Spaces Magazine Twin Cities

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SPACES LIVING WELL IN THE TWIN CITIES

DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011

Designers at home 5 pros open their doors DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011

Finnish sauna A love story {HOLIDAY TIPS} SHOPPING IN NORTHFIELD + GIFT IDEAS + MORE

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DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011

eat

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features 39 | Designers at home Five designers open their doors and give us a peek into their favorite rooms.

68 | Discover what’s new

59 | Embracing the cold Building an authentic Finnish sauna was a two-year labor of love that has changed this family’s attitude about Minnesota’s bitter winter chill.

Looking for more culinary adventure?

Put these 10 new restaurants on your must-see list.

shop

Departments 14 | Editor’s Letter 1917| Noon to Three 26 | High-Tech Home 30 | Accents 82 | Bright Ideas

30

70 | Putting on the glitz Mall of America store finds its niche in special-occasion dresses for the post-prom set. Plus: Great gift ideas.

play 12 | Bright spot Railroad museum lights up the holidays with Night Trains.

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to our readers

Vol. 6, No. 8 December 2010/January 2011 Publisher Martha Severson Editor Heidi Raschke Art Director Ellen Thomson Contributing Maja Beckstrom, Writers Holly Berecz, Alyson Cummings, Molly Guthrey, Kathie Jenkins, Allison Kaplan, Chris Niskanen

W

armth. It’s what I crave most this time of year. Coming into a warm house after shoveling snow. Warming up by a fire.

Warm, home-baked cookies. The warmth of gathering with loved ones for holiday celebrations. The long, dark days of winter pass more quickly when they’re punctuated with moments that make me feel toasty inside.

In this issue, five designers welcome us into their homes. They have different styles of homes in different parts of the Twin Cities.

But all their spaces give me that toasty feeling, because they are inviting retreats from drab skies and chilling winds — comfortable places to relax with friends and family. See what I mean on Page 39.

For one writer in this issue, a cozy home wasn’t enough. Chris Niskanen longed for an authentic Finnish sauna and had little trouble convincing his wife, who grew up in the South, that he should build one on their property. The project took more than two years, but it has become one of his family’s favorite gathering spots year-round for the warm feelings it generates (Page 59).

Speaking of warm feelings, that’s what the holiday season is all about. With that in mind, we offer lots of ideas and tips for making the most of the holidays. Check out a new store with holiday party dresses that are on trend but all grown up (Page 70). Spruce up your holiday decor with items featured in Accents (Page 30).

See what you’ll find when you take a holiday-shopping daytrip to Northfield (Page 19).Take the kids to see “Night Trains” (Page 73).

And what self-respecting magazine would give you a holiday issue without gift ideas? Find them on Page 72.

Warm wishes,

Heidi Raschke On the Cover: Carrie-Kirby Rodman started from scratch when she and her husband downsized to a condo near Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.

Designers at home story, Page 54. Photo by Richard Marshall 14 | DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011 SPACES

Copy Editors Cheryl Burch-Schoff, Dana Davis, Kathy Derong, Lisa Legge Photographers John Autey, Ben Garvin, Ashley Halbach, Richard Marshall, Chris Polydoroff, Tim Nehotte, Scott Takushi Creative Barb Pederson Consultant Stylist Barbara Schmidt Advertising Martha Severson Information 651-225-1217 Senior Account Stephanie Hart Executive 651-271-3667 Ad Design Annie Maus Publisher’s Kelly Rogers Assistant 651-225-1175 Twin Cities Spaces is a Northwest Publication.

Editorial, Sales and Back Issues Offices Spaces 345 Cedar St. St. Paul, MN 55101 spacestwincities.com Questions 651-225-1175 Information in this publication is carefully compiled to ensure accuracy. No recommendation regarding the quality of goods and services is expressed or implied.

Contents of this magazine are copyrighted by Northwest Publications in their entirety. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without the prior consent of the publisher, SPACES, 345 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55101.

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Decked Out Always a charmer, Northfield really turns it on during the holiday season.

Digs inspires creativity with a colorful array of sewing and crafting supplies.

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on’t resign yourself to familiar malls just because the last leaves have fallen. Less than an hour from the Twin Cities, Northfield has the charm and energy of a college town, with better shopping.

This downtown district, nestled between Carleton and St. Olaf colleges on the banks of the Cannon River, shines at the holidays.

The Northfield Winter Walk on Dec. 9 is an annual tradition with all

the trappings of a Jimmy Stewart movie: roasted chestnuts, cider, strolling carolers and fancifully decorated wreaths.The stores, most of which line Division Street, will be open late and decked out for the season.

Northfield’s independent retailers celebrate the town’s vibrant art scene and creative spirit. Northfield Arts Guild sets the tone with a sophisticated museum shop that

You’ll find no shortage of bold color at Swag — like this sculpture titled “No Explanation” by Chicago artist Jesse Hickman ($895).

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noon to three . S H O P

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Jewelry by owner Jessica Prill is one of many personal indulgences at Oolala.

New home store Rooms by Tagg2 showcases wood furniture, like this solid walnut coffee table, made by Steve Taggart.

displays a well-edited assortment of fine and functional work by local artists.

Some go on to open their own gallery/stores, like Studio Elements. Run by local artist Jill K. Enestvedt, the space features her geometric paintings plus a revolving mix of work by other artists as well as art tools, handmade cards and gifts and what Enestvedt refers to as “fun junk.” The Sketchy Artist will make you want to put pencil to paper — the hip store is filled with art supplies for all ages and

skill levels. Japanese influences find their way into the pottery, imported gifts, greeting cards, journals and collectible figures sold there.

Northfield is a crafter’s delight. The selection at Glass Garden Beads is extensive enough to impress an experienced jewelry maker. Digs is the place for fabric, yarn, ribbon and other sewing supplies. If you prefer the finished product, this eclectic shop has that, too, and then some: home accessories, gifts, vintage jewelry and more.

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Jenny Turek is co-owner of Sisters Ugly, a contemporary women's boutique.

Decorative wall hangings made from recycled materials in Haiti at Rooms by Tagg2.

For handmade goods on a different scale, be sure to visit Rooms by Tagg2 featuring wood tables and more made by the owner’s husband. This newer store is rounded out with a colorful assortment of contemporary home accessories. Swag is another must, featuring a vibrant collection of art and accessories.

