At home in Excelsior

At home in ExcelsiorThe home decorating and furnishing shops of Excelsior have joined forces for a homestyle event. Six merchants have collaborated on a one-room makeover at the historic MacMillan home on Lake Minnetonka, featuring new furniture, flooring, paint, linens, artwork, mirrors and other home decor. The redecorated room and the six merchants' shops will be open for visiting Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. There is a suggested $2 donation to benefit the ICA Foodshelf.

For the address and directions to the makeover home, stop by any of the six participating merchants, all located in downtown Excelsior. They include: My European Treasures, 2B Inspired, Mary O'Neal & Co., Jackie's, Excelsior Paint and Design Center, and Petunias. In addition to home goods, you'll find refreshments and a chance to register to win a $50 gift certificate.

Design challengeThinking about remodeling? If a new kitchen, bathroom or lower level is on your to-do list, here's a chance to get some professional design help. New Spaces, a full-service remodeling firm based in Burnsville, is putting three designers to the test for a Design Challenge event. You can submit your project, and the designers will choose one kitchen, one bathroom and one lower level.

The designers will present their ideas to the three winning homeowners, along with an audience, on Oct. 29. There will be two presentations: 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Cambria Suite, Target Field, Minneapolis. To submit your project and register to attend the event, visit www.designchallenge mn.com.

Last call for Idea HouseIf you haven't checked out Bachman's Fall Idea House, today is your last chance. The historic Bachman family home has been completely repainted, refurnished and redecorated for fall, using a mix of vintage and new pieces. The house includes theme rooms, and this fall, for the first time, visitors can enter to win the Tuscan-themed sunroom and all its contents. You can buy tickets for $5 at www.bachmans.com. The house is located at 5936 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls.

Fair-trade rug eventTen Thousand Villages, a fair-trade retailer with stores nationwide, is hosting its first Fair Trade Oriental Rug Event in St. Paul. More than 300 handmade rugs will be available for sale in a variety of sizes and unique designs.

The rugs all come from an artisan group in Pakistan known as Bunyaad. The artisans are adults, paid a fair wage, and have creative license for their designs and colors.

KIM PALMER

Budget kitchen makeoversGive your kitchen a new look on a shoestring budget with the ideas in "Do It Yourself Kitchens" (Wiley, $19.99).

The book, from the editors of Better Homes and Gardens' Do It Yourself magazine, focuses on more than 20 kitchen makeovers achieved on budgets ranging from less than $500 to about $10,000. Sprinkled in are lots of tips and ideas, along with instructions for do-it-yourself projects such as tiling a backsplash or creating a concrete countertop.

The book also offers kitchen-planning information and guidance on buying appliances, cabinets and other kitchen elements.