, OSU Master Gardener

1:00 pm It’s All About Grillin’ Meat!

GRILLING All About Rubs, Sauces, Mops & Marinades by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

1:00 pm Small Trees Play Big Roles

MAIN A Sampler of Trees That Won’t Outgrow Their Space by Mary-Kate Mackey, Award Winning Garden Writer

1:00 pm

Bathroom Design + Remodeling

REMODEL by Kathy Hanson, Neil Kelly Design/Build Remodeling

1:30 pm Extend your Vegetable Garden into Fall/Winter

PROJECT by Shirley Betournay, OSU Master Gardener

2:00 pm Viking Ocean & River Cruises – Explore the World MAIN by Gary Smith, TravelPerks, Nation’s #1 Cruise Agent

2:00 pm Big Ideas for Kitchen Remodels

REMODEL by Don Delaplain, Revision Design Build

3:00 pm ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Grilling GRILLING by MadDog & Merrill, America’s Grillologists

Built

Good ol’ grillin’ guys

By Jon Bell

It’s tailgating season. We’re in Eu gene. And celebrity grilling experts MadDog and Merrill are firing up their barbecue at the Fall Lane County Home Improvement Show.

What’s on the menu?

Bacon-wrapped yellow and green zuccinni as well as some green and gold peppers, in honor of the Oregon Ducks, of course.

“There’s no right or wrong and it doesn’t really matter who wins the game,” says MadDog, half of the MadDog and Merrill duo who’ve become renowned for their grilling game through their “Midwest Grill’n” television show.

“What really makes for a good tailgate is

the team colors.”

MadDog and Merrill will present four grilling seminars at this year’s fall home show, including one on tailgating and one on holiday grilling. For the latter, Mad

Dog says holiday grilling focuses on larger cuts of meat, as well as brining turkeys before grilling. Other good calls include cedar plank salmon and using rubs and injectables to maximize flavors.

“As cuts have gotten leaner and leaner, you really want to try to retain moisture,” MadDog says. That can include oiling meats and searing them to lock in juices. He also recommends coming up with your own concoc tions to add to a standard garden mis ter spray bottle that helps keep meat juicy while it grills. Some ideas: broths, juices or even wine.

MadDog says that in his four decades of grilling, he has seen the scene evolve, first

Wisconsin grilling duo MadDog and Merrill will share their secrets to great tailgating and holiday grilling all three days at the fall home show.

Mark Mathewson and Gary Merrill of MadDog and Merrill.

America’s Grilloligist’s MadDog and Merrill get fired up at this year’s home show

with the classic Weber charcoal grill, then to the convenience of gas grills. What’s really taken grilling by storm, however, is the advances made with pellet grills.

“It’s phenomenal that the pellet grill industry has just taken it over,” he says, adding that while the ceramic grill trend made some waves, pellet grills and their associated technology are really leading the way. “Now you have an app on your phone that can help you cook it just right and get it to just the right temperature. We never dreamed we’d have that before.”

As for grilling here in the Pacific North west, especially during the rainy season, it’s often about cooking “fast and furious” to avoid hanging out in the weather too long. The Northwest’s penchant for coffee also means that there are a lot of great coffee rubs around. And our farmers’ markets offer up all kinds of fresh produce that can be great on the grill.

“We’ve done a farmers’ market where we do stuff squashed, zucchini, sweet potatoes, all kinds of great stuff,” MadDog says. “We also do a cast iron Dutch oven. It’s cabbage with a couple sticks of butter, some dried onion soup mix and beer with bacon. There’s no better eats than that.”

At the Home Show

Grilling experts MadDog and Merrill will bring their unique grilling semi nars – complete with a side of humor.

Four presentations on the Grilling Stage at this year’s show include:

Friday -

• Fire Up Tailgate Grilling

• ’Tis the Season for Holiday Grilling

Saturday -

• Fire Up Tailgate Grilling

• It’s All About Grillin’ Meat - Rubs, Sauces, Mops & Marinades

• Grillin’ Up Pre-Game Hors d’oeuvrs

• ’Tis the Season for Holiday Grilling

Sunday -

• Fire Up Tailgate Grilling

• It’s All About Grillin’ Meat - Rubs, Sauces, Mops & Marinades

• ’Tis the Season for Holiday Grilling

See pages 8-9 for seminar times.