There’s fashion, too. Start at

Sisters Ugly — a misleading name for a mother/daughterrun boutique filled with trendright women’s apparel. It’s next door to the Archer House River Inn, which is home to Paper Petalum, packed with gifts, décor and Minnesota-themed products, and A Bag Lady, which is all about accessories — the more glitz, the better. For even more affordable jewelry and SPACESTWINCITIES.COM | 21

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The Sketchy Artist offers art supplies as well as Asian-inspired stationery and gifts.

The Hideaway Coffeehouse and Wine Bar is a comfortable spot near the stores for lunch or drinks.

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handbags, try Aescendant Accessories.

Anna’s Closet is a good resource for figure-friendly jeans, sweaters and jackets with a touch of whimsy. Fine Threads focuses on ready-to-wear for a more mature customer.The baby gifts in the back part of the shop are top-notch. Get a deal on current clothes or something with vintage flair at Fashion Fair, a consignment shop in a boutique setting. The Rare Pair is that outdoorsy shoe shop every Midwestern campus needs, offering hiking boots and comfort shoes from better brands.

Oolala is great for gifts — sleepwear and lingerie, candles, jewelry and other personal indulgences. Find both gifts and inner peace at Monarch, where virtually every product has a feel-good angle, from aromatherapy to inspirational stones and jewelry to self-help books.

You won’t have to leave the shopping district to refuel. Right on Division Street, there’s the quaint Hideaway Coffeehouse and Winebar, serving panini sandwiches and salads. Next door is Hogan Brothers’ Acoustic Cafe, popular for its hot hoagies and homemade baked goods. ■ Allison Kaplan writes about shopping and style for the Pioneer Press.

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NORTHFIELD: WHERE TO FIND IT

Shopping Paper Petalum 212 Division St., 507-663-0565 A Bag Lady 212 Division St., 507-412-9695 Sisters Ugly 220 Division St., 507-645-2376 The Sketchy Artist 300 Division St., 507-645-2811 Anna’s Closet 302 Division St., 507-645-2539 Northfield Arts Guild 304 Division St., 507-645-8877 Digs 310 Division St., 507-664-9140 Fine Threads 314 Division St., 507-663-7993 Oolala 320 Division St., 507-645-5275 Rooms by Tagg2 314 Division St., 507-645-9100

Aescendant Accessories 13 Bridge Square, 507-645-5555 Studio Elements 16 Bridge Square, 507-786-9393 The Rare Pair 401 Division St., 507, 645-4257 Monarch 405 Division St., 507-663-7720 Fashion Fair 411 Division St., 507-645-6967 Glass Garden Beads 413 Division St., 507-645-0301 Swag 423 Division St., 507-663-8870

Dining Hogan Brothers’ Acoustic Cafe 415 Division St., 507-645-6653 Hideaway Coffeehouse and Winebar 421 Division St., 507-664-0400

Home accessories and gifts are sure to have personality at Swag.

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high-tech home . P R O D U C T S

All ears Available in 14 vibrant colors, Plattan headphones from Urbanears feature a collapsible design — they fold down to the size of a fist for maximum mobility — and a “Zound Plug” socket that lets friends share your listening experience. $60. urbanears.com

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WITH

BYTE

Gifts galore Whether your holiday shopping list includes stargazers, curious kids, movie buffs or audiophiles, this selection of gadgets offers something for everyone.

B Y H O L LY B E R E C Z

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Boogie woogie Now, when little ones ask to play with your iPhone or iPod Touch, you can hand it over without worry. The huggable Woogie case from Griffin Technology lets kids enjoy entertaining and educational apps, too.

Great for at home or on the go, it features two builtin speakers, six legs (or are they arms?) and nontoxic fabric. $19.99. griffintechnology.com

Thin is in Want a larger-than-life television experience that’s super slim? Samsung’s 55inch Class 9000 Series 1080p LED HDTV measures a svelt .31 inches thin. Selling for $6,000, this skinny TV is packed with the latest features, including cinema quality 3D, groundbreaking 2D and Smart TV with WebConnected Samsung apps. samsung.com

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Face to face Change your perception of video calling. Designed with all instant messaging and video services (like Skype) in mind, Webcam Pro from Philips offers HD video quality with true 2.0 Mega Pixels video.

Available for $65, it features 90frames-per-second video, auto focus, ultra-clear stereo sound and two built-in microphones. usa.philips.com

Over the moon Galileo’s contributions to science are celebrated with the 400th Anniversary Galileo Commemorative Telescope from Ameico. Inspired by the instrument Galileo would have used, the telescope magnifies 80 to 100 times with a focal length of 100 mm. $450. ameico.com

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Seamless sound Enjoy crystal clear sound on your deck, patio, poolside or dock without the distraction of unsightly electronics. Algonquin outdoor speakers from Axiom are small but powerful speakers that can be customized to blend seamlessly with your siding, awning or any area you choose. $384 a pair.

Custom color matching is an additional $60. axiomaudio.com

Infinity and beyond The next generation of audio entertainment, the ARIR200 Infinite Radio by Acoustic Research offers endless listening possibilities. An easy connection to your wireless home router or WiFi network lets you choose from thousands of global music and talk stations. Sold for around $100, it combines a compact tabletop design with total content personalization plus a clock radio. arinfiniteradio.com

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FINDS

“T’was the night before Christmas, and all through the house …”

[PHOTOGRAPHER TIM NEHOTTE] [ART DIRECTOR & STYLIST B A R B A R A S C H M I D T, BSTYLE, INC.]

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> Rug, “Fresco,” 8-by-10-foot, hand-knotted in India, aubryangelo.com, contact showroom for pricing. > Glass ornaments, tjmaxxhomegoods.com, $4 each. > Vintage leather ottoman, swankretro.com, $45. > LED faceted lights in Cool White, target.com, $12. > Wallcovering, Mandarin NUP08005, zoffany.com, contact dealer for pricing. > Silver glass Christmas tree, tjmaxxhomegoods.com, $10. > Blue glass Christmas tree, tjmaxxhomegoods.com, $20. > Marx vintage railroad crossing toy, timelinesonline.net, $40. > “Ferdinand” toy train, toysrus.com, $22. > Railroad track, toysrus.com, $11 for the set. > Wood floor in Red Oak Sambuca, miragefloors.com, contact dealer for pricing.

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“not a creature was stirring, except for a …” > Wood floor in maple Alaska, miragefloors.com, contact dealer for pricing. > Mouse ornament, macys.com, $10. Garland, tjmaxxhomegoods.com, $10. > Hanging fabric, Trevelyan Silks “Beduzzi” D1761/03, scherpingwestphal.com, contact showroom for pricing. > Handmade aluminum holiday tree sculpture, timelinesonline.com, $90. > Beaded star tree topper, tjmaxxhomegoods.com, $13. > Rug, “Engraved” by Lapchi, hand-knotted in Nepal, aubryangleo.com, contact showroom for pricing. > Mirrored box, tjmaxxhomegoods.com, $35. > Tufted bench with brass legs, Antique Manor, 275 Market St., Suite 319, Minneapolis, 612-333-1685, $1,950. > Mercury glass vase, tjmaxxhomegoods.com, $8.

