Front door: Italy by the Web opens in Minneapolis

STORE NEWS

Italy by Web, the first brick-and-mortar showroom for online site www.italybyweb.com, opened in International Square in Minneapolis. Owner Robert Kelen described his business as an online importer of premium Italian furniture. Among the products exclusive to the United States: artisanal lines by Valdera Export (specializing in nautically inspired mahogany furniture), La Vecchia Marina (marble) and Guerra Vanni (wood inlay). Also new to IMS, Francois & Co., which has a 500-square-foot area on the first floor, showcases handcrafted Scagliola architectural stone fireplace mantels and range hoods.

ON TV

You might think running a design firm would be plenty of work for a husband-wife team that also has nine children. But Bob and Courtney Novogratz, partners in New York-based Sixx Design, have added one more thing to their "to-do" list: They star in "9 by Design," an eight-episode series by Bravo, premiering April 13 at 10 p.m. The show tracks the couple as they work on six upscale design projects over six months. (The series will move to 9 p.m. for later episodes.)

WE SPOTTED IT

A California entrepreneur's idea helps draw double duty from your garden pots. "The Ledge," an iron and glass structure functions as a legless end table by slipping on to pots, urns and ground planters to provide a resting spot for your drinks. The filigreed ledges come in two designs, straight (in black) and curved (in black and brown), $130 and $140, respectively. The Ledge can be purchased at www.ilovetheledge.com.

DO IT NOW

It's tomato time. Well, it's time to start your own tomatoes from seed, anyway. (It'll be a while before we're eating homegrown 'matos.) Make sure you start with a sterile potting medium and new seed. Keep seeds out of direct sunlight until they've sprouted. Keep the soil moist but not soggy.

WINNERS CIRCLE

Would you tweet for the chance to win a new mattress? Entrants who say just what they would do to obtain a good night's sleep have a chance to win a $2,000 queen-size mattress. The caveats: The tweet must include #simmonsbeautyrest and this url: bit.ly/beautyrest. Enter through April 30 at http://contest .simmons.com or from your Twitter account.

NEXT WEEK

Sarah Buerkley's garden began with a vision: of herself surrounded by flowers. Since seeing that vision, 10 years ago, Buerkley has reinvented her career along with her landscape. The former plant rookie is now a master gardener with her own garden-design business.

KIM YEAGER, CONNIE NELSON