By Harry Nara · Last updated
- Easter school holidays end in most London boroughsFriday 9 April 2027
- Last day, also Boat Race SundaySunday 11 April 2027
- Where
- Olympia London
- Tickets
- Ticketed
- Time of year
- April
- Dates
- Around the same dates every year
Open 10am to 5pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm at weekends. The first week falls inside the Easter school holidays, so expect more families then.
We may earn a small commission from bookings made through this link. Prices stay the same for you.
The Ideal Home Show takes over Olympia London in Kensington for ten days each spring, from a Friday to the Sunday of the following week. General admission starts at £14, children under 15 go in free with a paying adult, and tickets are sold at the door as well as online. It opens at 10am every day and closes at 5pm on weekdays and 6pm at weekends. Kensington (Olympia) station is right beside the halls.
What Ideal Home Show actually is
The show has run for more than a century, and its organiser now bills it as the biggest home event in the country. Big brands and small independent makers take stands across Olympia’s halls, in sections that run from gardens, interiors and renovation to cleaning gadgets, wellbeing, holiday lodges and campervans. Most of what is on display can be bought on the spot or ordered.
At the centre stands a life-sized house, built inside the hall and furnished room by room; the VIP lounge is on its top floor. Around it the day fills with demonstrations, talks by television presenters and property and money experts, and hands-on craft workshops, which are booked separately and need an entry ticket as well.
For a visitor to London it is not a sight so much as a long, inexpensive indoor day, and a useful one in a month when the weather turns from sun to showers within the hour.
Where to watch Ideal Home Show
- The show house. The full-size home in the middle of the hall is the centrepiece every year. It is step-free, with lifts to the upper floor.
- The talks. Chefs, presenters and property and consumer experts speak on the show’s stages through the day. Check the organiser’s What’s On page for who appears when before you pick a date, if one name is the reason for going.
- The Eat & Drink Festival. Street food, drinks and artisan producers selling to take home, with cookery demonstrations. It is the show’s own food section, so the entry ticket covers it.
- A weekday visit. Weekday tickets cost less than weekend ones, and the halls close an hour earlier, at five.
Tickets and what it costs
General admission starts at £14 and covers the whole show, with its talks and demonstrations. Weekend days cost more than weekdays, and moving a weekday ticket to a Saturday or Sunday means paying the difference through See Tickets, which sells them. Children under 15 go free with a paying adult.
The VIP ticket is £50. It adds the lounge above the show house, a glass of fizz on arrival, unlimited hot drinks, a goody bag and free use of the cloakroom.
Tickets are sold at the door too, though the organiser advises booking online to avoid the queue, and none are refundable. Workshops are booked on their own page, for the same day as your entry.
Official information and booking: www.idealhomeshow.co.uk
Getting there
Olympia stands on Hammersmith Road, between Kensington and Hammersmith, with Kensington (Olympia) station next door on the London Overground and Southern lines. On weekdays the quickest Underground route is the District line to West Brompton, then one stop on the Overground; from the Central line, change at Shepherd’s Bush for the same hop.
District line trains run through from Earl’s Court to Kensington (Olympia) at weekends only. West Kensington station is eight minutes away on foot and Baron’s Court nine, and buses 9, 23, 27, 28, 49 and 391 stop near the halls. Parking at Olympia is limited and has to be booked ahead.
The show’s last day is also Boat Race day. The crews pass under Hammersmith Bridge, about twenty minutes’ walk west of Olympia, in the afternoon, and the Hammersmith stations are busier than usual from late morning.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Bringing the dog
Animals are not allowed in, apart from guide dogs.
Ordering from a stand without its details
Each exhibitor is responsible for what it sells, not the organiser. Keep the receipt and the company’s contact details, above all for anything to be delivered or fitted later.
Counting on a refund
Tickets cannot be refunded. If plans change, See Tickets will move you to another day, and a switch from a weekday to the weekend costs the difference.
Taking the District line from Earl’s Court on a weekday
That branch runs only at weekends. On a weekday, change at West Brompton for the Overground or walk from West Kensington.
Other London events
Frequently asked questions
When is the Ideal Home Show?
For ten days each spring at Olympia London, from a Friday to the Sunday of the following week. This edition’s dates are in the card at the top of the page.
How much are Ideal Home Show tickets?
General admission starts at £14, with weekend days dearer than weekdays, and the VIP ticket is £50. Children under 15 go free with a paying adult.
What are the Ideal Home Show opening hours?
From 10am to 5pm on weekdays and from 10am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Can you buy Ideal Home Show tickets on the door?
Yes, though the organiser recommends booking online to avoid queuing. Tickets are non-refundable.
Can I bring my dog to the Ideal Home Show?
No. Only guide dogs are allowed in.
What is the nearest station to the Ideal Home Show?
Kensington (Olympia), beside the venue, served by the London Overground and Southern. District line trains from Earl’s Court run there at weekends only.
Sources
- Ideal Home Show, official site
- Ideal Home Show, dates and times
- Ideal Home Show, FAQs (tickets, VIP, travel, accessibility)
- Ideal Home Show, travel
- Ideal Home Show, terms and conditions (animals, refunds)
Dates on this page are checked against the organiser’s own listing and confirmed through 2027. Written and maintained by Harry Nara.