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FIVE DESIGNERS

@HOME

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FIVE DESIGNERS

@HOME

Jayme Meyer

BY MOLLY GUTHREY <> PHOTOS BY SCOTT TAKUSHI draws my eye. I think it’s because those are the colors that make me happy.

To Jayme Meyer, painting comes naturally: Her parents are professionals in the building trades, and she grew up changing her room’s walls just about as often as she changed clothes. Now, using the skills she has honed as an interior designer with Martha O’Hara Interiors, she finds paint an easy and economical way to redo her own home’s style.

How long have you lived in your St. Paul home?

About six years. It’s a very small place, about 1,200 square feet, but my husband and I love that the lake (at Como Park) is about a mile away. We often run down there or bike.

Now I couldn’t imagine living without access to a lake.

How did you change up the place after you moved in?

It was definitely a fixer upper. Smokers lived there. We’ve done a lot of work. We repainted everything, including the woodwork, which was a tan oak but is now painted creams and whites. We ripped up all the carpet and refinished the hardwood floors underneath.

What was your last home-improvement project?

Our bathroom. The paneling on the walls was awful. We painted it a solid white — it goes halfway up — and then a really dark gray. We also have a new toilet, new sink, new mirror, new white fixtures and a new floor. Everything is white and gray, and it’s pretty dramatic.

Is there anything you don’t like?

I bought the brown chair and sofa in my living room back in college, and I hate them now. I’d like to replace them with something not matching, something that mixes it up — like wood on the chair and a fully upholstered sofa. I’d also replace the rug, which is from Target, with a modern rug, a solid color — a fine, hand-knot rug would be my dream.

I’d choose different colors for the room now,

Do you ever get sick of your choices?

Yes! I’ve painted my bedroom three times in six years. My kitchen is on its second color, the office is on the third color, the bathroom the second.

Isn’t all that repainting a hassle? like grays and taupes, maybe even a linen color, creams.

My husband likes the dark rug that is there now, though, because you can spill on it and walk on it and it doesn’t show. We laugh about that: the real-life situation versus what looks good. Maybe there’s something out there that can make us both happy.

Beyond your own showroom, where do you shop?

The usual places that everyone else does.

Ten years ago, I’d pick the wrong stuff there.

Now, I can use my skills as an interior designer to spot the good stuff and the good deals. I also love little boutiques, like Sophie Joe’s on West Seventh Street in St. Paul.

Can you spot the classic looks that will endure even when you’re at a discount store or picking through a boutique?

It’s funny, but what I thought of as “classic” 10 years ago, well, now I know … wasn’t. My eye has matured, evolved. It’s hard to describe, but I guess what I look for is in the colors and lines.

Do you like color?

I love any color. My latest is orange and white. Like a bright tangerine color and a crisp white. My kitchen is purple (Grape Juice

by Benjamin Moore). It sounds extreme, but I did it a couple of years ago and I still love it.

It’s a really bold pinky-purple. It took me months to pick it out. It doesn’t matter if anyone else loves it; when I walk in the room, I love it. I love bold colors, like my dark bathroom color. Anything with a high saturation

I like to do it myself. I like the process. I find it relaxing. My dad is a painter; that’s where I learned it. My parents are both in the business — sheetrock, drywall, painting. My mom has done wallpaper for 20 years.

Changing our rooms up when I was young was fun for them, fun for us. My parents let me change the walls of my room however many times I wanted. I can still remember my first wallpaper choice, a 1990s light pink and light blue, shiny, wavy wallpaper. It’s not there anymore, thank God.

What are you like as a client?

I am both a horrible client and really easy.

I’m difficult because I have to fall in love with something to bring it into my own home — it can’t be just OK — and it’s hard to fall in love with every single piece. I’m an easy client because I love so many different things and styles: I love mixing up shabby chic, contemporary, traditional, casual and even gaudy traditional, like a gold chandelier or a big, white, swirly lacquered mirror.

And what does your husband think about purple kitchens and gold chandeliers?

I just do it. I don’t give him a choice. He’s accepting of everything. Sometimes we’ll even agree on some weird, wild thing.

Maybe he has a little bit of an eye for it, or maybe from me talking about this stuff, he’s slowly picked up on it. And our purple kitchen, when I was trying to decide between the two final colors, he picked the one we used!

Molly Guthrey writes about homes, gardens and motherhood for the Pioneer Press and MinnMoms.com.

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@HOME

Lisa Knighten

BY MOLLY GUTHREY <> PHOTOS BY RICHARD MARSHALL Lisa Knighten is a kitchen designer who finally got the chance to design her own kitchen. The remodel was an opportunity to unite the skills of her eclectic career path: appliance designer, art teacher, woodworker and now the owner of L.K. Kitchens and Baths.

Why did you remodel your kitchen?

It was lacking in storage, lighting and countertops. It was a little, square-shaped kitchen with no island. It did not flow.

How much bigger is the kitchen now?

It went from a small to a medium kitchen, from 114 square feet to 196 square feet. It was part of a bigger project: Our house is a 1940s rambler, a one-story rectangle in St. Louis Park. We put two additions on the back to create a U-shape, with a new outdoor room in the middle. The additions gave us more space for the kitchen and bedrooms.

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How did the common living space change?

Before, there was a small doorway between the dining room and kitchen. I opened the wall and duplicated the original archway that separates the kitchen from the living room. The whole space keeps the original style of the house but makes it feel much more spacious.

What was it like to design a kitchen for your own family?

Oh, I’ve been designing it forever; it was fun to finally bring it to life. I knew exactly what we needed and wanted. Before, when I opened the cabinet where I kept the Tupperware, everything would fall out. So I designed a really deep Tupperware drawer. Nothing falls out anymore!

What were you like as a client?

You can ask clients a ton of questions about how they use their kitchen and what they want to store, but ultimately you don’t know their habits as well you know your own. So, when designing for myself and my own family (she is married and has an 8-year-old daughter), I

knew how we would function.

How much storage space did you add?

