Kokova Magazine

With two long Bank Holiday weekends occurring towards the end of April, there will be plenty of people determined to do a spot of DIY and use that extra time to find and perfect that long-planned for ‘home improvement’ dream.

With this in mind, and thousands of visitors heading to the capital to make a full weekend of the Royal Wedding, the triumphant return of Grand Designs Live could not be timed better!

Back for its seventh consecutive year, Grand Designs Live, running from the 30th April – 8th May 2011 at the ExCeL Centre in London’s Docklands, is a one stop shop for inspiration, new innovations and FREE expert advice.

With seven distinctive sections, from the spectacular Grand Village, which hosts a number of full scale properties and Philips ‘Light My Home’ showcase, The House of the Future, brought to by Virgin Media and the UK’s largest selection of kitchens in Grand Kitchens, sponsored by Miele, visitors can soak up every ounce of the action at the ExCeL with brand new multiple day tickets.

Based on the hugely successful Channel 4 TV series Grand Designs, presented by the popular Kevin McCloud, Grand Designs Live is a show for anyone with an interest in design, build, interiors, shopping, homewares, gardens, kitchens & bathrooms, and innovation.

With over 500 exhibitors with the widest range of high quality products and innovations, Grand Designs Live is the ultimate consumer home event for anyone looking to improve, redesign or build from scratch.

Here are the top ten things not to miss at this year’s show:

Play in the House of the Future, sponsored by Virgin Media
The popular House of the Future, brought to you by Virgin Media will feature developed gadgets and products, as well as those in the concept stage, that reveal to us how ‘smart’ our homes could actually be in the very near future. In addition to the house, there will also be a brand new feature - the ‘Garden of the Future’, which will present products that harness technology to make gardening easier, whether you’re an amateur or expert gardener.

Visitors can expect to be wowed by a household mirror that checks your health and helps you with exercise routines, an intelligent bath tub controlled by your mobile phone, a kitchen which ‘unfolds’ and even plant pots that use computer software to grow your plants. These jaw dropping innovations are just a few of those that will feature alongside many other amazing gadgets and appliances from both, the ‘here and now’ and the ‘not so far’ future.

Gaze in awe at the groundbreaking show homes being launched in the GRAND Village.
With increasing pressure on ecofriendly living and our homes being a major source of energy consumption, homeowners are becoming more conscious of the importance of building for a sustainable future, reducing our CO2 emissions and increasing our homes’ efficiency.

The GRAND Village is one area of the exhibition which will launch and showcase stunning full scale new builds and concepts, which incorporate the latest modular building technology, unique architectural design, and what sustainable homes of the near future look like and how they function.

Prepare to be amazed! In addition to the houses, visitors can walk into a feature called ‘Light My Home’ brought to you by Philips, where they will have the opportunity to see the latest in innovative lighting solutions that allow you to create a unique environment within your home.

Philips latest lighting technology utilizing LEDs allows you to experiment with levels of light and colour to create an atmosphere to meet your desired mood. Light My Home is definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for new lighting solutions.

See Kevin McCloud’s pick of the crop at the ‘Green Heroes’ Exhibit
Now in its second year, ‘Kevin’s Green Heroes’ is a both showcase and launch pad for a host of products and new eco-technologies that may potentially improve housing and our way of living in future, ensuring government targets are met.

Each item showcased is personally selected by Ambassador Kevin McCloud, whose vast experience and passion for sustainable practices make him the touchstone for innovative ideas and inventive products in this arena.

The exhibit is designed to not only excite and inspire people through identifying new trends and concepts, it will also drive wider awareness of environmental issues which each of these chosen inventions address and offer a solution to.

Support Young Design Talent at the Bursary Design Arcade. The London 2011 show will see the return of the Grand Designs Live Bursary Design with a showcase of up and coming designers.

There will be a showcase of some of the best bright young talent in the field of art and design. Visitors can go along to source, buy and commission unique and bespoke products. There will be clock-makers, furniture designers, sculptors, fine artists and lighting designers all of whom have benefited from the Grand Designs Live bursary program which has made exhibition space available for young designers.

With a diverse collection of designers on hand there will be products on offer to suit all tastes.

Learn from the best & see the best at the GRAND Show Gardens.
At this year’s show, the Grand Show Gardens will be designed using the theme ‘Contemporary New England’. With beautiful colour combinations typical of this stunning part of the world, the gardens will also showcase an enviable kitchen garden; complete with an outdoor kitchen and an allotment space demonstrating how even practical gardens can also be a space to be proud of and a natural extension of the home.

The Gardens will also be home to a selection of live hens who will be cared for by the British Hen Welfare Trust. Visitors will be able to gain valuable advice from experts on how to keep and enjoy these animals.

Inspiration is not the only thing you can find in the Grand Show Gardens, you can get FREE garden design advice too!

