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By alyssa ford, Katie garske, And Ann Nolin
Photo by Maki Strunc Photography
Tea for Two
Bronze sculpted teapots, “Sparrow” (foreground, $900) and “Finch” ($850), blend the styles of their creators, Joe and Georgia Pozycinski of Sparta, Missouri. Joe loves modern shapes and Georgia holds affection for all things organic. “We’re like Star Wars meets Stonehenge,” says Joe. Meet the artists at the American Craft Council Show, April 13 to 15, at the St. Paul RiverCentre, or find them at www.artbronzesculpture.com.1 Branching Out
Scherping Westphal expanded its space and selection, thanks to a vacancy in the adjoining showroom at International Market Square. See 3,600 square feet of the same high-end products from A. Rudin Upholstery and Panache Designs, as well as newcomers Designer’s Guild, Nina Campbell, Lorca, and Liberty of the Osborne & Little collection. 275 Market St., Suite 209, Minneapolis, 612-822-2700, www.scherpingwestphal.com.
lussuria Lini
2 Royal Repose
For more than a century, European royals have slept between Pratesi sheets, linens made using exceptionally long Egyptian cotton fiber. Now Minnesotans who don’t mind dropping $2,500 on a set of sheets can experience the same luxury. Lussuria Lini (Italian for “Luxury Linens”) stocks linens made only from Egyptian cotton and other fine materials, says owner Bob Mitchell. Find the 2,500-square-foot linen boutique in downtown Wayzata. 775 Lake St. E., Wayzata, 952-746-5826.
lussuria Lini
Tor Imsland
3 Duds, Digs, and Design
Ini Iyamba and Maria Walker have given new meaning to the idea of a one-stop (design) shop. In March, the duo opened Ivy men’s + design, located four blocks west of International Market Square. One-of-a-kind home furnishings, accessories, and interior design services rest comfortably alongside the shop’s signature men’s clothing. 1220 Glenwood Ave., Minneapolis, 612-377-4319.
Tor Imsland
Natural Built Home
4 Online to In-store
iFloor, online purveyor of flooring, opened a sizable brick-and-mortar location in the metro in February. The Brooklyn Park store features a huge selection of laminate, tile, vinyl, cork, hardwood, bamboo, carpet, and area rugs. Design services and installation are also available. iFloor, 6725 Boone Ave. N., Brooklyn Park, www.ifloor.com.
Natural Built Home
Photo Courtesy
of Jeff Strate
1 Kickin’ Buck
Activist Jeff Strate says there are only two ways to earn your stripes as a real Minnesotan: Get hit by a hockey puck, or try your hand at removing buckthorn, the so-called “demon-weed tree.” Earn that badge at Buckthorn Boot Camp in Eden Prairie on April 15, hosted by Friends of the Birch Island Woods. Boot camp grads earn the right to borrow buckthorn-destroying weed wrenches from Birch Island, which, incidentally, are much more intimidating than hockey sticks. Sign up by calling 952-949-8980, or visit www.fbiw.org for more information.
Photo Courtesy
of Jeff Strate
Photo provided by
Ann Bercher
2 Land Lover
Oliver H. Kelley, a founding member of both the Minnesota State Horticultural Society and the Minnesota State Agricultural Society, would be proud. The farm that was once his will host its third annual Spring Gardening for Children workshop, April 21, from 9 to 11 a.m. Kids get to play with seeds, explore gardens, and pot a plant to take home. $10 per child, reservations required, 15788 Kelley Farm Rd., Elk River, 763-441-6896, www.mnhs.org/kelleyfarm.
Photo provided by
Ann Bercher
Photo Courtesy of
University of North
Carolina Press
3 Trowel and Error
House Beautiful’s “Gardening Goddess,” Katherine Whiteside, brings her horticultural know-how into hardcover with The Way We Garden Now (Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2007), a motivational instruction manual for gardeners at any skill level. Who knew gardening could be this easy? • The “living antiques” of the fruit, vegetable, and flower worlds get their due in Lynn Coulter’s premier book, Gardening with Heirloom Seeds (University of North Carolina Press, 2006). Through lush photography and fascinating stories about seeds lost and found, Coulter inspires the urge to plant these rare beauties, and provides some basic growing tips to boot. • Shrub and vine growers should delight in The Gardener’s Guide to Shrubs and Climbers by Jonathan Edwards (Lorenz Books, 2006). The chapters on improving soils, building stable walkways, and adding height to borders are chock full of help, but a good half of this hardcover is a shrub and climber directory, with few choices for the Zone 4 gardener—good thing we’re becoming Zone 5 (see “Meet Me in St. Louis,” page 40).
Photo Courtesy of
University of North
Carolina Press
1 Hug a Tree
If the value of your house goes up this year, you may have your trees to thank. Research conducted by Embrace Open Space, a partnership of local nonprofit organizations, found that home buyers are willing to pay an additional $16,750 for a home within 200 feet of a park, trail, lake, wooded area, or wetland. The study, conducted in early 2006 in Washington County, found a county-wide property value increase of $148 million—just for being close to nature. Study available from Embrace Open Space, 651-999-5306.
Sustainable Community
Solutions
2 Let It Pour
One of the coolest garden accoutrements we’ve seen is finally available at a metro-area store. ReNew Your Place on Earth Rain Barrels, first glimpsed at last year’s State Fair, start out as one-inch-thick oak whiskey barrels from a Kentucky distillery. Then, a volunteer conservation group in Northfield transforms them into attractive rain-catchers with wildlife-shaped brass faucets. Proceeds from the sale of the barrels help support greening efforts in the Northfield area. Find yours for $190 at the ReUse Center, 2801 21st Ave. S., Suite 180, Minneapolis, 612-724-2608; 8769 Jefferson Hwy. N., Osseo, 763-315-0949.
Sustainable Community
Solutions
John Everett, Edina Realty
Big Deal
An unusual 1942 landmark home with a rustic lodge demeanor sold in mid-January for $1.5 million, $69,000 less than the original asking price, after just 43 days on the market. The 6,000-square-foot, 5-bedroom, 6-bath home (recently remodeled by M.A. Peterson) features luxurious updates: a breakfast bar with seating for 10, multiple fireplaces and air-jet tubs, and an electric dumbwaiter that glides from the 3-car heated garage to the upstairs pantry. The new owners may enjoy views of Lake Harvey from the free-form pool with overflowing spa, the gazebo on a half-acre of manicured grounds, or the wraparound porch/stamped concrete patio. (Selling and listing agent, John Everett, Edina Realty)
John Everett, Edina Realty
Photo Courtesy of
Smirk Photo
1 Andy’s Dandy
Love an original Warhol for your wall, but not quite enough to invest in one? Your child can be the inspiration for a Pop Art portrait. Smirk, a St. Louis Park children’s photography studio, now offers a Warhol-esque photo service called Dandy. Choose your own color palette and grid of four, six, or nine images. For more information, call 952-922-2826, or visit www.smirkphoto.com.
Photo Courtesy of
Smirk Photo
Photo Courtesy of AIA
Minnesota Chapter
2 Building Bridges
Whet your architectural appetite during Architecture Week, April 9 to 14. In celebration of the American Institute of Architects’ 150th anniversary, architectural firms from around the metro will open their doors to the public on April 12. Then, on April 14, put your running shoes on for the 5-K “Stone to Stainless” run. For more information on these events and more, visit http://www.aia-mn.org/aia150.
Photo Courtesy of AIA
Minnesota Chapter
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