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SUNNY Temp: 94 °F Wind: NW at 4 mph Sunday, September 28, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 15, 2002 Launa Smith, right, of Corvallis, had a captive audience while pitching Kitchen Craft cookware at the Home Show on Saturday at Medford's National Guard Armory. Click the photo to see a larger (34k) version. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Home show Vendors from as far away as Montana ply their wares this weekend By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune The Southern Oregon Fall Home Show is just one stop on Launa Smith’s long haul from her Corvallis home to winter digs in Arizona. She’s not looking for ways to spruce up either of her two abodes. The show, which runs through today, is a chance to wow an audience with the wonders of waterless, greaseless cooking. Since 1963 Launa has been loyal to West Bend Kitchen Craft cookware. Saturday she was peddling the pots and pans like a pro. If the cookware demonstration tempts your appetite for a custom kitchen, representatives for Kitchen Masters of White City can recommend the best counter surface. The company offers laminates, acrylic surfaces and natural stone. It’s all a matter of price and personal preference. "Granite’s kicking everybody’s butts out there," said Steve Gillig, a spokesman for Kitchen Masters. "Everybody wants granite." But the natural stone doesn’t make the best countertops, Gillig said. the surface is porous, providing a breeding ground for bacteria, he said. And the seams are usually visible, unlike with acrylic surfaces. But if customers are adamant about granite, Kitchen Masters has a supplier in Grants Pass. The show drew Rogue Valley merchants and some from as far away as Montana. Presented by the Home Builder’s Association of Jackson County, the show filled the main level and side balconies of the Medford Armory on South Pacific Highway. Admission was free, and several booths offered the chance to take home a prize. "We just moved into a house, and I would love to get some blinds," said Medford resident Nora Fronek, adding that she had signed up for a drawing to win a $250 credit toward window coverings. For custom windows and doors, Michele Yarbrough designs stained glass panels that obscure the view outside while filling a home’s interior with color. Not only beautiful, stained glass can increase the asking price of a home by as much as 6 percent, Yarbrough said. If the flood of home-improvement ideas is too much to handle, several merchants offer the chance to relax and take a load off. After paddling fatigued feet in a Hot Spring Spa, dry them off in a Backyard Dreams portable sauna. Or if the comforts of home are calling, kick back on Larson’s Home Furnishings’ sectional sofa with their 65-inch television. The home show continues today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] . Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times