BY ROGER SCHLUETER
News-Democrat

Well, it will be — at least, in part — at the 30th annual St. Louis Builders Home & Garden Show today through Sunday at the America’s Center and Edward Jones Dome here.

Sure, you’ll still find more than 600 exhibitors filling 400,000 square feet with the latest innovations in building products, pool and spa, kitchen and bath, and lawn and garden.

But as an extra draw, this year’s show will feature the “Treasures of King Tut” — 250 museum-quality replicas of artifacts from King Tutankhamen’s tomb. They’re coming direct from the Egyptian Art Center, which Tarek Ragab established in 1988 to create replicas of the famous Egyptian boy king’s best-known artifacts.

In addition, a team of world-champion sand sculptors will create a 50-ton reproduction of Tut’s tomb adjacent to the exhibit of artifacts. Those sculptors began work earlier this week, but they will continue to work throughout the event. And, viewing the artifacts and sand sculpture is included in the admission price to the show.

The rest of the show, though, will be thoroughly up to date and about as far from the baking sands of the African desert as you can get.

You’ll enjoy stepping into spring at the Garden Landscape pavilion with its seven flower-filled feature gardens showcasing the beauty of the coming season. “‘Ruin’ Your Entire Day” by visiting the ruin of a 19th century St. Louis home as 200-year-old gargoyles watch over you or walk the stone path through “Waterways for Mermaids.”

Floral fans also will have a blooming good time at the 21st Century Lifestyles Flower Show, the fifth annual such show presented and juried by the Federated Garden Clubs of Missouri.

If you’re planning to build or remodel a bath or kitchen, you’ll want to visit the kitchen and bath showcase for the latest ideas in cabinetry, appliances, plumbing fixtures and countertops. And, the Interior Design Marketplace will offer a wealth of furniture, window and wall treatments, flooring and accessories from across the outdoors.

But there’s plenty more for the outdoors, too. The Lawn & Garden Marketplace boasts a large selection of lawn equipment and landscape supplies to help turn your yard into a neighborhood marvel. And more than 1,000 pools and spas will be on display at the Pool & Spa Showcase.

As always, the show will provide ample opportunity or visitors to learn from both local and national experts. The Green Thumb Theater, for example, will have local horticulturists and St. Louis Master Gardeners presenting seminars on a wide variety of topics while Jeff Holper, “The Mole Hunter,” will try to help gardeners get rid of a most irksome pest.

The Dacor Kitchen Lifestyle Stage will be a fun destination for cooks of all experience levels with Iron Chef competitions and daily cooking shows. And, Callier & Thompson Kitchens, Baths and Appliances will present kitchen and bath-design seminars.

If you want to see how your favorite deejay would live, don’t miss the dream rooms put together with the help of KEZK’s Ed Goodman, WIL’s Cornbread and Y98’s Guy Phillips. And, yet another room is a dream space created for King Tut himself.

Those who love to be first on their block with the latest contraptions should make a beeline for the New Product Showcase with its more than two dozen products said to be new to the St. Louis marketplace. Among the treasures you’ll find are an all-glass, hand-blown faucet, copper doors and an alternative to those old vertical blinds.

In keeping with that futuristic theme, the show also will include a pavilion devoted to environmentally friendly construction as well as an area devoted to the latest technological innovation. And, don’t worry, your kids haven’t been forgotten: Three areas for youngsters will provide entertainment as well as hands-on projects.

Show hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $9 for adults, $4 for children 6-12 with discount coupons available at Schnucks.

Park for $3 on Laclede’s Landing or in the Arch garage and hop on a free shuttle, which will run continuously to and from the show. For more information, see www.stlhomeshow.com.

source : www.belleville.com