Picture courtesy of Omforme
How often is it that you find a piece of older furniture on Craigslist or at a garage sale that needs to be infused with new life? Carter Averbeck knows a thing or two about putting a new twist on older furniture. Starting as a hobby, Carter soon saw the demand for his transformed pieces increase and started his business, Omforme. I had the chance to interview Carter via email and learn more about his process. Read on after the jump!
Walking into Jonathan Adler store in Uptown, Minneapolis is like a designer’s version of walking into Candyland! There are tons of bright colors, fun patterns and items to make your life a little more chic. Tonight, 4/19, the store is hosting its Grand Opening Party from 6-8pm with 10% of all the evenings profits benefiting the Minnesota Aids Project. 1439 W Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55408.
Image courtesy of The Sitting Room
Many times Twin Cities Design Scene features stores that are in the Twin Cities metro area, but if you go on a day trip, there are so many great shops to explore! For example, if you travel a bit out of the cities, you will discover that Excelsior, MN has a wonderful array of design resources. The Sitting Room is one of the beautiful finds you will discover when visiting Excelsior. Started by Kate Regan in 2003 as a small design studio in Minnetonka, she now has expanded the showroom and moved the design studio to Exselsior. The showroom features classic and chic furniture and accessories. I had the chance to interview Kate over email and learn more about her design services and gorgeous store! Read my interview with Kate after the jump and view photos from the showroom! Continue reading
Minnetonka Center for the Arts-Image from artonfile.com
If you had Frank Gehry as your architectural mentor, your buildings are bound to be noticed in Minnesota. Local architect and Gehry protégé, Jim Dayton, is a master at combining unique building materials to create visually stunning contemporary architecture and interiors. Recently, I had the chance to sit down with Dayton in his NE Minneapolis office and learn more about his background and design process. Dayton heads up a team of 11 at James Dayton Design. Dayton and his team are responsible for designing a number of acclaimed buildings that influence the Twin Cities’ architectural landscape. Such buildings include the MacPhail Center for the Music‘s Minneapolis location, the Highpoint Center for Printmaking, the Blake School‘s Wayzata campus and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts. Please read on after the jump for my full interview with Jim Dayton.
Photos from The Fast Horse Blog
Jenny Zanatta, designer at local marketing agency Fast Horse, recently posted about her crafty ways to take old-decor and re-purpose it into chic, colorful decor all for under $20! Take a look at her awesome work and then get outside to visit our many local antique shops to find your next prize to paint! Read about her process at the Fast Horse Blog.
There is nothing better than a great fresh, fun furniture store coming to the Twin Cities! That is exactly what Forage Modern Workshop promises when they open their doors this spring. Forage Modern Workshop is a collective of local furniture makers mixed in with vintage finds. The store is the brainchild of Mike and Heidi Smith, Rebekah Cook and James Brown. I recently has the chance to sit down with Rebekah and Heidi, store managers, to learn more about their store.
Located at 4023 E Lake St in Minneapolis, Forage Modern Workshop showcases the Midwest Modern aesthetic. Inspired by the style of Ralph Rapson and Close Architects, the store partners with local furniture designers to showcase their work in their assortment. Their goal is to have a different local furniture artisan designing a line exclusively at the store every few months.
One of the first designers on the roster is Matt Eastvold. Working out of Northfield, MN, Eastvold has become a hit on the coasts. His chic designs are in demand in both NY and San Francisco. Eastvold is designing a line exclusively for Forage Modern Workshop.
FMW will not only showcase artisan furniture, but also home goods including wallpaper and accessories. Vintage finds will also be abundant throughout the store. One may also visit the store and relax on the furniture while enjoying a cup of coffee from the coffee house located inside.
The store is slated to open very soon, so stay tuned! Their e-commerce site is opening soon at Forage Modern Workshop. Stay in touch by following them on their Facebook page, or emailing info@foragemodernworkshop.com.
Image from dumpystripmalls.wordpress.com
Growing up around Southdale, I have always enjoyed the animal graphics which mark the different sections of the parking lot. There was always something fun about screaming to your parents, “Let’s park in the camel lot!” Well, most of the “dale” malls had animal graphics marking their parking lot sections. With the recent tear-down of Brookdale Center, 2 men had a great idea of how to keep these iconic graphics alive. Click here to view the link to the CBS local video story.
Chances are you have not yet heard of Forage Modern Workshop. Not to worry, you soon will! The new store is opening up spring 2012, but on New Years Eve, owners Rebekah & Heidi are hosting a rockin’ party and giving locals a sneak peek at the space. Located at 4023 E Lake St. in Minneapolis, the NYE party is free with a cash bar and has a lineup of local musical artists including Cactus Blossoms, Greycoats, Ghost in the Water and DJ Erotic Vulture. The store will specialize in Forage Modern Workshop branded furniture and cabinets designed by both staff members and local artists. Additionally, they will sell refinished and refurbished vintage furniture and home goods. I am sure we will hear much more from them this coming year! In the meantime, like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
When: 8PM-2012
Where: 4023 E Lake St. in Minneapolis
Cost: Free
A new exhibit showcasing Ralph Rapson’s work as a furniture designer opens this week at Danish Teak Classics. Rapson, a leading figure in American architecture and design, designed many buildings in Minnesota, including the old, demolished Guthrie building and Riverside Plaza. His furniture designs are the focus of “Ralph Rapson: Chair Design in the Architect Studio”.
The exhibit will feature a vintage Rapson chair produced in the 1940s for H.G. Knoll as well as many sketches of the designer’s unrealized designs. New pieces from family-owned Rapson-Inc’s Greenbelt line of modern classics will also be on display and available to purchase in the Twin Cities exclusively through Danish Teak Classics. The furniture line features the Highback Rapson Greenbalt Rocker, first designed for the MoMA’s landmark Organic Design in Home Furnishings Competition of 1940.
Additionally, the exhibit will feature 3 drawings of pieces from the Rapson design library and give fans the chance to vote on which design will enter limited production at Danish Teak Classics in 2012. Fans may vote in-person at the exhibit or online until January 31st. The winning design will be announced during a closing ceremony on February 2nd from 6-9pm.
The exhibit begins December 29th and goes through February 5th. There will be an opening ceremony on December 29th from 6-9pm at Danish Teak Classics, located at 1500 Jackson St. NE, Ste 120 in Minneapolis. The exhibit is free to the public during the stores normal hours, which may be found at http://www.danishteakclassics.com/.
Picture from The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts succeeds again in providing festivities for visitors. In addition to decorating the museum’s period rooms for the holidays, the MIA decorated the Purcell Cutts house in trimmings in the period style from when the house was built in1913. Built by William Purcell and George Elmslie, the Prairie School house is located in Minneapolis. The MIA is hosting tours every Saturday and Sunday, now through January 1st. Tickets are free to MIA members and children under 12, $5 for adults and $4 for students. More information on how to purchase tickets and tour times can be found on the Winterlights Tour Page.
