CasaSugar

Love It or Hate It? Flatscreen and Bookshelf

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:00:12 -0700

I can see the logic in mounting a flatscreen next to a book shelf, especially, if you're storing media as well. However, I tend to think of books as special objects that should be housed away from tech items. What's your take?

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Cool Idea: Retractable Footboard Flatscreen

CasaSugar — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:30:16 -0800

Esquire magazine recently unveiled this year's Esquire house, a modern Los Angeles man-sion designed as the ultimate gentleman's pad. Though some of the features are a tad over-the-top (like the lime-green-lit tequila bar), there is plenty here to covet.

I especially love this idea from the bedroom: the bed's wooden footboard conceals a flatscreen TV (fig. 3 in the photo), which stays tucked away until you're ready to watch it. I'm always looking for clever ways to keep my electronics out of sight, so what could be better than a retractable television with its own pocket?

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Former Fixer-Upper of DJ AM Is For Sale

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:30 -0800

The former Beverly Hills home of the late DJ AM has been listed for $3.8 million. The 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath midcentury home is private and gated with both canyon and city views. It boasts "rich mahogany floors, custom built-in theater, Crestron system, and flat-screen TVs throughout, two-sided fireplace, office, large kitchen with stainless steel appliances and carrerra marble countertops," according to the listing.

AM purchased the property for $1.9 million in the Spring of 2007, and made some wonderful changes to it before his death. I love how he landscaped the pool with grass and slate tiles to complement its prismatic shape and chime in on its modern aesthetic. When he bought the property there were also some awful Ionic columns out front, which were completely amiss with the midcentury architecture, and it looks like he replaced them with something simple or just covered them up with shrubbery. He also added one and one-half bathrooms. He modernized the two-sided fireplace in the living room and had a custom built-in theater built above it. And I suspect he installed a television which rises from the foot of bed. It's unfortunate that he wasn't able to see the profits of his terrific renovations.

To look at photos from before and after he renovated, read more.

Before:

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After:

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Do You Hide Your Television?

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:00:10 -0700

While some people display their flatscreens proudly, others opt to hide the television behind a cabinet or panel. How's the television situation in your home?

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Cool Idea: An Easel as TV Stand

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Since I don't watch much TV, updating my hefty idiot box to an ultra slim HD flatscreen is not very high on my list of priorities. But if I did own the latest and greatest in television technology, I would love to use an artist's easel as a stand, like this one featured in House Beautiful. Tech gadgets are always difficult to coordinate with décor, but that's especially true when your design scheme is earthy and traditional. The wood construction of the easel makes for a near seamless integration. And better yet, it allows you to change the height and angle of your TV - something that few standard media centers can do. Would you try this in your home?

Coveted Crib: Danny Seo's Green and Chic Home

CasaSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:00:13 -0700

Green design guru Danny Seo's cool home is featured in the April issue of Philadelphia magazine, in the article "Seo Cool." The newly renovated Bucks County, PA, home is full of eco. Make sure to read the whole article to read more about his home, and to also check out his recommendations for area dining, shopping, and antique stores.

I've checked in with Danny Seo's home updates before (including this cool idea for mounting a flatscreen television), but it's great to get more peeks into his beautiful, green home. I admire Danny's talent at mixing antiqued furniture, DIY projects, and more modern elements into his home. The entire effect is one of a relaxed and casual elegance, and I'd just bet that Danny's a great host for out-of-town guests.

For additional photos of his home, read more.

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How-To: Take Advantage of a Corner Space

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:45:59 -0700

Currently, this is my favorite spot in my house. However, before I moved this chair into the corner, our giant television, which sat on an equally imposing Tansu chest, took up this entire area, and basically obscured the window. These tall, thin windows, which flank either side of our fireplace, are a lovely architectural feature, and I was, frankly, horrified that they'd been covered up by a television.

However, my husband was adamant that the television belonged in the living room. That is, he was adamant on this point until he came home one evening to find that the television had magically moved to the study. And guess what? Now he's adamant that the study is the best home for the television. While I don't advocate secret rearrangements, I do feel that if you're convinced of the advantages of your vision for the space, sometimes it's worth a mini battle (especially if you're certain of the outcome, as I was). With that in mind, I wanted to outline some ideas for taking advantage of a room's corner space. To see some of my thoughts, read more.

