CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Add Pink With Flowers

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:19 -0800

If you live with someone who has a total aversion to the color pink, you can still add it to your house in small doses. The easiest way? By using flowers, of course! Try pink sweetheart roses, carnations, snapdragons, or cyclomen to get that gorgeous, feminine hue in your casa, without upsetting any anti-pink people you may live with.

Source: Flickr User shimelle

Casa Quickie: Warm Up Your Kitchen With Red Appliances

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:18 -0800

Not ready to take the plunge and invest in an all red kitchen? Then create a big impact with minimal color investment by using a red stove or refrigerator in your kitchen. You can paint the rest of the kitchen with more neutral colors, or, as in this Amsterdam kitchen, you can choose gorgeous natural wooden cabinets.

Wondering where you can find red appliances? Check out Big Chill for gorgeous appliances in red, orange, blue, and a number of other colors.

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Casa Quickie: Mix Warm and Cool Colors

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:30:24 -0800

Since complementary colors offer a very strong contrast, using them together is a great way to assert your decorating personality in a bold and confident manner. For instance, this cool turquoise color, used throughout most of this room, is offset by one splash of red, shown in this loveseat. While the loveseat is only one element, it actually dominates the room. This is because when warm colors (such as red or yellow) are used with cool colors (such as gray or blue), they tend to draw the greater emphasis.

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Casa Quickie: Cleaning Soot

CasaSugar — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:30:20 -0800

If your fireplace's brick surface is marred by a thick layer of soot, here's one nontoxic way to deal with it. Just mix up an ounce of soap with an ounce of table salt. Mix with enough water to make a cream and then rub it onto the brick's surface with a cloth. After 15 minutes, scrub with a stiff brush. It requires some elbow grease, but it will help cut the soot!

Source: Flickr User Ted Percival

Casa Quickie: Mix Your Own Paint

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:00:41 -0800

If you're an enthusiastic home renovator, chances are you have several cans of paint that are nearly empty sitting in your garage or storage space. You could donate them to a recycling center, but why not try using them for your next DIY project? As long as you have some flexibility in your color scheme, you can indulge your inner creative and mix. Start with the lightest color, and gradually add other shades until you have the shade you want.

I actually did this when painting a living room in an old rental house, and my friends were shocked when they found out that the color had been an experiment! Sometimes, the results are just that good.

Have you tried this technique at your house?

Casa Quickie: Expand Your Space With Cool Colors

CasaSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:05 -0800

Did you know that cool colors, such as green, blue, and purple, can actually make a small space appear bigger? That's because these cool colors appear to recede from the viewer. For that reason, when painting a small bedroom or office, consider using a cool color.

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Casa Quickie: Reverse Your Ceiling Fan's Direction

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:27 -0800

If you live in the northern hemisphere and haven't yet switched the direction of your ceiling fan's blades, now's the time to do so. You want to make sure that the blades' direction is switched from moving in a counterclockwise direction to a clockwise direction.

To do so, just flip the switch at the base so that the blades rotate clockwise (that's when you're looking up at it from below). By switching your fan's rotation seasonally, you can save 10-15 percent on your heating bill and as much as 40 percent on your cooling bill in the Summer. Plus, it will help to make Winter feel a little bit cozier.

Source: Flickr User Maricel Cruz

Casa Quickie: Shut 'em Down

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:30:31 -0700

If you have a guest bedroom or storage space that you rarely use, keep that room off your Winter heating radar. Do so by closing the heating vents in the room, and closing the door. Use a draft blocker on the door to prevent the room's cold air from seeping into other rooms of your house.

Another good idea? Close closet doors in any room this Winter, since there's no need to heat closet space!

Casa Quickie: Locate Leaks With a Candle

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:30:17 -0700

If you live in an old house, chances are that you might have some drafts coming in through window and door frames. To find out for sure, light a candle, and hold it along the frames (just don't get too close to any curtains). If the candle flame flickers or smokes, there's a leak. To fix, use caulking or weather stripping in that area.

Have you tried this technique before to locate leaks?

Casa Quickie: Shaving Cream in Unexpected Places

CasaSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:30:28 -0700

Fed up with a foggy bathroom mirror? Then add some shaving cream. As odd as it sounds, using some cheap, white foaming shaving cream can keep your bathroom mirror from fogging while you shower.

For best results, use your hand or a soft cloth to rub a light layer of shaving cream onto your mirror. With a dry towel, wipe off any excess cream. Don't use water to do this, as it will cut down on the cream's efficacy. With some luck, this will help keep your mirror fog-free for at least a week.