HELLO AND  WELCOME TO MILLENIUM. COME JOIN US AT THE GARDEN STATE EXHIBIT CENTER FOR THEIR ANNUAL HOME SHOW SPONSORED BY MAC EVENTS. DATES FEBUARY 6-8

TURN IDEAS FOR SPRING PROJECTS TO SUMMER REALITY AT MAC EVENTS GARDEN STATE HOME SHOW FEB. 8-10

Thursday, January 24, 2008

SOMERSET, NJ – Now is the time to get those ideas for turning the backyard into a resort-like family retreat onto paper and start moving plans for outdoor renovations toward reality at MAC Events’ 19th Annual Garden State Home Show, February 8 through 10 in the Garden State Convention Center.

“Winter is the time to plan gardens and landscape improvements, decks and outdoor kitchens, swimming pools and any other outdoor amenities you hope to enjoy this summer,” said show director James McLaughlin, president of MAC Events.

“People that attend our winter home shows often come in search of ideas for outdoor projects. In a few hours they come away with a better vision of what want to do and a better sense of how to accomplish it,” McLaughlin said.

The show also will feature appearances by author and one of House Beautiful Magazine’s Top 100 interior decorators, Doug Wilson, host of television’s Moving Up and a frequent guest designer on Trading Spaces, both of which air on The Learning Channel.

A modern day Renaissance man and master of using intricate wall treatments and decorative painting techniques to create bold and powerful 21st century designs, Wilson will make two appearance at the Garden State Home Show on Saturday, Feb. 9 at 1: & 3:30pm.

“Doug gives our show guests tips on how to produce unique results when undertaking renovations and decorating,” McLaughlin said. “He demonstrates the value of a good imagination to any decorating or renovating projects.”

An imagination also can make a big difference in doing over your outdoor spaces and the more than 250 home improvement exhibitors at the Garden State Home Show include a variety of companies specializing in exterior renovations, landscaping, pools and spas, and other elements of outdoor living and entertaining.

Jay Eriv of GROUNDS KEEPER Inc. in Matawan is putting together a garden to demonstrate some of the options available to consumers at the Garden State Home Show.

Eriv works with natural materials, sometimes using boulders to create retaining areas and nooks in a garden. For the home shows he often includes elements such as sleek upright speakers and lighting that accents a real garden of blooming plants.

“Ultimately its outdoor living space and entertaining space,” Eriv said. “Hopefully, it’s the favorite room of someone’s home.”

Tumbled inter-locking block walls are popular especially in smaller more confined areas. Multi-tiered yards that create more inventive spaces also remain in vogue.

The pool and spa companies exhibiting at the show do work ranging hot tub installation to elaborate waterfalls and grottos with special effects such as lighting and fog coming up around the pool.

“Vanishing edges around the pool, sunning areas, cabanas, and outdoor kitchens all remain popular,” said Dominick DiCesare of Blue Haven Pools, located in Morganville and Berlin, NJ. “People want more of a resort look than just the backyard pool we had when we were growing up. They are putting more money into the backyard. With the price of gas, they want to create a vacation environment they don’t have to travel to enjoy.”

Rob Sarbone, general manager of Cue and Spa Inc., a Jackson Township spa and hot tub wholesaler, said consumer tastes have driven more elaborate features on the hot tubs he plans to exhibit.

“Armrests are very important. People are asking for waterfalls, aromatherapy and fiber optic lighting. Instead of taking a vacation, they’re staying at home to save money and putting it into things at home that they enjoy when on vacation,” Sarbone said.

Cue and Spa also plans to exhibit one of the gazebos it carries in sizes of 10-by-10 feet to 14-by-14 feet.

Show guests also can meet “Sparkee,” mascot for the Somerset Patriots baseball team. He will be on hand Saturday from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm at the Five Star Home Remodeling booth to pose for photos with children.

The 19th Annual Garden State Home will be open Friday, Feb. 8, from 1:00-to-9:00 pm, Saturday Feb. 9, from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Sunday, Feb. 10, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is $9.00 for adults and $6.00 for children 12 through 17. Children 11 and under are admitted free. Seniors can take advantage of a Friday special admission price of $8.00 and adults can take advantage of two-for-one date night admission after 6:00 pm on Friday and Saturday.

The Home Show is produced by MAC Events, a nationally recognized producer of high-quality business-to-consumer trade shows in a variety of industries and markets since 1968. The Spring Lake, NJ-based family-owned company produces approximately 20 recreational vehicle, home, boat and flower & garden shows a year throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia and is a source of market research for the recreational vehicle, boating and home improvement industries.