Shelter Writing

The Outlook on Exteriors Parade of Homes Excerpt The high price of oil isn’t just pushing up prices at the pump; it’s changing the look of our houses. According to local professionals the Twin Cities market for vinyl home exteriors has always been huge. But as petroleum prices rise, higher grades of vinyl are reaching the price points of upper-end exterior options causing Minnesotans to think outside of the “vinyl is final” box. As Americans continue to ride the pride in ownership wave, there is an increased emphasis on achieving that high quality look. “Believe it or not, homes are actually getting smaller,” said architect George Cundy of Cundy Santine & Associates and this is affecting exterior trends. As square footage shrinks, it becomes easier to upgrade an exterior without blowing the budget. “There are a lot of fun products out there which are bringing back texture and color,” said Cundy. “People want an exterior that will make their house look like a million bucks, while keeping in line cost and maintenance. And whatever product you put up, no matter what anyone tells you, there will be some maintenance.”

Link to full text

Web Copy:  Arts & Entertainment Michael Bartus Realtor:  www.hometwincities.com If you hear “Minnesota” and think black nights and loon sounds, you’ll have a pleasant surprise waiting for you. The Twin Cities is one of the most happening metropolitans in the nation, renowned for its arts and culture. And don’t just take my word for it, Esquire magazine ranked Minneapolis third in the nation for “Cities that Rock.” The Theatre District, along Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis’ downtown, is made up of five separate art houses attracting national tours such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Tuesdays with Morrie. I love that these stages also provide intimate musical space for artists like Lyle Lovett, The Indigo Girls, and Vince Gill. Other area venues, such as the Theatre de la June Leune and The Children’s Theatre have recently received Tony Awards and the internationally recognized Guthrie Theatre is moving to über-hip riverside digs in Spring 2006.

Link to website

Lucie B. Amundsen

a virtual resume

Counter Top and Flooring Trends

Builders Association of the Twin Cities
Remodelors Showcase

Excerpt
Selecting new surfaces for one’s remodeling project can be a
project all on its own.  The marketplace offers a dizzying
assortment of countertop, tile, and flooring choices all with varying
grades and price points within each category.  So with all these
options where are suppliers seeing consumer interest?

“There is defiantly an emphasis on a natural look. Whether these
are actually from nature like stone, wood, metal or one of many
beautiful engineered options – people are looking to bring the
feel of the outdoors in their homes,” said Kaye Gavic of Builder’s
Showcase.  These products, while available in any variation, tend
to have a cool-to-the-touch feel and provide sleek housing for
contemporary steel appliances and hip entertainment gear.

Running parallel to our back-to-nature movement is an edgier,
more industrial look swept in with Minneapolis’s heady “era of the
loft.”  This interest has brought many durable commercial-grade
products to our living spaces and promises more.  At first blush,
one may think this is a departure from the current natural trends,
but the styles do intersect in a look designer’s term “primitive.”  
The raw, earthy mediums of unadorned concrete, woods with
choppy finishes and arty uses of glass are some examples of this
rugged style.