H+G Show Preview

Houston Home + Garden Show returns with celeb guests and inspiration galore

The Houston Home + Garden Show is back! Frigid arctic blasts have come and gone, so it’s time to seek inspirational — or even aspirational — projects from a diverse range of hundreds of vendors offering expert advice, innovative products, and services catering to home improvement, landscaping, décor, and more, including pet adoptions through the Houston Humane Society.

This year’s celebrity host is none other than Richard Karn, best known for his iconic role as Al Borland on the hit 90s favorite Home Improvement. The man whose name is synonymous with flannel will be rolling up his plaid sleeves for fun, audience-led Q&A sessions that promise to bring the laughs. “I’m not really a stand up comedian, but I have a funny take on life,” Karn tells CultureMap.

Karn, an author, sitcom star, game show host, and more, loves the energy fellow home improvement enthusiasts bring to home shows. “It’s like going into a giant toy store for a kid,” says Karn. “You go in, and you see all these things and possibilities, and think ‘Oh! I could do this,’ or ‘that would be fun!’ There’s all this stimulus for feathering our own nests. And, also, you’re getting out. You’re in a stimulus of other people—you might run into friends, or just having conversations with people you never would have had otherwise. It’s like a modern marketplace.”

The show being held at NRG Park on Super Bowl weekend and being hosted by Karn is a fun coincidence for trivia fans, as Karn’s first role was for a Michelob commercial that first aired during Super Bowl XIV. CultureMap has the inside track on everything to see and do at the show.

Plant Market by PlantCon International: Nature's Finest Collection
PlantCon International presents a vibrant market boasting an extensive assortment of flora, from rare specimens to popular favorites, providing gardening enthusiasts with an opportunity to embrace nature's beauty and enhance their living spaces.

Houston HomeScape
H&H Escobar Property Services and E.N.G. Pools & Landscape — two premier exhibitors — will present 1,600 square feet of bold Texas garden inspiration.

Petopia
Partnering with the Houston Humane Society, the event invites attendees to meet adorable pets while promoting the joy of pet adoption and offering a chance to provide a loving home to these furry friends.

Craig Conover Giveaway
Spring style takes center stage with an exclusive Sewing Down South collaboration from Craig Conover, featuring custom lumbar pillow covers designed just for the show. Two hydrangea-inspired patterns will be showcased, with limited-edition giveaways happening daily.

Sewing Down South is the home goods company founded by American reality television personality, entrepreneur, and author Craig Conover, best known for starring on Bravo's Southern Charm since 2014.

The Red Zone
This sports-themed section invites attendees to show off their passing skills, create a little art, and get ready to watch the Super Bowl.

Special Guests

Find the complete Fresh Ideas Stage schedule for each day here.

Sloan Rinaldi
Rinaldi is a celebrated fourth-generation Texas pitmaster and the owner of Texas Q, a craft barbecue brand based in Kingwood, Texas. She has broken barriers in the traditionally male-dominated barbecue world — competing on Food Network’s Chopped Grillmasters Tournament and appearing on Season 3 of Netflix’s Barbecue Showdown. Known for her dedication to authentic technique and elevating Southern barbecue, she continues to inspire as one of the foremost female pitmasters in the industry.

Robert "Skip" Richter
Richter hosts the GardenLine radio show on KTRH in Houston every weekend, reaching audiences across much of Texas. Formerly the National Gardening Association’s regional horticulturist for the Southeast, Skip is the author of Texas Month-by-Month Gardening and founder of Gardening With Skip, offering free gardening resources. He has received multiple honors, including the 2023 County Extension Agent Award and Extension Agent Emeritus status from the Texas A&M University System.

Event Details:

Dates: February 6-8, 2026
Venue: NRG Park
Ticket Prices: Buy online save $2; General Admission is $10 at the door; Seniors 60+ are $8; Free for kids 16 and under.

Courtesy of Houston Home + Garden Show

Home Improvement star Richard Karn will host Q&As.

home-design gardening celebrities shopping

HAUTE PROPERTIES

Southern Living picks Texas Hill Country as location of 2026 Idea House

Southern Living Idea House Fredericksburg

Rendering by Jon Messer.

Southern Living Idea House will be open for tours beginning September 18.

Whether Texas is part of the South may still be an open question, but Southern Living is settling the debate with a big investment. The Birmingham, Alabama-based lifestyle magazine will build its newest Idea House in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg.

For more than 35 years, Southern Living has drafted Southern builders, architects, and designers to build new homes that not only showcase the latest innovations in home design but are the epitomes of Southern style. This year, the magazine chose Fredericksburg's Friedën community, a 130-acre development featuring parks, nature trails, and lakes.

"We're excited to call Fredericksburg home for the year and to celebrate the distinct character of the Texas Hill Country,” says editor-in-chief Sid Evans in a release. “Surrounded by rolling hills and wide-open views, this home reflects the region's natural beauty and the relaxed spirit of the Lone Star State."

The design of the versatile home proves the modern farmhouse trend still has some legs. Southern Living’s designers update the look by ditching whitewashed everything for a more contemporary color palette that blends in with the Hill Country’s natural landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows further “dissolve the boundaries” between the interior and the great outdoors.

To bring their vision to life, Southern Living drafted a local team, including builder Kurk Homes, architect Andrew Bray of Mustard Architects, landscape designer Melissa Gerstle, and interior designers Jean Liu, Marcus Mohon, and Paloma Contreras. But real estate gawkers will have to wait to see most of the details. The house won’t be unveiled until September 18, when public tours open and the October issue hits stands.

Southern Living, however, did tease a few details, saying the home is being built for “multi-generational” living with sustainable products and appliances, a motor court entry, and a private casita. No doubt, interior design buffs will also find inspiration in the decor's bold choices. Last year’s Idea House in Virginia mixed in everything from garden florals and African mudcloth to animal prints and kitchsy cottagecore art.

The Idea House will be open to the public for tours from September 18 through December 20, 2026. Tickets will be available beginning in April, with a portion of the proceeds supporting area charities. After the open house, the home will be available for sale at an undisclosed price.

homes home design interior design fredericksburg hill country southern living