If you're looking for home design inspiration, head to Cleveland for the NARI Home Improvement Show, Jan. 28 through Feb. 1 at Cleveland's I-X Center. The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) will perform several demonstrations to help consumers learn hundreds of design ideas. This year's show has more than 350 exhibits that feature the products, trends, and design ideas available in today's remodeling industry. Consumers will be treated to a sneak preview of the latest in kitchens, baths, home security, windows, and decorative lighting, in addition to a giant pool and spa pavilion.

"The pulse of the American remodeling scene is changing," says Joe Tripi, president of NARI's Cleveland chapter. "Homeowners want more convenience items in their homes and especially their kitchens."

American kitchens are not only growing in size; they're becoming more flexible. Today's kitchens accommodate entertainment centers, islands, multiple cooks, desks, eating areas, computers, televisions, even family pets. Kitchens, according to Tripi, "need to be more adaptable -- that's why many of the new products involve customization, such as multiple counter heights, pull-out shelving, and more decorative touches like mullion doors, mixture of wood tones, and recycling centers."

Homeowners will have the opportunity to learn effective strategies for fixing up their homes and will see firsthand the biggest trends prevalent in homes today, including:

• Kitchens built for entertaining and family
• Bigger baths -- multi-person with privacy
• Decoration overall -- in light fixtures, windows, hardware, and more
• Home offices
• Security
• Warmer colors -- earth-inspired tones
• Multigenerational living
• Entertainment centers -- home theaters
• Universal designs and design-build

The 1998 NARI Home Improvement Show features three stages with 100 industry-acclaimed seminars to help attendees gain the hands-on experience needed to make smart design decisions. Remodeling, NARI reps claim, doesn't mean consumers have to empty their wallets. The show's three stages highlight dozens of presenters giving design and money-saving advice, as well as the insight needed to take on their remodeling project. The Do-It-Yourself stage; the Kitchen, Bath, and Decorating stage; and the NARI Home Improvement stage will feature Tom Silva from "This Old House," Michael Collihole from "The Master Plasterer," and Paul Leasure, "The Renaissance Painter."

There is an added emphasis this year on interior design, with seminars given by Cleveland ASID members. Scheduled seminar topics range from "Hot Colors & Latest Trends" to "Integrating Home Theater in Your Room Design." Patty Schenkelberg of Ralph Lauren Paints will demonstrate finishes and techniques Saturday and Sunday.

Nationwide, homeowners spend $120 billion each year on home improvements, and remodeling is twice the size of new construction in America today. According to the NARI Homeowner Remodeling Hotline, the top six projects in America today are:

Kitchens		47%
Baths		46%
Other Interior Work		41%
Windows		39%
Room Additions		35%
Sunrooms		32%

*Looking at materials and labor (excluding land, etc.), remodeling is 60 percent larger than new home construction. (Source: Qualified Remodeler)

*Less than 8 percent of American homes are remodeled to some degree each year. The other 92 percent get one year older and more in need of remodeling work. (Source: Qualified Remodeler)

*Affluent Americans (those with incomes of $100,000 or more) spend $31 billion a year on home improvements. (Source: Yankelovich Partners)

*Previously occupied homes account for approximately 85 percent of all U.S. home sales.

*Today's primary homebuyers are double-income, well-educated homeowners. Consumer reports indicate that consumers want homes that are comfortable and easy to take care of, and they understand the difference between price and quality.

*The majority of aging homes in America are around 1,500 square feet. These will require room additions to meet the current consumer needs for 2,000 square feet.

*More than 3 million homes change ownership annually. This, coupled with aging housing stock, assures the remodeling industry growth for decades to come. Few other markets compare to this kind of growth. NARI has found that most homeowners remodel within 18 months of purchase.

*More than 10,000 existing homes change hands every day in the United States. (Source: Marketing Tools, March/April 1996)

*Nearly 24 million houses in the United States are between 16 and 25 years old -- prime candidates for remodeling. Approximately 61.1 million homes are more than 25 years of age. (Source: 1991 American Housing Survey) According to the U.S. Census Bureau, most remodeling is done by the pros:

• Professionally installed: 78%
• DIY (Do-It-Yourself): 18%
• BIY (Buy-It-Yourself): 4%