CasaSugar

Great Set Design From 2009's Emmy Nominees: Big Love

CasaSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 08:00:26 -0700

While Big Love is nowhere near as hip as Mad Men when it comes to its sets, there's no denying that the careful crafting of the show's look adds depth to the series. Since the show's central thesis is the importance of family (even if it is a rather unusual family), the set design reflects that idea, as well as the personalities of those family members. Let's take a look at the homes of Bill Henrickson and sister wives Barb, Nikki, and Margene.
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Ask Casa: A Color Palette Query

CasaSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:47 -0800

Hi Casa,

I am moving into an apartment soon with roommates and want some help decorating. I get my own room and can style it any way I want but can't decide on the color palette.

I love dark moody lounge type colors (dark grays, reds, purples, etc.) and bright bold colors for furniture, but the room is not that big. I'm scared the dark colors would shrink it even more. Not a big fan of light pastel colors since most of my rooms in the past has been light blues and such but I love different shades of white. I'm aiming for a space where I can dim the lights and put on some music and chill but at the same time can transition into a workspace. Any suggestions? Thanks, Tiffany

To see my suggestions for Tiffany, read more.

Hi Tiffany,

What a great question for Color Theory month! If you remember my post on cool colors, the hues that range from blue-green to blue-violet, including gray, you know that cool colors tend to recede, which has a calm and relaxing effect. Warm colors, the hues from red through yellow, browns and tans included, on the other hand, advance, with a more stimulating effect. So to achieve the effect you're looking for, you should paint your walls in cool colors.

Take note, cool vs. warm is not the same as light vs. dark - it's about the actual hue. That's not to say you can't use dark colors. But if you do, just pick one that's more blue, green, or gray, or a purple that's more violet, instead of a dark red or brown.

Then, you can use lighting to turn your dark and moody bedroom into a stimulating workspace. Obviously your workspace should be bright, whether your set your desk near a window or just have proper overhead lighting. But you can actually purchase tinted bulbs, for instance soft pink, to bring warm colored (stimulating) tones to your workspace.

I like your concept of using bright bold colors on furniture. Whatever dark moody wall color you choose, just choose complementary colors (on the opposite side of the color wheel) for your bold furniture pieces.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Casa

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Desire/Acquire: Midcentury Studio Stool

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:51 -0700

I love the look of the Sundance Catalog's Midcentury Studio Stool ($245). The varnished raw steel has an understated, industrial look that seems as fitting for a bistro or bar counter as a kitchen or home office. At 27 inches tall and 17 inches wide, they're also a great size - big enough but not too hefty. Unfortunately, if you want someone else to sit at your countertop with you, it'll cost you five Benjamins. Ouch. See a more affordable alternative when you read more.

With the same industrial look and practically exact form, the Set of Two Tabouret 24" Metal Counter Stools ($99.95) is a steal! You can get yourself four for less than the price of one of Sundance's stools.

Etsy Finds: Happy Halloween Décor

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:04 -0700

Don't get me wrong, I love a good spooky home at Halloween. But really making your home a frightful sight can be a big chore. You can still be festive for the holiday without introducing any chopped-off fingers or zombie heads into your décor. To prove this, I've rounded up a few Halloween decorations that are for the most part, happy! Take a look.

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Decorating With Comics

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:00:16 -0700

Are you a comic book fan, or is there someone in your life who fits that description? Check out some big and little ways to express your comic book love in your home.

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Roundup: Curvy, White Table Lamps

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:15:05 -0700

Every time I watch Modern Family, I always pay attention to the decor choices used throughout the three families' homes. It's no big surprise that Cameron and Mitchell's home is my favorite, since I featured it the other week.

I really love this curvy, white table lamp that they've placed on the credenza, which you can spot in the right of this photo. The feminine lines and alabaster surface manage to blend in perfectly with the decor, yet also stand out at the same time.

To see where you can get a close match to this lamp, as well as find many more curvy, white table lamps, read more.
This Jonathan Adler Table Lamp in Capri White (on sale for $225) is a close match to Cameron and Mitchell's lamp. I love its lustrous shade and curvy glass base. Unlike the lamp in the show, Adler's lamp has a polished nickel base, which adds contrast.

Check out my other favorite white, curvy table lamps below.

Phoebe Table Lamp - $149.00	Robert Abbey Glass Harriet Table Lamp - $219.00
vibia Jazz Table Lamp Small - $1,950.00	fontanaarte Fontana Table Lamp - $760.00
Alexa Hampton Lucille Table Lamp - $420.00	Sandy Chapman Gourd Bedside Lamp - $315.00
Lighting Enterprises Wide Ribbed White Table Lamp - $375.00	Jonathan Adler Table Lamp, Capri Tall White - $275.00

Nice and New: The Wild Things Invade Urban Outfitters

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:15:12 -0700

These wild things make my heart sing. In anticipation of the upcoming big screen adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are, retailer Urban Outfitters has unleashed a relatively tame new collection inspired by the classic children's book.

Like the Spike Jonze-directed flick, these designs take into account the style of the original illustrations while adding a hip, modern twist. I love how most of them don't scream movie memorabilia but could still be cutely comforting for fans of the book. Check out the line below and let me know what you think.

Found It! Vibrant Orange Bedspread at Seattle's Hotel Max

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:00:26 -0700

Seattle's Hotel Max is a vibrant boutique hotel that provides luxuriously hip accommodations for travelers. Located in downtown Seattle, the hotel features quirky-cool interiors as well as over 350 original paintings and photographs. Since I'm on an orange kick, I also had to give the hotel props for its beautiful bedspreads and pillows.

Want to know where you can find them for your own home? Then read more.

The bedspreads are the Wallter Premium Wave Wool Bedspread ($580). I'm a big wool-blanket fan, and I love this modern update on the fabric. If you're not wild for orange, they're also available in a neutral camel color. While the coordinating pillow doesn't seem to be available, you can buy a close match, the Wallter Tree PIllow ($120-$160) in the same vibrant orange.

Before and After: Peeling Paint Replaced With a Sunny Hue

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:00:50 -0700

Su Casa member and impressive home renovator Ahles and her husband wanted to repaint their home, but the painter's estimate came in at $13,000. She writes, "This was close to our budget for the entire house, so like much of the rest of it, we did it ourselves."

To see the results, read more.

Ahles writes, "The total cost was $1300 in primer, good paint, sanders, and supplies. Shortly after we started sanding the first part of the house (we did a lead test first), both my parents ended up in the hospital, so we didn't touch the house again until August. With the help of three dear friends, the rest of this was done in the past month. It's far from finished yet, but an improvement!"

This is such an incredibly big project, and the results look great! I love the sunny new yellow shade of the house.

Have you joined my Su Casa group yet? Show off your home reno projects, just like Ahles did!

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Trend Alert: Pink and Orange Interiors

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:00:44 -0700

I'm a big pink fan, but I love it when the color is paired with another, unexpected shade. And what better pairing for Fall than orange? Since pink and orange share a uniting red undertone, they blend perfectly, and are a great, modern mix of colors for your home. Check out some big and little ways to add a splash of pink and orange to your home.

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