Roxanne Potter, right, with sister/co-owner Carol Williams of Pomegranate Designs Ltd. in Woodbury. (Courtesy photo)

If cabin fever is setting in, you might as well enjoy your indoor living space. Interior designer Roxanne Potter helps make that happen by making homes across the metro stylish, cozy and welcoming all year long.

We caught up with Potter, who co-owns Pomegranate -- a home store, design studio and warehouse in Woodbury (710 Commerce Drive; 651-738-4898; pomegranatedesignsltd.com) -- with her sister Carol Williams.

Potter, 61, talked about how she got her start in interior design and the latest home trends she's a fan of.

Q. How did you get your start in retail and design?

A. My first career in retail was in women's fashion, and I've always had a love for interiors. I started at age 16. I worked in the Oval Room at the old Dayton's in downtown Minneapolis. Some of the designers would come in and do trunk shows -- it was great to be in the middle of it all. I continued working there when I went to the University of Minnesota for a business degree.

I later was a department manager at Target and district manager for the TJX Companies, the parent company of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. At the time, they had a specialty chain store called Hit or Miss, and I oversaw 15 stores in the Midwest. After my second child came along, I decided to take time off and go to school for interior design.

My sister Carol used to live in California and was a radiology technologist. She started making a career change, too, and went to school to specialize in paint finishes. She's back in the Twin Cities now and does all of the paint finishes for our clients. Two doors from our showroom is the warehouse, where we do paint finishes for furniture or cabinetry.

Q. How has your business grown over the years?

A. We opened 12 years ago. We started out selling home furnishings, had a gift area and design studio with two designers at our original location on Valley Creek Road and County Road 19 in Woodbury. We eventually needed more design and showroom space. So after four years, we moved about three miles to our current location. We've also added a lot more, including gift items, such as jewelry and candles.

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Woodbury's Pomegranate returning to roots with furniture sales

Wine bottles as art!?

It's a thing, and it has nothing to do with dripping candles. According to Lori Morris, a Toronto-based interior designer who's helped several clients build luxe wine cellars, there's never been a better time to turn your covetable vino collection into a focal point in your main-floor entertaining space.

"Clients want to house and showcase the bottles in a way that is representative of their collections," she says. "[Cellars were] once reserved for the basement, but clients now want them to be visible and to incorporate them as part of the lounge and dining areas."

Contemplating the idea?

We chatted with Ms. Morris about the trend, and got some of her must-know tips.

How does one build a wine cellar in their home?

The most important thing is to consult with a mechanical engineer to design the cellar. (This will ensure the infrastructure and cellar function properly and that the proper temperature and humidity controls are in place.) Once the infrastructure has been sorted out, I (as the designer) have to guide the client on a location for the cellar within their home. Similarly, we need to design it in a way that relates to the rest of the home's design aesthetic.

When designing a luxury wine cellar, I always want to ensure there are high-end features. For example, I have worked with companies that offer cellar management, where they catalogue and organize the collection, even offering a maturity rating and labelling service.

What are some key things people should keep in mind when building a cellar?

It is important to ensure you build the type of cellar that will accommodate your collection. Making sure you have enough space for the size of the collection, for growth and for various sizes of bottles are all crucial elements. If the room permits, it is also nice to have a surface area to work with.

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Technical elements prevail when designing wine storage

14:11 13 February 2015

Emma Rice

The Hampstead flat Dasha worked on

Archant

A passion for beautiful objects, design and harmony is what Dasha Slavinskaya has built her interior design business on. The Russian born founder of Pret-a-Meubler sees her work as an ever-evolving process which brings together specifically sourced antique items, art and contemporary pieces.

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The company, founded just under a year ago was born out of Dashas passion for creating spaces that catch attention by mixing higher priced items with mainstream pieces.

A former accountant, who realised her true passion after undertaking interior design projects for friends and designing her own home in Chelsea, Dasha decided to set up the business last year and has since worked on design projects in Hampstead, Chelsea, Belgravia and Moscow.

Dashas work on a five-bedroom apartment in Compayne Gardens, Hampstead, alongside her interior designer, Olga Sedova, involved mixing two very different styles.

Continued here:
Interiors: The website that helps you add personal style to your home

Labor takes minority government in Queensland

Labor leader Annastacia Palaszczuk has been commissioned to become Queensland's 39th premier.

Beaches around Ballina on the NSW north coast will remain closed following a fatal shark attack.

Almost 100 children, plus staff, from an inner Sydney childcare centre have been tested for tuberculosis.

A 28-year-old female Taiwanese student has been killed in a motorcycle accident north of Perth.

University students hit by pepper spray while protesting have criticised how police handled the situation.

Indonesia is not wavering from its plans to execute two Australian drug smugglers.

Police and a prayer hall were among possible targets in a foiled alleged terrorist plot in Sydney.

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The first dedicated cancer hospital in NSW has been officially opened by the Prime Minister.

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