CasaSugar

Smith and Hawken Closing Its Doors

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:00:00 -0700

After 30 years in the garden business, Smith and Hawken is closing its doors. The website, catalog, and call center have all shut down, and you can expect sales storewide starting today. Smith and Hawken gift cards will be honored at the stores during the closure process. With over 50 stores across the United States, this is a sad day for employees of the company.

In a prepared statement, Jim Hagedorn, chairman and chief executive officer of ScottsMiracle-Gro, which owns Smith and Hawken, said:

We would have preferred to sell the Smith and Hawken business in order to protect jobs and keep the retail franchise intact. However, after discussions with several potential investors over the past 12 months, it became obvious that shutting down the business was the best option available.

Do you shop at Smith and Hawken? Do you know anyone who works there? Are you sad to see it close its doors?

Designer Profile: Michael S. Smith

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:00:53 -0800

Last week, I told you that Michael S. Smith had been chosen as the Obamas' White House designer. I can't tell you how thrilled I am by their choice. Smith blends modern comfort with a timeless elegance, and I'm excited that a Californian will be decorating the capital residence.
Smith, who divides his time between Los Angeles and New York, honed his designing chops at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles and The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Although just 44 years old, Smith has already received many prestigious awards, including Architectural Digest’s The AD 100 in 2002 and 2004 and 2003 Designer of the Year from Elle Decor. Smith's work has also graced the pages of Elle Decor Magazine, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Town and Country, Domino, Metropolitan Home, Interior Design, and W. Smith's new book, Houses, offers advice on decorating your own home through the example of 20 projects, including Smith's own Bel Air residence.

View 15 Photos ›

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Sale Alert: 20% Off at Smith & Hawken

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:30:19 -0700

Smith & Hawken is currently offering 20 percent off of metal furniture, outdoor pavilions, cedar and teak storage, and garden structures. The perfect deal to get your garden into shipshape for Good to Grow month! Of course, you've got to do a little gardening, too. But, if you win 12 months of flowers that shouldn't break the bank either! Here's a few items I wouldn't mind calling my own:

Newcastle Bench - $170.00	SoHo™ Chaise - $699.00
Whitfield™ Side Table - $599.00	Monaco™ Side Table - $299.00
Fleur-de-Lys® Arch - $419.00	Sienna Round Table, 29" - $349.00

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Artist of the Day: Whitney Smith

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:00:54 -0800

I first saw artist Whitney Smith's pottery in my sister's home. At the time, my sister lived just down the street from Whitney's studio, and had stumbled upon her work at an open studio sale, where she'd purchased a delicate, carved vase. And just last week I fell in love with Whitney's work again when I saw her pottery at the Design Within Reach/Craft magazine event in Berkeley.

Whitney first started throwing clay on a wheel in 1994, and while she pursued other academic interests, she still continued to throw pottery as much as possible. After relocating to the Bay Area she worked as a floral designer in San Francisco while developing her pottery style after work hours. In 2000, she was able to finally realize her dream of working full-time as a potter.

Of her inspiration, she writes,

My design sense is primarily informed by my obsession with flowers and other forms found in nature. I have painted and drawn since I was a small child, and many of my designs are influenced by other painters and 2-D artists. I am also strongly influenced by Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement of the 19th early 20th Century. I like the look and feel of old things and antiques, and my glaze choices have a certain look that reminds people of a different era.

To see a gallery of Whitney's stunning pottery, just read more

Whitney crafts nearly all of her pieces by first throwing them on the potter's wheel and then carving and texturing them by hand. She also paints on her glazes with brushes, which is a timely process that lends a distinctive quality to her pieces. If you're interested in purchasing one of these lovely pieces, you can find her work at her Etsy shop as well as in stores across the country.

