Hilda Longinotti on George Nelson’s Marshmallow Sofa

On May 16th, Herman Miller’s famous face, Hilda Longinotti, joined the Intereum team in the Minneapolis showroom to talk about personal anecdotes from her 35 years working at Herman Miller.  Starting as an assistant to George Nelson, Longinotti gained fame after being featured in the iconic ad campaign for the release of Nelson’s Marshmallow sofa in 1956.  Click after the jump to see video of Longinotti sharing her stories behind Herman Miller’s historic moments.

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Photo from Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

If amazing views and landscapes aren’t enough reason to visit the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, their new sculpture definitely a sight to see.  Patrick Dougherty is an internationally acclaimed environmental artist, who has created over 175 works of art around the world.  By weaving tree saplings and branches together, Dougherty creates majestic shelter sculptures that invite viewers to walk through and enjoy their “rooms.”

Click after the jump for more on the Uff da Palace.

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Image from Linden Leaf

I am a sucker for most artwork with a Twin Cities theme.  I mean, come on!  We have such great architecture here!  I still think that Minneapolis has one of the best, if not the best skyline in the US.  There is such a great variety of shapes and asymmetry.

Recently, I stopped by the charming NE store, I Like You (how can you not like a store with that name ?) and happened across a set of cards with Twin Cities landmarks from Linden Leaf designs.  The most lovely part is that the prints use so many different color, texture and patterns of paper.  The forms are so simplified, but the prints capture the essence of these landmarks .  I encourage you to visit Helen Schroeder’s etsy page and buy her prints!  I now have 4 cards framed in my kitchen and they make me happy every time I look at them!  Take a peek at her other designs in the gallery below:

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Image from the American Swedish Institute

I am really impressed with the speakers that the American Swedish Institute have brought in with their “17 Swedish Designers” exhibit.  In addition to the talk by Swedish product designers, Pia Amsell & Barbro Wesslander, the ASI hosts a presentation on Monday, May 24th by IKEA Product Design Strategist, Mats Nilsson.  With the $7 admission ($5 for ASI members), guests can view the “17 Swedish Designers” exhibit and enjoy drinks from the cash bar on the mansion’s veranda.  The speech begins at 7pm in the ASI auditorium.

Nilsson has been with IKEA since 1982 working a range of roles, focusing on product presentation in IKEA stores, catalogs and advertising.  He is now part of the strategy team that leads the work of 50 product developers who create IKEA’s product range.

The event is at the American Swedish Institute

Monday, May 24 6-8:30p.m.

$7 Admission ($5 for ASI members)

The ASI is located at 2600 Park Ave.  Minneapolis, MN, 55407

When walking into Artful Decor’s showroom at International Market Square, you can tell how passionate owner Stephanie Weber is about art.  Both local and national artists line the walls of her gallery and the studio in back holds many more prints and gorgeous frame options.  Artful Decor is an art consultation business specializing in selling artwork to both residential and commercial customers.  Founded in 2000 by Weber, the company has grown regionally and now is expanding nationally.  Read on to learn about Artful Decor & see the photo gallery!

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twin cities design scene just hopped on the Facebook bandwagon!  Join the group to and connect with others interested in our thriving local design scene.  Share comments, ideas and events going on near your town.  Click here to “like” twin cities design scene!

Images from mspmag.com

It is the time of year to start getting out of your home and going on one of the many home tours that open across the cities this summer.  To kick it off, the ASID showcase home is one of the biggest events in the interior design industry.  This year, for the price of one ticket, ASID has not one, but two stellar homes to tour!

The first home is at the contemporary Edgewater condo complex on Lake Calhoun.  These are condos that are empty shells that the owner can design to fit his or her own design tastes.  You might remember a past post showing another staged Edgewater condo.

The other home sits about six blocks away from the Edgewater condos on Lake of the Isles is owned by Blue Zone’s Dan Buettner.  Blue Zone’s mission is to show how to live a more healthy lifestyle.  Buettner has traveled the world investigating the secrets to some of the longest living societies.    Buettner’s turn of the century home contains an eclectic mixture of styles and themes.

The home tours begin this Saturday, May 15th and lasts through June 13th.  The house is open Wednesdays-Sundays 10am-4pm.  Click here to learn about how to purchase tickets to the themed events going on through the tour.

The public has voted and now is the time to announce the winner of the MCAD + Room and Board’s Sit. Sleep. Live. Design Challenge!

The Sit. Sleep. Live. contest is a design competition that showcases the emerging local design talent. This is Room and Board’s 8th consecutive year partnering with Minneapolis College of Art & Design’s Furniture Design Department. This year, the students were challenged to create a new solution to a sleeper sofa.

Come join the designers at Room and Board in Edina on Thursday, May 13th from
6-8pm and enjoy complimentary light appetizers from Broders, tunes from DJ Gigamesh, and handcrafted signature “mocktails.”

The winner of the competition will be announced at the end of the evening. The winner receives a $1,500 scholarship and the chance to have their piece added to Room and Board’s assortment. All the entries will be on display during the party.

Get some tasty food, groove to good tunes and meet the innovative MCAD designers!

Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative image from Artspace

I just discovered a gem of the Twin Cities real estate community.  Artspace is the only non-profit real estate developer in the world that works to create affordable living and working spaces for artists and arts organizations.  Artspace was created back in 1979 in response to artists being forced out of Minneapolis’ Warehouse District due to rising property costs.  I had the chance to talk to Beth Bowman, the Commercial Leasing Portfolio Manager for Artspace about how the organization helps to solve the artist housing crisis.  Learn more about Artspace after the jump.

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Now that the weather is warming up, it is time to get out to the garden and start planting!  Are you ever in your garden wondering how much room you should give plants or what is a great color scheme for your flowers?  Then get on over to Design Within Reach on Thursday, May 6th to get some free advice.  Thomas from Grow Landscape Design will be on hand from 4-7 to answer any questions you may have and to give helpful suggestions to make your yard looking beautiful.