“MadDog & Merrill Midwest Grill’n”

TV Show streaming online at wwn maddogandmerrilll.com.

while heated shower floors are only recent ly popular, the technology is the same that’s been in use for years in radiant flooring in other parts of the bathroom.

Dakers says Rainbow Valley has recently completed a few bathroom remodels that involved putting standalone tubs inside the shower area in what he calls a “wet room” concept.

“The whole area is basically a big show er,” he says. “There’s plenty of room for the shower and the tub, so all of the bathing experience is in this large shower area.”

Beyond bathrooms

Modern bathroom remodels focus on the spa experience and universal design

By Jon Bell

Heated shower floors. Freestanding bathtubs inside giant shower rooms. Full-on bathroom suites that would give high-end spas a run for their money.

Welcome to the world of contemporary bathroom remodels, where spa-like fea tures are in and homeowners are making sure that they’ll be able to enjoy and use their bathrooms for years to come.

“It’s been popular for a while, but people wanting their bathrooms to be more of a spa-like experience is still really big,” says Alec Dakers, a partner and lead designer at

Rainbow Valley Design and Construction, a residential design-build company based in Eugene since 1971.

What makes a home bathroom feel like a spa? That might be a steam shower, towel warmers on the walls or an oversized soaking tub. It also might be not just warm radiant floors in the bathroom, but actually in the shower as well.

“Heated floors in the shower is kind of a new thing that a lot of people have been looking into,” says Don Delaplain, co-own er of ReVision Design Build, a design-build firm that specializes in, among other projects, bathroom remodels. He adds that

Aging in place goes mainstream Along the same lines, many bathroom remodels these days incorporate walk-in showers or curbless showers, which are easy to get in and out of. Originally part of the aging-in-place or universal design trend, Delaplain says such features, along with higher ADA-approved toilets, have become more commonplace.

“We do a lot of aging-in-place designs, but it’s almost become the mainstay with everyone,” he says. “It’s become more main stream to just build bathrooms that are set up for that. What used to be an ADA toilet is now just the standard. It’s really rare to use the old ones. I think customers are just really interested in going the aging-in-place route these days.”

Dakers has seen that trend as well.

“The population as a whole is aging, so it’s really been big for us,” he says. “The idea is really just that you can age in place and be comfortable and relaxed in the bath room as long as you’re in the house.”

Other features accompanying the agingin-place trend include grab bars that are

Rain showers are a must for a spa-like experience. Steve Smith Photography

This Rainbow Valley bathroom remodel features a “Bohemian loft” style old school sink and faucet, and a custom vanity by Built to Last Woodworking.

Steve Smith Photography

much more stylish than they used to be. Before, people were hesitant to put ugly metal bars in their spa-like showers, even if they would help them keep their balance and get in and out.

“People don’t like to think about them,” Dakers says. “They’re very utilitarian. But they are nicer now. Plumbing manufactur ers have seen the trend and they’re making nicer and nicer ones now.”

The right choices

When it comes to tile choices, Delaplain says 3-D printing technology has made just about any style or texture available. Tiles are printed in any color imaginable and with custom patterns and designs that are endless.

“The world of tile has just blown up because of 3-D printing,” he says. “With the computer technology, it’s just a different world. There are just millions and millions of color and texture choices.”

Homeowners face a lot of choices when they’re considering a bathroom remodel. A big one? Whether or not to work with a design-build firm that specializes in bathrooms.

Delaplain says the choice is pretty clear.

“Our recommendation is to talk to a good design-build contractor or interior designer who specializes in bathrooms and who really knows the intricacies of these kinds of projects,” he says. “One of the things I see is that there are a lot of guys who can build stuff, but they don’t want anything to do with design. They get the stuff and put it in but there’s no thought put into the design portion. Those always go badly.”

Large walk-in showers, some with bathtubs in them, have become a popular feature in today’s remod eled bathrooms.

