Fall Ideas House opens

Looking for inspiration for fall decorating and entertaining? The Bachman's Fall Ideas House will open its doors this week for its seasonal three-week run. Designers have given the historic Bachman family home an autumnal makeover, featuring "an upscale take" on fall harvest decor.

This time, the Ideas House was designed with a fictional couple in mind, a busy two-career duo who like to socialize with friends. The home features rooms for him, her and for groups, with multiple tablescapes for entertaining.

Theme rooms include a porch set for a casual autumn gathering, a dining room and living room featuring an updated harvest print with rich fall colors on a black background, a sunroom featuring a game/card table and mini-bar, and even a potting shed/man cave for game-day fun.

The Bachman's Fall Ideas House will be open daily from Thursday through Oct. 6. Tickets are sold on the half-hour: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday-Friday; and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are $5, with 20 percent of the proceeds going to benefit Spark-Y: Youth Action Labs (formerly YEA Corps), a nonprofit organization that provides sustainability education to youth. Tickets can be purchased online at www.bachmans.com, or at Bachman's on Lyndale, 6010 Lyndale Av. S., Minneapolis. The Ideas House is located at 5936 Lyndale Av. S.

Fair trade rugs

Rugs are in the spotlight at Ten Thousand Villages in St. Paul, which will host its third annual Fair Trade Oriental Rug Event, Wednesday through Sunday.

More than 300 hand-knotted rugs will be available for purchase, all made by the Bunyaad artisan group in Pakistan. If you'd like to educate yourself before you make a purchase, there will be a free seminar, "An Introduction to Oriental Rugs" on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the St. Paul United Church of Christ. The one-hour seminar is designed for anyone considering buying an Oriental rug, and will focus on the art of Oriental rug-making, rug care and room design. Refreshments will be served. Reservations requested; call 651-225-1043. Ten Thousand Villages is at 867 Grand Av., St. Paul.

KIM PALMER