We now have a mini-mudroom right off the kitchen. It’s honestly equivalent in size to a coat closet, but for such a small square footage, it has a huge amount of storage and organization. It has floor-to-ceiling cabinets that include outlets for charging things and a hidden kitty-litter box. There’s a bench to sit on and lots of hooks.

We made use of every inch of space.

Because of concerns over the placement of the new fridge and whether the door would have enough clearance and not hit the new archway, we moved it over nine inches. We didn’t want to waste those nine inches, so we designed a tall, skinny shelf that pulls out to access oils and vinegars. Below it is storage for trays and cutting boards.

What is the cabinetry like?

It’s all custom cabinetry, painted white, by cabinetmaker Tom Britz, owner of Minnesota Masters Renovation. I met him on another

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project and was impressed with his craftsmanship. When he worked on my kitchen, I liked that he was open to my ideas.

What idea did you splurge on?

The glass subway tile backsplash that is the color of water. I did not want to see any outlets on the backsplash, so outlet strips were installed on the bottom of the upper cabinets.

Where did you try to save money?

I just fell in love with the walnut for the floors, so to stay on budget, we put carpet in the new bedroom. I tried to make good choices all along; for instance, we did not buy a new, builtin microwave. Instead, we built space in a cabinet in the island to fit the old one.

I also originally wanted soapstone countertops, but they are expensive and it was hard for me to find the color I wanted — gray-black rather than the more common green. I ended up finding black granite that looked just like the soapstone I wanted, but at one-third of the cost.

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Where did you shop?

Lighting consumed a large part of the shopping time. Lighting is like jewelry and can make or break a room. I shopped at a wide range of lighting stores when designing my renovation, from high-end stores like Filament Lighting and Muska Lighting in St. Paul to Menards. I also shopped online at Lamps Plus. I have no problem hanging a $500 light fixture next to a $30 light fixture if it is the right piece for the room.

Did your husband get to pick out anything?

He wanted a “refrigerated beer drawer” — a stainless-steel drawer under the countertop that pulls out and holds bottles and looks cool.

But it broke our budget, so instead we compromised on a new Electrolux Icon French Door refrigerator; it has a thin drawer inside that spans the whole width of the fridge. That’s his beer drawer.

Was there an appliance you insisted on?

I bought the Electrolux Icon fridge because it has a great water and air-filter system. Plus I

liked the control panel on the icemaker because the options are dark until you touch it, and the handle matched my other appliances. I selected the Thermador duel-fuel range with convection because it is a great-looking appliance from a company with excellent products and history.

What’s one of your favorite parts of the new space?

On one end of the kitchen is the little family room we built with a gas fireplace, and it’s almost a part of the kitchen. When you’re sitting at the island or cooking, the fireplace — framed with two contemporary, warm gray chairs from Room & Board — is the focal point, almost like a piece of art. You also get views of the back yard from the windows on either side of the fireplace.

I like that the TV on the wall and the couch are off to the sides and not within view.

Molly Guthrey writes about homes, gardens and motherhood for the Pioneer Press.

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FIVE DESIGNERS

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John B.A. Idstrom II

BY ALYSON CUMMINGS <> PHOTOS BY RICHARD MARSHALL

John B.A. Idstrom II helps people design their dream kitchens and bathrooms for his work with Partners 4 Design in Minneapolis. For his own home, on a 10-acre lot in Minnetrista, Idstrom designed a “cottage in the woods,” a cozy place full of furniture with sentimental value. Angel and Purple, his two thoroughbred horses, and Corbin, his mini-poodle, add to the country charm.

What was your inspiration for the house?

I wanted to do a Southampton type of cottage — it’s a fairly formal cottage in the woods.

What were some challenges you faced in the design process?

The property is pretty heavily wooded. I looked at it first in the summer but didn’t buy it until all the leaves were off the trees. I wanted to see it with the snow on the ground. There’s a little creek in the back yard. The land was really important to me. I

designed the house to be very north and south oriented, and I stuck to that.

Did you give yourself a budget?

I was downsizing, so it was more trying to keep the size of the house down.

Did you downsize when it came to buying furniture, too?

Most of it is inherited, so it has more meaning than anything else. There are a lot of pieces I got from the house I grew up in and some from my grandparents.

Where do you like to hang out?

The master bedroom that gets the sun in the morning is a great place for coffee in the morning during the summer.

How was working on your own project different from a client’s?

Making decisions is challenging because, as a designer, you learn to like so many different things. You work with so many different materials and are exposed to so much it’s hard to narrow it down. Clients have a more definite taste: “I like that. I don’t like that.”

Do you like working with yourself as a client?

I probably would have liked myself more if I was more decisive.

Alyson Cummings is a Twin Cities writer.

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FIVE DESIGNERS

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Shayne Brown Barsness

BY ALYSON CUMMINGS <> PHOTOS RICHARD MARSHALL As the owner of Style Minneapolis, Shayne Brown Barsness recycles everyday household items to create fabulous looks for her clients. Barsness and her husband, a contractor, are continually re-creating their own home, too — her “style lab” — and testing ideas she can use in her work projects.

One of Barsness’ favorite rooms in the Uptown house belongs to her daughter, Greer, because the mother and daughter worked together to create a cozy teenage hideaway. Even though Greer is now away at college, the family cat, Aulait, still hangs out there.

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How would you describe the room?

Well, there’s really no set style to it. The bed is surrounded by bookshelves and curtains so it’s a nice, cozy nook. We incorporated drop molding and rope lights that glow at night when they’re turned on. We did the whole room when she was a junior in high school, but it’s really a great room for any age.

How did the room come together?

We don’t put anything on paper. Our carpenter has worked on our house extensively. We start with just a concept, and he’s fabulous at turning our ideas into something threedimensional.

What part of the room is your favorite?

We both think the bed is the best thing in the

universe. She spent a lot of time in there doing homework, and her friends were always stretched out in there. Aulait still sleeps there like he’s waiting for her to come home.

What is something that went wrong?

The paint was a disaster. Greer wanted yellow but didn’t have time to pick it out, so I went and got some paint. We put it up on one wall, and it just really wasn’t what she wanted. We added a tint to fix it, and that was that.

What are some things you splurged on in the rest of your house?

I definitely splurge on rugs. I mean, I can’t make rugs like I do with everything else. I love lighting fixtures as well. They can give a lot of presence in a room. My favorites are probably

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the antler chandelier and my animal hide rugs.

Where are some of your favorite places to shop?

I get a lot of my things from thrift stores and estate sales. Craigslist is great, too, and I love Zachary down at IMS (International Market Square in Minneapolis).

How is renovating and decorating your own home different from working with a client?

