The ‘Ideal Home Show’ was originally established by the Daily Mail newspaper in 1980. It was predicted by the publisher to be a method of generating funding through growing advertising revenue.
At the time the show was first founded and opened its doors to the British public, a large percentage of the population didn’t own homes and instead rented properties. As living standards improved due to enhancements in mass production methods, society in general began to have more disposable income, which opened up the possibilities of owning a home.
During the 1920’s the show featured gardens that were lit by unique gas lamps. These lamps imitated daylight, allowing flowers to be seen in their true colours. Visitors were often wowed by the gardens and the people who created them.
The 1930’s saw the show gather more interest and status through the launch of a variety of new gadgets such as the vacuum cleaner, electric kettle and the toaster. These are now everyday items that people take for granted, but at the time they were ground-breaking inventions, all of which were introduced to the public through the Ideal Home Show.
The show was suspended during World War Two and didn’t open again until 1947. During the next few decades the show’s popularity grew further and gained a record attendance of 1.5 million visitors in 1957. Attendees of the day would have witnessed the first fitted kitchen. During the 1960’s, celebrities including Tom Jones, Eric Morecambe and the Rolling Stones visited the show. Queen Elizabeth II also attended eleven times too.
Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s whole villages were constructed at the event, and by the 1990’s budding architects were given the opportunity to take part in a competition to have their designs built there. In more modern times the show has also tackled green issues and featured the first green kitchen with energy saving appliances, CFC – free cleaners and wood from sustainable sources.
This year the Ideal Home Show marks it’s 110th Anniversary. The event will take place between 17th March to 2nd April at the Olympia in London. The show will feature a renovation advice hub which provides the chance for attendees to gain face-to-face guidance and tips from industry experts. This year ProAktive are proud to be one of the specialists taking part in this.
If you are thinking about undertaking any type of self-build project, whether it is a new build or changes to an existing property it is very important that you have the right level of self-build insurance in place to provide you with the protection and peace of mind you need when carrying out such a complex project. For more information about self-build insurance please visit: www.selfbuildinsure.co.uk