Best Experts

Built Barns

Exteriors

BeyondPaintingandFinishes.com

Big Bamboo................................................................................. 308-310

PowersBedding.com

Blossoms of Grace Flowers 220

BlossomsOfGraceFlowers.com

Blue Star Gas

BlueStarGas.com

Bobcat of Eugene

Exhibitor

NW Natural - Presenting

Youth &

ActivePure Technology

Homes

Advance Tech -

Aegis Asphalt

AirMedCare Network

AP Window Company

Arma Coatings

Artesian Spas

Ask The Bug Man

Heating & Air Conditioning

Agency -

Heat Service

Ambiance

Building Supply

Insurance

Construction

BathCrest of Mid-Oregon

261

WilsonEquipment.net

Boles Concrete Construction 231

BolesConcrete.com

Brigham Construction 282

Briteside Woodworks

B’s Bites Homemade Toffee

CandyByBronte.com

184

Budget Blinds of Eugene & Springfield 106

BudgetBlinds.com/Eugene

Built To Last Woodworking 226-227a

BuiltToLastWoodworking.com

Bullfrog Spas

EmeraldPool.com

Cascadia Construction & Plumbing

128-130 & 137-139

60 Cascadia.co

Castile Kitchen & Bath 223

CastileConstructionInc.com

Cedar Works Spa & Sauna

CedarWorksSpas.com

CedarStone Design & Build

CedarStoneDB.com

Classic Cabinet Fronts

CCFronts.com

211-213

58

367

CoEnergy Propane 221

CoEnergy.net

Comfort Flow Heating

ComfortFlow.com

236-237

Country Financial................................................................................ 262

CountryFinancial.com

Crater Lake Spirits 53

CraterLakeSpirits.com

Creative Awnings & Shelters 366 Creative-Awnings.com

Culligan Water

116 Culligan.com

Cutco Cutlery

303 CutCo.com

David Zarzycki General Contractor 178

DZarzycki.com

Devine Continuous Rain Gutters 52

DevineGutters.com

Di’s Floor Centre

DisCarpets.com

Eco Spas

HardcoverSpas.com

273

110

Edward Jones Investments

EdwardJones.com

Emerald City Family Chiropractic

ECFChiro.com

Emerald Hearth, Spa & Patio

& 137-139 EmeraldPool.com

Emerald Pool & Patio 128-130 & 137-139 EmeraldPool.com

Eugene Electric

EugeneElectricBicycles.com

Eugene Habitat for Humanity ReStore 338-339 HabitatLane.org

Eugene Magazine

EugeneMagazine.com

Eugene Police Dept-Volunteers in Policing

Eugene-or.gov/585/Volunteer-at-EPD

Everdure Force Propane BBQ Grill

Pool & Patio EmeraldPool.com

Everdure Fusion Electric Grill

Hearth, Spa & Patio EmeraldPool.com

Exhibitor Services..............................................................

Fastrak Ciderpress

Finnleo Saunas

CedarWorksSpas.com

Fitzpatrick Painting & Construction

FitzpatrickPainting.com

Fitzy’s Floor Coatings

FitzysFloorCoatings.com

3-East

Home & Hive

Home Depot Installation Services

Show Specials

HomeShowSavings.com

Communications

Hybrid Real Estate - Liz Churchill

Hybrid Real Estate - Robin Troy

HybridRealEstate.org

Imperial Floors

Information Booth

Integrity Home Heating

Interlock Metal Roofing

J & M

Voltage Inc.

LowVoltageElectricianEugene.com

Lobby

J & V Home Improvement.................................................................

