Your solution for Outfitting your Minneapolis home with the Perfect Lighting Fixture
One of the most difficult tasks of home design comes with the finishing touches. Choosing lighting fixtures can quickly become a headache. Size, orientation, finish, and design are just a few details that must be considered. Your best bet is to visit a lighting show room. Not only will you have fixtures you can see on location, but you can also speak with one of the store’s professionals and get some help and advice.
Today you are in luck because I have made the process one step easier. Below you will find four lightening show rooms in the Minneapolis area to consider visiting should you find yourself in the need of more light. They are open to the public and also sell directly to trade professionals. Have fun shopping and before you get aggravated by the choices, remember, they are only lights…
- Muska Lighting – Muska offers a good variety of lighting fixtures including high-end brands. If you are looking for vintage or antique pieces, they provide those too. Design consultations are available so if you have a large project, be sure to make an appointment. Open Monday – Saturday, their showroom is located at 700 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, 651-227-8881 or visit http://www.muskalighting.com/ .
- Citilights – Citilights is the exclusive dealer for Baccarat and Foscarini. Along with contemporary designs, they also carry ceiling fans and Tech Lighting. Open Monday through Friday, or by appointment, their showroom is located at 1619 Hennepin Avenue S, Minneapolis, 612-333-3168 or visit http://www.citilights.com/ .
- Cartier Lighting – Find it all here, including lights for residential and commercial use. Sit down for a consultation and work on a lighting layout and design, or ask for an after hours appointment. Open Monday – Saturday, visit them at 151 Cheshire Ln, Plymouth, 763-476-9555.
- Creative Lighting & Home Accents – This third generation family owned business is 80 years old so they know about lights. They offer solutions for the entire home and have products from about 500 vendors. Open Monday through Saturday, appointments are requested for large projects. Located at 1728 Concordia Avenue, St Paul, 651-647-0111 or visit them online at http://www.creativelights.com/ .
One of the most common problems found in older homes is a window that leaks air. In the winter the cold air comes in, condenses on the window, and in some cases freezes. In the summer, your precious air conditioning is sucked out into the warm atmosphere causing your compressor to go into overdrive. What do you do? Here are some options that will not only stop that whistling noise, but save you money as well.
Loose windows – some older homes are not properly weather-stripped. Applying the proper type is the least expensive fix. For some homes, a spring bronze weather-stripping can be used, which is a strip of brass that is inserted between the sash and the jamb. If this is not available, you can also buy a vinyl strip that does on the outside and inside of the window sashes.
Insulation – it might come as a surprise to you, but some older homes are not properly insulated around the windows or in the exterior walls. Fixing this problem might take some time and cause some headaches for you will have to take off the window trim or some of the drywall (maybe even plaster if your home is old enough). The best advice is to call in a professional insulation company who can do the work right and give you an estimate of cost.
Worse case scenario is you might have to replace the window. Vinyl windows are the norm today, but if you have a historic home with double hung wood windows, finding a company that manufactures them could prove difficult. Either shop salvage companies that specialize in old home fixtures, or call someone like Pella who can custom make the window. In one of the Victorian homes we rehabbed, Pella custom made 4 floor-to-ceiling windows for us as the original ones had been destroyed by previous owners. It cost a little more than normal, but the aesthetic value of having new “old” looking windows was well worth the cost.
Of course I understand it might not be in the budget to completely redesign your current Minneapolis kitchen, but you never know. Viewing real estate every week keeps me up-to-date on current kitchen trends, and most of the luxury homes I visit have something I love. Right now my current love is kitchen appliances. We are in the market for a new home so naturally I have shopped around for my favorite appliances. Being a cook, I have big eyes and maybe not the budget, but it is fun to dream anyway!
There are a couple great appliance show rooms in Minneapolis – St Paul metro area to shop for any appliances you might need. They are very accommodating and are happy to work with your project, whether it be a remodel or new home build. I already have my appliances picked out and am just waiting for the final decision on if we build or buy a resale home. Don’t be afraid to check out what’s new, like microwave drawers or dishwasher pull outs. There are truly some innovative ideas on the market today.
- Guyer’s Builder Supply – consumers have the option of working through their builder or dealing directly with the company. If you walk the showroom yourself and are building new, tell them who your builder is and they will give you the negotiated rates. But remember that some appliances, like Dacor, have fixed rates that are not negotiable. There are numerous options available so set aside at least an hour to see it all. Locations are in Apple Valley, Blaine, Bloomington, Minneapolis, Monticello, Plymouth, and Woodbury. Visit http://www.guyers.com/ for more info!
- Warner’s Stellian – open to the public daily, they showcase 30+ major brands of appliances, including items for the kitchen, laundry, freezers and more. They offer live displays so you can try the appliance before you buy and also free delivery in the metro-area for purchases over $500. Locations are in Apple Valley, Edina, Maple Grove, Minneapolis, St Paul, Woodbury. Visit http://www.warnersstellian.com/ for directions!
Remember, it’s your home and you know what you like. Before going to the showroom, understand what appliances you need and how you will use them. If you have certain dimensions a piece must fit in, bring the measurements so the salesman can tell you what will work. Have fun…it might take you a few trips to pick out the perfect pieces!
The Minneapolis International Market Square
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!
Your solution for Outfitting your Minneapolis home with the Perfect Lighting Fixture
