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October 31, 2024

Minnesota Home & Design Events | November 2024

Calling all Parade of Homes fans! If you’re looking for something to do this month, check out these local home and design events near you.

More blog posts

September 16, 2019

What’s Your Design Style?

Whether you lean traditional or modern, or fall somewhere in between, there’s an architectural style to fit every aesthetic preference. Not sure if you’d feel more at home in an 1800s-inspired Victorian or a Craftsman reminiscent of 19th century structures? Here, Twin Cities builders break down the defining characteristics of eight trending designs in new construction.

September 11, 2019

Your Home, Your Way: Specialty Spaces

Building new gives you the ability to design specialty spaces in your home that help you enjoy the things you love. Whether that be a pet-friendly space to show your fur babies how much you love them, a thoughtfully placed home office to keep you productive, the ultimate recreation room for entertaining, or something else entirely, the options are limitless.

August 20, 2019

Nine Dream Homes Featured on the Fall Parade of Homes & Remodelers Showcase

The selections are in, and you won’t want to miss the Fall 2019 Dream Homes! These are the homes that are ready to WOW you. The ones you’re pinning on Pinterest and ogling over in magazines. And they’re the perfect place to grab inspiration for your home. This year, there are five new homes and four remodeled homes hand-selected as Dream Homes. Plus, each time you visit a Dream Home, your $5 admission supports the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation’s work as it builds and renovates transitional housing facilities for Minnesota’s homeless, veterans, and others in need.

August 9, 2019

Now Trending: Smart Home & Tech

From automation and voice control to real-time monitoring, today’s home technology has made incredible strides over the past decade, and even the last couple of years. “I believe [smart technology] is becoming the norm in newer homes these days,” says Kevin Clancy, system designer for Lelch Audio Video in St. Louis Park. “It doesn’t take away from the design of the space, and it adds a lot of convenience.” Ready to improve your home’s IQ? Read on for his roundup of what’s trending in residential tech.

July 29, 2019

Now Trending: Paint and Wallcoverings

Painting or papering the walls of your home is one of the simplest, most cost-effective changes to make when you’re craving a refresh of your spaces. And thanks to new techniques, materials, and designs, you are only limited by your imagination—or the height of your walls. “Now is the time to express yourself,” says Kathy Basil of Hirshfield’s. “There has never been a better variety.” Here, the manager of the Minneapolis family-owned design shop talks top trends that will add “wow” to your walls.

June 27, 2019

Now Trending: Kitchen Gadgets and Appliances

From nightly dinners to annual holiday parties, you and your family spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Make it a space you’re excited to step into every day with gadgets and appliances that help you work smarter, not harder, and infuse the heart of your home with a dose of personality.

March 27, 2019

Style Refresh

Rob and Tamara found the “up north” feeling they were looking for on their wooded lot in Bloomington. Remodeling their home made it fit their family's lifestyle perfectly.

Home Tours
Real Stories
March 18, 2019

Benefits of Living in a Community

Humans have long gravitated toward communal living. From our earliest beginnings, we’ve been social creatures, gaining strength and security by sharing resources. In those days, most people stayed their whole lives within about 50 miles of where they were born; relying upon family and neighbors for help was a given.

Real Stories
March 15, 2019

Roadmap to Building Your Best Home

Home Tips & Tricks
March 14, 2019

2019 Spring Parade of Homes In the News

The 2019 Spring Parade of Homes Twin Cities is your chance to see the latest in new home construction from builders across Minnesota. Here are all the places the spring tour has been covered in the press.

Home Tours
March 6, 2019

Building New To Fit His Lifestyle

New homes built in Minnesota today have better components, better materials, and they’re constructed in a way that is, quite simply, better. They’re more durable, safer, healthier, and more environmentally friendly. Plus, you pick the floor plan and neighborhood that fit your lifestyle. We asked one recent homebuyer to share why he decided to build new.

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February 28, 2019

Calendar of Events: Spring 2019 Parade of Homes

Select builders and remodelers on the Parade of Homes and Remodelers Showcase are hosting special events that introduce you to new neighborhoods, teach you about the latest building and design trends, and much more! Add these special events to your tour, and join us to learn how to find your dream home or transform your house.

Home Tours
February 14, 2019

This Abundance | Parade of Homes Feature

Amanda Whiting, a minister and blogger, and her husband, Josh, a pilot, always knew they wanted to build new, but imagined it would happen closer to retirement.

Real Stories
February 6, 2019

Four Dream Homes Set To Impress on the Parade of Homes

These four incredible residences have been hand-selected by our BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation as the 2019 Spring Parade of Homes Dream Homes. These stunning homes from City Homes, Mark D. Williams Custom Homes, Stonewood, and Sustainable 9 Design + Build will leave you in awe. Plus, a $5 tax-deductible entry fee to each of these four homes will go to the BATC-Housing First Minnesota Foundation to support their mission of building and remodeling transitional housing facilities for Minnesota's homeless, veterans, and others in need.

Home Tours
January 29, 2019

Now Trending in Lighting

Lighting is like the jewelry on your home, and similar to how the latest necklace trends inform how we dress our décolletage, what’s in vogue for chandeliers and pendants determines how we decorate our spaces. “It’s what lights up your home,” says Kyndra Roth, a lighting specialist at St. Paul–based Creative Lighting. “You might have beautiful finishes, but if they’re not appropriately illuminated, you’ve wasted your money. Lighting is what creates the most ambiance in a space.” Here, she dishes on what we can expect to see in Minnesota homes—from fixture finishes and materials to new shapes and designs.

Design
January 22, 2019

How to Boost Your Curb Appeal

Your home is your castle, your haven, your retreat. But if you’ve been less than impressed when you arrive home after a hard day, maybe it’s time to take a fresh look … from the curb. Go ahead. Step outside and give your home’s façade a critical once over. Does it say ‘welcome?’ If not, here are four great ideas to enhance your curb appeal and make coming home the best part of your day.

Design
Home Tips & Tricks
January 11, 2019

6 Tips for an Organized Home

If you view each new year as a clean slate, the early weeks of the year are the perfect time to add “home organization” to your list of resolutions—not only for the perk of having a clean house, but also for the benefit of your family and mental health. “To us, the organization of your home kind of reflects your mindset,” says Taylor Kaupa, the marketing coordinator for Bria Hammel Interiors. “An organized, decluttered home allows you to clear your mind and focus on the things you love most at home, like spending time with your loved ones.” Here, she shares six tips that will get you in the habit of keeping a tidy home.

Design
Home Tips & Tricks
January 1, 2019

2019 Home Design Trends

New year, fresh design. If updating your home is on your list of resolutions—whether it’s one room or the whole house—look to these expert-identified trends to bring your spaces into 2019 in style.

Design
December 26, 2018

7 Tips for Creating a Welcoming Entryway

As the first space guests see when they walk through your front door, an entryway is arguably the most important room in your house. “It really sets the tone for the entire home,” says Carrie Ingalls of Ambiance Home Staging. Whether you’re throwing a party, hosting out-of-town guests, or conducting a showing, make a good first impression with these seven tips for creating a welcoming foyer.

Design
Home Tips & Tricks