CasaSugar

Cool Idea: Real Size Roomscape Curtain

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 06:15:07 -0700

When you're living in a studio, or otherwise short on space, sometimes you must resort to trompe-l'œil effects to fool people into thinking your pad is bigger than it is. But, mirrored sliding doors on your closet are simply too '80s to even consider. Dutch artist Bauke Knottnerus knows what I mean. Knottnerus's Real Size Roomscape Curtain gives the illusion of more space, as it's printed with a photograph of a living room. Can't afford a sofa? Not enough space for a bulky TV? You've got one instantly with this curtain! And, like any old drape, it does a fantastic job of concealing your junk. I think this product is just a prototype for now, but I could totally see it in Urban Outfitters, couldn't you? What do you think?

Casa Verde: An Energy-Generating Revolving Door

CasaSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:00:59 -0800

When it comes to sustainable technologies, Royal Boon Edam is truly opening doors. The company has introduced the world's first energy-generating revolving door, which not only saves energy but also generates it with each person who passes through. The door was installed in the Driebergen-Zeist railway station in the Netherlands, which was recently refurbished by RAU, an architect firm specializing in ecological buildings. The energy that commuters apply to the door by pushing it is harnessed by a special generator, which safely controls the rotating speed of the door. Meanwhile, low-energy LED lights in the ceiling slurp up the stored energy to keep the door space constantly illuminated. To hear more about this inventive technology, read more.

What's more, red-to-green LED scales inside the door show how much energy is generated and "Human Powered Energy" stickers are adhered to the door, so that people are aware of their contribution as they pass through the door itself. With a daily capacity of 8,500 commuters, the average day-to-day schlep to work adds up to about 4600 kWh in energy savings per year, much more than a standard door that doesn't save any energy! In addition to that, your plain ol' revolving door makes heating and air conditioning more efficient as it prevents air flow in and out of a building. Though Royal Boon Edam's energy-generating revolving door is currently used in a commercial capacity, I think this is only the beginning, and I hope one day our doors will harness our own energy for homes as well - without making me sweat.
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Before and After: A Dull Bath Blossoms

CasaSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:00:29 -0700

When faced with a dull and drab half bathroom, it's easy to ignore it, since the work to transform the space often seems daunting. However, crafty lady Singalala took her dull and drab bathroom from an eyesore to a standout in one weekend! She writes, "I have been living in my rental house for two and a half years now. I live in the Netherlands and for small, rental houses it is customary to have only one toilet, in the hallway. The shower or bath is usually separate. My toilet is under my staircase and is very, very small. Besides this, my toilet was old, the grout of the floor was loose and it had a big hole where the ventilation pipe was. The lightbulb was attached to the wall with a weird construction. The tap was full of limescale and was missing most of its chrome. The pipe for the water was exposed and painted in a bad shade of beige. The summary: not very pretty."

To see how Singalala turned it around, read more.

Using stencils and a bright shade of paint, Singalala completely transformed this bathroom into something beautiful. She raves, "I love my toilet now! It turned out much better than I imagined, and on a budget. I only paid for the accessories, tap, mural transfers and the metal paint. The rest was free or were leftovers from other projects around the house. And it only took me a weekend! My boyfriend was on holiday and was very pleasantly surprised when he returned."

Read more about this project on Craftster.

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Study Reveals That Men Who Tidy Make the Ladies Happy

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:00:39 -0700

In another case of researching the obvious, an Oxford University study shows that women are more attracted to men if they believe they will help out with household chores and contribute equally with childcare. As a lucky woman whose husband does half the housework (and as a woman who has been in the opposite situation with boyfriends and housemates in the past), all I can say is: duh!

The study, which was reported in the Telegraph, examined heterosexual relationships in 13 countries, questioning 13,500 men and women between the ages of 20 and 45 from each country about gender, housework, and childcare responsibilities. Those sexy Swedes and Norwegians came out on top, with British men following in third place. The article notes:

Australian men – stereotyped for their love of beer, sport, and the great outdoors – came in last, rated as the least attractive in terms of pulling their weight around the house.

For the complete list, from best to worst, read more.

Sweden
Norway
Great Britain
United States
Northern Ireland
Netherlands
Republic of Ireland
Spain
New Zealand
Japan
Germany
Austria
Australia

H&M to Launch Homewares Collection in 2009

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:00:33 -0800

I may just be speaking for myself here, but I think for most of us (despite good intentions), the new year is a time of failed resolutions. Sad, but true. Such is not the case for H&M, which will embark on a new venture in early 2009, making its foray into the arena of interiors with a range of home textiles and accessories. Whether you're looking for a quick bathroom update, a new look in the living room, or a punch of color in the kitchen, online and mail order shoppers in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands can count on H&M's expertise to inject a little fashion into your homes. And, of course, it will all come at an affordable price: cushions will range from $6 to $19, bed sets from $19 to $63, and towels from $11 to $19. Some key pieces in the range will be 35 different pillow cover designs and 15 bed linen sets. True to H&M’s clothing heritage, shoppers will be encouraged to mix and match, and with palettes of neutrals, monochrome, nautical blues and reds, and bright neons, it shouldn't be hard. There will be something for everyone, too: bold decorators might choose a Jackson Pollock-inspired paint splatter-printed cushions, while the back-to-basics person goes for H&M's organic bedding and cushions in clean white and soft beige. To see a bunch of photos of the collection, read more.

