Take Notice

Openings, offerings, and insiders to note

By alyssa ford, Katie garske, And Ann Nolin
Take Notice
Photo by Maki Strunc Photography

Leafy Greens

The “Lehti” tray, created by Finnish designer Maria Jauhiainen, brings the promise of spring to the table. First created in 2001, the “Lehti” tray (Finnish for “leaf”) is a lightweight, bendable metal sculpture with the delicacy of lace. Each piece is handmade by the artist to order, $1,600 each. Available by special request at Walker Art Center Shop, 1750 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-375-7633.

Photo provided
by Homecrest

1 Outdoor Themes

Five new themes comprise the spring collection from Homecrest, the Wadena manufacturer of outdoor furniture. These “Color Stories” are distinct groupings of styles, colors, fabrics, framing, and finishes. Looks range from urban loft to northern getaway, and allow for easy mixing and matching. Homecrest/Crestmark showroom, 275 Market St., Suite 566, Minneapolis, 612-343-5567, www.homecrest.com.

2 Taste of the Tropics

A tropical paradise awaits at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum from March 2 to March 25. Orchids: Jewels of the Rainforest, hosted in partnership with Plymouth’s Orchids Limited, features large and rare species of orchids found in tropical locations around the world. Oswald Visitor Center, 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska, 952-443-1400, www.arboretum.umn.edu.


Photo provided by Avolli
Scandinavian Antique Furnishings

3 Airborne Antiques

Stockholm native Louise Tebbs gave up her career as a Northwest Airlink pilot to open The Old and the Beautiful, an inviting Scandinavian antique shop, on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. The 1,800-square-foot shop, next to Kowalski’s Market, features handpicked items from Sweden shipped to St. Paul for your shopping pleasure. 45 Syndicate St. S., 651-699-5650.

Gustavian-style bench pictured at right available through www.avolli.com.


Photo Provided by Morr Construction

1 Certifiably Green

An Arden Hills home is the first LEED-H certified house in Minnesota. The Craftsman-style house, completed in December by Morr Construction, earned the coveted rating from the U.S. Green Building Council, which administers the rigorous LEED program. Among other earth-friendly features, the home has reinforced concrete walls, in-floor radiant heat, gray-water heat exchangers, and photovoltaic solar panels. For more information, contact Morr Construction at 651-633-0139 or www.morrconstruction.com.

2 Made for Shades

Jeffrey and Faye Bies have traded in their store’s namesake spot for a slightly loftier locale in International Market Square. Shades on Lake, purveyor of custom and traditional lamps, shades, and finials, has now added lamp repair to its offerings. But the changes stop there: the store is keeping its name and phone number, and is still open to the public, 275 Market Street, Suite 413, Minneapolis, 612-822-6427.

Photo Provided by
Crystal Cabinet Works

3 Eco to the Core

Green-Core, a new line from Princeton-based Crystal Cabinet Works, features special cabinet door inserts made from recycled or renewable wood fibers that have a low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) rate and no added formaldehyde. Since these eco-friendly inserts are well hidden inside the cabinet doors, your kitchen will look identical to its more toxic counterparts (but you’ll know the difference). Available by special request through Crystal Kitchen Center, 3620 Winnetka Ave. N., Crystal, 763-544-5950; Partners 4 Design, 275 Market St., Suite 109, Minneapolis, 952-927-4444; and other local showrooms. Visit www.ccworks.com to locate a dealer near you.

Need Home Help?

From home improvement to green building to landscaping tips, find what you’re looking for at Minnesota home fairs this month.


