The National Hardware Show: Everything You Never Knew Existed But Now Can’t Live Without

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Everything from custom doors to drink coolers at the National Hardware Show. Photos: Lisa Stewart Photography

Everything from custom doors to drink coolers at the National Hardware Show. Photos: Lisa Stewart Photography

That’s it Candy! I quit.

You keep sending this Lifestylist to shows like the International Builders Show, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, and now the National Hardware Show.  This sounded like it would be a lot of fun, but it’s costing me a lot of money. Now all I can think about is how soon I can get an UpCart, Thermador Steam Convection oven, and pizza oven for my own home. This job has gotten expensive!

It’s been quite an adventure roaming the halls and convention floors of some of the largest shows and conferences in the country, and on a serious note, I’m honored to represent CandysDirt.com. I can’t wait to add my latest finds for the home to my Lifestylist Gift List  — here are some of my favorites that I now can’t live without.

Serious grill power by Louisiana Grill Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Serious grill power by Louisiana Grill Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Outdoor kitchens are one of the biggest trends right now in home design. In the luxury market, it’s rare to find a home without a great outdoor entertaining space, and now there are even affordable products that will help you turn any backyard into the favorite “room” in your house.

Grills alone have gone from something you pick up at a hardware store to appliances that can cost more than the oven you have in your main kitchen! Caliber Grills not only have stunning models that you can build into your outdoor space, but they also have a Kamado series and a very entertaining friendly, estate-scaled walk around grill.

Accessories for your new grill Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Accessories for your new grill Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Broil King has models for just about any budget, and offer a huge selection of grill accessories that can help make anyone a grilling pro!

Something we are seeing a lot more of is pellet grills, and the offerings by Louisiana Grills definitely got our attention. They have a digital thermometer to help you cook at a precise temperature, and by using hardwood pellets instead of charcoal or propane you get that wood-grilled taste without needing a ton of firewood. Cooking for a large group? They have you covered!

NHS Baker Stone Pizza 6Pizza ovens are one of our favorite outdoor appliances. There are so many great meals you can make with them, and we found the perfect choice for even the most budget-savvy homeowner. I’m hoping that there will be one of these Pizza Oven Boxes by BakerStone under my Christmas tree.

The Pizza Box cooks a pizza perfectly on top of your grill in 2 to 4 minutes. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

The Pizza Box cooks a pizza perfectly on top of your grill in 2 to 4 minutes. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

They have a model that you put on top of your grill and it helps create perfectly baked pizzas in 2 to 4 minutes! They also have tabletop models that would be perfect for apartment dwellers.

The Fontana Pizza Oven is a piece of functional art. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

The Fontana Pizza Oven is a piece of functional art. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Looking for a functional work of art for your entertaining space? The Fontana wood-burning ovens would be perfect. They are beautiful and make the perfect pizza as well!

GrowOya and Plant Pickets at the National Hardware Show. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

GrowOya and Plant Pickets at the National Hardware Show. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

We found some fun items for your garden, and our favorites were the GrowOya porous clay irrigation vessel and the Plant Picket. Since we spend so much time traveling, the Oya is a great natural solution to keeping your garden watered — just bury it in the center of your garden, cover with dirt almost to the top, and fill with water when needed. The medium sized Oya will keep a garden watered in a 3-foot radius. The Plant Picket is a work of art that you can add to your garden to remind you of what you planted where, and a bonus is that the packaging turns into a disposable trowel.

Solar powered generators by Goal Zero at the National Hardware Show. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Solar powered generators by Goal Zero at the National Hardware Show. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Generators and solar-powered items have become much more mainstream, and we are now seriously entertaining the idea of having one for our own home. Not only are they great to have in those rare times when the power goes out, they are also useful for power in areas that an extension cord won’t do or when you are glamping in your tiny home and going off the grid.

Outdoor rated bulbs we found at the National Hardware Show Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Outdoor-rated bulbs we found at the National Hardware Show Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Outdoor lighting is really changing as well. We found everything from these great solar lamps that you can use on a table or hang in your trees. These Edison-style bulbs are stunning on their own —no lamp shade needed, and they are rated to be used in outdoor covered areas.

The Pizza Oven Box that works on your grill. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

We couldn’t talk about the Hardware Show without sharing this outdoor furniture we found – it would be perfect for your Second Shelter or by the pool.

Shows can be exhausting! Testing out the display at the National Furniture Show. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

Shows can be exhausting! Testing out the display at the National Furniture Show. Photo: Lisa Stewart Photography

January will have this Lifestylist on the road again to attend the International Builders Show, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, and two furniture and design markets. I’m going to have to start saving now so I can purchase more of the innovative things I discover. I’m sure that I’ll have lots to share here with you.

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Lifestylist® Suzanne Felber is one of those lucky people who truly loves what she does. By helping consumers discover their “inner-stylist”, Felber has helped thousands of homeowners design their own spaces to reflect their personalities and their lifestyles.
Felber lives in her own Home Idea Factory - a circa 1942 factory that previously housed a printing company in Oak Cliff. She and her brood of rescue cats and dogs have been busy using the building as the perfect place to try out different ideas and products that she is excited to share here.

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