JandVHomeImprovementContractors.com

Jacuzzi Spas

James Gang BBQ

JamesGangBBQ.com

James Heating & Air Conditioning

Forrest Paint Company 347 MyForrestPaint.com

Fort Knox NW

50 FortKnoxNW.com

Foxglove Farms Flower Market

& 119 shorturl.at/FWZ28

Full Circle Tree Service 171 FullCircleTreeService.com

Gansen

GansenHomes.com

Gardener / Handyman’s Cream

Garner’s Insurance

Gatlin’s Gutters

Green Swedish Cloth

GRILLING Stage

Growing Miracles Lavender

Habitat for Humanity of Central Lane

Hard Cover Spas

Hearthstone Real Estate -

Distilling

High Ridge Roofing

128-130 & 137-139

John Fischer “The Relaxed Gardener” REMODEL Stage

Josh Lowe’s Dr. Energy Saver

Just Rum

JustRum.com

Kaminski Construction

Kelly’s Appliance Center

Kelly’s Closets

Keystone Landscape & Design

KEZI-9 - Prize Sponsor Convention Center

Kimo’s Dips

Kitchen Tune-Up

Klaus Roofing Systems

KlausRoofingOfOregon.com

Kurzhal Family Kickin’ Pickles

KickinPickles.com

Landerkings Custom Woodworking

Lane County Firewise Incentive Program

LaneCounty.org/Firewise

Lane County Master Recycler Program

LaneCountyOR.gov/masterrecyclers

Lane Marble Interiors

LaneMarbleInteriors.com

Laurie Smith Design Star - TLC’s

LaurieHSmith.com

La-Z-Boy Furniture Gallery

La-Z-Boy.com/Eugene

La-Z-Boy Leather Jasper Recliner

LeafFilter Gutter

Leafguard of Oregon

League of Women Voters

Lee Moody Painting

Lifestyle Propane

Pearson

Lost & Found

MadDog & Merrill - America’s Grillologists

MadDogandMerrill.com

MAIN Stage

Marquis Spas

Mary-Kate Mackey, Garden Writer

MaryKateMackey.com

Mattress World NW

MattressWorldNorthwest.com

Stage

Max Burn Exercise Plate 144

PNWIntl.com

McGuire Fence & Deck

McGuireFenceAndDeck.com

Meet Lost People Here

259

Memory Foam Queen Mattress The Mattress Company

Mattress-Co.com

Miller Home Renovations

MillerHomeRenovations.net

Ministry Construction

Miracle Door Mat

HomeCoSales.com

Mr. Goodbrush

MrGoodbrush.com

51-52

232

Mural, Mural On The Wall 253

MuralMuralOnTheWall.us

Natco Development Custom Concrete

NatcoCustomConcrete.com

National Solar

NationalSolarUSA.com

Stage

222

165

Neil Kelly Design / Build Remodeling 324 & 331 NeilKelly.com

Neil Kelly Handyman Services

324 & 331 NeilKelly.com

New Castle Installs 161-162

RoofingInOregon.com

N-Hance Wood Refinishing

360 NHance.com/Eugene

Outdoor Aesthetic Landscape

Paverite USA

Peaks & Valleys Roofing

143

Pressure Point Roofing Eugene 219 & 230

Priority One Heating & A/C

PROJECT Stage

254

4-East off South Hall

Pumpkin Palooza - Giant Pumpkin Carving 148 & 155

Cleaning 314

Rainbow Valley Design & Construction

340-341

Rainbow Valley Glass 340

West

Reese Landscapes

ReeseLandscapes.com

Extension Service - Lane County

183

248-249

Register to Win KEZI-9 Prizes Convention Center KEZI.com

Smart Living Steamer Mop

Gem Greenhouses

Specialized Painting & Remodeling

Sperry Tree Care

SperryTreeCare.com

Spiritopia Liqueurs

Spoon Sleep

Stone Creek Granite and Marble Inc.

Works International

Stool - Cyclone

Summit Funding

Sundance Spas

Pavers

Teri Dibos & Company

& 137-139

The Heat Pump Store

Junkluggers

The Mattress

TidalFit Swim Spas

Timbo’s Gourmet

Specialty

Guys Fence and

Ultimate Garage

Ultimate Pest Control

Valley Wood Floors

Veito Indoor / Outdoor Heater

PNWintl.com

Viking Sewing, Vacuum, Spa & Stove 343-344

Textile Maker Hub

VSC Window Coverings

VSCWindowCoverings.com

VSC Window Coverings-Awning Division

343-344

235

Waterworks 284

Webfoot Concrete Coatings 327

We’re Organized NW 279

William Tower - An Artistic Arborist

TreeServiceInEugeneOregon.com

Wilson Equipment

WilsonEquipment.net

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HELP WITH YOUR HOME WORK

Aisles of Experts! Thousands of Ideas!

The Lane County Home Improvement Show is the perfect place to interview and select your contractors. With remodels and major projects be sure to secure at least two bids. Remember that contractors have more time for your project in the fall and winter. Getting remodel bids prior to spring gets your project in-line for the best contractors before they book out the entire season.

Schedule fall maintenance appointments at the show to take advantage of show specials. By keeping up with seasonal home maintenance you will save energy, money and preserve your home’s value. The beginning of fall is a good time to review your house and garden before the weather changes and the days shorten.

