The International Housewares Association has opened space applications for The Inspired Home Show 2027, to be held March 9-11 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, with a reimagined exhibit floor said by IHA to unite its core product categories for a more “dynamic, discovery-driven and engaging marketplace experience for both buyers and exhibitors.”
The new Inspired Home Show 2027 configuration, IHA reported, will bring together in McCormick Place’s South Hall the show’s core groupings: Clean + Contain, Dine + Décor and Wired + Well.
McCormick Place’s North Hall will be established as a Global Marketplace and a dedicated destination for global manufacturing and sourcing, according to IHA. This includes International Sourcing exhibitors, select Global Design Point Pavilions, and dedicated networking and hospitality spaces, such as the International Business Center, registration, and a café.
“From startup brands and independent stores to global suppliers and leading retailers, The Inspired Home Show unites the home and housewares industry for top-to-top meetings, all under one roof, over just three days,” said IHA President & CEO Derek Miller. “For 2027, we’ve made some enhancements that will create a more connected, experiential and globally focused Show — delivering more opportunities for discovery, engagement and meaningful business connections across both halls.”
The Inspired Home Show 2027 will present several new integrated activations and experiences on the exhibit floor:
- Innovation District — bringing together the Inventors Corner, the IHA Global Innovation Awards (gia) Student Design Winners and the Inspiration Theater for a destination for fresh thinking and creative ideas, IHA said.
- Discovery Park — transforming the Debut incubator for smaller brands and new-to-the-Show exhibitors into a park-inspired destination that focuses on newness.
- Industry Content Hubs — including the Pantone ColorWatch Display, the Buyers Club & New Product Showcase and the Keynote Theater.
- Connection + Dwell Spaces – including the New Exhibitor Showcase & Lounge, the gia Retail Winners & Lounge, the Business Center, and a café.
- Editorial Studio — moving the show’s News Center onto the exhibit floor as a curated hub for media and content creation.
Other show activations returning in 2027 include:
- Pet Products Pavilion (with the addition of a Puppy Park); launched in 2025 and produced in collaboration with the American Pet Products Association.
- Candle Pavilion; launched in 2025 and produced in collaboration with the National Candle Association.
- SPLiCE Licensing Hub, connecting attendees with brands interested in licensing deals; launched in 2026 and produced in collaboration with the Society of Product Licensors Committed to Excellence (SPLiCE).
Exhibitors can now apply for space at the 2027 Show.
Also new for The Inspired Home Show 2027, IHA reported, booth space will be assigned using a new priority-based system. The priority-based process, according to IHA, considers seniority (based on exhibiting consecutive years, IHA membership and booth size in 2026 and 2025), booth size and configuration (including expansion requests), premium availability (limited high-visibility locations), and overall floor plan efficiency (traffic flow, utilities and safety).
There will be no rate increase for IHA members requesting regular space, IHA noted. Members who apply and pay before July 10, 2026, will also receive an early application discount of $2 per square foot.
IHA said members also may apply for premium exhibit space, a new offering for the 2027 show. Premium space will be available at a higher base rate than regular space, but the early application discount will also apply, according to IHA.
Non-members may also apply for space, but early application discounts and premium spaces are not available, IHA noted.
More details and an FAQ on space applications, the new priority-based system, and 2027 rates are available at 2027 Exhibitor Application | The Inspired Home Show.
The IHA reported that The Inspired Home Show 2026 showcased more than 1,000 exhibitors, thousands of unique brands and hundreds of thousands of products to attendees from more than 100 countries at Chicago’s McCormick Place. The show attracted senior-level executives, DMMs, GMMs and buyers from nearly all the key retailers, and U.S.-based buyers alone attending the show represented more than 100,000 retail locations and nearly $75 billion in buying power, according to IHA
“2026 participants consistently told us how much they appreciated the opportunity to meet face-to-face with decision-makers from the biggest players in the industry, but also to discover new, emerging brands from all over the world,” IHA’s Miller said. “The diverse mix of buyers, sellers and media professionals makes the Show an essential platform for relationship-building and business growth.”
