Biggie size your home improvement

Exhibitors showing everything from recycled wood floors to radiant heating systems, and hot tubs can be found at the 10th annual Reno Total Home Show that opened in the Reno Sparks Convention Center on Friday.

Perhaps the most eye-opening of the 350 exhibits was by Carson City's Clayton Homes, based at 10020 Highway 50 East. The factory-built home on display offered 1,512 square feet of living space, including a "retreat" room to hide out from kids and noise, a "glamour" bath with an oversized tub and a shower.

The kitchen comes with an island, all the standard appliances and a "morning" room area. There's also a dinning room, a living room, cathedral ceiling, three bedrooms and two baths. All of this in classy construction with a 15-month warranty and 50-year warranty on the siding.

It's a lot of house for the price of $95,000, without a lot. Yes, it's 28-by-56 feet, but it's not your grandmother's manufactured home.

Then there's the other Carson outfit, B&G, 3535 Arrowhead Dr. This quiet company manufactures high-end audio and video equipment and are represented in retail by D n A Audio and Video Solutions of Reno. The loud speakers are "line-source," which means as far as the consumer is concerned, the best sound.

Donald Blanchard, formerly of Bike Brothers in Carson, explained that the line speakers use new technology. "Standard cone speakers radiate sound from a point, which means the sound diminishes with the square of the distance." But with the Bohlebder-Graebener speakers, which feature a ribbon sound reproduction unit, the straight line sound offers a higher intensity of sound and quality.

If that's not clear, call D n A at 690-6595 and they will explain it. Suffice to say, the Carson City manufacturer is in the forefront of sound reproduction, as listeners will hear at the home show.

So what else is new?

How about Asian hardwood flooring from exotic locations refurbished into floors? Terra Mai offers reclaimed wood from Thai teak railroad ties reshaped into dazzlingly original floors.

Or a standalone steam shower that gives an acupuncture massage, whirlpool bath and foot massage. Comes in four packages, retails for about $9,000 but at the show you can pick it up for under $5K. Oh, yeah, it comes with two handheld adjustable shower heads and a "rainfall" ceiling shower. Check with Luxury Lifestyles (916) 396-7700.

On the more conventional side, see the Siroflex Line of shower heads. They offer a flathead shower with two wings that saves water and rinses clean. That's from Sun-Call Products, (800) 786-2251.

If you're running a coffee shop, you might think about adding a Flavia Fusion drink station. Only $99 at the show, it comes with plastic tubes of exotic teas. You stick the tube in the machine and it heats the contents to 190 degrees, adds water and turns out good tea (we tried the Japanese green tea and it was OK).

Lots of art for sale, including one booth where the color landscapes seemed to move (a rolling film). Radiant heating was everyplace, and there were enough hot tubs to soak an army, if armies need to soak.

And at the far end of the show there's the "ultimate" camper, an old Model T Ford with everything but the kitchen sink hanging from it (and the sink might be there; we didn't get close enough to check). But the duo playing guitar, bass and organ performed nicely, and the nearby tables offered a welcome place to sit and rest.

-- Contact Sam Bauman at sbauman@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1236.

If you go

WHAT: 10th annual Reno Total Home Show

WHEN: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. today, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Reno Sparks Convention Center, 4001 S. Virginia St.

CALL: (800) 736-5958

TICKETS: $8 for adults, military and children free, $2-off coupon in newspapers