Yesterday was a delightful whirlwind. We spent nearly the entire day exploring the Portland Home & Garden Show at the Expo Center, with a brief break to sample the much-raved-about Voodoo Doughnut (yes, we tried the maple bacon — delicious). The hall was packed with stunning gardens, inventive green-living ideas, and an endless stream of friendly locals. We’ll share a full Portland roundup once we’ve finished our city tour, but here’s a recap of our day at the show.
The morning started early with a few TV interviews at 7:30 a.m. We’d been up since 4 a.m. (still on East Coast time), so it was something of a miracle we stayed coherent.
Our base at the show was the Smart Home, a compact house built inside the convention center in about 48 hours. It highlighted sustainable and green design — solar panels, energy-efficient windows and walls — and housed many beautifully crafted features we admired. The universally designed kitchen, made by local cabinetmakers, was centered on a stunning handmade table.
The living area featured another intriguing table made from wood cross-sections arranged in a quatrefoil pattern. If it had fit in our carry-on, we might have tried to sneak it home.
We were also smitten with pillows embellished with polished cork-like wood disks and colorful thread — surprisingly comfortable and full of character.
A display wall constructed entirely from locally reclaimed wood was another favorite. It inspired the idea of saving scrap wood for a future DIY project that could look this good.
The Smart Home was only the beginning. The convention center was transformed with landscaping and greenery that felt almost outdoorsy — perfect for fueling our spring landscaping enthusiasm.
Some displays included brick walls, wood pergolas, and mood lighting so convincing you’d swear you were outside. I loved the oversized string lights and the casually mismatched chairs around a dining table.
Hidden among the landscaping was a striking prefab home by Ideabox. Photos don’t fully capture how inviting it felt — Sherry and I joked we could move in right then and there.
The interior was furnished with Ikea pieces, including a distinctive light fixture that made the space feel immediately lived-in and cozy.
The kitchen featured a few bright green cabinets that added playful color without overwhelming the space — they were a big hit with visitors.
Most of the day we explored on our own while Clara toured the city with my parents, but she joined us at the show for a while and loved playing landscaper and trying out the Smart Home’s furniture.
She relaxed on a display bed and crowned me DIY Daddy of the Day, then even posed under a faux shower — because why not?
Later we joined a blogging seminar where we shared tips on “taking your blog to the next level” with a few dozen local bloggers. The session included some awkward, funny moments and off-the-cuff comments, but we also exchanged practical advice and met many enthusiastic attendees.
After the seminar we chatted with fellow bloggers and received a lovely “Welcome to Portland” print from some local creatives. In classic Portland style, they even “put a bird on it.”
Portland’s commitment to green living was evident throughout the show. One exhibitor, Jim from Northwest Cedar Specialties, salvages scrap wood from construction sites and reclaims it to build cedar planters — a great example of practical sustainability done with care.
I was also captivated by living walls from Seventh Wonder Gardens — the idea of covering a sunlit atrium in plants is irresistible. Sherry, meanwhile, fell for a charming chicken coop, though our local regulations make backyard chickens unlikely for now.
We took a dinner break, then attended an evening meet-and-greet. I promised Sherry I’d include this photo of me looking particularly nerdy — backpack, open laptop, and camera in tow — the quintessential convention blogger look.
The show’s official photographer captured many of the evening moments, and attendees kindly shared photos on social media. One of our favorites is a quirky shot with Katy from The Non-Consumer Advocate, who helped “Keep Portland Weird” by asking us to pose next to a bed for a fun photo op.
The best part of the day was meeting readers and putting faces to familiar commenter names. We were genuinely touched that people came to say hello. It made us excited about our upcoming book tour this fall, and hopeful we’ll return to Portland one day. The city is welcoming, creative, and not as rainy as we expected.
Have you been to a home and garden show recently, or is there one you especially enjoyed? If you’re near Portland, the show runs through Sunday. If you’re after more show inspiration, we also dug up highlights from a local Richmond show we attended back in 2008.