'Time capsule' tour

Which Twin Cities neighborhood was described as an "architectural time capsule of modern America" by the New York Times? It's University Grove, an enclave of architect-designed homes set aside for University of Minnesota faculty and staff in Falcon Heights.

The Minnesota Historical Society is offering a trolley tour of the neighborhood, featuring exteriors and a rare glimpse at the interiors of selected homes representing the work of Close Architects. The tour begins and ends at the Minnesota History Center and includes refreshments and a brief architectural lecture by Minnesota Historical Society staffers.

The tour will be held Saturday, 1-4 p.m. Cost is $35 ($30 for Historical Society members). Reservations are required. For more information, visit www.minnesotahistorycenter.org/historycrawls.

KIM PALMER

Seeing red

Packed full of energy and excitement, the color red is sneaking back into interior design. For years, people shied away from this arresting color, opting instead for safe, soothing grays, tans and creams. But now folks are feeling bolder and taking bigger risks in their decorating. And as they do, red is shooting up the popularity charts. The key to success when decorating with a statement color as striking as red is to pick a few key places to let it shine:

Paint a wall. If you want to go big with red, wash a wall in it. Depending upon the shade you select, red will send off a strong vibe that ranges from happy to angry, so pick your paint color carefully. It's easy to go too far with red, so start by using this powerful color in small doses. Be sure to balance your high-intensity wall color with plenty of light-colored neutrals through upholstery, art and window coverings.

Cover some furniture. Give a room an energy boost by adding a piece of red furniture. It doesn't take much to get big results. Even a small piece of accent furniture will stand out in a room filled with, say, white and blue. The beauty of red is that it works in every style home, from ultra-mod to super-traditional.

Add red accents. Switching out art is a great way to change the look and feel of a room. If you hang art that includes red, rest assured it will get noticed. Or work red in through nostalgic and interesting details, like a glass box holding poker chips.

Make a red-light district. There are few things as stately as a beautiful red lamp. Don't want the whole lamp to be red? Try just adding a red shade to a glass or white lamp you already own.

Go red on your bed. Like artwork, accent pillows give you an easy way to introduce a new color to your home's decor. Toss a red pillow in the mix on your sofa or bed.

A touch on the table. If you'd like to join the red craze but don't want red in your decor, try some red table linens. It's an easy and inexpensive way to dip your toes in.

Scripps howard news service