Consumers have never had more shopping choices at their disposal. To say there are endless places to shop isn’t exactly an overstatement. From Amazon.com to national chains to big box retailers to independently owned shops like ours, customers have options, to say the very least. But we at EuroNest happen to be a bit partial to local small businesses. We feel there’s that certain je ne sais quoi that you can’t find behind a big name; that particular appeal of a spectacular find; a surprise that isn’t nestled inside a web browser. Small businesses just seem “bigger” in so many realms.

So why is it that we feel so passionately about shopping small businesses? Let me count the ways:

• American retail was founded on small businesses. Shopping local is a tip of the hat to our roots.
• Shoppers are guaranteed incredible, personable service. Independent shops like EuroNest thrive on relationships. We remember our customers and know many by name. These connections are important to us.
• We have the opportunity to offer the most unique items to our customers. No red tape or identity guidelines keep us from bringing in unusual or distinctive products to our store.
• Our customers benefit from our frequent travels to Europe for antiques. While abroad, we embrace the chance to seek items specifically requested by our customers, as well as to uncover new trends to bring stateside.
• Eclectically merchandising our shop allows our customers to do the same for their homes. Our find becomes your find, and your home gets a breathtakingly one-of-a-kind look.

In short, when you shop local small businesses, you not only support your community (and who doesn’t want to be a boon to their town?), you benefit from a unique, untethered perspective. What you find at EuroNest you won’t find anywhere else. Likewise, your home quickly becomes a reflection of the beautiful, exceptional items we source from around the world.

Stop in soon—we’ve been traveling and exciting, new products are arriving this month. Come and see what we’ve discovered; you might find just the piece your home’s been waiting for.

Lori

Every home sports them. We all have one. And often, we overlook them. Yes, we’re talking about the functional, reliable, effective RUG. But here at EuroNest, we believe that rugs should be treated with more respect. They’re an integral part of our homes and are often just as responsible for tying together a room as they are for showcasing a drop-off place for our shoes. This belief is why we’re more enamored than ever by acclaimed designer Annie Selke’s Dash & Albert rug collection.

Selke, whose book, Fresh American Spaces, debuted just this August, has devoted her professional life to creating elegant, functional and fabulous home decor. Her Dash & Albert line of rugs hone in on her remarkable skill, boasting bright colors, vivacious patterns and are anything but boring. Her new fall collection takes bright to new heights with art-inspired color combinations that reflect her appreciation of print and pattern.

The rugs are functional–usable both indoors (wool and cotton) and out (polypropylene)–and are handcrafted by skilled artisans in fair-trade workshops. But in addition to appreciating the fine craftsmanship and utility, you are sure to agree that the Dash & Albert rugs truly make your world a happier, peppier place.

“We all deserve a home that makes us happy,” Selke says. “For me, that doesn’t mean fancy or over the top; it means filling your life with people, pets and things you love, and creating a haven of comfort that strikes the balance between fashion and functionality.” We at EuroNest couldn’t have said it better.

By definition, an antique is anything 100 years old or older. One might think this would make an antique easy to spot, but with modern-day craftsmanship, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell an original from a reproduction piece of furniture. It doesn’t have to be such a trick, though.

One of the most telling signs of a true antique is something you find at face value: well-earned beauty marks and would-be blemishes. The beauty of an antique is often the story that comes along with it, and these stories generally leave their mark. A piece might brag old-world charm and style, but if it has a mirror sheen and not a divot in sight, there’s a good chance it’s a reproduction piece.

One of the major advantages of reproduction furniture also happens to be a tell-tale sign that it’s not original. That is, anything that works with contemporary mechanics. The beauty of reproduction furniture is that it offers the best of both worlds: the style, character and design of an antique, but modern mechanics such as drawer guides with stops, to keep a drawer from being pulled all the way out during everyday use.

EuroNest carries both genuine antique furniture as well as reproduction pieces so that you can choose the item that best fits your lifestyle. Blending antique and reproduction pieces into any room creates that one-of-a-kind style so many find appealing. And everyone knows that a piece with this kind of charm is what can truly make a house into a home.

The recent economic downturn seems to have affected us all, and we’re clinging to nostalgia more than ever. Returning to good, old-fashioned design ideals is a reflection of the state we’re in, and it’s termed New Romanticism.

New Romanticism is a reflection of leaner times, and how people have been forced to get creative because of them. One of the best ways to embrace this trend is to create a personal statement in your home by incorporating beautiful, Old World or heirloom furniture, which instantly adds warmth to your surroundings.

For you, the most likely place from which to draw when incorporating New Romanticism into your home is your past. Reminisce, and pull from your heritage to bring new life to old objects. Perhaps this means bringing an heirloom item to the forefront of your home. Maybe your grandmother’s maiden Hope Chest has been sitting quietly at the foot of your bed, or perhaps nimble family fingers have crafted an intricate quilt now folded safely away in a closet. Now is the perfect time to display these treasures. But if you don’t have a fully stocked attic to rummage, find pleasure in shopping stores such as EuroNest and drawing from another’s rich past.

