Top Twin Cities architects will converge on the beautiful Hotel Ivy in Downtown Minneapolis this Thursday evening, and the time is perfect to see and hear about some of the best new homes around. The scene is the RAVE Awards, produced by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and the Minnesota chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

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In today's New York Times Thursday Styles section, Eric Wilson wrote on of the most succinct stories I've ever read on how trends are created. If you've ever seen The Devil Wears Prada, you might remember Miranda Priestly's lecture directed at Andy Sachs's ignorance in regards to the fashion industry:

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As someone who covers the homes beat for a living, I suppose I should have a healthier do-it-yourself spirit. Although I come from a family of successful DIYers and can point to beautiful DIY projects I've seen in the field, I personally know to call in the professionals for nearly everything.

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Just yesterday, when I stopped into the new I Like You store, in Northeast Minneapolis, I was reminded of the D.I.Y. sensation that is vintage buttons. I found heaps of hairpins, brooches, and earrings fashioned out of Bakelite, resin, and fabric-covered vintage buttons. Suddenly, these modest fasteners are all the rage!

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Avid readers of Style Parlor and the LifeStyle section of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine are no doubt familiar with Jayne Haugen Olson's eye and point of view. Both came to life on the pages of our glossy for seven years. And although she may have moved on to new adventures as the editor-in-chief of Delta Sky magazine, her presence can still be felt all over the fashion, retail, and home content of our website and magazine.

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I was lucky enough to meet and interview the dynamic husband-and-wife team behind glassware and ceramic company Juliska. I have long admired their designs and have put them on the pages of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine a number of times, but after listening to them recount the tedious and time-honed way in which their products are made, I became infatuated with the beauty of Juliska all over again.

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Since opening late last year, Casa Verde Design has shown Minnesotans that environmentally friendly home products can work into homes of all styles, including elegant traditionals. With Earth Day quickly approaching (tomorrow, Wednesday!), the time is perfect to check out the show room if you haven't already. Join Casa Verde staff designers Rosemary Merrill and Liz Schupanitz along with notable chefs, furniture designers, and others from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as they discuss eco-friendly home design and prepare gourmet organic dishes at the show room's first-ever Gourmet Greens event. The event is free, but an RSVP is required. Call 612-353-4401.

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I'm often asked for ideas on mixing furniture of different styles to create a comfortable, personal look. It's tough to explain succinctly, but this two-minute video with Martha O'Hara from Martha O'Hara Interiors, shot in the living room, dining room, and kitchen at the Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Idea Home at the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show, does a pretty good job. You'll see how Martha's team brought traditional, transitional, and contemporary styles together, using a timeless palette of neutrals with pops of color. Enjoy!

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To: shopping@mspmag.com
Subject: Wallpaper
From: Lisa



Hi Style friends,  I really enjoy your design work in Mpls.St.Paul Magazine and on the website, especially with all the design mags recent demises!  I have a quick question.  A few months ago, I fell in love with some Designers Guild wallpaper that I wanted to use in our main floor's guest bathroom.  Just after that, I saw the same wallpaper in an East Harriet girls bedroom that you profiled online.  The wallpaper is amazing, and hard to forget, but is it worth it?  No one else who comes to our house is going to know how special it is!  Our house is a pretty regular suburban house with little natural charm.  I try to pretend it is the charming cottage of my dreams, but that is only in my head.  Should I try to find a less expensive alternative, (and if so, have you seen one) or should I just get the one I love?  Suggestions?
 
Thanks. 
Lisa Sheppard Pearson
 

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It has been a pretty crazy week for my colleagues and me! We finished the Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Idea Home at the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show, and the response from the media and show attendees has been phenomenal. So phenomenal that I've been at the convention center for live TV at 5 a.m. twice so far this week!

Anyway, the charming cottage-style home (it's a real home, not some sort of stage set) was built in a Chanhassen warehouse by McDonald Construction and Carpentry Contractors. They disassembled it last week and then trucked its pieces to the convention center. It has been rebuilt and fully finished and furnished throughout the last several days. The design, by Teresa St. Amant, looks much like 1920s and '30s homes in the Twin Cities, as you can see here.

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