Where home ideas sprout

COEUR d'ALENE — Jim Atha's eyes lit up on Friday — and it wasn't just because the sun snuck from behind the clouds.

The Medimont man was one of hundreds of attendees at the first day of the North Idaho Building Contractors Association's 44th annual Home and Garden Show at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds.

"We came out to see all the new items that we don't need," Atha joked.

Atha said he and his wife, Gaye, spend as much time as possible in their yard when the weather is nice — and when it's not, he's tinkering in his shop.

"We always like to see landscaping ideas," he said.

The show continues today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $6, which is good for all days, and kids 12 and younger are admitted free. A can of food for the local food bank saves $1 at the door.

The first 300 families in the door each day will receive a free flower to plant.

Ben Christen, of New Leaf Nursery in Hayden, said fruit-producing plants, such as strawberries and blueberries, are popular in the landscaping world this year.

"A lot of people are using strawberries as ground cover rather than planting annuals," Christen said. "That way the kids get to pick them. If you're going to spend money on plants, why not benefit from growing your own fruit? And you control how it is grown."

Christen said many residents are also interested in deer-resistant plants, especially with the common visitors to yards in Dalton Gardens and Hayden.

Christen said rhododendrons, a woody plant that blooms, and grasses are popular choices that deer generally skip.

In an unpredictable economy, Christen said, many consumers are holding onto and improving what they already own, including improving yards — and translating into good business for New Leaf Nursery.

"Plants really help curb appeal," he said. "The trend is to spend money to improve your current place."

On the homefront, Warren Murray, president of JTM Construction Services in Hayden, said his business has grown 10 percent per year since 2007, including during the Great Recession.

"Quality," Murray said, referring to why his business has grown. "If you do a quality job, you'll stay employed. And the guys who have been around a long time are being rewarded for it."

Murray said woods are wide open in terms of what's popular indoors.

"A lot of customers are going with cherry and other dark woods, but oak is also making a comeback," he said.

Some find changing handles is a quick and inexpensive way to change a home's look.

"You know the economy is good when handles are selling," Murray said with a smile.

Brenda Solt, of the log home builder Caribou Creek in Bonners Ferry, said the company survived lean times by working on smaller jobs such as fireplace mantles and staircases, but consumer confidence has resulted in widespread orders from North Carolina to South Dakota.

A challenge the company faces, Solt said, is there's little to no communication between similar builders in the industry to share ideas. But she said Caribou Creek understands that.

"We've had calls wondering where we get our logs only to find out that it was competitors," she said.

There are about 100 vendors at the show, which also includes a Kids Zone for youths to build crafts, food booths and Coeur d'Alene High dance performances today and Sunday.

About 2,500 people attended the show last year and the goal is to reach 3,000 this year, said Shelly Donovan, NIBCA's executive officer. She said the first-day attendance surpassed expectations.

"We wanted to make it so people could spend the day here with their kids," Donovan said. "There's a lot more going on compared to previous years. We believe it's going to be a record year."