Take Notice
By alyssa ford And Ann Nolin
Photo by Maki Strunc Photography
Varied Vase
The smart, semi-functional “Vasemaker,” designed by Ron Gilad for Designfenzider, makes any receptable—a paint can, a beer bottle, a coffee mug—into a singular display for flowers from your sweetheart.Pick it up for $32 at Three Rooms, 3505 Galleria, Edina, 952-926-1774. Here, the vase is pictured atop the “Egg Vase” by Marcel Wanders for Moooi, available at www.twentieth.net for $130.
Photo Provided by Knoll
1 Knoll Top
Knoll, the internationally renowned leader in modern home furnishings, has expanded its space and selection in International Market Square. Now with 6,417 square feet—50 percent more than in its previous location—Knoll’s high-design chairs, tables, desks, and storage solutions bask in the sunshine of IMS’s top floor. 275 Market St., Suite 535, Minneapolis, 612-313-8100, www.knoll.com.
Photo Provided by Knoll
2 Natural Beauty
Love native gardens, but not their characteristic unruly, weedy look? Learn to beautify native landscapes to conventional standards (and to deal with neighbors who don’t appreciate the non-lawn approach) at a daylong seminar sponsored by the Twin Cities and St. Croix chapters of Wild Ones, which advocate the use of native plants. The seminar will be held February 24. Best Western Inn, 1780 E. County Rd. D, Maplewood. Space is limited. Reserve early at 763-559-6518 or online at http://for-wild.org/chapters/twincities/.
Photo Provided by Resource Revival
3 Recycle, Reduce, Redecorate
Saving the planet never looked so stylish: a new shop in the Standish-Ericsson neighborhood of Minneapolis sells an intriguing mix of objects made of recycled materials. Owners Ryan and Tina North—both former stars of We Gotta Bingo!—stock their store with frames made from bicycle parts (pictured), lamps made from used (and sanitized) chopsticks, clever scrap-metal garden ornaments, and more. Re Gifts, 1832 42nd St. E., Minneapolis, 612-276-0105, www.re-gifts.com.
Photo Provided by Resource Revival
Photo Provided by Zia
Sleep Sanctuary
Photo Provided by Zia
Sleep Sanctuary
1 Catching Zia
Rest easier with the help of Zia Sleep Sanctuary, open since November at the Eden Prairie Center. Brainchild of Jim Gabbert, owner of Gabberts Furniture & Design Studio, Zia aims to be the one-stop shop for all things sleep related, with an extensive selection of top-quality mattresses, lighting, music, candles, and gifts. On-site sleep and relaxation specialists offer expert advice and information to improve your night’s sleep. 8251 Flying Cloud Dr., Suite 1154, Eden Prairie, 952-828-8599, www.ziasleep.com.
2 Paved in the Past
Add a touch of history to your walk or garden with a solid granite paver that lined the streets of Minneapolis a century ago. Removed by the public works department during construction jobs, these stone relics are now available to the public for the first time. The supply of gray and pink granite pavers is limited, though, so act fast; city officials expect to be sold out by summer. Each paver is $2. Call 612-919-1768 for more information, or visit. 
Photo Provided by Charlotte Schuld
3 Art Amplified
Artist-owned Stillwater Art Guild Gallery increased its display and elbowroom nearly five times over by migrating from one side of downtown Stillwater to the other. Expect more classes, more special events, and a rotating exhibit of international artists, along with an expanded permanent collection of works by 55 local artists, such as gourd carver Charlotte Schuld. 402 Main St. N., Stillwater, 651-689-0149, www.artguildgallery.com.
Photo by Tracy Cummings
1 Ice Village
Tour a different kind of housing community—albeit a temporary one—on Medicine Lake, where a group of artists cluster high-design icehouses that boast wall and performance art. Back by popular demand: the karaoke-themed Norae shanty, the Gritty Knitters knitting shanty, and the surprisingly warm, transparent, triangular Vista shanty. New this year: an icehouse post office to keep the collective connected. On Medicine Lake through February 17. www.artshantyprojects.org.
Photo by Tracy Cummings
Photo by Gavin Ashworth
2 Visionary Americana
Henry Francis du Pont’s remarkable collection of American furnishings makes its Minneapolis debut February 18. An American Vision: Henry Francis du Pont’s Winterthur Museum showcases 300 objects, including furniture, paintings, silver, ceramics, textiles, and glass, that chronicle American style themes from 1640 to 1860. Minneapolis Institute of Arts Target Gallery, 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-870-3000, www.artsmia.org.
Photo by Gavin Ashworth
Photo Courtesy of Winterhtur
Big Deal
3315 Cedar Lake Ave., Minneapolis
Photo Courtesy of Winterhtur
On the market for just 25 days at $1,345,000, this contemporary Cedar Lake home sold in November for $1,245,000. Built in 1986 by an apprentice of New York architect Richard Meier, the four-bedroom, five-bath residence boasts hardwood floors, a tuck-under garage, encompassing lake views from its multiple patios and screened porch, and the seclusion only a hill-top home can provide. (Listing broker Steve Havig, Lakes Area Reality; selling broker James Kalitowski, RE/MAX Results)
Photo Courtesy of Taunton Press
Modern with a Pulse
Local architect Sarah Nettleton’s first book, The Simple Home (Taunton Press, 2007), co-written with Frank Martin, is a “celebration of restraint” with stories and photographs of 21 homes from Seattle to New York that were designed with simplicity in mind. Nettleton includes several local projects: the David Salmela-designed Jackson Meadow community in Marine on St. Croix, a phased Minneapolis remodel by SALA architect Paul Buum, a Minneapolis universally accessible design by Rosemary McMonigal, and two of Nettleton’s own projects. • Simply Contemporary (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2006) plows similar ground around the world. With photos by Norwegian-born Solvi Dos Santos and text by Blueprint magazine editor Henrietta Thompson, the book showcases modern design in homes from a Danish houseboat to a retreat on a Spanish island. • For a meatier read, try Your Green Home by Alex Wilson, executive editor at Environmental Building News. Stripped of all adornment save a few illustrations, this is no coffee table book. But it does offer basic information for anyone interested in green building, including pros and cons about the building systems, and sound eco-advice.
Photo Courtesy of Taunton Press
Photo Courtesy of ID-Inside Design
Men on the Edge
Find a touch of New York at Martin Patrick 3, Greg Walsh’s latest ID—inside design boutique. Featuring high-end men’s products, including bags, boxes, trays, frames, and books from the likes of Hab & Gut, Tepper Jackson, and Mulholland Brothers, this fashion-forward addition to ID mixes urban trends with classic style. No wonder it’s tagged “Essentials for Mankind.” ID—inside design, 211 North First St., Minneapolis, 612-317-0045.
Photo Courtesy of ID-Inside Design
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