CasaSugar

Take The CasaSugar Reader Survey!

CasaSugar — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:30:11 -0800

Need a little something to help you through your long holiday weekend? It might not be as exciting as winning one of my contests, but it is important to me! This is your chance to tell me what you like and don't like about CasaSugar, and what you want to see here. Your opinions, comments, and input are what CasaSugar is all about. It'll only take a few minutes of your time, and it would mean the world to me! Take the survey now!

Before and After: An Old Sideboard Gets a Hip Makeover

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:00:23 -0700

Aside from its missing drawer handle, there's nothing really wrong with this old sideboard. It has a rich color and a beautiful glossy finish. But, sad as it may be, this style of wood furniture is not very of-the-moment. Everyone wants to paint, paint, paint these days. And wallpaper. Paint and wallpaper, paint and wallpaper. I think there should be a balance of both. You've got to mix some wood pieces in with your painted, metal, and plastic ones.

Want to see the transformation this sideboard received? Then read more.

I think it looks great! The marine paint really makes the sideboard's ornate shape stand out, and the two papered drawers add a whimsical touch. Lately, the trend is to paint furniture in high-gloss, but I really like the matte finish of this piece. It seems less frivolous and more timeless than glossy pieces. What do you think?

Source

Ask Casa: What to Do About Burgundy

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:14 -0700

Su Casa member Pretty Little Things got this overstuffed burgundy chenille burgundy chair at a garage sale for only $50. She wants to integrate it into her awesome new apartment, but her "theoretical color scheme involves grays, golds, whites, neutrals, dark wood, no burgundy!" And aside from the color, she also finds the chair bulky. So she asks, "Can someone suggest a nice color palette that would match with burgundy (in keeping with the other colors I had in mind, or something like them) or should I just give up and get a slipcover?"

To hear my suggestions for Pretty Little Things, read more.

Hi there-

Good question!

First of all, is the chair in good condition? If not, I wouldn't invest any money in even a slipcover. While $50 seems like a bargain for a chair, with some more garage sale trolling and Craigslist, I think you can find another used chair in good condition that may eliminate the burgundy issue.

Next, do you mind the shape? Personally, that overstuffed look is not my style, but if you like it, keep it. If you don't like the bulky shape and you're just keeping it because it was cheap, I think you should just sell it. Don't bring anything into your home that you don't love, or that you can't alter (to be loved).

That said, I think it's a good decision to get a slipcover for the chair, or have one made. Your theoretical palette sounds beautiful and I would love to see how you put it all together. While the burgundy wouldn't exactly clash, I think it might stand out as more of an eyesore than anything else. And, if we're talking aesthetics, I've never been a fan of burgundy furnishings, either!

I suggest getting a white or off-white slipcover that's NOT fitted - and even wrinkly if you can find one. I'm thinking of the chairs in Stockholm's Hotel J, which I think are cool and relaxed. This look works really well with overstuffed chairs, and will give yours a modern-meets-shabby-chic vibe.

Hope this helps! Let me know what you decide!

Cheers,

Casa

Crave Worthy: Niki Jones Silhouette Chair

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:30:58 -0700

Aside from antiques, it's not often that I see a dining chair that's so outstanding and lustworthy as the Niki Jones Silhouette Chair ($407). The shape has beautiful proportions and such a delicate shape. Its form is based on classic French antiques, but has been updated with a high gloss lacquer. For some reason antique-inspired modern designs, like the Louis Ghost Chair, always get me. The trouble is that if, like most, your dining table requires at least four chairs, your bill will be pricey. But this one can also stand alone and dress up any empty corner.

Get the Look: Serena van der Woodsen's Office

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:17 -0700

In this week's episode of Gossip Girl, "How to Succeed in Bassness," we got a look at Serena's new blue office. Aside from feeling total envy of the 19-year-old character for even having an office, I'm yearning to re-create the room for myself! It's a pretty uncomplicated space with simple, clean-lined furnishings but the cheerful blue paint and oceanic artwork make it really delightful.

Photos courtesy of The CW

View Slideshow ›

Roundup: Chevron's Goin' On

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:00:21 -0700

I spotted this Black Zigzag Lamp ($185) at Emilia Ceramics, a San Francisco-based ceramic import shop, and felt a revived love for chevron patterns. The contemporary lamp is handmade by Mexican pottery studio Talavera Vázquez in the city of Dolores Hidalgo. I've been drooling over Madeline Weinrib's cotton flatweave zigzag rug ever since I saw it, but aside from that, I've never felt much affinity for chevron/zigzag patterns. I thought I'd see what else is out there. So, check out my chevron finds.

Sale Alert: Wisteria Semi-Annual Sale

CasaSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:30:40 -0700

Wisteria's Semi-Annual Sale has kicked off with savings of up to 60 percent on accessories, lighting, and furniture. Aside from fantastic prices, there's a lot to love in the sale, be it little accents like this Suzani Pillow ($57, reduced from $89) or larger, swoonworthy investment pieces like this hand-cut inlaid camel bone Moorish Chest ($1,949, reduced from $2,999). To see my picks from the sale, read more.

Have You Ever Built Your Own Furniture?

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:00:33 -0700

I can do a lot of crafty things, but I am not a builder. So I am super impressed with this coffee table that Chez Larsson's husband and son built. Aside from the fact that it's gorgeous and one of a kind, it's not just a table top and legs: it has shelves and wheels and curves. Do I hear applause?

A dear friend of mine did make me a gorgeous coffee table from Claro Walnut heartwood, and I'm in awe of it every time I plop down on the couch. Have you ever built your own furniture?

Love It or Hate It? OFFI Paket Table

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 07:00:07 -0700

The OFFI Paket Table ($499) is a funky solution for small space living. When you have friends over, simply unfold it to dine, and then fold it back up and set it aside after you bid them adieu.

Get the Look: Julie and Julia

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:00:21 -0700

Aside from a desire to get cookin', Julie and Julia has left me with a reinvigorated appreciation for traditional design. I always ooh and ahh over movies and television showcasing modern design, but it really doesn't get any better than an elegantly set dinner table dressed with a classic candelabra, or a set of truly charming gingham panels. Let's take a look at how we can get the look of Julie and Julia in our own homes - and kitchens.

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

View Slideshow ›

Embossed Bone Flower Mirror - $349.00	Modernist Wooden Side Table - $249.00
Did Someone Say Drama Candleholder - $89.00	Art Deco Venetian Mirror - $329.00
Mercury Glass Bird - Large - $24.00	French Library Shelves Ladder - $279.00
Pom-Pom Accent Pillow - Blue Bolster - $59.00	Bistro Chair Cushions - Set of Four - $69.00
Swedish Secretary - $2,199.00	Moorish Chest - Pink Four Drawer - $2,999.00
Candlestick Floor Lamp - $329.00