Heading Indoors:

n Schedule carpet & upholstery cleaning.

n Hosting guests for the holidays? Order new furnishings, flooring & window treatments!

n Get the guest room ready with a new mattress and bedding.

n Call a painter to freshen up interior paint.

n Clean the oven. Degrease the range hood & clean the filter.

n Finally install that double oven so you can cook a turkey and bake an apple pie.

n Garbage disposals can be flushed with crushed ice, baking soda and citrus rinds.

n Scrub the tile grout, walls and backsplash. Or, install a new fashion forward backsplash!

Give your Laundry Room a Good Wash:

n Clean dryer vents and check ducts.

n Follow special procedures to clean and air out front load washers.

n Research new appliances which look great, save water and energy!

Look at Your Windows & Doors:

n Have a weatherization expert look at windows and doors.

n Check door sweeps and garage seals to keep out drafts and rodents.

n Consider new efficient windows with almost invisible screens that let in more light.

Check the Chimney and Heating Systems:

n Schedule your furnace service to clean & inspect heat sources.

n Shop and compare for a new, more efficient wood, pellet or gas stove.

Be Safe:

n Test smoke, carbon monoxide detectors, and have fire extinguishers recharged.

n Consider installing a high quality alarm system by an expert with the latest technology.

n Are there trip hazards on walkways, railings or stairs? Consider pressure washing slippery walkways and stairs.

n Double check your homeowners policy … are you well covered? Remodeling? Inform your agent!

Walk around Outside:

n Schedule tree inspection with an arborist to prevent serious injury.

n Have your roof & gutters inspected and cleaned before the heavy rains arrive.

n Have your spa or pool serviced. And consider a more efficient wifi spa and safety cover.

n Put away outdoor furniture in your garden/storage shed. And shop for end of season deals!

n Store hoses and install insulated covers for outdoor faucets.

n Schedule a landscaper to winterize landscape irrigation systems.

Stock Up!

n Check the condition of snow shovels and ice scrapers.

n Restock emergency kits and purchase fresh batteries.

n Buy bags of sand if you live in the hills.

n Shop at a local nursery for fall flowers, heirloom pumpkins and fall flower bulbs!

When your Home Work is done, relax and cheer on your team in your cozy home! Go Ducks! Go Beavs!

Before

REFINISH. REUSE. REPLANT.

you want a new look for your kitchen with less downtime and fewer dollars, consider a cabinet makeover with N-Hance! N-Hance can change the look of your kitchen to any color you desire in a matter of days...not weeks. N-Hance provides a superior customer experience from start to finish.

of replacing your cabinets, you choose the path of conservation – saving trees, fossil fuels and a reduction in greenhouse gases. In addition, N-Hance donates a tree to be planted with American Forests for every kitchen or floor refinished. Approximately 12,000 trees will be planted annually!

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No matter what it’s like outside, count on natural gas for comfort inside.

From the precise heat of a natural gas cooktop to the warmth of a natural gas furnace, natural gas is known for creating homes people love to live in. But creating a comfortable space is only part of the story.

That’s because many natural gas ap pliances continue to perform during a power outage. This feature is top-of-mind for homeowners and buyers. If you’re in the market for a new home or new gas appliances, there are a few things to check before buying if this capability is import ant to you.

Now we’re cooking

When purchasing a gas range or cook top, make sure the model you choose will still operate without electricity. That way, you can boil water and cook food when you need to.

Hot water when you need it

Whether for bathing, showers, or for any number of other household tasks, having hot water during power outages can’t be understated. A number of today’s tankless water heaters – in addition to their smaller size and ability to provide near-instant hot water – are able to op erate with a battery backup, so they can continue to provide hot water if the power goes out.

Turn up the heat

Although all furnaces require electricity to run the blower motor, a natural gas fireplace can continue to provide warmth in a power outage. As you’re shopping, note that many modern gas fireplaces re quire electricity to light the pilot. Look for a model that has a battery backup system for the ignitor.

Generate your own power

Don’t worry about the backup batteries and add a natural gas generator. With a constant supply of energy, a natural gas generator can give your home the power to keep all your important systems run ning when the weather has other plans.