To ensure your home envelops the perfect balance of new and old and celebrates this recent trend, a safe bet is to always heed advice from an interior designer. The designers at EuroNest will be able to assess the items you already have, and bring key pieces or heirlooms to new life. Trust a designer’s knowledge of New Romanticism and watch as your home transforms into a safe haven of comfort in these tumultuous times.

Interior designers are trained to see the beauty in everything. They understand how to play upon a room’s light and space to achieve total luxury and comfort. By mingling your wishes and dreams for your home spaces with the talents of one of our designers, you can experience that unique blend of luxury and comfort.  

Often thought of as a costly service reserved for high-end clients, interior design services are complimentary with your furniture purchases at EuroNest. We don’t simply want you to find that perfect piece in our store; we want to help you find the perfect location for it in your home as well.   

With more than 60 years of combined design experience, our three interior designers have assisted clients in a wide variety of settings, from Old World to modern and everything in between. Each designer can build on your current setting or completely revamp it with a new look that is perfectly suited to your taste.  

We extend an invitation to you for a one-hour, in-store consultation with a member of our interior design team: Leila, Genevieve or Diane. Through the eyes of a well-trained designer, you can affordably achieve the beauty and attention to detail you seek in your home.  

See you at the shop,

Lori Anderson, owner of EuroNest

Your cabin should be as comfortable and inviting as your home in the city. At EuroNest, we’ll help you make your cabin as relaxing as it can be with items such as old wood kitchen tables, Swedish benches and small Scandinavian night stands to warm up your cabin’s interior. Our ancestors used these antique pieces at their lake homes and now it’s your turn to enjoy them.

To celebrate cabin season, EuroNest is offering this special through May 31:

Buy one and receive 1/2 price off your second piece of furniture. In addition, all home, garden and cabin accessories, including bookends, lamps, pillows, rugs and throws, are on sale this month.

Or, work with our onsite interior designers to order that comfy “old chair” that will sit by the window overlooking the lake.

Summers in Minnesota are all about relaxation, so let EuroNest make it effortless to spruce up your cabin.

EuroNest Presents “European Jardin”
Interested in antiques and a European influence? Making its debut at WAMSO’s Settings of Note, EuroNest will present a tabletop of timeless beauty featuring stunning antique cut glass and gorgeous Belgium dinnerware and flatware on an English Pub table surrounded by two French-carved chairs. This table was conceived in Paris and Belgium by EuroNest designers. Total value: $4,000.

May 5, 2011 | Preview Party
May 6, 2011 | Luncheon
International Market Square
275 Market Street, Minneapolis

Purchase Tickets
Learn More About This Event

“Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”
–Coco Chanel

The way we live and what is happening in the world influence color trends. While the 2010 Pantone color of the year – Turquoise – served as an escape for many, the 2011 Pantone color of the year – Honeysuckle – emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor.

Honeysuckle is an intense reddish-pink color that can lift our spirits and bring our thoughts to spring and summer. This color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar.

The resurgence of Honeysuckle also brings focus to other shades of pink, which are very popular; paler, softer shades of pink can make a room feminine, romantic and charming.

Other color trends for 2011 include teal, grey(from light to dark), citrine, orange and nuetrals infused with color. When using nuetrals in your home environment, add a lively flair with bright colors and patterns in pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories.

And always remember: Any color is always in style as long as it is used well.

As the newest interior designer at EuroNest, I invite you to contact me with questions or to setup a design consultation:

Diane Hennen, Allied member ASID
EuroNest
phone(952)929-2927
email: diane@euro-nest.com

This month we add Diane Hennen to our team of Interior Designers. Diane has 20-plus years of experience in interior design and is an Allied Member of ASID. As an experienced designer, she has a wealth of knowledge that she will bring to our EuroNest clients. Please give Diane a huge welcome by stopping by the shop or giving her a call to help you with your next interior design project.

 Every year, I travel to Paris, Belgium, Holland and France to hunt for one-of-a-kind furniture pieces, many of which are more than 100 years old and unlike anything you’ll find in the Twin Cities. Each piece is hand-selected for its quality and character, and is rich in untold stories.

 Hunting for treasures throughout Europe allows me and my team to uncover the finest home furnishings, antiques and reproduction lines that will ever find a place in your home. And once you discover that must-have, one-of-a-kind piece in our showroom, you’ll understand why shopping at EuroNest is such a unique experience.

 This month, our shipment of treasures from Europe arrives, and it’s an event that shouldn’t be missed. On April 12 from 5-7pm, we unveil the treasures and invite you to our European Treasures Preview Party. Receive a 20% discount on all European treasures, enter to win a $250 store gift card and a trip to Grand Superior Lodge, and enjoy wine and chocolate tasting while you shop.

To learn more about these exciting sales and to stay on top of other sales and events at EuroNest, follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

See you at the shop,

Lori Anderson, owner
EuroNest