I’m more experimental in my house. It’s more of a style lab, really. When I’m working for someone, I decorate to reflect the client, not myself. Everyone’s taste is a little different.

Most of what I do involves reupholstery, paint and slipcovers. I really try to work with what you have unless it’s absolutely ghastly.

Do you like working with yourself as a client?

I’m the best client in the universe, and sometimes the worst. I’m the easiest one to please and sometimes the hardest one to please.

Alyson Cummings is a Twin Cities writer.

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FIVE DESIGNERS

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Carrie Kirby-Rodman

BY MOLLY GUTHREY <> PHOTOS BY RICHARD MARSHALL Carrie Kirby-Rodman, a senior designer at Martha O’Hara Interiors, gave herself a tough assignment when she and her husband — and their soft-coated Wheaten terrier,Vivian — downsized to a 950-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bath condo. But it was worth it, because the empty nesters now live by Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. They’ve said goodbye to highway commutes and hello to regular walks around the lake with Vivian.

What was your biggest design challenge?

It was the first time I was starting from scratch — we got new things when we moved, because the scale of the condo was smaller and nothing we had would work.

(Our son got a lot of our furniture.)

Scale was very important: The biggest challenge was fitting enough seating into the living room, a small space where you had to be very careful of the depth and width of things — if the sofa was this wide, you wouldn’t be able to get out to the patio, and if a chair was that wide, you wouldn’t be able to open the door to the bedroom.

Wasn’t it difficult, finding small pieces?

Furniture today seems so super-sized.

Not anymore — a lot of furniture manufacturers are downscaling their sizing, because people are downsizing, especially baby boomers.

So you didn’t buy a sectional to stretch out on?

No, we chose a bigger leather ottoman to put in front of the sofa. It works perfectly: My husband and I can both put our feet up and watch a movie or a game, or one of us can lie down and another can put our feet up and it’s really comfortable — and it looks pretty.

What’s your favorite space?

The living room — it’s our only living space.

It’s where we entertain, where we watch TV;

it’s our only hangout spot. I have a dustyblack and off-white wallpaper that’s a pretty big floral; I did that to disguise my big monster TV, which I had to have!

What says “Carrie”?

I love fabrics and wallpaper more than anything. I really have fun with those. I’ll build a room around them. I think I inherited my love of wild wallpaper from my grandma.

I don’t have art on the walls; I have wallpaper. The other is in the bathroom — it’s a lime-yellow background with huge white flowers. Most everyone comments on it — doesn’t matter if it’s the cable guy or another designer; they all love the impact of a wall of wallpaper. It’s a way to add a lot of design for not a ton of money.

Where did you shop?

I found everything through us (Martha O’Hara Interiors, which has a showroom in St. Louis Park) except a chair that I got at Design Within Reach. It’s acrylic in a steel base, timeless and cool.

What did you splurge on?

My Ming sideboard from Baker and the off-white leather ottoman.

What were you like to work with as a client?

It’s harder to do your own home because you’re emotionally attached. I am my most difficult client; most of us probably are. We have to ask each other for help picking out our own furnishings, because we see new things we like every day — and, because we see things every day, we also get tired of them more quickly.

Did you keep a folder of ideas?

Yes, I rip pictures out of magazines just like everybody else. I also use it for clients, because often you have to show them what you mean.

Was it difficult to try to incorporate your husband’s wishes into your design?

He drives a Harley. He said, “No way, no how, no pink.” I was out shopping one day and I found a pink cashmere skull pillow. I liked the yin-yang of it. I brought it home, and he said, “You knew the one way to get pink in here.”

Molly Guthrey writes about homes, gardens and motherhood for the Pioneer Press and MinnMoms.com.

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Embracing Building an authentic Finnish sauna was a two-year labor of love that has changed this family’s attitude about Minnesota’s bitter winter chill. vvvvvvv

BY CHRIS NISKANEN PHOTOS BY

the cold

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I A custom door handle by iron specialist Lisa Elias of Minneapolis adds an attractive detail to the outside of the sauna door. The inside handle is made of wood to keep it cool to the touch.

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T WAS A JANUARY EVENING, THE KIDS WERE ASLEEP and my wife’s eyes were fixed on her novel.

“If you had your choice, what would you pick: a new bathroom or an authentic Finnish sauna?” I asked her.

Two decades earlier, I had spent a summer studying abroad in Finland, where the surname Niskanen fills three pages in the Helsinki phone book. I spent several months swimming in the Baltic Sea and researching Finnish saunas.

I sweated in hand-hewn log saunas built in the 1880s. I beat my back with leafy birch branches in trendy urban saunas. I even bathed at the prestigious Finnish Sauna Society in an authentic “smoke” sauna, where a trace of wood smoke and steam are allowed to commingle.

I became a connoisseur of “löyly,” that uniquely Finnish word for the steam that rises from hot sauna stones.

My wife, a Midwest transplant from North Carolina, had never enjoyed Minnesota’s deep, cold winter days. She had always listened with keen interest to my stories of Finnish sauna lore and

The view from the loft above the sauna and into the dressing room.

The loft is a play area for children when the sauna is not in use.

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vvvvvvv tradition. She had been in health club saunas, but not in a true Finnish sauna, and the thought of a steamy, cedar-lined room appealed to her.

“I think I’d like the sauna,” she said, “especially if it had a wood stove and we had a nice dressing room.”

Our decision was made.

AUTHENTIC DESIGN You can buy kits for pre-fabricated saunas, either for inside your home or outdoors, but I had acquired a few power tools and basic carpentry skills while remodeling our house. I wanted to build my own.

For design ideas, I consulted the photos of historic and modern saunas I had taken in Finland. I settled on a simple one: a 10-footby-16-foot building erected on concrete pilings and posts, with a green metal roof, lots of windows and board-and-batten siding.

I needed the pilings because the sauna would be built on an incline overlooking a lake behind our home in Stillwater. I chose the green metal roof and rough batten siding for the Scandinavian look

A bucket stores water to throw on hot rocks on the wood-fired stove. The bucket is a traditional accessory in Finnish saunas; this one is from Finn Sisu in Lauderdale.

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vvvvvvv A small window draws light into the sauna, which is lit only with candles.

I had seen in Finland. We decided to stain the siding to blend with the reddish-brown hues of the surrounding pines.

The sauna itself would occupy half the building; the other half would be the dressing room. Since I wanted it to be a multi-purpose building, I incorporated a sleeping loft above the sauna room; the kids could host sleepovers there in summer.

My budget was $4,000, less than the $6,000 to $9,000 you would pay for pre-fabricated saunas.