Preparing for year-round performance

There are a lot of manufacturers out there and even more high-quality options. With the right research and questions, you can create a home that’s ready for almost anything nature brings your way.

If you’d like to know more about the ca pabilities of natural gas and the products that use it, visit nwnatural.com.

Crazy for Carving

World-renowned pumpkin carver Scott Cully’s handiwork will dazzle showgoers again this year

By Jon Bell

It started one fine fall day in northwest Connecticut in 1988: The foliage was bursting with color, the air was crisp and Scott Cully and his wife had two bottles of hard cider, a sharp knife and a 400-pound pumpkin they’d grown.

They spent the afternoon carving the pumpkin into a classic jack-o-lantern face. Then they loaded it up in a truck and took it to a friend’s Halloween party.

“It was a big hit,” says Cully, “so I just started carving more and more.”

Cully then moved to the Pacific North

west, where pumpkin carvers take their medium much more seriously. Cully started carving the big boys for casinos, Halloween parties, private events, large shopping malls and, eventually, in venues around the world.

“Word got out, and before you know it, I was carving internationally,” he says.

Over the years, Cully has even held multiple Guinness World Records for carving the largest pumpkins. He doesn’t hold the record now, but he’s still way up there. Last November, he carved his personal best – a 2,148-pound jack-o-lan tern in Stuttgart, Germany. He also once

Pumpkin carver Scott Cully gets creative with big jack-o-lantern faces every year around Halloween.

Pumpkin carving has taken Scott Cully around the world.

appeared on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” and he’s been featured on NPR, “The Today Show” and many other programs.

Cully returns to the Fall Lane Coun ty Home Improvement Show this year, where he’ll be slicing and dicing up a thousand-pound beast on Saturday. He never knows what he’ll carve until he sees the pumpkin, but he definitely always goes with something fairly traditional.

“I always carve faces, and I just try to bring out the face that is already in the pumpkin,” he says. “Others will use it as a medium to sculpt landscape scenes or something else. And my style is to always carve all the way through and into the inner core of the pumpkin so you can use light or smoke on the inside.”

Cully returns the seeds to the growers if they want them, and while he’s carving,

he encourages people to get up close and watch.

“I’m usually talking to the crowd, to the press,” he says. “There is no rush at all. I’m just trying to inspire people and show them something they’ve never seen before.”

His ephemeral works of art – they usu ally only last a few days after being carved – take him about 45 minutes of carving for every 100 pounds of pumpkin. At that pace, he’ll be at it at this year’s show for a minimum of eight hours, if not more.

“To me, it’s more about entertaining the people and inspiring the kids, trying to show them that this kind of creativity is possible, rather than having a finished piece,” Cully says. “It has been a wonder ful hobby and pastime for me around the world.”

Jack-o-lantern carving tips from the top

World-renowned pumpkin carver Scott Cully knows a thing or two about carving a top-notch jack-o-lan tern. Here are some of his favorite tips for budding carvers.

• For parents: Take your kids out to the local pumpkin patch not just once a year, but every weekend between mid-September and Hallow een. Buy a pumpkin each time and have your child carve it. “The more you do it, the better you’ll be,” Cully says.

• Choose a place to carve where the mess won’t matter. “Don’t do it in a place that you don’t want to be a mess, because it’s going to be a mess,” he says.

• Make sure you pick the right side for the front and the back.

• Use face paint markers, like clown makeup, to draw your design on your pumpkin. It wipes off much more easily than sharpie or magic marker.

“Take your time and visualize what you want the end result to be,” Cully says.

• Have fun. “It is the most wholesome, family-oriented event there is,” he says. “Electric devices are not in volved at all. Grab a cup of cider and just get out there and carve it with your parents, your brother or sister. Just have fun.”

• And last but not least, don’t worry about what kind of pumpkin to choose. “Variety doesn’t matter,”

Cully says. “Just get the biggest one you can find.”

Cully’s average pumpkin weighs in at 1,000 pounds and takes eight to 10 hours to carve.

Making a kitchen your own

The most important room in the house can also be the most characteristic

By Jon Bell

There may not be a single room in a house, save for maybe a bedroom, that lends itself more toward a homeown er’s personality than the kitchen.