It looks fabulous, right? A bit of an Ikea meets Urban Outfitters vibe, with a little more pep! I can't wait until it makes its way to the States. All I can say is, Europeans, shop your hearts out and show H&M that they're onto something!

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Love It or Hate It? Le Clochard Cardboard Quilt

CasaSugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:00:34 -0700

Tired of faux bois? How about faux carboard? This Le Clochard quilt cover (inquire for price), while made of 100 percent soft-combed cotton, looks like it's made from flattened cardboard boxes. There's a method behind the madness, of course: a large portion of sales will go to support SZN, the foundation for homeless young people in the Netherlands.

Cool Idea: Recycled Chiquita Banana Box Chandelier

CasaSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:00:08 -0700

During her time at the Utrecht School of the Arts in the Netherlands, artist Anneke Jakobs salvaged Chiquita Banana boxes and cut out their cheerful banana shapes and iconic logos. She then cleverly arranged them into chandelier form, fastening the cardboard together with cotter pins. Jakobs has made a PDF manual for re-creating her chandelier available on her website, and interested buyers can also email her for pricing. "At the end," she says, "it's everyone's choice to spend their time or their money on something."
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Casa Verde: Designing For Climate Change

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:30:14 -0700

Architect Vincent Callebaut has designed a city that floats on the ocean and can house 50,000 people. Why? Given the projections for rising ocean levels due to melting ice caps, a lot of land, especially coastlines, will be under water in the 21st century. As Callebaut explains,

According to the less alarming forecasts of the GIEC (intergovernmental group on the evolution of the climate), the ocean level should rise from 20 to 90 cm during the 21st century with a status quo by 50 cm (versus 10 cm in the 20th century). The international scientific scene assesses that a temperature elevation of 1°C will lead to a water rising of 1 meter. This increase of 1 m would bring ground losses emerged of approximately 0.05 percent in Uruguay, 1 percent in Egypt, 6 percent in the Netherlands, 17.5 percent in Bangladesh, and up to 80 percent approximately in the atoll Majuro in Oceania (Marshall and Kiribati islands and step by step the Maldives islands).

To combat this loss of livable terrain, Callebaut proposes building his rather brilliant floating cities, called Lilypads. Each Lilypad can support up to 50,000 residents, and relies on a type of design called biomimicry, which uses shapes found in nature (such as the nautilus) and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. In this case, the Lilypad design is inspired by the shape of the water lily. It is half terrestrial and half aquatic, and includes features such as lagoons that purify rainwater. The city relies on renewal technologies such as solar and wind power, and is designed to float on gulf coasts. Even cooler? The city's tiatium dioxide "skin" is designed to process CO₂ in the atmosphere, thus helping to reduce climate change.

While this city is still in the very hypothetical stage, I find it reassuring that there are architects diligently working on ways to deal with these possible issues. It's especially heartening when such a beautiful design is presented.

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Cool Idea: Rooftop Bedrooms

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:00:41 -0700

Since many families choose to build their bedrooms onto a separate wing, or far end, of a home, doesn't it make sense to put them on another level altogether - such as on a rooftop? Built in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, by the firm MVRDV, is this very cool rooftop house extension, which was added onto an existing home. I love the look of these little house bedrooms, which offer privacy to each family member, and appear to be a tiny village growing atop the existing home's roof. I'm also completely in love with the unexpected, brilliant blue color of this addition.

Other features of these rooftop bedrooms include open-air showers, benches, trees, and parapet walls with windows. I find this addition so charming, and though I'm sure some fuddy-duddy neighbors may be complaining, I certainly wouldn't be one of them. In fact, I'd be the first one over with a basket of cookies, asking if I could get a closer look at the addition.

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Coveted Crib: A Converted Chapel

CasaSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:00:00 -0800

I once brought you a cathedral converted to a bookstore which the general public could enjoy, but this Coveted Crib is a chapel converted to a private residence by Dutch architecture firm ZECC Architecten. ZECC, who once made a house with a water tower, are accustomed to working with unusual mediums. The converted chapel in question is located in Utrecht, Netherlands, and a single family now calls it home.

At its height, in the mid-20th century, the structure was part of a large housing complex for the Friars of Utrecht, housing a total of 217 residents. When 13 elderly friars moved to a nursing home, the complex was split up and converted into 40 apartments. According to Freshome:

"The design team chose to keep many of the original features like the high gothic stained glass windows and the original choir organ. To allow more light to enter the space, they cut a Mondrian-inspired glass window into the front of the house facing the street perhaps paying homage to Rietveld’s nearby infamous Schroder House. The entire living area has been whitewashed, while the private spaces above were painted dark."

The result is modern, stylish, sleek and maintains the original spatial qualities and historic and architectural elements that truly make the structure unique. To see the transformation, read more

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