HGTV’s ‘Property Brothers’ draw hundreds at the 2017 Greater Kansas City Home Show

Saturday afternoon at Bartle Hall, HGTV stars Drew and Jonathan Scott — also known as the “Property Brothers” — stood onstage in front of hundreds of cheering fans and took a video selfie.

“I think all of Kansas City is here,” Drew said.

Well, not quite — but thousands showed up for the 2017 Greater Kansas City Home Show on Saturday. The show, now in its 69th year, features hundreds of vendors selling everything from gutters, siding and solar panels to hot tubs, vibrating massage pillows and organic bamboo bed sheets.

The three-day event, which started Friday and ends Sunday, also features appearances by celebrities from the TV home improvement world. For the past two years, the big draw was “Fixer Upper” stars Chip and Joanna Gaines. This year, it was the Property Brothers, 38-year-old identical twins from Canada who started remodeling homes as teenagers.

Kari English, communications director with the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City, which presents the home show, said the Property Brothers were a natural fit for the event.

“They’re just so popular and their designs are so well known,” English said. “HGTV is what people watch when they want to remodel or redesign their home.”

During the brothers’ one-hour presentation, contractor Jonathan and real estate agent Drew shared home improvement tips and their trademark banter.

At one point, Drew told the crowd that not every house needs stainless steel appliances and high-maintenance granite countertops. Then he made a playful jab at his brother: “Jonathan’s idea of a sexy date with his girlfriend is to take her to someone’s house and reseal the granite.”

The brothers, who are known for turning fixer-uppers into stylish homes with modern layouts, also told homeowners in the crowd how to fulfill “champagne dreams on a beer budget.” Their advice: Start with a realistic budget, then stick to it. Focus renovations on the most-used room in the house, such as the kitchen. Use Craigslist and discount stores to shop for deals on fixtures and furniture, and hire experts instead of tackling every project yourself.

The presentation drew HGTV junkies such as Glenda and Mike Buffalow of Blue Springs.

“They take something ugly and turn it into something beautiful for their clients,” Glenda said.

Thirteen-year-old “Property Brothers” fan David Sheets of Leawood sat next to his sister Skylar, 10, and jumped and cheered when the Scott Brothers asked if the crowd would like to see them film shows in Kansas City.

“I like the tone of the show,” said David, who uses museum putty to frequently change out the posters on the walls in his room. “It’s happy.”

The home show attracted many couples and families looking for a fun outing on a Saturday afternoon. Dick Hicks of North Kansas City and Janet Lee of Gladstone laughed when they got stuck in a pair of inflatable chairs called Knapbags. After Lee pried herself loose, she hoisted Hicks up with a “One, two, three!”

“It’s crazy comfortable,” Hicks said, “but a little hard to get out of.”

The center of the sprawling hall was a faux outdoor oasis complete with an Airstream trailer, picnic tables and a babbling waterfall and pond populated with goldfish and baby ducks.

Four-year-old Jackson Patrick of Olathe squealed as he gently nudged a fuzzy yellow duckling toward his 11-month-old brother Graham. Graham stared at the duck blankly.

“He tends to have a ‘whatever’ attitude,” explained the boys’ dad, Rik Patrick, who added that he and wife Alicia wanted to bring their boys to the home show because the family’s considering a basement remodel.

The Property Brothers said during their presentation that anyone who lives in a home dreams of ways to improve it.

“The majority of people don’t live in their dream home,” Drew said. “That’s why we have so many shows. We can help you fix that.”

This story was originally published March 18, 2017 at 5:27 PM with the headline "HGTV’s ‘Property Brothers’ draw hundreds at the 2017 Greater Kansas City Home Show."