I am so excited to find another local blogger, Erin Olson, who runs her own blog entitled, Decor by Color! She takes different color stories and turns them into her own blogs, where she compiles loads of design images to inspire others. The color concept that inspired all the rest of her blogs is the House of Turquoise, which explores all things blue in the world of design. Read this great article that the Star Tribune wrote on her blogging business: “House of Blues“.

Photo courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Arts’ website

While I am super excited to see the Louvre exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, I am equally pumped to check out the Michael Graves exhibit. From Towers to Teakettles: Michael Graves Architecture and Design is not surprisingly held in the Target Gallery that he helped design at the MIA. The gallery shows examples throughout Graves’ 40 years of product design, including the iconic teakettle above, his architecture in MN and across the world, and will also focus on the roles of context, accessibility, and total design in his work.

From Towers to Teakettles: Michael Graves Architecture and Design runs

Saturday, August 29, 2009—Sunday, January 3, 2010
Target Wing, first and second floors
Free Exhibition

There are a couple of fun things to do in the Twin Cities this pre-Thanksgiving weekend. Do It Green! Minnesota has their 4th Annual Green Gifts Fair on Saturday, November 21st from 10-5 at the Midtown Global Market. This event is meant to educate sustainable holiday entertaining and gift-giving and to help kick off the new issue of the annual Do It Green! Minnesota’s Magazine. There is going to be 70+ local businesses and artists selling merchandise, and Eco-fashion show, and a low carbon cook off. Check out pictures, a schedule as well as a list of vendors at this link: Do It Green Minnesota’s Green Gifts Fair.

Another event going on in the Twin Cities is the exhibit, “Good Design: Stories from Herman Miller,” is having its opening party at the Goldstein Museum of Design on the U of M’s St Paul campus this Friday, November 20th from 6-8. The exhibit explores the collaborative problem-solving design process employed at the world-renowned furniture company, Herman Miller, Inc.

There is also going to be a panel discussion on Thursday, December 3rd:

Panel discussion: Good Design Stories
Thursday, December 3, 2009, 6:30 p.m., 144 McNeal Hall
Join College of Design Dean Tom Fisher (Architecture) and three panelists as they discuss the design process and the ability of design to address the problems of today’s society. Reception following.

The panelists are:

• John Berry, author and exhibition curator
• Jeff Scherer, principal of Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle Ltd., designer of the Herman Miller Design Yard and Front Door
• Jeff Weber, principal of Studio Weber + Associates, designer of the Embody Chair

For more info, go to the UofM’s College of Design website.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to take a peek into one of the latest homes designed and built by the great teams of Streeter and Associates and Elevation Homes. The home is situation in Linden Hills and features a fresh clean aesthetic. The home is staged by the locally owned furniture company, Room and Board.

What particularly stuck me about this home was that it is spacious, but it is not a mega-mansion. Comfortably situated in South Minneapolis, it is a pedestrian friendly with many local businesses within walking distance of the home.

By keeping the floor plan open between the kitchen and living room, it brings the feeling of unity to the home. The layout is perfect for entertaining, or keeping the family together while eating, watching TV, or curling up with a book in the living room. The abundance windows also keeps the home light and airy.

The Dining Room

When going up the stairs, Room and Board staged the landing with custom workstations from their custom linear collection. If a family with young children occupies this space, I love the idea of keeping computers out in the open.

The Master Bedroom

Side Bedroom

Besides the kitchen and living room, this other side bedroom is my favorite room in the house. It faces west, but has several windows and gets tons of sunlight. Streeter and Assoc. and Elevation did a great job and creating a contemporary new house, but keeping with a classic, contemporary feeling that lends to a homey atmosphere.

Sorry to be MIA for so long. Between working and helping co-ordinate the Green Gifts Fair, my time has been tight. After November 21st, I will be getting back on board with Twin Cities Design Scene. In the meantime, I came across this fantastic sale on Flor carpet tile at Natural Built Home through November 20th. I love Flor tiles. They are so funky and so easy to replace if they get stained. They also help keep massive amounts of carpet out of landfills. If you are thinking of re-doing your carpet, please consider this a top option!