Close to Home: Minnesota Goes Green and more

Omforme Design, the online-only dealer that describes its goods as "happy vintage for happy people," is hosting another pop-up shop in Minneapolis this week. Omforme is Norwegian for "to transform," and the collection will feature resurrected furniture inspired by the international glam rock of the 1960s and '70s.

The Omforme pop-up shop will be open May 16-19 in Suite 389 of the Northrup King Building, 1500 NE. Jackson St., Minneapolis. For more information, visit www.omforme.com.

How's your lawn looking after the long winter? Not so good? Gertens is offering a free lawn-care workshop. This is the time of year to tackle crabgrass and dandelion prevention, and the workshop will address weeds, along with seeding, fertilizing and general maintenance of spring lawns. Bring your own lawn-care questions, and learn about products and tools to help you achieve a beautiful lawn. The workshop will be offered at 10 a.m. Saturday, and again at 10 a.m. the following Saturday, May 25.

Also at Gertens this week: a free grilling demonstration, focused on how to grill a variety of foods, and how to maintain your grill. This week's featured food is chicken. The demo will be offered from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Gertens is at 5500 Blaine Av., Inver Grove Heights.

The twice-yearly Furniture Market in High Point, N.C., is always a bellwether for the looks we'll see in stylish homes and showrooms in the months ahead. Gabberts' design professionals Becky Lepley and Lauradeen Potretzke will share their insider perspective on the latest interior design and furnishing trends from the recent spring market. The free seminar will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Reservations are requested at 952-928-3123 or www.gabberts.com. Gabberts is at 3501 Galleria, Edina.

Trying to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle? For ideas and resources, check out Minnesota Goes Green on Saturday. This interactive event offers education and resources to implement sustainable practices, including eating and buying local foods, responsible clothing design and recycling, household repair assistance and gardening tips.

The event will include "So You Think You're Creative," a repurposing contest featuring new uses for old items. There are two divisions, for youths under 17, and for adults, with prizes for the winners.

KIM PALMER

Candice Olson knows all about the challenges that can come with decorating a room: ceilings that are too high or too low, spaces that are too big or too small, couples who have different tastes, families with different needs.

Those are the kinds of obstacles she overcame in decorating the rooms in her newest book, "Candice Olson Favorite Design Challenges."

Olson, who rose to fame as host of an HGTV show, shares the process of restyling 24 rooms, from a basement suite to an attic guest room. She includes swatches and samples, floor plans, photos of the rooms before her makeovers and plenty of "after" pictures.

Olson also explains how she solved challenges presented by each project and describes the style elements used.