To stay under budget — and green — I decided to use recycled lumber, windows and doors bought mainly from recycle centers around the Twin Cities. For new lumber and the custom-sized metal roof, I went to Menards.

My two biggest single expenses were my Finnish-made, woodburning stove ($700) and the white cedar tongue-and-groove paneling ($750) for the inside of the sauna.

Every detail in the sauna room was constructed by hand and not a kit, including the clothes pegs and benches. Bathrobes are heated inside the sauna. “Diablito,” a painting created by Mexican schoolchildren and purchased at a local art fair, adds a little visual heat.

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I bought the stove from Finn Sisu, the Nordic skiing and sauna store in Lauderdale. For the paneling, I went to John Latola, who owns a custom sawmill in the Finnish-American community of Palo, Minn., on the Iron Range.

Latola knew exactly what I needed when I called. White cedar, a Minnesota native, is difficult to find as a milled paneling product, and Latola produces only small batches of it, mostly for custom saunas. The pale tan wood is aromatic, beautiful and rot-resistant.

A few weeks later, I made the 500-mile round-trip drive to Latola Lumber for a load of white cedar paneling. It turned out to be my most important purchase for replicating the Finnish sauna experience.

SIMPLE PLEASURES Working on weekends and after work, it took me more than two years to build our backyard cabin with the sauna inside. It was a labor of love, and the beginning of what has become a full-blown love affair with the small, handsome building in our back yard, situated among red pine and outfitted with a woodstove and a smartlooking dressing room.

An old Finnish saying states, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You must conduct yourself in the sauna as one would in church.â&#x20AC;? For us, that means quiet conversation, no cell phones (which risk melting anyhow), meditating on the

The sauna stove was made in Finland and has rocks on the top.

Once they are heated, cool water is thrown on top to create steam. The slanted floor has a drain to allow any moisture to run outside. Candles give the room a warm feeling.

A water pitcher is a must-have in any Finnish sauna.

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A lake can be seen through the south window of the sauna. Unfortunately, it is too shallow for swimming after a sauna.

vvvvvvv crackling fire and enjoying the simple pleasure of steam mingling with cedar.

Our 6-year-old daughter loves to hear folk tales in the sauna’s candlelight. Our 14-year-old invites her girlfriends over for a sauna, giggling and inevitable boy talk.

After a sauna, we frequently sit in chairs under the trees and listen for owls hooting and coyotes yipping; on the coldest nights, we enjoy the yawning and groaning of the lake making ice. Unfortunately, our lake is too shallow and weedy for an icy plunge, but a roll in the snow will do.

One evening, when the temperatures dipped to 20 below, we emerged from the sauna with our skin steaming and stood defiantly against the cold.

On nights like that, it’s easy to entice friends from town out to the country by telling them the sauna will be heated to a toasty 120 degrees. For kids, we bring two

buckets of cool water into the steamy room and let them splash around.

The inevitable question arises: swimsuit or no swimsuit? Finnish tradition says no swimsuit, which is certainly the most comfortable, but we leave it to our guests to decide for themselves. With only a few candles (no electric lights), it is too dark to worry much about appearance.

My wife now looks forward to those bitter cold nights, and I look forward to chopping stout chunks of oak and building a fire in our stove. It is our respite from modern life and our connection with the land of my ancestors, who believed the sauna could cure most diseases, solve any argument and bring joy to the darkest night.

They were right. ■ Chris Niskanen, author of “Prairie, Lake, Forest: Minnesota’s State Parks,” writes about the outdoors for the Pioneer Press.

The most noteworthy Finnish word in the English language is “sauna,” and now the most noteworthy book about the FinnishAmerican experience with saunas has been published by the University of Minnesota Press. In "Opposite of Cold" ($34.95), author Michael Nordskog and photographer Aaron W. Hautala dive into the Finnish sauna tradition in the old country and how it easily made the Atlantic crossing to America with Finnish immigrants. For anyone planning to build a sauna, from scratch or from a kit, this coffee-table book is the must-have resource for understanding sauna history, lore and function.

The pictures of old and new saunas are lovely, and the foreward by noted architect David Salmela puts the building and tradition into context.

For info: upress.umn.edu.

— Chris Niskanen

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eat . R E S T A U R A N T S

Discover what’s new Looking for more culinary adventure?

Put these 10 new restaurants on your must-see list. ➤ Bars Bakery. It opened in September, but I’m already wondering what I did before Bars Bakery came to town.

The buttery bars, the apricot scones, the goat cheese tarts — oh, my!

neighborhood gem has the best around. I love the gibassiers, the wonderful doughnut-like treats with anise and candied orange peel. (4552 Grand Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-3543257; patisserie46.com) ➤ Roman Anthony’s. The room is retro, but the menu is up to date, so you get a taste of the past and present in one package.

Try any of the pastas, the beef carpaccio with arugula salad or the giant bone-in rib-eye with gorgonzola crust and amaretto-glazed cherries.

Don’t dismiss the Caesar salad made tableside.

(1350 E. Minnesota 96, White Bear Lake; 651-4149613; romananthonys.com)

(612 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-224-8300; bars bakery.com) ➤ Cafeteria. The room is loud, the rooftop view is spectacular and the skinny servers (squeezed into tight pants) are young at this pseudocafeteria, where diners fill up on Swedish meatballs, buttermilk-fried chicken, meatloaf sliders and Bars Bakery on Selby Avenue in St. Paul. shrimp fried rice. For birthdays and other Dishes list this year. And don’t miss out on the special occasions, Cafeteria sends out big, fluffy awesome triple-fried fries. (17 N. Seventh St., cones of cotton candy. (3001 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612-338-1828) Minneapolis; 612-877-7263; ➤ Faces. David Fhima, who ran LoTo in this uptowncafeteria.com) space overlooking Mears Park, makes a ➤ Caribe. It’s just a little neighborhood comeback. This time around, he gets it right. The Caribbean-style cafe, but the food is personal, American comfort food comes with a modern memorable and delicious. What should you eat? twist and reasonable prices. The room is as The mango and white cheese empanadillas, the good-looking as the servers. There’s also a bar, BLT with avocado and grilled pineapple aioli, the deli, bakery and wine shop. (Cray Plaza, 380 shrimp with black pepper rum glaze. Polish off Jackson St., St. Paul; 651-209-7776; your meal with tres leches cake. Also, check out facesmearspark.com) the weekend breakfast menu. (791 Raymond ➤ Heartland. Heartland’s new bigger and Ave., St. Paul; 651-641-1446; caribemn.com) fancier digs in Lowertown better suit the upscale, ➤ The Depot Tavern. First Avenue’s new bar is daily-changing dinner menu focused on local not only one of the few places in downtown ingredients. But you don’t have to spend a Minneapolis where you can get a reasonably bundle to get the Heartland experience. There’s priced breakfast on weekends, but it also stays also a wine bar and a market with a deli and open until 2 a.m. And the bar fare is really very bakery open morning ’til night. (289 E. Fifth St., good. The Diamond Dog — 1/4 pound hot dog St. Paul; 651-699-3536; heartlandrestaurant.com) wrapped with bacon, deep-fried and served on a ➤ Patisserie 46. If you like French pastries, this pretzel bun — is a contender for my 10 Best