Home & Modern Living Show

March 8 to 11, all mall hours,
1178 Burnsville Center, Burnsville
Vendors from across the Twin Cities metro share their expertise on home, health, and lifestyle issues. Call 952-435-8181, or visit www.burnsvillecenter.com

CMBA Home Show

March 9, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; March 10, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; March 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
St. Cloud Civic Center, 10 Fourth Ave. S., St Cloud
The newest building industry products, free seminars, and the bathroom and landscape showcase will be available. Call 320-251-4382, or visit www.cmbaonline.org

South Minneapolis Housing Fair

March 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., South High School, 3131 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
More than 100 contractors, real estate agents, lenders, and community organizations promote home improvement and renovation, project financing, city living, and local neighborhood involvement. Call 612-875-4545, or visit www.housingfair.org

Shakopee Remodeling & Landscape Expo

March 10, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Canterbury
Park Racetrack & Card Club, 1100 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee
More than 100 exhibitors showcase the latest trends and techniques in home decorating, repairs, and landscape design. Call 952-445-1660, or visit www.shakopee.org

Home, Garden & Vacation Show

March 10, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and March 11, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
Wabasha-Kellogg School, 213 Hiawatha Dr. E., Wabasha
Ideas for new houses, home improvement, decorating, gardening plans, and vacations will be available. Call 651-565-4158, or visit www.wabashamn.org

Eden Prairie Home, Landscape, And Garden Espo - Everything Spring

March 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
Eden Prairie High School Activity Center, 17185 Valley View Rd., Eden Prairie
Exhibitors from across the metro will be on site. Call 952-944-2830, or visit
www.epchamber.org

Spring HOME Improvement and Design EXPO

March 24, 10 a.m. to 7p.m. and March 25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Canterbury Park Racetrack & Card Club, 1100 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee
Nearly 225 exhibitors, ongoing speaker presentations, demonstrations, and educational seminars with area architects, remodelers, landscapers, retail suppliers, and other professionals with expertise in the home improvement industry will be on site. Call 952-238-1700, or visit www.mediamaxevents.com

Photo Provided by Dale Mulfinger

Big Deal

1500 Bracketts Point Road, Orono
This English country manor, a truly unique property, sold in late November for $12,250,000 after 205 days on the market. Though well below the original listing price of $18,000,000, the transaction is one of the most significant residential sales in years. Situated on five acres at the tip of Bracketts Point, this 1951 Edwin Lundie estate is surrounded by prime lower Lake Minnetonka shoreline. Along with the main house, the property also features a lakeside cottage, guest cottage, carriage house apartment, and in-ground pool with two cabanas. (Listing agents Ellen DeHaven and Meredith Howell, Coldwell Banker Burnett; selling agent, George W. Stickney, Coldwell Banker Burnett)

Photo provided by
Ryland Peters & Small

1 Decorating Made Easy

If you feel overwhelmed just thinking about redecorating, try a page out of Home Essentials (Ryland Peters & Small, 2006) and take a room-by-room approach to creating a home haven. This bright and colorful coffee table read, filled with the expert advice of Ros Byam Shaw, Maggie Stevenson, Fay Sweet, and Judith Wilson, will help you discover accents that complement your style from floor to ceiling.
 

Photo Provided by
Watson-Guptill

2 Country Charm

Judith Miller celebrates the unassuming charm of the country home in Influential Country Styles (Watson-Guptill, 2006). This photo-rich text showcases the aesthetic and universal appeal of country dwellings around the globe. Miller’s streamlined, room-by-room approach presents an increased modernity sans the rickety rocking chairs and well-worn patchwork quilts that are chaff in the country motif.

Photo provided by
Janaan Rasmusen

3 Seasonal Jewels

Gilded, enameled, and minutely hand-painted Easter eggs from Minnesota’s most celebrated china painters will be available at the annual Elegant Heirlooms sale at the Bloomington Arts Center. The work of the 14 noted artists goes fast, so line up early to collect your favorites. March 17, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 612-922-9392 for more information. www.bloomingtonartcenter.com.

11 ISSUES (1 YEAR)

Only $9.95!
  • Less than $1 an issue.
  • 77% off newsstand price.
  • Includes annual HomeBook.


Everything Home. Everything Local.

You can also add Minnesota Monthly
(12 issues a year) for just $13 more.
Email Newsletter icon
Sign up for our Email Newsletters
Here you will find the premier businesses and service providers in Minnesota. These businesses have been carefully selected to represent the very best Minnesota has to offer, along with topical articles, reviews and events.

Twin Cities Fresh Taste Festival