home + garden

A: Stay within design principles but still have fun. I bought a pair of gold floral high-heel shoes by Alexander McQueen and display them in a glass case as the centerpiece of my living room. I turned them into art.

Sasha Andreev

The local home-improvement pro has renovated his home in south Minneapolis, is a technology expert on ShopNBC network and has a passion for gadgetry.

Andreev at the show: “Innovation Avenue Live,” a presentation on the latest home-related products and gadgets, 6 p.m. Feb. 27, 5 p.m. March 1, 2 p.m. March 3.

 

Q: What are some cool cutting-edge products for the home?

A: The fantasies of the future on TV shows like “Star Trek” are now making it into our homes and gardens. The Samsung Wi-Fi washer and dryer lets you control washing and drying your laundry with a smartphone or tablet from anywhere in the house or when you’re out running errands. But it doesn’t sort or fold clothes — the robots of the future are working on that. The LawnBott looks like a robot that mows the lawn, but at $2,000, it’s a luxury item. Another trend is sustainability and repurposing. There are stone rolling pins made out of recycled polished boulder fragments from Minnesota.

 

Q: What’s the most practical?

A: One Ap Fertilizer by All American Lawn Care. You apply one application in the spring, and it continues to fertilize your lawn for the rest of the season.

 

Q: What gadget are you most excited about?

A: The Parrot Flower Power wireless sensor that measures a plant’s growing conditions, soil moisture, sun exposure and beams it to your smartphone. It’s not on the market yet.

 

Q: What’s a favorite gadget in your own home?

A: Phillips Hue LED lightbulbs. Use an app on your smartphone to change the color of a bulb in a light fixture. You can match the color of a floral bouquet or re-create the ambience of an Italian restaurant you like.

 

Q: Predict the future.