Decide what you want to use the corner space for. Storage? A reading nook? A mini art gallery? After you've decided what purpose the space will serve, make a list of what items will help the corner to reach its decorating potential.
According to feng shui, the Chinese art of arranging objects, furniture, and homes to create the best flow of energy, corners are said to create "secret arrows," which can cause anxiousness. Whether or not you believe in feng shui, corners can be rather harsh points in a room, and it's best to soften them. One easy way to do so is with plants, which I've done in my reading corner.
When using plants, use plant stands to create varying heights for the foliage.
If you're interested in using your corner to display objects, such as a dish collection, small art objects, or photos, invest in a corner shelf unit. I'm definitely a fan of the Harmony Media Unit, which provides media storage as well as a place for either displaying mementos or placing your flatscreen.
Another option is to use this area for seating. The Mellow Corner Sectional from CB2 is a great, affordable option.
Further soften your corner with textiles. My modern-looking armchair looked too staid and stuffy, in my opinion. By draping a vintage patchwork quilt over the back, it encourages residents to curl up with a good book, and tuck their legs under the colorful quilt.
Give it some light. If you're displaying art, or using this corner for a reading nook, make sure that you have a lamp to cast some light on the subject.

This Just In: Ryan Phillippe Buys a Zen Palace

CasaSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:30:14 -0700

Ryan Phillippe has purchased a 5-bedroom, 7-bath home in LA’s Hollywood Hills for $7.175 million, according to Big Time. Built in 1998 by producer Sylvio Tabet, the home, appropriately named "Rising Zen" is a mixture of Asian and modern architecture, but has an overwhelming Zen presence to it. According to listing information, it features "a large separate private master suite, a Koi pond, maple floors, a step-down bar with an aquarium backdrop, a dining room with Shoji screen doors, two flat-screen TVs, a gym, an office, a media room, three additional bedroom suites, and city and ocean views," as well as a "60-foot eco-friendly pool, an outdoor shower, a fire pit, a bar, [and] a gazebo." I would never have pegged Ryan for a Zen guy, and maybe he's not. But I think once wiped of its innumerable Asian furnishings, the house's unusual architecture and city and ocean views make it a coveted crib, filled with light and a remarkable feeling of openness. Check out the photos and tell me what you think!

There are dozens more where these came from, so read more.

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Love It or Hate It? Luxury Bath With Flatscreen

CasaSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:00:27 -0700

The Cosmo Bathtub (about $4,580 US) comes equipped with massage jets and a 17-inch flatscreen television. I, for one, don't associate television watching with relaxing baths, but maybe I'm just a Luddite. Would you soak in this high-tech tub?

This Just In: A Marky Mark on the Market

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:30:59 -0700

Mark Wahlberg has put his five-bedroom, 10.5-bathroom, 15,000-square-foot Beverly Hills manse on the market for a whopping $15.9 million, according to Real Estalker. The listing for the property reads:

Privacy, unbelievable outdoor areas and gorgeous views. 15,000 SF of dramatic spaces, including an amazing 2 story private guest house, basketball court, 2500 SF gym with boxing rink and trainer's quarter, lavish waterfall pool w/ grotto, cabanas wired for sound and flatscreens. Newly constructed motor-court, Screening room/Theatre appointed w/ high ceilings, 35mm digital projection technology, 2 luxurious living rooms, bedroom suites all opening to lush gardens and resort like settings.

Wahlberg purchased the property in November 2001 for $4.95 million, and since then has dropped a lot of dollars on renovations. There doesn't seem to anything particularly exceptional about the property; it's your typical outlandish celebrity property with all of the unnecessary conveniences, few unique architectural elements, and not a stitch of personal style. I must say, I think a television screen that takes up nearly the entire wall (and isn't concealed) is beyond tacky. But then again, Wahlberg needs that sort of thing when he's watching final cuts with his entourage. To see lots of additional photos, read more.

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