View 10 Photos ›

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Get the Look: Bright Modern Living Room

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:00:19 -0700

It's a bold move to choose a large checkered print for your sofa - that's a lot of pattern. But when you keep your palette otherwise simple, with just a couple other principal colors, it works! I absolutely love the daring sofa in this room. And just because the space really has just two colors (brown and white) doesn't mean it's not fun. Textured pieces, such as the shag rug, fur pillows, and driftwood table, are playful but still subdued. The room also has intrigue because of the unusual shapes of the furnishings: the arc floor lamp, the organic coffee table, the jungle-like tree. And then, a few high-style elements like glass vases and a Costume National book polish it off. To get this look, start by picking up the Pal + Smith Madison Sofa.

For more items to complete the look, read more.

Cool Idea: Chair, Stool, and Bookcase in One

CasaSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:00:46 -0700

Perusing the portfolio of interiors photographer Rachael Smith, I did a double-take when I saw this bookcase in a designer's home. A side chair and stool were designed to slide into the form of the bookcase itself. I'm not sure who makes this bookcase, or if it's a one-off creation. But I think it would be ideal for small spaces like studios where storage for spare seating is at a minimum. And yes, the bookcase also cues in on the tetris-inspired bookshelves trend. And that baby blue! Love it.

Cool Idea: An Interactive Trash Bin

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:00:33 -0700

British fashion designer Paul Smith and Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic today unveiled a five-foot "rabbit bin." Whenever a passerby drops rubbish in the bin, the bunny's ears light up. The bunny is part of the Design Museum Super Contemporary Exhibition in Covent Garden. I love the concept of making civic responsibility (such as keeping your city clean) whimsical and fun. Perhaps the streets of my fair city would be a little cleaner if there were rabbit bins here.

Would you want a rabbit bin in your town?

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Q&A With Dream Kitchen Architect Cass Calder

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:00:16 -0700

Earlier today, I told you about Sunset magazine's Dream Kitchen Contest. Now, I want to introduce you to the man behind the Dream Kitchen's designs, San Francisco architect Cass Calder Smith.

Cass Calder Smith's firm, CCS Architecture, has been building and renovating modern spaces for almost 20 years. The San Francisco-based firm concentrates on commercial and residential projects, as well as kitchen design. A native of New York City, Cass has lived in California since 1972. The son of an Academy Award-winning filmmaker and a California landscape painter and designer, his childhood was influenced by both Greenwich Village intellectuals and rural California artisans, and he draws inspiration from history’s great architects and cities as well as the epic filmmakers of the last century. Cass was kind enough to answer some questions about Sunset magazine's Dream Kitchen, as well as kitchen design in general.

To check out the interview, read more.

CasaSugar: How did Sunset come up with the idea for the Dream Kitchen?

Cass: It's an offshoot of their dream house, but more specific. It also has an interactive design process that connects the design to their readers.

CasaSugar: Who owns the dream house?

Cass: DeMattei Construction is building the house as a spec home. It will be sold once the kitchen is completed. Right now, everything in the home is finished except for the kitchen.

CasaSugar: What is the architectural style/features of the San Jose home where the dream kitchen will be installed?

Cass: It's a new house with a Craftsman look and feel. The house is about 3,300 square feet with four bedrooms and four baths.

CasaSugar: What features do you think are essential for a home kitchen?

Cass: Everyday livability. It needs to be a social space for a family to do much more than cooking and eating. The Dream Kitchen is connected and fully open to the family room, so it's very much a large family room with a kitchen in it. Aside from that, the appliances and the cabinet configurations are very important.

CasaSugar: What do you think is extraneous for a home kitchen?

Cass: I don't like overly fancy finishes that are not in sync with the rest of the house.

CasaSugar: What are three things that every home owner should add if the kitchen is being renovated?

Cass: 1) Island for prep; 2) a second sink for clean up with its own dishwasher; 3) sexy/functional appliances.

CasaSugar: What flooring do you prefer for kitchens?

Cass: I like whatever is also being used in the adjacent rooms or areas . . . this tends to be wood, but I also like slab stone if it's honed.

CasaSugar: What do you see as smart new kitchen trends?

Cass: Appliance garages, nice hoods that add rather than detract, walk-in pantries, overall design as social spaces.
CasaSugar: I love the simplicity of the Pt. Reyes kitchen on your website; are you a fan of open shelving, such as the shelving shown in this home’s kitchen?

