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PrintA decorative artist from San Francisco and a "Renegade Gardener" from Minnesota will be headliners at the 2010 Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show on March 5-14.
Brian Santos is known as the "Wall Wizard" on HGTV's "Smart Solutions" for the creative and impressive effects he creates with paint and wallpaper. In his three books, "Painting Secrets," "Faux Finish Secrets" and "Wall Covering Secrets" (Meredith Books, $17.95, $17.95 and $19.95), Mr. Santos reveals 25 years worth of tips, tricks and techniques he gained working in homes, including those of 49ers quarterback Joe Montana and movie producer George Lucas.
"Knowledge is power," he says. "How can you be good at something if you've never been taught the right way to do it."
The 2010 Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show will have more than 1,500 exhibits featuring the latest products and services for inside and outside the home. The show fills both floors of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center Downtown and runs March 5-14.
The CAPA House Band, jazz musicians from the city's High School for Creative and Performing Arts, will again perform near a re-creation of the famous Crawford Grill. This year, the stage will be in the second-floor lobby. The students will perform at 6:30 and 8 p.m. weekdays, 3 and 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 3 p.m. Sundays.
Show hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $10 for adults, $4 for children ages 6-12, free for children under 6. Admission includes a free two-year subscription to Traditional Home magazine.
Parking costs $6 per day at Heinz Field lots, with a free shuttle running throughout the show.
Information: www.pghhome.com.
Among the tips Mr. Santos will offer at the home show are how to use common household items such as fabric softener, garbage bags and lip balm to create professional-looking faux finishes. He'll also discuss the importance of steps such as turning off power at circuit breakers and dispel myths such as freezing paint brushes rather than cleaning them between uses.
Mr. Santos, a fourth-generation artist and contractor, has appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America," NBC's "Today Show," as well as the Discovery Channel and TLC. He will appear in the second-floor Home Interiors area at 6 and 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 1, 4 and 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 1 and 4 p.m. Sundays. In between, he will answer questions from show-goers.
Don Engebretson, the "Renegade Gardener," also aims to dispel myths, including that landscaping projects are easy or that any plant is foolproof. His topics include: "Top 10 Gardening & Landscaping Blunders -- And How to Avoid Them"; "Yes You Can! Landscape Design for Homeowners"; and "Crafting Cool & Creative Containers."
Through an agreement with Proven Winners Nursery, Mr. Engebretson will have 60 colorful annuals, perennials and ornamental grasses at the show for his demonstrations. He has appeared on HGTV's "TIPical MaryEllen" and PBS-TV's "HOMETIME."
The author of five gardening books and a member of the Garden Writers Association of America, he has been published in Better Homes and Gardens, Midwest Living, Landscape Solutions, Garden, Deck & Landscape and The Seattle Times. Spring through fall, Mr. Engebretson operates a landscape design and installation company specializing in residential landscape renovation and custom stonework. His Web site is www.renegadegardener.com.
He will appear at the home show in the first-floor Garden Pavilion at 5:30 and 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, noon, 3 and 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon and 3 p.m. Sundays. He will answer questions in between.
Doug Oster writes a blog, "Growing With Doug," exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.