It is in the kitchen where the entertain ing and gathering happen. It’s where the chef of the house conjures up culinary magic using the tools and appliances on hand. It’s where specific colors and textures meld, where cooking space often blends into living space and where families and friends make memories from day-to-day lives and special occasions throughout the year.

“When it comes to kitchens, it’s really about helping clients build a space in their home that works for them so that they can stay and enjoy it and really make it

what they want it to be,” says Jen Castile, who co-owns Castile Kitchen & Bath in Eugene with her husband, Forrest.

Indeed, the kitchen is a place that needs to be highly functional but also com fortable. And it is a place, thanks to the endless options of cabinetry, appliances, colors, textures, gadgets, lighting, flooring and just about everything else in between, that can be personalized – made your own – in a way that not many other rooms in a home can be.

“Because kitchens are so important to people and there are so many differ ent materials to work with – appliances, fixtures, lighting – there are just so many opportunities to do unique things,” says Alec Dakers, a partner and lead designer at Rainbow Valley Design and Con struction in Eugene. “It’s a great place to

express personality.”

Spotlight projects

Kathy Hanson is a design consultant with Neil Kelly who recently helped one client family express plenty of personality in their kitchen remodel. The space had been a 1990s kitchen, complete with the oak cabinets that had been popular at the time. The project was a “pull and replace,” meaning that the appliances and plumb ing would all stay in the same location, but everything else in the kitchen would be changed out.

Hanson says the family went bold with their color choices, picking a group of blues and grays with a bright yellow for a custom maker space at the far end of the kitchen – an important area that’s ideal for deskwork and homework. An intricate glazed Japanese tile backsplash takes cen ter stage above the range, while floating natural wood shelves with recessed light ing bring in a touch of the rustic.

“The way the textures and the colors came together was unique for sure,” Han son says.

Similarly, Neil Kelly design consultant Stefanie Rotella helped another family transform what had been a cramped kitchen in their coastal home into an open gathering area that blends almost seamlessly into the living room and its commanding views of the Pacific Ocean. The kitchen had been fairly enclosed and accessible by one narrow entry. The chal lenge: making the area feel larger without

encroaching on the adjacent living room.

“We wanted to make the entirety of the kitchen feel larger without actually mak ing the kitchen larger,” Rotella says. “If we did make the kitchen larger, it would have cost functionality in the living space.”

Neil Kelly design consultant Kathy Hanson’s clients went with a unique and bold color scheme for their kitchen remodel – one way to really personalize a space.

Rainbow Valley converted an old library table into a rolling island. Steve Smith Photography

The solution: cut down a restrictive wall and move two towering cabinets to open up the space. They also put in a bar area, which became a natural landing space between the kitchen and living room. And to tie the two areas together even more, the project removed a heavy fireplace mantle and wood-burn ing hearth and replaced them with an electric fireplace and lighter, flowing shelves.

“The overall goal was to aesthetically make the space more pleasing and make the entire space feel a lot lighter,” Rotella says. “Now it feels like the kitchen spills out into the living room and invites you to enjoy the space as a whole, rather than being these separated spaces.”

A kitchen that sings

There are all kinds of ways to make a kitchen your own. For starters, according

to Dakers, think about colors.

“Don’t be afraid of color,” he says. “Peo ple oftentimes are afraid of color and they don’t know how to use it. That’s an area that’s under-utilized.”

It’s nice to see that there’s a huge transition into that.”

Lighting can be an important differ entiator as well. Hanson says the trend is swinging toward chandeliers and away from pendants. There’s also a way to individualize various zones in a kitchen so they work best for you – think a zone for prep, a zone for conversation, a zone for cleaning up.

“We try to design spaces so each zone has its job,” Hanson says.

And while many homeowners can bring their own personality into a kitchen remodel project, Dakers says having a design team on board is hard to beat. If you take a magazine photo of a kitchen to a builder and say that’s the kitchen you want, that may be the kitchen you get –but it’s probably not the kitchen that really speaks to you.

10% DISCOUNT if booked at show

Likewise, Rotella says she often encour ages clients to bring in more character through pops of color, stronger wood grains, lighted slabs or just a nice piece of unique stone.

“A lot of people are feeling empowered to bring a little more personality,” she says.