➤ Szechuan Spice. The couple who run Tea House in St. Paul recently opened this spot at Lyn-Lake, serving mainly a rich mix of Szechuan and Hunan specialties, but there are also Shanghai-style soup dumplings, scallion pancakes and Peking duck. The hardest part of eating here is deciding what to order. (3016 Lyndale Ave., S. Minneapolis; 612-353-4281) ➤ Thom Pham’s Wondrous Azian Kitchen.

Thom Pham knows how to create a scene. The restaurant looks like Las Vegas with a splash of Hong Kong. The bar would be a great spot to sip a Singapore Sling or a Bombay martini before a Twins game. The Asian-fusion food is hit and miss, but if you stick to sushi and appetizers, you probably won’t be disappointed. (533 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; 612- 338-1479; wondrousmpls.com) ■ Kathie Jenkins is restaurant critic for the Pioneer Press.

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shop. H O L I D A Y

Putting on the glitz Mall of America store finds its niche in special-occasion dresses for the post-prom set.

T

here’s a new place to Get Social this holiday season.

Locally owned Mall of America boutique Get Social by Glitz! is aimed at women who want to look stylish without looking like their daughters. For years, these women have complained to MOA prom retailer MaryAnne London about the dearth of ageappropriate, budget-conscious options for special-occasion dresses.

Get Social is trying to fill what London perceives as a void between prom shops and

high-end department stores. Dresses start at $169 and sizes go up to 22. The overall look is trend-right, often embellished and definitely not for women who want to fade into the background.

The idea for this store has been brewing since the early days of Mall of America, when London, who maintains a day job as a communications vice president for KrausAnderson, opened the Wedding Chapel, where she offered ceremonies to sell dresses. She sold the chapel seven years ago to

concentrate on her successful MOA spin off, Glitz!

“Ever since I had the Wedding Chapel, women would come in and ask about mothers’ dresses,” London says. “I tried to do it a little bit, but I always felt we needed to do it big.”

A lack of options for mature women held her back. But London says designers and manufacturers are beginning to respond — brands like VM, Mori Lee and Jovani are now offering more sophisticated lines for a cus-

BY ALLISON KAPLAN PHOTO BY ASHLEY HALBACH

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tomer who maintains her youth but is well beyond her prom-going days.

Get Social is in a prominent first-floor space at MOA just outside Nordstrom. This store has the most of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personality in it. Beyond dresses, Get Social features rhinestonestudded hats, handbags and glammed-up cowboy boots.

London is not necessarily a proponent of pairing the boots with the gowns, but then again, she believes in self-expression. And whatever sells. â&#x2013; Allison Kaplan writes about shopping and style for the Pioneer Press.

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shop. H O L I D A Y

Surprise them Looking for presents they’ll remember?

Add these fresh gift ideas to your list. ➤ From Russia with love. The Twin Cities’ Museum of Russian Art has opened a satellite shop, the Izba, at Mall of

➤ Shave and a hot towel. Art of Shaving

America. The only museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to the preservation and exhibition of Russian art and artifacts, it is also one of the only retailers to feature gifts from the region, including handcrafted decorative art pieces, collectibles, home furnishings, original paintings, lacquer art and art-inspired children’s books and toys. The Izba is on the first floor just outside Nordstrom.

recently opened its first Twin Cities store at the Mall of America.

The upscale brand offers a full range of razors, shaving creams and balms. Or get a shave at the store’s Barber Spa. A 30minute service is $35; the 45-minute royal shave, including a hot towel wrap and “rejuvenating mask,” is $55.

➤ Art purses. Toting timber has never looked so lovely. California wood artist Denise deRose makes one-of-a-kind art purses from nonendangered wood species. There’s a maple burl shoulder bag, a bluedyed handbag with wood-burned floral print, clutches and more. You’ll find them at the AAW Gallery of Wood Art on the second floor of Landmark Center, 75 W. Fifth St., St. Paul or at galleryofwoodart.org. The purses sell for $200 to $375; special orders available.

(The gallery’s gift store also offers kitchen gadgets, ornaments and other small objects created by local and national artists from sustainable materials. Most items range from $15 to $50.)

— Allison Kaplan

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OUTINGS

Bright spot Railroad museum lights up the holidays with Night Trains.

M

y preschool-age daughter has never ridden a train, but that didn’t stop her from being captivated by the miniature versions at the Twin Cities Model Railroad Museum. She stood with her eyes inches from the tracks and waited for the next engine to roll by.

“Look inside that car!” she said, pointing ecstatically at the tiny windows. “Look!

There! People!”

Sure enough, it was like a dollhouse on wheels with tiny passengers reading newspapers and a dining car complete with plates.

The detailed model train layout in Bandana Square has long been a fun place to take kids, and recent additions make it even better. I took my three elementary age children to the museum’s annual Night Trains exhibit, when the museum stays open late and room lights are dimmed.

“We started Night Trains to show off the interiors of these passenger trains,” explained longtime club member Paul Gruetzman. “Then, the guys who do the Where: Bandana Square, 1021 Bandana Blvd. E. (Suite 222), St. Paul Info: 651-6479628 or tcmrm.org Cost: $6; free for kids younger than 5. (Night Trains admission $7 or $20 per family and free for kids younger than 5.) When: Room lights are dimmed and train lights lit for Night Trains from 6 to 9 p.m.

Saturdays Nov. 27 through Feb. 27.

buildings didn’t want to be outdone, so they put lights in the buildings.”

Every year, volunteers add new details — a few more streetlights, cars with working head and taillights, a flashing Christmas tree on a roof.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

The model train club started meeting in 1934 in people’s homes. For a number of years, members operated a layout in the St. Paul Union Depot. In 1984, they moved to their present location on the second floor.

It’s an apt home. The large complex south of Como Park once housed the main repair shops for passenger cars on the Northern Pacific Railway.

