2016 Home and Design 100: The Products

Celebrating the products that add style and wow to how we live in the Twin Cities.

by

Edited by Kelly Ryan Kegans

With contributors Caitlin Abrams, Ashley Camper, Anni Caylor, Gina Czupka, Liz Gardner, Shawn Gilliam, Eliesa Johnson, Allison Kaplan, Jennifer Blaise Kramer, Yena Lee, Amanda Lepinski, Rebecca Lubecki, Ceciley Pund, Taylor Selcke

Goldfinch Blankets 

People often mistake the wool for cashmere and that’s exactly what Debra Herdman and Caroline Vaaler wanted when they launched Goldfinch Blankets in Minneapolis. The chic designs of nearly 30 styles (the French Man throw, above, is based on a painting by Vaaler’s son) are made special with soft wool produced in Nepal, along with the highly skilled weavers there. goldfinchblankets.com

Go for the gold. Don’t worry about mixing different finishes in a room, says designer Nate Berkus. “Metals are meant to be mixed.” Nate Berkus End Table in Bright Gold ($129.99), Target, target.com

All natural. A locally made sculptural piece that can work in any room. Turned walnut stool ($1,675), marvinfreitas.com

Bedside buddy. Constructed of thick plywood on steel hairpin legs, this table is clear-coated but can be powder-coated on request. O-Table ($370), neudesign.co

Hello, yellow. Scandinavian in design, the Around Table is great on its own or paired with one or more. Muuto table ($449), foragemodernworkshop.com

Bright Idea: Edible Streetscapes

This summer, St. Paul was treated to The Edible Streetscape project from Urban Oasis, a sustainable food center that peppered 10 planters along East 7th Street. Each container of vegetables, herbs, and flowers represented food traditions of cultures in St. Paul’s East Side, including Hmong, Mexican, and Salvadoran. The plants went into hibernation this month, but Urban Oasis has a three-year agreement with the city of St. Paul, so these beauties will be back in May—along with a community planting day, guided walking tours, and a community meal that this year served 100 people. urbanoasismn.org

Word to Know: Kokedama

Step aside, succulents. Kokedama, or Japanese moss balls, contain roots in mud and moss, tied together with string. Think of Kokedama as sculptural objects, hung from a hook or curtain rod by a window. Available at 6010 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls., 612-861-7600, bachmans.com

Herringbone

Spotted in Ryan and Becca Tlustosch’s new Edina home, these herringbone wood floors

by Hopkins-based Belrose & Co. were inspired by elegant European floors. Herringbone floors are a great way to give a room a sense of history and warmth.

Pantone's Fall Color Report

We asked three area designers to tell us how they would incorporate these colors at home.

1.  “Warm Taupe is very versatile. . . . Pair this rich neutral with chocolate brown, black, or white for a classic look.” —Desi Creswell, Desi Interior Design

2.  “Bodacious has a high-end feel but [is] playful. It would be a sophisticated way to incorporate a purple/pink into the home.” —Desi Creswell

3.  “This rich shade of blue reminds me of our beautiful rivers and lakes. It’s the perfect statement color on pillows or art.” —Laura Engen, Laura Engen Interior Design

4.  “Sharkskin provides a strong foundation in a space. I love gray upholstery and walls, letting the accessories and art do the talking.” —Laura Engen

5.  “Is it red, wine, or is it rose? The warmth and richness along with its subtle softness would be great as a leather accent in the home.” —Renée LeJeune Hallberg, RLH Studio

6.  “Rich, unexpected, and just the right amount of pop! This color used as an accent is what will give the room its edge and energy.” —Renée LeJeune Hallberg

MartinPatrick 3 Modern Dog Bed

MartinPatrick 3 is known for high-style men’s fashion, but now they’re catering to a new kind, er, breed, of client: man’s best friend. The Italian-made wooden Covo dog basket by MiaCara ($554–$790) comes in two sizes and two colors—oak and walnut—to match the décor of your home—and your pooch’s personality. 212 3rd Ave. N., Ste. 106, Mpls., 612-746-5329, martinpatrick3.com

