CasaSugar

Madonna Wants to Re-Create Her Former English Manor in NYC

CasaSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:00:03 -0700

Since her split with Guy Ritchie, Madonna has parked herself in an Upper East Side apartment, moving on from their shared historic estate in Wiltshire, UK, the Ashcombe House. But, according to the Mirror, she misses the English countryside so much that she's asked her architects to re-create her country home room by room in her NYC digs. Let me add that the Mirror is not always the most reliable source, so this news bit still has rumor status.Apparently, she's hired people "to go out and troll the Upper East Side boutiques for candelabras, side tables, and period chaises" and even had the wood floors of her new Georgian-style townhouse "ripped up and replaced with terracotta tiles, similar to Ashcombe." There's even talk of bringing chickens into the Manhattan pad to make her kids feel at home - I'm going to go out on a limb and say that might be stretching the truth. Nevertheless, do you understand where she is coming from? Would you do (or have you done) the same thing? Or do you think she's nuts and should decorate like she lives in Gotham City, not the English countryside?

Source

Midday Muse: At Home on the Edge of the World

CasaSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:00:37 -0800

Over Thanksgiving weekend, I spent some time in Joshua Tree, CA, with friends who've built an eco-friendly house there. These friends love their peaceful home and amazing view (which goes on for miles with nary a house in site), but they also miss the comforts of city life. While I sometimes daydream about living in a place as remote as my friends' home, I doubt that I would be able to hack the extremely rural reality of this life for very long. Do you ever long for a home at the edge of the civilized world, or are you a city gal at heart?

Open House: Country Style Décor

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:30:46 -0800

If you watch Samantha Who?, you may have noticed that Regina Newly, Samantha's mother, is all about the country style décor. Blue gingham? Check! (Har har.) Handmade quilt? Check! Roosters? Check! Check! Check! I've never been one for décor themes, regardless of the inspiration behind it. And, I am a little turned off by homes with a country style that are not actually in the country. I think if you live on a farm, or in a rural area at least, it's acceptable. I can't say I'll be getting the look of Mrs. Newly's home in my own, unless maybe we're talking about a set of farmyard place mats. Samantha's pad, on the other hand, I'd willingly move right into. Enough about me, I want to know what you all think of this countryside style. Do you like it? Do you have any pastoral accessories in your home? Do you like theme decorating in general? Tell me by commenting below!
Photo copyright 2008 ABC, Inc.

Coveted Crib: Country Living's 2008 Home of the Year

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:00:25 -0700

Contributing editor Danny Seo isn't the only thing about Country Living magazine that I'm enamored with. Check out the slideshow to see a coveted and classic home from Country Living's senior decorating editor Robin Mayer. I'm in love. Source

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Before and After: A Country Kitchen Lightens Up

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:00:37 -0700

I spotted the makeover of this small kitchen in an 1895 house in Dutchess County, NY, in Country Living and felt really inspired. When your room is plagued with dated features like these knotty pine cabinets, sometimes it's hard to see the potential in a space - even more so when you've got only 180 square feet to work with.

Home owner Jennifer Vreeland saw beyond this dreary space, and chose to remove the cramped, wall-to-wall cabinetry in favor of two open upper storage units and a hanging pot rack. The change immediately opened up the space, making it feel airier and less claustrophobic. Top that with fresh coats of white and baby blue, and the space looked instantly lighter and more spacious. See the after photo and hear about her other changes when you read more.

Vreeland kept the country vibe with a slim antique farmhouse table and iron draftsman stools. She made the smart choice to go with a modern, streamlined sink and an oven in powerful sunny yellow, giving the room a touch of modernity and keeping it fresh. I love it! Do you?Source

In the News: Country Living Forges Ahead

CasaSugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:00:32 -0700

While the shelter magazine category is having a hard time across the board, Country Living seems to be toughing it out best. When O at Home folded, its former editor, Sarah Gray Miller, took charge of Country Living and put its spine tagline of "Come home to comfort" on the cover, shining a spotlight on the relevancy of its crafting and home entertaining focus in this economy.

The magazine also got a boost from a contemporary face-lift, including new fonts, more product information, and the reappearance of the personal essay. As for numbers, its ad sales are only down eight percent, and its single copy sales are up 10 percent from last year. It's interesting to see which magazines stay afloat and which flounder. As we saw with Domino, despite its huge following, in the end, meager ad sales were the cause of its demise. Do you read Country Living?

Coveted Crib: Country Comfort in the City

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:00:26 -0800

While this sprawling, comfy home seems like a mellow country abode, it's actually located in South London. That doesn't mean that it's without rural amenities such as chicken coop and garden, though. While the exterior is certainly fun and funky, the interior continues the country vibe with a lived-in arts and crafts style and fun vintage furniture finds. Take the complete tour when you check out the slideshow.
Source

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Home Library: Japanese Country Style

CasaSugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:15:08 -0800

When Yoshihiro Takishita was only a student, he discovered that a 250-year-old farmhouse - known as a minka - was going to be destroyed because it was in the path of a reservoir that was being constructed. Takishita was so taken with the building that he arranged to have it moved to Kamakura. Just as Takashita's thoughtful passion preserved that home, his book, Japanese Country Style preserves the beauty, dignity, and thoughtful design of 16 homes he also rescued from demolition.

A friend of mine who's a carpenter and timberframer first introduced me to Japanese country homes several years ago, and I have been a huge fan of this building style ever since. Many of the concepts and details Takishita highlights in Japanese Country Style are the same things that made me fall so hard for this style, including common-sense approaches to household tasks, storage needs, and environment. In his book, Takishita also shows how he has renovated the homes, and how these renovations have been adapted to modern living. The huge number of photographs (over 200!), artful illustrations, and use of Japanese wooden furniture, antiques, and other elements make this book a joy to read and explore, and many of the ideas can be adapted to anyone's home - I know I've incorporated several in mine. For all of you architectural and design enthusiasts out there, you can buy this lovely book here.

Source

Steal of the Day: French Country Bed

CasaSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:00:48 -0700

If you want to add some old-fashioned romance to your boudoir, look no further than the French Country Bed (queen on sale for $539, regularly $899). While it may look a little bit like Brocade Home (though of course, Brocade claims that there's nothing country about their French furniture), the price is significantly cheaper. From the Chris Madden For JCPenney Home Collection, this whitewashed bed features woven cane and is constructed from solid wood and molded resin.
I think that the whitewashed, ornate frame would look great when paired with a more streamlined bedroom - maybe some steel gray painted walls and unfussy linens. How would you integrate this bed into your boudoir?

Casa Shops: Taigan

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:41 -0800

As the list of online designer sample sales grows, a new web shop has opened with a slightly different business plan. Taigan is a community of over 30 (and growing) specialty shops, boutiques, and galleries nationwide for members only. The site offers access to small, upscale shops in cities as far and wide as Chattanooga, TN and Aspen, CO, which may not otherwise have an ecommerce site.

Taigan gets its name from a rare hunting dog which is said to have "a discerning eye and keen sense of awareness," an analogy for the company, which hunt for all things little-known and beautiful around the country. Purveyor of art, antiques, home décor, fashion, and jewelry you'd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere online, Taigan does seem to have a card up its sleeve. But, after your 14-day trial is complete, membership costs $15 a month or $165 per year. For the average shopper, I'm not sure the cost is justifiable, but it certainly might be worth it for an interior designer.