Today, an O Scale layout fills an entire room and re-creates Twin Cities landmarks from the 1930s to 1950s in painstaking detail. Every tiny railroad tie was hand-

stained black and spiked into place. The railroad bed is made from the granules used in roofing shingles. For the holiday Night Trains events, club members sprinkle canning salt to simulate snow (and vacuum it up later).

On the night we visited, people were crowded around the edges, sometimes several deep. A half-dozen trains looped around nearly 2,000 feet of track, winding through miniature scenes and disappearing into tunnels.

“This is really cool,” my 10-year-old son said.

One side depicts a Mississippi River bluff, where a glowing paddleboat with a turning wheel plays jazz music.

My daughter couldn’t resist leaning over the railing to touch the glassy fake water. (Look for the foot pedal that activates fiber-optic fireworks at the top of the bluff.)

A detailed model of the old Minneapolis Depot, torn down in 1977, sits in the center of the display, complete with Greyhound buses parked outside and a working clock.

The Mississippi River flows down the middle of the room, spanned by the Third Avenue Bridge, the Stone Arch Bridge made of painted basswood and, finally, three railroad bridges.

My two sons had fun weaving through the crowds and chasing trains. First, they followed the glitzy Christmas train. This train, with boxcars edged in flashing lights, was by far the highlight of the show, eliciting

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squeals from kids whenever it came around a bend. Next, my sons followed a nondescript black engine pulling several boxcars.

“There it is!” said the 10year-old. “See it coming out by the Gold Medal building?”

My favorite train was the gleaming Twin Cities Zephyr, a model of the stainless-steel passenger train that the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CBQ) ran until 1971.

The layout is also full of whimsy. A corner shows a fictional town of Mattlin, named after one of the club’s founding members. It includes a model of the Chisago Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church, which was depicted in the movie “Grumpy Old Men.” If you look carefully, you’ll see tiny stand-ins for the movie’s stars, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, in front of their houses with their Jeep and boat trailer.

SMOKE AND WHISTLES

After about an hour looking at the main layout, we headed next door to what club members call the new “Toy Train Division.”

It opened in February with a layout donated by a hobbyist who was moving to Texas and didn’t want to take his trains.

Now, the room is filled with 13 mostly donated layouts, in a variety of gauges and vintages.

The rattle of the trains running makes the room sound like an arcade.

The most recent addition is a 16-by-30-foot layout of the Minneapolis Mill District donated by Michael Corrigan, a Santa Barbara, Calif., train enthusiast who had grown up in Minnesota. He hired Broadway scenery designer Clarke Dunham to build a miniature version of his childhood haunts.

EAGER VOLUNTEERS

One of the best things about the museum is the friendly volunteers. Club members are mostly older men, and they are eager to engage new blood in their hobby. They started a Saturday program to teach Boy Scouts how to wire trains and make fake trees.

And if you bring in an old train that isn’t working, someone might check it out and tell you how to fix it.

On the night we were there, volunteer Peter Southard was cleaning a locomotive with Q-tips and rubbing alcohol.

“We want parents and children to get together and build a layout,” he said, as he squirted a bit of oil into the wheels. “It’s a great family activity that gets you away from the television and away from the computer.”

By the time we left, the museum had worked its magic, and my 7-year-old son was asking to build a layout to go around our Christmas tree. We weren’t the only ones.

Dave Tschida was trying to lure his two children, Ben, 5, and Lila, 3, away from the Thomas the Tank Engine table. Dave’s dad, a retired railroad mechanic, sets up his old 1936 train set every year at Christmas. Now, Ben wants one, too, and seeing all the trains at the museum rekindled his desire.

“Grandpa’s train has a hopper and tanker and passenger car and caboose and tender,” Tschida said. “Ben wants the same kind of setup, but he also wants a steamer that can make smoke … and a whistle … and a light.” ■ Maja

Beckstrom

writes

about

children and families for the Pioneer Press.

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bright ideas. F A S H I O N

Names to watch Two local designers fall under the ‘must-have’ label.

N

ew St. Paul boutique Allee Metro Chic at Snelling and Selby is becoming a place to discover hot local designers. Here are two labels worth trying on.

Anne Cramer. She opened a studio in South Minneapolis just last year to teach sewing classes, but the students were more interested in buying the teacher’s designs. So Cramer switched gears and became a fashion house overnight. Her fall/holiday 2010 collection features elegant but modern dresses, skirts and tops in wool and velvet that could easily go from school function to evening event.

“I love Audrey Hepburn and always have those clean, straight lines in the back of my mind,” Cramer said. “Classic but wearable.”

She keeps the silhouettes simple but adds a twist, like hot-pink lining or a bow.

Without a store presence or fashion show exposure, she packed the studio for her fall trunk show last week and nearly sold out many styles. Now, Allee has picked up the line. And as of this week, Melly at the Galleria ordered it, too. One of the biggest sellers is the $190 Put a Bow on It dress, a sleeveless A-line wool sheath that hits above the knee with a bow on one shoulder.

It’s the realization of a dream Cramer never imagined would come true. “I had my first son in college. I thought I’d missed the boat.”

The 39-year-old mother of three boys ages 20 to 5 has been making her own clothes since eighth grade, when she showed up at a school dance in the same Laura Ashley dress two friends were wearing. “I knew at that age I didn’t want that to happen again.”

DadaDress by Jessika Madison-Kennedy. Long before there was MNfashion and a lively scene of local designers, Jessika MadisonKennedy was making dresses. She and a friend started selling their designs online at dadadress.com in 1999 while students at the University of Minnesota. Madison-Kennedy didn’t really consider focusing on the Twin Cities. “At the time, nothing local was really going on,” she says.

She moved overseas to attend the London College of Fashion, and that’s where her DadaDress label really took off. The look is vintage but timeless — simple A-line shifts in solid colors with bold details. Prices start at just over $100.

“I like things that are beautiful but with an edge. Never cutesy,” says Madison-Kennedy, who does not own jeans and believes dresses should be worn every day, even in the winter. “There’s nothing worse than cold fabric pants touching your leg. Put on thick wooly tights with a dress.”

Now back in the Twin Cities, Madison-Kennedy, 36, recently accepted a position with the College of Visual Arts. She continues to design out of her St. Paul home, and all the manufacturing is done locally. She sells online to an international audience, but passing by Allee one day, she realized the Europeaninspired boutique would be a good fit. “I love the shop and like the connection to something in the city you’re based in. It’s good to have a presence.” ■ Allison

Kaplan

about

shopping and style for the Pioneer Press.

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