CasaSugar

Steal of the Day: Lucite Fold-Away Chair

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:00:44 -0800

You know that anything Lucite catches my eye, so it should come as no surprise that I'm digging this Gracious Home Lucite Fold-Away Chair ($54.99, reduced from $129.99). It's ideal for those of you living in a small space, such as a studio, as it folds away for easy storage, and when it's in use, its visual footprint is light as well. For those of you who entertain often, it's always smart to have some stylish folding chairs stashed away somewhere. At nearly 60 percent off, this is a deal not to be missed.

Inspired: Ghostly Fog

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:00:43 -0800

A recent photo of the London Eye Ferris wheel enveloped in morning mist inspired me to look into some home items that evoked a similar ghostly feel. While the Ferris Wheel Linoleum Block Print ($20) is a literal interpretation of this image, I've also rounded up quite a few home items that take a broader interpretation of its ghost-like feel.

To see my foggy, ghostly home picks, read more.

I decided to choose items that either obscured or blended into a room. Of course, this naturally led me to one of my favorites: acrylic. I also chose some moody, gray and white items that seemed evocative of the photograph. Check out the widget for all of my favorites.

Source

Casa Shops: Spectrum West

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:30:59 -0800

I just got an email introducing me to a shop called Spectrum West that sells "post modern acrylic furniture and accessories for the modern home decor enthusiast." As you know, I'm an enthusiast of both acrylic furniture and modern décor, so it sounded right up my alley. Spectrum West is a new venture by Spectrum Limited, a company that's been manufacturing high quality acrylic furniture for 25 years. The vast collection includes acrylic dining tables, console tables, coffee tables, chairs, as well as acrylic accessories and pedestals.
To find out more about this company and its furniture, read more.

You'll find many familiar faces in the collection, as certain designs are clearly inspired by classics like the Arne Jacobsen Series 7 Chair (the world's most copied chair), as well as more contemporary pieces like the Essey Illusions Side Table. Though "knock-offs" tend to get a bad rap, it's refreshing to see an iconic design newly envisioned in a transparent material, or a cheerful neon. Spectrum West has plenty of original designs as well, which are worth a gander. The prices are a bit overwhelming though; a set of three basic nesting tables, which you can get at CB2 $199, costs $1,325. I also noticed that in the Spectrum Limited Gallery, their acrylic coffee table (shown above) made its way into the home of Libertine clothing designers Johnson Hartig and Cindy Greene, which was featured in Domino.

View 9 Photos ›

Source

Crave Worthy: Acrylic Lounge Chair

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:00:55 -0700

Much like the Philippe Starck Louis Ghost Chair, the Aaron R. Thomas Acrylic Lounge Chair ($1,480) takes a modern twist on a design classic by re-envisioning it in acrylic. In this case, the classic is the Molded Plywood Lounge Chair, designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1946. Maybe classic-gone-acrylic's been done before by Starck, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't go to great lengths to seat this Acrylic Lounge Chair in my living room. And it doesn't mean Thomas doesn't have original designs: he does. A browse through his shop and you'll be tapping into your savings account and hitting up your rich relatives for spending money. Get it quick before it makes its way to the window display of every Design Within Reach store in the country.

Less or More: Acrylic Tables

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:33:12 -0800

For the next round of this game, look at each of the acrylic tables in figure A and B and guess which one is more expensive. In each case, one of the tables was designed by one of our Designer Spotlights, and the other is a (very good) knock-off.

Take the quiz

Nice and New: Aaron Thomas Acrylic Christmas Tree

CasaSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:34:27 -0800

Aaron R. Thomas's Acrylic Christmas Trees are back this year due to popular demand. It's the most retro holiday "tree" I've seen yet, but it's certainly not as festive as the Unica Home Bottle Brush Tree. It looks great decked with monochrome silver ornaments, but I don't think it really stands on its own. So be prepared for some quality tree-trimming time. The tree is available in both 3' ($500) and 6' ($850) and each is limited edition, signed, and numbered for the 2007 season.
Source

Less or More Game: Graphic Pattern Acrylic Table

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:30:13 -0700

After coming across a game by Amanda-La, I was inspired to create "Less or More." Look at each of the graphic-patterned acrylic tables below and guess which one is more expensive.

Take the quiz

Home Library: Majestic Metropolitan Living

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:10 -0800

Just a week after the fold of Metropolitan Home, I've got my hands on another city-centric design volume: Sue Hostetler's new book Majestic Metropolitan Living: Visionary Homes in the Heart of Cities. The shelter and design editor for magazines like Gotham, Hamptons, and LA Confidential, and the host of Plum Homes With Sue Hostetler on Plum TV (which "targets the most active, influential, and educated audience in the world"), Hostetler has tapped her cronies for tours of their unique and luxe urban dwellings.

The American dream of retiring to the pool and tennis courts in your countryside home is squashed by this book, which showcases a range of sprawling, real-life city homes. Each has an original sense of style, a warmth that defies traditional conceptions of "cold urban modernism," spectacular views, and in several cases, an outdoor space complete with a pool or lush garden. Many of the homes were created, not surprisingly, by converting former warehouses or other nonresidential buildings, or combining apartments.

Continue reading . . .

Happy 103rd Birthday Eva Zeisel!

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:39:30 -0800

World-renowned Hungarian industrial designer Eva Zeisel turns 103 today! Though she is best known for her work with ceramics, Eva, a featured Designer Spotlight here on Casa, has designed everything from acrylic candelabras to wooden and glass coffee tables, and is considered by many to be the matriarch of industrial design.

In fact, New York magazine named Zeisel in its list of nine living Design Revolutionaries back in '07. Better yet, her work is in the permanent collections of museums like the Met, the V&A, and the MoMA, and she received the National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York in 2005. Honored with the award at 99 years old, she could have brought closure to her successful career, but she impressively continues to design new works of art today. And while the curves and sensuous shapes of her recent designs are certainly sought after, her earlier pieces remain relevant and stylish, a mark of a truly influential designer. Take a look at some of Eva's work below.

View 10 Photos ›

Source and Source

Before and After: Boring China Cabinet to Fabulous Bookcase

Casa Community — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Su Casa member LittleLeo recently transformed a dated china cabinet into a fabulous bookcase:
We inherited this piece from a friend who was getting a new dining room set. My husband couldn't understand why I wanted the cabinet and not the dining table too. I explained I had a vision for my home office. I sanded it all down and painted it matte black, wallpapered the back, and had acrylic shelves made. It has set the tone for the room and now the "office" doesn't take away from the living room. It actually adds an extra layer of function to the room, at least I think so.
To see LittleLeo's finished project, .

Have you made over any furniture lately? Be sure to add photos to our Su Casa group!

Acacia Curtain Panel - $99.00	Antique Carved Mirror - $11,995.00
K Studio - Neighborhood Pillow - $98.00	Erich Ginder Ghost Antler Coat Rack In White - $230.00
Graham and Brown Hemingway Design Wallpaper - Matchsticks Circles pattern - $40.00	Kartell louis ghost - $410.00
Innermost Lighthouse Shade - $132.00	HZL - Grey Skies X Rug - $1,100.00
Facets Cloud Quilt by Nicole Miller - $79.99	LYX Kristall Chandelier - $1,395.00
NEW! Art Select "Foggy Forest, Lookout State Park, Oregon" Framed Art Print by Unknown Artist - $175.00	Innermost Ghost Candelabra - $65.00