If you desire a new look for your tired room, or need to furnish your brand new home, then be sure to visit the International Market in downtown Minneapolis. A candy jar for interior design fanatics, this multi-level building has over 70 showrooms which offer every solution possible to make your home a showcase. Not just for bedrooms and living spaces, they also offer bathroom and kitchen showrooms too.

There are some rules for shopping. While it is open to the public, you cannot just pick up a piece you see and buy it on the spot. One option is to find the items that interest you, then contact your interior designer. She/he can they purchase the piece for you, sometimes at a much more discounted rate. Another option is to use the Markets buying service. Just don’t forget, you can ask each shop what their buying policy is. Some will work for you without an interior designer, which means it might take less time to acquire the piece.

If you do not have a designer, International Market has a great service where they will help you locate one. You can browse their online site for a designer by type of service including, but not limited to, Historical Preservation, Lighting, Vacation Homes, and even Church design. Want to see a portfolio of a designer? Then walk through the portfolio wings showcasing photos of completed projects with bios on the designers and their work. It is a great way to get a feel of someones vision and decide if it will compliment your tastes.

Make sure to block off a couple of hours to view the various showrooms. The Market is open weekdays 9-5 and Saturdays 10-1. This summer two new showrooms will be opening featuring Cambria and Valcucine. International Market also hosts design events through out the year which are open to the public…please vist the calendar for a current schedule. Don’t forget to take a note pad with you because you can easliy forget which places you have visited and what look you MUST have. Happy shopping!