Twin Cities–based artist and illustrator Ashley Barlow applied her happy, graphic prints to removable wallpaper. The line is sold at Ciel Loft & Home’s new flagship store. cielloftandhome.com

Parkside Seating

Have you noticed those white oak benches engraved with phrases like “Sit. Read. Think. Imagine.” that began popping up around Lake of the Isles? They’re part of a campaign started by retired General Mills chief marketing officer Mark Addicks. Addicks partnered with the Minneapolis parks department to place 30 chairs, which were handcrafted by Willie Willette Works, a custom furniture maker.

Mastering the Mix 

“Collected” is the key to this guest room in designer Heather Peterson’s home in Longfellow where she balanced bold colors and a range of patterns and textures for a polished look. “My preference is to not have things match exactly—it makes a room seem more collected over time,” she says. Here are her six tips to pulling this look together.

1.  The brass sconce base grounds another pattern introduced in the lampshade.

2.  “I like to repeat a similar pattern in different scales,” Peterson notes of the lamp and headboard.

3.  Peterson chose a dark blue wall color (Peaceful Night by Behr) for the mood it creates. “Blue is a cool and more calming tone,” she says.

4.  The vintage wooden side table brings a different color and pattern to the room with a hard surface that complements the textile patterns.

5.  The Suzani draped over the headboard adds global flavor, but Peterson keeps it from going over the boho edge by pairing it with contrasting textiles: classic white bed linens and touches of textural interest, and a throw pillow with an organic motif.

6.  “When selecting a textile, go with what catches your eye—the thing that calls to you from across the shop,” she says.

Urban paint collection this fall, Colors by Drew debuted 28 metallic tones at Hirshfield’s that pay homage to our twin towns with names like Boom Island, Frogtown, and Union Depot. colorsbydrew.com 

Magic Carpet 

When blogger Kate Arends spotted a stair runner made of vintage rugs on One Kings Lane, she couldn’t get it out of her mind. “I’ve always loved the texture and warmth vintage rugs add to the home,” she says. “I’m not exactly the most handy DIYer out there, so I did a lot of research around installing stair runners and realized it could be done relatively easily with some patience and the right tools.” After watching several YouTube videos and purchasing more than a half-dozen vibrant rugs in the same size from ecarpetgallery.com, Arends armed herself with tape, knives, and a staple gun. Tread by tread she measured, cut, and secured bits of rug until she created that bold pattern she craved. The results? Magic. witanddelight.com

Florence Broadhurst

Her designs were bold, and her style was timeless. Florence Broadhurst was internationally known for her whimsical patterns. Now, 39 years since her death, her designs are channeled by Selamat, a high-end furniture manufacturer, into myriad pieces for the home. Available exclusively through Hirshfield’s Design Resource, 721 2nd Ave. N., Mpls., 612-374-8901, hirshfields.com/designresource

Micro Shelves 

Give a gold lift to your objects in the tightest of spaces. Portal Shelf ($29.95), cb2.com 

Top-Shelf Statewide Pride

In true Midwest fashion, we Minnesotans like to passively declare our love for the North Star state not through our words, but through our actions—or, in this case, home décor. Designed by local designer Lori Henson, these sturdy metal shelves ($168) are molded to fit our iconic chef’s hat profile—perfect for holding all of your other hometown-proud memorabilia. Patina Stores, multiple locations including 1581 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-644-5444, patinastores.com

Minn-spired Wallpaper

Hygge & West recently partnered with Andrew and Eric Dayton of Askov Finlayson to produce wallpaper prints—Snow and Wood—that speak to what we love about winter in the North: snowy nights and warm fires. $140/roll, available through hyggeandwest.com and askovfinlayson.com

Mod Pods

Three creative dads in different areas of the metro busted open their toolboxes this summer and built these cool modern playhouses that left us saying, “Awww!”