Cass: Yes I am, because most kitchens have lots of doored cabinets. Open shelving opens a kitchen up, and exposes the home owner's lifestyle, making it more casual.

CasaSugar: What are you hoping to see in the future in terms of kitchens in your work?

Cass: I'd like to see more specific kitchens that are related to each client's dreams and desires. For me, this means live fire cooking.

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Sasha and Malia Go With Pottery Barn, Anthropologie

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:00:05 -0800

While I've introduced you to White House decorator Michael Smith, I didn't have the details on what his designs for the Obama White House would entail. Well, according to US Weekly, the Obamas are taking a pretty common-sense approach to their decorating scheme. In addition to using pieces they've brought to the White House and their collection of African and Asian art, the Obamas will decorate with affordable, reasonably priced retailers, such as Pottery Barn.

According to the magazine article, the family plans to "furnish Malia and Sasha's rooms with items from Anthropologie and Pottery Barn."

The Obamas, who are known for their modern, elegant, yet casual style (which totally fits with decorator Smith's style), should add a great punch of 21st century verve to the capital. I can't wait to see what they do!

To see my Pottery Barn and Anthropologie picks for Sasha and Malia's rooms, read more.

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Decorating Dos and Don'ts For Obama White House

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:00:41 -0800

In the New York Times article "Free the Blue Room," writer and Domino magazine editor Deborah Needleman argues for a more modern aesthetic for the White House. Unfortunately, this is no simple task. Why? Because so many previous generations of White House first ladies have shown little imagination in decorating the capital home, since the initial redecoration in 1962 by Jackie Kennedy.

In order to revive the cringe-worthy decor of the White House, reports Needleman, Jackie Kennedy cleverly framed her dramatic makeover as an historical renovation, and had Congress designate the White House as a museum. Unfortunately, since this time, following first ladies have interpreted the preservationist mandate as something not to be tampered with. Thus, the White House's style has languished under a style that, while under Jackie's eye and stylish guidance, looked lovely, but in subsequent interpretations, has gone slightly sour.

To read more about Needleman's recommendations, and to see a video of Jackie Kennedy giving a tour of the White House, read more.

In the article, Needleman recounts,

As [Jackie Kennedy] understood, the White House, in order to truly be “the people’s house,” should reflect its living character as much as its history. Mrs. Obama’s appointment of Michael Smith, a Los Angeles-based decorator, is a promising start. He is well versed in the art of Gilbert Stuart and the craftsmanship of Duncan Phyfe, but is unlikely to shy from adding, say, modern paintings by Mark Rothko or furniture by Samuel Marx.

Needleman concludes that, "The White House ought to reflect the truth that people live surrounded by many historic periods at once - in our art, music, and literature as well as in the decor of the rooms we inhabit. To revive the spirit of Camelot, the Obamas need to show reverence for the past without living in it."

How would you like to see the White House decorated under the Obama administration? Are you a modernist who hopes decorator Michael Smith injects a sense of 21st-century life into the surroundings? Or do you think it's best to leave well enough alone?

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High-Wire Act Chair, Petal - $248.00	Brooks Upholstered Chaise - $799.00
Telly Ottoman, Linen - $498.00	Adelle Bedside Table - $199.00
Lilac Tall Dresser - $949.00	Quixotic Reverie Rug - $78.00
Lilac Dresser Topper - $249.00	Georgia Shade - $49.00
Tree Chandelier - $299.00	Ardenne Headboard, Polly - $1,298.00
Organic Matelasse Duvet Cover - $159.00	Magnolia Perfume Bottle - $28.00
Orimono Pillow, Vines - $78.00	Velvet Linen Lumbar Pillow - $29.00
Retro Hexagon Clock - $29.00	Victoria Scalloped Mirror - $159.00
Henley Stripe Drape - $59.00	Colored Glass Finial Vases - $49.00
Framed Letterpress Bird Prints, Set of 2 - $229.00	PB Grand Phone - $59.00