CasaSugar

10 Not to Be Missed Home Decor Pieces on Sale

Angela Swinderman Elias — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:20:00 PST

Now that your Valentine's Day gifts are settled, it's time to redirect your shopping focus to more self-indulgent purposes. Whether it's a vessel for holding your newly gifted flowers or a set of beautifully patterned sheets, these products will keep you satisfied long after the Valentine's Day festivities have ended. Happy shopping!

11 Not to Be Missed Home Decor Pieces on Sale

Elka Karl — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:40 PST

This weekend, I've found items for every room in your house. From a gorgeous iron bed frame to a voluptuous turned arm sofa plus side tables starting at $50, there's something perfect for your home, at prices of up to half off. Keep clicking to find a new favorite!

Beautiful Block-Printed and Hand-Embroidered Textiles From Allem Studio

Elka Karl — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:46:29 PST

If you're on the hunt for beautiful block-printed and handmade textiles for your home, check out a relative newcomer to the market, Allem Studio. Founded as a design collaboration between friends Mitali Seth and Lovisa Shergill in 2009, Allem Studio creates lovely hand-embroidered and block-printed textiles for the tabletop, bedroom, and living room. Their collection of pillows, bedding, and tabletop items including napkins and place mats features vibrant, colorful designs that reference ethnic-inspired crafts with a modern twist.

Seth and Shergill work out of a studio located in Shrewsbury, MA, and source manufacturing of their products through socially responsible vendors, including SEWA, India, a women's only co-operative.

You can purchase Allem Studio's products through a variety of merchants across the country, as well as online. If you're in New York, make sure to check out Allem Studio at Booth 7962 at the New York International Gift Fair this weekend.

A Heart Design You Can Decorate With All Year Round (And It's on Sale!)

Elka Karl — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 06:00:07 PST

When it comes to Valentine's Day, heart motifs run the gamut from cutesy to over-the-top romantic. Personally, I prefer a more subtle heart pattern when it comes to home decorating. That's why I love this beautiful Hand-Quilted Reversible Queen Quilt (originally $500, on sale for $400) from Harabu House.

The quilt features a raj paisley design on one side, and a raj heart trinity design on the reverse. And while I can't image growing tired of either of these lovely designs, it's nice to know that you can instantly refresh the look of your bedroom by simply flipping your comforter.

The quilt is handmade by Raksha Bella, an eco-friendly company that designs certified organic cotton bedding that is hand block printed using non-toxic, low impact dyes. The bedding is produced by a group of fair trade women workers in India who are recovering from poverty - so not only is this a great looking product, it's a great feeling one as well. I'm a huge fan of organic cotton textiles, since their sale supports organic farming and growing cotton without using harmful chemicals. Whether you have a valentine this season or not, I think it's a great idea to splurge a little on yourself this Valentine's Day and introduce an organic, Fair Trade-certified, gorgeous new look to your bedroom with this quilt.

Trying Out Thomas Lee Sheets

Angela Swinderman Elias — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:00:12 PST

After receiving my first set of Thomas Lee PerfectCale sheets over a month ago, they're the only sheets my mattress has seen since. Tightly woven with 500 threads per square inch of 100 percent Pima cotton, they have the softness of some of the cotton blend linens I've tried, but breathe so much better.

The extra deep corner pockets are ideal for my whopping 18-inch mattress, which can make sheet shopping difficult. By paying attention to the laundering instructions, I've noticed that the sheets are feeling a bit smoother after each cycle and haven't begun to pill, which is always a nuisance. While slipping cozy flannels into the rotation can be nice for extra chilly nights, I have a feeling these will be my go-to, year-round sheets.

Keep reading for a couple of tips on how to choose quality sheets you won't regret splurging on!

Sale Alert: 9 Not-to-Be-Missed Decorating Pieces on Sale

Elka Karl — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 08:00:44 PDT

Waiting for the right sale? This weekend I've rounded up baubles, bedding, and furniture that will help to add new layers to your home. Maybe that perfect something is waiting in this week's sale alert roundup!

Hit the Online Sales This Labor Day Weekend

Elka Karl — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 09:28:20 PDT

In between the barbecuing, relaxing, and family time this weekend, make sure to take some time to hit up the sales. If you want to avoid the crowds, all of these sales are valid online. Let's get shopping!