St. Paul

The idea of a simple modern shed was the starting point for the playhouse photographer Brent Larson built for daughters Hazel, 6, and Ada, 4. Corrugated sheet metal on the lower part of the siding lends that “shed” look, which is tempered by painted siding and trim. Interior materials were picked up inexpensively—or, as in the case of the penny wall from a photo shoot set, for free. Power, Wi-Fi, and grownup-friendly dimensions boost options for function. “I’m 6 feet 2 inches and I can’t even reach the ceiling,” Larson says.

Minneapolis

Constant requests for a playhouse from daughter Willa, now 5, led to a summer of construction last year for Drew Wood, deputy editor at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Placing the structure off the ground—the platform is up 48 inches—was an early priority. “I was always thinking of it more as a treehouse than a playhouse,” Wood says. Cantilevering the porch enhances the elevated effect of the lofty space where Willa, younger daughter Tillie, 2, and neighborhood kids now spend countless summer hours. Wood appreciates it, too. “You can see it from the street,” he says. “I like driving up and seeing it.”

West St. Paul

Clean-lined, oiled wood siding gives the playhouse architect and woodworker William Dohman (of Oh Dier) built for daughter Ruby, 3, and son Remy, 1, a sleek, warm look. The cubelike design (half of which is a woodshed) is constructed around palette racking. “Each shelf can hold 3,000 pounds, and it’s super flexible,” Dohman says. “You can just take off the cladding and reconfigure the structure however you want.”

Nordic Wares 

Call it the Magnus Nilsson effect. Or maybe it was chef Erick Harcey’s latest Upton 43. Either way, we’re excited about the renewed fascination with Scandinavian culinary arts and its uber-cool (and oh-so-North) stylish aesthetic. 

Bring it Home

1.  The Foundry Home Goods: Brass hook ring ($16) and Iris Hantverk Swedish brushes ($18, $22), shop.thefoundryhomegoods.com

2.  Gray Home + Lifestyle: Fog linen kitchen cloth ($15), Red Wing pottery salad plate ($25), and utensil holder ($33), grayhomeandlifestyle.com

3.  Powderhorn Kitchen: Wooden spoons and hand-turned wooden bowls (contact for pricing), www.powderhornkitchen.com/contact

4.  Covet Consign & Design: Prospect Refuge Studio’s Shapes Tumblers ($25 each), covetconsignanddesign.com

5.  Waam Industries: Waxed lunch bag in navy ticking ($20), waamindustries.com

6.  Dust and Form: Heme ceramic bowl ($52), dustandform.com

Color of the Moment: Botanical

When the Golden Rule in Excelsior started sporting a moody green wall (above) in the dead of winter, the community went wild—which was exactly owner Erin Duininck’s idea. “I decided I needed to get a jungle feel in the shop,” she says. Duininck used Benjamin Moore Rainforest Foliage, inspired by a pair of her husband’s grandmother’s chairs she’d reupholstered in emerald velvet, and an airplant installation enhanced the lush vibe. Take note—those compliments turned to protest when the wall was repainted in coral hues. @goldenrulecollective

Get the look

It’s tile. It’s a planter. It’s a tile planter! The design geniuses at Mercury Mosaics made this Honeycomb Planter Tile ($125 each) in 47 Vermont Pine Glaze. mercurymosaics.com

WALL PAINT: Rainforest Foliage by Benjamin Moore

This sofa blends two of-the-moment trends in fashion and home: botanical green and velvet texture. Avec Apartment Sofa ($1,499), cb2.com

Natural Dyes

Minneapolis textile designer Annabella Sardelis, of Indigo & Snow, says a new trend in natural dyes explores techniques of painting and printing with clay before exposing the designs to a natural indigo vat. “Using indigo and clay produces designs that are a refreshing departure from the saturated shibori movement,” she says. 