The Garden Design Studio is championed by our resident celebrity gardener, James Alexander-Sinclair and based in a fantastic garden studio from Outdoor Spaces. The Studio will be a hub of activity, with Garden Designers on hand to help you make the most of your outdoor space.

Make sure you remember to bring your own pictures, plans and drawings and the designers will be ready to provide free advice and help you create your own garden design solution.

Indulge in the Live Kitchen Experience, sponsored by Miele.
In this foodie paradise, The Live Kitchen Experience sponsored by Miele will boast two unique interactive features. The first will showcase top chefs cooking on the Live Kitchen and the second will allow visitors to interact and experience Miele appliances on Kitchen Inspiration.

The Live Kitchen will feature some of the biggest names from the culinary world cooking live at the show against the backdrop of a stunning kitchen, whose design will be put to the ultimate test! Find out how you can easily produce Michelin style food from your kitchen at home with helpful hints and tips from the professionals.

At Kitchen Inspiration with Miele you'll find all the latest appliances from Miele including a steam oven, induction hob, coffee machine and extraction unit. With regular ten minute demonstrations on each product and even the chance to test appliances for yourself, you'll find some fantastic new products to show off in your own kitchen.

Get FREE Expert Advice.
The Ask an Expert Centre sponsored by VELUX will be the place for visitors to get free, invaluable one-to-one advice from experts in every field, from architecture to project management. Visitors can take their plans along to the show and gain FREE advice from our resident experts, who are on hand to advise on your project’s requirements. You'll find RIBA chartered architects, Grand Designs Magazine Experts, as well as other industry experts.

This year the Grand Build section will also introduce the As Seen on TV feature to sample some of the products and models which have been used and championed by Kevin himself on Grand Designs, the TV series.

Samples of products, and models which Kevin uses to help explain how they work, are on show enabling people to hold and test the products themselves, while TV screens will play continual episodes of the show. These interactive models and demonstrations provide fun, hands on way to educate people, and maybe inspire them to use the product themselves.

Enjoy the GRAND DESIGNS LIVE VIP Lounge, sponsored by Miele.
This year, visitors are able to book a brand new VIP show experience, courtesy of sponsor, Miele.

The VIP ticket experience, priced from £35 per person is available now online at www.grandesignslive.com and guarantees fast track entry to the 2011 show, a dedicated VIP cloakroom and shopping bag drop, as well as exclusive access to the indulgent Miele VIP lounge where champagne and complimentary coffee awaits after a day’s shopping amongst over 500 exhibitors with the widest range of high quality products and home innovations.

For a London weekend to really remember, the ultimate package – the Platinum Experience – is priced at £70 per person and in addition to the above treatment, Platinum guests will also receive a 2 course lunch and glass of wine in Michelin star chef, John Burton-race’s fine dining restaurant at the show.

Get involved in hot debates in the GRAND Seminar Theatre.
Located within the Grand Village, the Grand Seminar Theatre takes another step forward in influence, getting its teeth into the most pressing issues of the day.

Visitors will be able to take a seat to hear discussions covering architecture, build, eco-living, as well as real case studies from people who have been through their own self-build projects. They can also pick up the best advice and comment regarding the future of home design, from celebrities, industry experts and people who have been there.

A splash of colour with GRAND Interiors sponsored by Dulux.
GRAND Interiors sponsored by Dulux will offer a wide range of top quality furniture to suit all homes and styles, a great place to start if you are looking to furnish a recently completed home or refurbish a room.

In addition to the great interiors products, consumers will also find The Dulux Let’s Colour Studio which will give them the opportunity to try out Dulux tools to help find the perfect colour for their homes whether it's a purple feature wall that compliments a sofa sofa or the exact shade of pink for a child’s bedroom.

Visitors can also learn tips, ideas and tricks from industry experts at the Grand Interiors Theatre.

Grand Designs Live London runs from Saturday 30th April – Sunday 8th May 2011.

ExCeL London is located 10 minutes from Canary Wharf, in the heart of London's Royal Docks.

Open 11am – 6pm on Saturday 30th April
Open 10am – 6pm Sunday 1st – Sat 7th May
Open 10am - 5pm 8th May

Book tickets now and save £4*, book online at www.granddesignslive.com, or call the 24 hour box office on 0844 209 7349 + kids go free.

Ticket Information:
Standard prices:
Weekdays (Tuesday – Friday) Advanced £11 On the door £15
Weekends Advanced £14 On the door £18 (Incl. Bank Holiday Monday)
Multiple day tickets (entry on two days) £20
VIP Experience brought to you by Miele £35
Platinum VIP Experience brought to you by Miele £70

Children (aged 15 or under) Free (ticket is required)

Group Discounts
Bring your friends and save even more, with great discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Call 0844 412 4650 for further details on group discounts.

Pictures © Dave McHugh