“We always encourage clients to make it their own,” he says. “A white kitchen is easy because it’s all white. And it’s pretty. But anybody can make it look pretty. Once you start mixing colors and textures, stone and wood, light and fixtures, it takes time and the right eye to get it to work. But once you hit it, it just sings. You want that kitchen that sings.”

A kitchen remodel by Eugene-based Rainbow Valley Design and Construction. Steve Smith Photography

Got You Covered

Home Show favorite John Fischer shares his favorite fall cover crops

Weask a lot of our gardens - es pecially our vegetable gardens. We do a lot of taking (and eating). The garden does a lot of giving. But if you want this dynamic to continue, your gar den needs to eat too. Of course you can fertilize and add organic matter during the growing season, or you can let Mother Nature (and Father Natural) do the work for you during the off season.

Planting a cover crop in the fall will add fertility to the soil, provide a healthy dose of organic matter to help with tilth (soil texture), reduce soil compaction due to rain and keep the weeds down so that spring planting is easier. It’s a win, win, win, win situation - try saying that 10 times while eating another zucchini.

If you want another win, make fava beans your go-to cover crop. Planted Sep tember through December they will fix nitrogen, and give you a crop of delicious beans in May and June while your green beans are just starting to climb up their

Fava beans make a great cover crop. Not only will they give you a delicious crop in spring, but they’ll help fix nitrogen in your soil.

poles. The Windsor Broad is the variety you want - they are available locally, and I will have a supply of free beans for you to plant. Just find me at the home show, or

look for the “Magic Bean Jar” on the desk at the home show office.

Favas should be planted about an inch deep, a foot apart, and kept moist if the fall rains have not yet arrived. Once the plants are a foot or so high, you can pull off the tender lower leaves to be an ingredient in a winter salad along with arugula, sorrel, dandelion greens, endive and lingering or store-bought lettuce.

The beans need to be shelled before you cook them, but despite what French cookbooks say, you don’t need to shell the inner beans if you pick them when an opened pod reveals grayish green beans. You’ll never eat all the favas the plants produce, so save the leftovers after the pods have turned black and dry to plant in the fall. I compost the dry stalks, or just leave them on the ground before planting a hungry crop where the favas wintered over. Leave the roots in the ground. That’s where all the free nitrogen is.

Planting fall cover crops, such as fava beans or crimson clover, is a good way to ensure you’ll have a bountiful garden next summer.

Crimson clover is beloved by bees, but it also works great as a fall color crop. It will grow slowly all winter, then explode in red flowers come springtime.

Crimson and clover, over and over

My other favorite cover crop is crimson clover - crimson clover, not red clover (red is a perenial, crimson is an annual). Sow the seed in lightly tilled or roughly raked ground September through No vember. Again, keep the soil moist if the rains are not doing the work for you. The

clover will grow slowly all winter, then in March it will explode and produce a beau tiful field of red flowers in April or May. When the flowers are at their peak, mow or string trim them down in the morning before the bees are active. If you are a late riser, expect to be challenged if you cut when the bees are eating.

You can just let the mowed clover

stay on the ground. It will keep weeds down and provide an excellent mulch for anything you plant. Just make sure “anything” is a large crop - like tomatoes, corn, broccoli or squash. To plant, just move the cut clover aside to make a space for a tomato, a row of corn or a hill of squash. The soil will be fertilized and mulched, so you will save time and money on soil additives and water. Once you’ve planted crimson clover, you will do it over and over.

Vetch, corn salad and Austrian peas make fine cover crops too, but they don’t provide a feast for the table, or the eyes, so I focus on the two crops I have talked about. Experimentation is always fun. Let me know if you have good results with other cover crops. But no matter what you plant, you’ll be giving back to your garden, and the favor will be returned.

John Fischer, “The Relaxed Gardener”

A passionate organic gardener and frequent speaker at the Lane County Home Improvement Show.

Finish your home improvement project the right way

Want to give your unwanted home improvement materials new life after you’ve hammered the final nail? Download the FREE Lane County WasteWise app and learn where to take everything from half-used paint to scrap lumber to used appliances.

The WasteWise app helps you find out if an item is reusable or recyclable. If in doubt, find out, or leave it out.

Questions? Download the app

WasteWise

If

Use the QR code to download, or visit lanecountyor.gov/wastewise

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