Purple Reign

Prince—the man, the legend—lives on everywhere we look. After his death, Change.org posted a petition asking Pantone (which influences everything from home to fashion) to name a color after the icon. Voices on Instagram and Twitter chimed in, posting purple shades with #rain attached. Will the next Pantone Color of the Year be Purple Rain? Or Red Corvette? Or simply Prince Purple? The design world awaits . . . 

Finnish Kitchens 

Following its U.S. debut at this year’s Minneapolis Home + Garden Show, Finland’s leading kitchen cabinetry brand, Puustelli, has set up shop at AlwaysMod in Golden Valley. Besides all the style and ergonomics bells and whistles one would expect from a Scandinavian company, the Puustelli “Miinus” kitchen also displays a durable, environmentally friendly biocomposite (wood fiber and plastic) frame that allows for a highly customizable and easily changeable cabinet/countertop design. Future plans call for a larger showroom space (possibly even spaces) in the Twin Cities where design professionals and homeowners can see multiple configurations and styles. puustelliusa.com

Max’s was the first retailer to carry the New York jewelry designer stephanie albertson’s line of pillows. her latest collection was Inspired by the colorful gemstones and shining metals in her jewelry. 3826 Grand Way, St. Louis Park, 952-922-8364, stylebymax.com

Trend Watch: Succulents 

If you’ve stepped inside any number of retail or coffee shops in the metro area lately, you’ve seen them: all colors, shapes, and sizes of succulents in adorable pots dotting the tables and counters. These easy-care plants are a great way to stay green indoors in seasons ahead.

Check out Honeyshine, Victory, Hunt & Gather, and Patina stores to find out-of-the-box containers for your new buddies.  We love Spruce Flowers, Bachman’s, Tonkadale, Brown & Greene Floral, and Sunnyside Gardens for fun varieties of succulents.

Encaustic Tile

With an ever-so-chalky finish and often slightly muted colors, encaustic tile (cement tile where the pattern comes from the clay material versus through a glaze) has been a

design staple in Europe and other parts of the world since the 1850s. Popular on both coasts, it’s making a mark here, too, as a gorgeous (and durable!) choice for walls and floors.

1.  Liria Negro ($15.99/square foot), from The Tile Shop, five metro locations including 8451 Lyndale Ave. S., Bloomington, tileshop.com

2.  Paccha Honeycomb ($27.94/square foot), by Ann Sacks, from Kohler Signature Store, 7101 France Ave., Edina, kohler.com

3.  Barcela Cement in Fiona ($20.49/square foot) by Country Floors, from Minnesota Tile & Stone, four locations including 9703 Hudson Rd., Woodbury, mntile.com

4.  Promenade Decorative Field Tile Dash in Heron and Navy ($14/square foot), by Waterworks, from Montaggio, 150 2nd Ave. N., Mpls., montaggio.net

5.  Barcela Cement in Stella ($20.49/square foot), by Country Floors, also from Minnesota Tile & Stone

6.  Martyn Lawrence Bullard Eastern Promise in Tangier, Fez, and Marrakesh ($28.96/square foot), by Ann Sacks, also from the Kohler Signature Store

7.  Float in Colorway 3 ($32.88/square foot), by Sabine Hill, from Fantasia Showrooms, International Market Square, Mpls., fantasiatileandstone.com

8.  Original Style Odyssey Babylonian ($14.38/each 6-by-6 piece), from Rubble Tile, 7003 W. Lake St., Mpls., rubbletile.com

9.  Lace in Colorway 6 ($32.88/square foot), by Sabine Hill, also from Fantasia Showrooms

10.  Original Style Odyssey Romanesque ($15.55/each 6-by-6 piece), also from Rubble Tile

Pro Tip

“Before selecting a builder, ask to visit their other homes. This is the best way to see, touch, and feel the quality of craftsmanship.”

—Builder John R. Kraemer

Home and Design 100

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