When we were invited to be ambassadors for The Inspired Home Show 2026, a celebration of innovation and design in Chicago, we were thrilled to attend. Jamin couldn’t make this one, so Emerson was more than happy to go in his stead. We were both delighted to see all the fun things coming down the line this year and take you behind the scenes!
The Inspired Home Show takes place in the Windy City. {We were ecstatic to sneak in a little sightseeing, as it was her first time!} But it’s the Western Hemisphere’s largest housewares tradeshow for all the latest and greatest coming to market. It’s not open to the public, so we were honored to be a part of this unique hub of innovation!
I have to say, this show was massive. It was truly inspiring to see how much design and hard work go into creating everyday household items that we tend to take for granted. This show brings together more than 2,000 unique brands and 300,000 products with retailers across the globe.
We were able to see the newest things before they hit the market this year. {Toaster ovens are truly evolving}!
And some of the most charming finds… It’s a hub for upcoming trends and delightful innovation, live demonstrations, and even new inventions by so many inspiring people. For us, it was the incredible stories shared, a reminder that everyone is on their own path, creating in incredible ways.
The golf collection below will be available at Pottery Barn, soon! -Be sure to check out their entire league collection.
And especially the handiest inventions!
I may or may not be smitten with the simple things, like this easy-to-use Hoto glue gun + the negg peeler.
Every year, professionals from more than 115 countries come together to display and discover new products and industry trends. They meet face-to-face with leaders from top retail and manufacturing brands to jump-start a successful year.
The show has been a leader in the industry for more than 87 years! {We’re definitely obsessed with this Jura coffee maker!}
I have to say, the show was stunning. I wanted to take home one of everything I found! Emerson certainly had her eye out for all things college finds, too. It was the perfect show for her and all things housewares.
We loved getting our hands on some of the products to try them out ourselves!
There are so many unique, one-of-a-kind ideas coming to market. {If you have dog hair issues, this is your product.}
And we were honored to see a few top-secret things we can’t even share yet, too!
From color to design and all the processes that go into the development… we were {and are still} in awe.
We were even able to attend the gia (Global Innovation Awards) for Product Design, and see firsthand the smart ideas that were awarded the highest honor. I have to say, I was rooting for some in particular, and it was really fun to see who won and be a part of such a special process.
We also loved listening to Pantone’s renowned color expert, Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, discuss what leads consumers to purchase products, goods, or services, as well as a 2027 color forecast!
We sat in on a panel of women leading the industry at the Inspired Women in Housewares Networking and Leadership Forum to discuss what works and what doesn’t in innovative products.
One of Emerson’s very favorites was meeting the inventor of Scrub Daddy. She’s been following his journey since they studied his experience in Marketing Class at school, and even watched him on Shark Tank. He’s the coolest.
She was so excited to get a photo with him!
Overall, the Inspired Home Show was an exceptional experience, and we were so excited to be there and check out so much of the process!
A bonus for me, as a mom, was seeing Emerson get a glimpse into this world, since she’s interested in the industry as a whole. She was so excited to be included.
And we fell in love with the delightful city that is Chicago!
We were so excited to be a part of this entire show, from learning more about the process to the nuances of all things innovative design. Learn more about The Inspired Home Show here!
