CasaSugar

Open House: What Was Your Most Successful DIY?

CasaSugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:30:31 -0800

For crafters and DIYers, a few failures are par for the course. That's part of the reason why successful DIY projects are such a coup. I've had my share of successes and failures, and I'm currently in the middle of one of my more ambitious projects ever. I find myself fretting over it, since I'm not sure if it's going to completely work out yet, and there are still several steps to complete.

One of my favorite DIY projects was refurbishing a wood and canvas canoe with my father. It was a project that took a long time to complete, but the end result was absolutely amazing. I loved paddling around the lake in the canoe, knowing that we'd made that moment possible thanks to our hard work.

This table, shown above, was also a collaboration between a parent and grown child. You can read more about it here. But before you do, tell me a little about your most successful DIY project. Was it quick and easy? Or did it take lots of love, elbow grease, and patience?

Source: Flickr User Sporkist

Roundup: Context Furniture

CasaSugar — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 05:30:00 -0800

Husband-and-wife team Bryce and Kerry Moore are the masterminds behind Context Furniture. Blending influences and inspiration from modernism and the arts and crafts movements, their pieces, such as this William and Mary Side Chair ($1,098) show these two influences off to their best advantage. I love the contrasting strip of hardwood incorporated into the Baltic birch plywood - it reminds me of a racing stripe.

To see some more pieces from Context, read more.

Context Furniture William & Mary End Table - $636.00	Context Furniture Narrative Up Stool - $610.00
Context Furniture Narrative Arm Chair - $1,224.00	Context Furniture William & Mary Boheme Cafe Chair - $598.00
Context Furniture William & Mary Market Cafe Chair - $598.00	Context Furniture William & Mary Side Chair - $1,098.00
Context Furniture - context 'truss' library desk by scott klinker - $115.00	Context Furniture Narrative Rocker Stool - $570.00

Coveted Crib: A Craftsman Remodel

CasaSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:15:39 -0800

San Francisco Bay Area remodeling firm Harrell Remodeling specializes in renovating homes with a focus on comfort, beauty, and eco-conscious materials. In the case of this two-story home, the firm considered the needs of the environmentally conscious, active family who lived in it, and developed a low-maintenance expansion on the existing home. Using sustainable materials for this whole house remodel, the remodel focused on supplying the family with what they needed for their easygoing, active lifestyle, including additional storage space and easy maintenance.

Additional changes to the home include a luxurious Japanese Ofuro soaking tub and dry sauna, expanded hallways, Craftsman detailing that reflects the home's original look, and a newly designed master bedroom, master bath, and office.

To see more photos of this pretty home, read more.

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Home Library: Plants and Their Application to Ornament

CasaSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:00:01 -0700

Anyone with a little design savvy, flower-philia, or an appreciation for the way that flowers' shapes lend themselves to pattern will covet Plants and Their Application to Ornament. This reprint of Eugène Grasset 's 1897 design book features amazing botanical illustrations of a variety of flowers, from water lilies to lilacs. Each flower illustration is adapted as a pattern for use in such home design applications as rugs, stained glass windows, metalwork, and tile work. While I was smitten with nearly every illustration, I'm particularly partial to the gorgeous use of nasturtiums (seen on the cover), a flower that I often think of it as a pesky weed here in the Bay Area. A celebratory merging of the beauty of botanicals and art nouveau style, this book is sure to be a favored distraction on anyone's coffee table.

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Are You Into Crafts?

CasaSugar — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 05:00:40 -0700

Crafting has gotten to be a very trendy hobby lately, from knitting to making jewelry to reglazing old plates. Are you a crafty type?

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Weekend Links: Events Not to be Missed!

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:00:47 -0700

Check out the Debutante Set opening at Mew Gallery in Philadelphia. Great art by talented ladies.
If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, hop down to the Mission Indie Mart for great craft and art finds.
The London Design Festival will have plenty of eye candy for the home design enthusiast over the weekend.
Austinites can contribute some sweat equity to a worthy cause at Pride Build 2007, with the awesome organization Habitat for Humanity.

On Saturday, Miami residents can check out the sale at Nadeau Imports, a wholesale furniture warehouse that imports exotic pieces from India, Indonesia, and China that will be open to the public on Saturday.
The "Do it Now: Live Green" show continues to wow at the Ben Maltz Gallery at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, and features cool green home products.
If you live in New York, and you loved the Isamu Kenmochi Kashiwado chair we posted about earlier today, then head over to the the Noguchi Museum for an exhibition on Kenmochi and Isamu Noguchi's design collaborations.
The Providence Open Market in, um, Providence has got the art, food, flower, and d-i-y goods for you this Saturday.
DC folks, check out the Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair in Adams Morgan to get your fix of handmade crafts from 100 talented vendors.
Bostonians, don't miss the SoWa Open Market if you're in the market for hand-crafted accessories, original art, antiques, or just a fresh loaf of bread.

Have any tips on upcoming weekend events in your hometown? Then leave a comment below!

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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:06 -0700

Decorate with horse art. - AT:NY
Kitchen designs for the elderly. - Charles and Hudson
Get your shoes organized. - ShelterPop
You have to watch this mural video! - Craft
Tour Wilco's studio loft. - PoppyTalk
I like the look of this composter. - Re-Nest

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:17 -0700

Learn how to make these dressers. - AT:SF
Get rid of ants naturally. - Charles and Hudson
Check out the intricate beauty of this crazy quilt. - Craft
Make these five repairs for under $50. - Re-Nest
And also check out these five easy napkin rings. - ShelterPop
I love this adorable art from Linda Solovic. - Simply Stated

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:42 -0700

Check out Janet Echelman's gorgeous art. - Craft
Tour 40 Winks, a London hotel. - AT:LA
Use the right paintbrush for the job. - Charles and Hudson
I love these curtains! - Making It Lovely
Decorate with burlap. - PoppyTalk
Will farm stays stick? - ShelterPop
Tour Priscilla Woolworth's home. - Danny Seo

Coveted Crib: Abbijane Schifrin's Technicolor Townhouse

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:33 -0700

The Gramercy Park townhouse of the late fashion designer Abbijane Schifrin is on the market for $8.75 million, and it's truly a dream. The five-story 1855 building sits on a delightful, tree-lined street and looks quite prim from the exterior, with a pair of 21 Club-esque jockeys and a cast-iron gate. But inside the house is dressed with glitzy gilt walls, bright turquoise and pink paint, and Mediterranean-style arts and crafts tilework - a drastic deviation from what passersby see. Dramatic art-deco furniture, animal-print upholstery make the zany space a treat to tour. The style is not for everyone but definitely fun! See more photos when you read more.

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