West Elm is celebrating with an extra 15 percent off its clearance items.
Bloomingdales' home items are marked down 20 to 65 percent.
Save 25 percent on VivaTerra's eco-friendly furniture.
Save up to 60 percent on Napa Style's Summer items.
Save up to 50 percent on Brocade Home's rugs, chandeliers, furniture, and more.
Save big on everything you need to organize with the Container Store's Happy Organized Home sale.
Save up to 50 percent on outdoor furniture and up to 60 percent on clearance items at Pottery Barn's Labor Day sale.
Many other retailers, including CB2, Macy's, and The Shade Store, are offering 10 percent off their products, with some retailers also offering free shipping.

Where are you shopping this weekend? Share your favorite sale in the comments!

Trend Alert: Brushstroke Décor Makes a Major Impression

Elka Karl — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:00:00 PDT

Brushstroke, impressionist dresses have been making a big splash on runways all year long, and this model, seen on the Escada runway this Summer at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, is no exception. But this trend has strayed far beyond the fashion world. It's been popping up in home décor, with painterly palettes adorning everything from bowls to bedding. Which brushstroke décor piece will be your favorite?

Source

5 Hip Resources For Organic Bedding

Julia Walsh — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:30:00 PDT

In celebration of Earth Week, eco-conscious choices are top of mind for all of us lately. Considering that we spent one-third of our time sleeping, it's important to make sure our beds are just as Earth friendly as our hybrid cars and locally sourced dinners. But that needn't come at the expense of style. To that end, I've rounded up five hip resources for organic bedding for you. Happy Earth Week!

SFERRA Celebrates 120 Years! An Interview With CEO Paul Hooker

Julia Walsh — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 04:00:00 PST

Last week, I attended a fantastic cocktail party at the home and office of San Francisco-based designer Ken Fulk (right), hosted by Ronda Carman of All the Best, to celebrate SFERRA's 120th anniversary. The luxury linen brand was founded in 1891 by Gennaro Sferra when he first opened his linens factory in Venice, Italy. In 1977, it was purchased by CEO Paul Hooker (left), then a young 20-something, and has grown to include an extensive collection of fine linens for the bedroom, bathroom, and tabletop and become one of the most respected names in the arena of luxury textiles.

When Gennaro launched the company, his focus was intricate handmade laces and embroideries. As you can imagine, a lot has changed since then, so I was eager to learn more about the progression of the brand and where it's headed next. Luckily, Hooker gladly obliged to do a little interview with me. Read our conversation below!

CasaSugar: You bought SFERRA in the '70s, and it's since become one of the finest linen brands. How has the market for luxury bedding changed since then?

Paul Hooker: When I bought the business in 1977, there was no such thing really as "luxury bedding." SFERRA offered no bedding at all in our collection. We made tablecloths and napkins, mostly handmade lace from Italy. The changes in both have been dramatic. Today, it’s all about luxury bedding, and fewer and fewer people over the years have been having traditional dinners with lace tablecloths, so the change has been dynamic indeed.

CS: What growing trends do you see in the world of luxury linens?

PH: The buying trend today among the affluent consumer is one word: VALUE. She is not overly impressed with labels, to the contrary, she wants to know why she is being asked to pay a premium price for what is being touted to her as "luxury." What makes it so special? What is it made of? Will it last? She will pay for quality, no doubt, and she still aspires to owning luxury products, but today, she needs to be shown the reason for "paying up" for luxury. The importer and the retailer who doesn’t have those answers may not be around long enough to find them.

CS: What are your most successful products?

PH: Our customer loves the color and design, but she generally selects the "basics." She knows that she is spending one third of her entire life in bed, and combining the wonderful experience of a great mattress and luxurious sheets makes it all so wonderful. She wants to be pampered in bed, feeling the very finest cotton in the world next to her, to give her the ultimate sleeping experience. So, when it comes right down to it . . . "Would you like Percale or Sateen, white or ivory?” It’s quite simple what she wants, so we strive to give her several choices of the finest "basics" in the world.

Click to read the rest of our interview!