CasaSugar

12 Works of Art Made From Books

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

You needn't spend top dollar on oil paints and horsehair brushes to prove your artistic skill. These days, plenty of artists are creating magnificent works of art from things as simple as books and X-acto knives. Some of you may think that books are sacrilegious, and that they should remain as they were printed, from cover to cover. But don't forget that books are printed en masse - and these days, available for download - and one-of-a-kind artwork made from books can be much, much more than the sum of their parts. Let me show you!

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Roundup: Cozy Gifts For Grandparents

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:30:29 -0800

My grandparents are big bookworms, and I have so many special memories of reading with them while we snuggled up on a sofa together.

They're still avid readers, and while I can't always be there to share a book with them, I know that they appreciate a new book in the holiday season. I try to always pick out something special for them, and a book and a blanket is a perfect combination. See some of my favorite finds below.

Home Library: Downtown Chic

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:00:47 -0700

No academic course will teach you how to give a derelict house a gut renovation and turn it into a fantastically unique, high-style home. That skill comes with experience and serious design savvy, something which Robert and Cortney Novogratz accidentally learned they had.

After renovating their first home in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood 10 years ago, which then was a neglected, not-so-fashionable area, they realized they had a knack for building and decorating, together. Since then, they've renovated and designed numerous buildings in and around NYC, including an entire block in SoHo and a house in the country, and founded their own design powerhouse, Sixx Design. As a memoir of sorts chronicling seven of the couple's projects, the Novogratz clan - did I mention they have seven children? - published Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home, From Wreck to Ravishing. Hear my thoughts on the volume when you read more.

The first seven chapters of the book each cover a house the Novogratz couple have renovated, including lots of before and after shots. The duo offer advice learned from each experience, such as how to handle contractors, tips for buying a wreck, how to make your house renter-friendly, and how to mix high- and low-cost furnishings.

While the book jacket says each project proves "time and again you can bring charm to any four walls - and do so affordably," it actually just left me with a sense of envy, and with the reminder that the word "affordable" is all relative. The pair do have a knack for flea marketing and using vintage artifacts and architectural treasures in a unique way, but having the time to do so is a luxury in itself.

The book is full of tips like taming bold colors with neutral furnishings and mixing modern pieces with regional furnishings that in theory are helpful and affordable. But in reality it's the Cappellini coffee table, the luxuriously upholstered bed frame, and the couple's extensive collection of artwork that make me want to "get the Downtown Chic look."

This book is definitely a treat to read. It offers a sneak peek into one family's wonderful life as well as lots of inspiration, but in all likelihood, it won't solve the everyman's design woes. But then again, I guess you can hire Sixx to do that for you.

Home Library: A Girl's Guide to Decorating

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:00:07 -0700

When I think of interior designer and stylist Abigail Ahern, who also owns one of London's leading interiors stores, there are a few things that come to mind. One is the Neo Baroque Chandelier in her collection - one of the most breathtaking and showstopping pieces I have ever come across. And the other is her perfected and signature use of Farrow & Ball's "Downpipe" paint from floor to ceiling - which inspired my own gray(-ish) kitchen. And last, her playful use of both scale and vibrant colors, evident in both her own home (which you can tour here) and her sister's, which was featured in the New York Times. What this all adds up to is that the girl's got serious design skills.

So it's no surprise that Ahern's new book, A Girl's Guide to Decorating, is filled with plenty of inspiring and helpful design advice, not to mention gorgeous photos. Want to hear about it? Then read more.

The book covers a few of the fundamentals of decorating, including planning, color, light, texture, and accents, what she calls "glamorous personal touches."

When it comes to planning, some of her tips may feel irrelevant if you're not doing any renovating, but overall her advice will apply to renters and homeowners alike, with words on arranging multi-use rooms and using different types of mirrors to your advantage.

Throughout the book, Ahern offers tried-and-true how-to advice on things like putting up shelves, hanging mirrors, and making over your kitchen cabinets - task that are never as easy they seem. This might be my favorite element of the book.

As for those glamorous touches, she advocates using eccentric and rare finds and mixing-and-matching to give your home that X-factor. She offers various routes for arranging display items on a shelf, as well as artwork and pictures. And to finish it off, she recommends switching out door handles and drawer knobs.

Since we might not all be sold on "Down Pipe," Ahern considers the effects of colors warm and cool on your mood, and attempts to conquer the query of good vs. bad color combinations. Color, as you know, is a personal, subjective choice, but Ahern manages to handle it analytically. With so many swatch options out there, this is a relief. Beyond that, she gets down to the bottom of paint finishes and their effects, which can be illuminating for some of us.

She continues this combination of technical, practical advice mixed with her own design tips through her chapters on light and texture. And all the while, she pulls easy and universally affordable style advice from the photographs of dozens of beautiful, unique rooms - including the home of former Domino editor Rita Konig. This terrific tome is equal parts informative and inspiring, and both are bound to help even a "dude" decorator.

Would You Read a Book About Hoarders?

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:08 -0700

The subject of hoarding seems to be enjoying a renaissance. There is, of course, the A&E series Hoarders, and now, novelist E.L. Doctorow's new book Homer & Langley tackles the story of New York's Collyer brothers. The brothers, who died in their apartment in 1947, had packed their apartment with over 100 tons of garbage and objects, including 14 pianos and a Model T. While Doctorow's novel takes liberties with the facts, it always remains respectful of the brothers' story. The book came out on Sept. 1, and you can read an excerpt here.

Do You Stack Your Books Horizontally?

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:00:00 -0700

There are so many ways to organize your books: by genre, author, or even by color, to name just a few. But do you stack yours horizontally? Photo by Laura Resen

Cool Idea: Books by the Foot

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:00:26 -0700

I am on a never-ending quest to expand my home library, and fortunately my home is small enough that I'm not plagued with any bare bookcases giving guests the illusion that I'm illiterate. But, if I did live in a sprawling space with lots of storage, why not fill those built-ins with books? Enter Wonder Book, which sells books by the foot. Prices for "like new" hardback books begin at $6.99 per foot. Depending on what look you're trying to achieve, or what you're interested in, you can choose from modern cloth hardbacks, vintage club books, oversized coffee-table books, vintage kids books, sets, books by subject, books by color, and more. I love the look of the Vintage Club Books ($49.99). I would prefer a collection of books I've bought one by one myself, so that they're not only decorative functional, and so the collection tells a story. But you never know, maybe you'll find a gem around foot 2.

Love It or Hate It? Books and Bathtub

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:00:33 -0700

While this corner looks absolutely sumptuous, the bookworm in me really worries about the humidity level in this nook. I'd hate to have those antique book pages curl thanks to too many bubble baths.

Source: Photo by Andreas Trauttmansdorff

Love It or Hate It? Lectus Pile of Books

CasaSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:15:20 -0700

Lectus Pile of Books ($811), a side table by Swedish designer Josefin Hellström-Olsson, offers storage in each of its stacked books. It's a little "out there" but I can see it making a statement in a modern home. What do you think?

Casa Verde: An Upcycled Headboard

CasaSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:00:02 -0700

Craftster member Jessyratfink recently posted pictures of this awesome book headboard project. She's no stranger to upcycling old books into home furnishings. In fact, we featured her DIY instructions for a book-legged table here.

Jessy explains, "I work at a used bookstore, and so I was able to save a lot of old books and wanted to reuse them. I've previously done a table with book legs and a bookshelf out of old encyclopedias. I wanted something a little prettier this time. [The headboard] is made out of book covers, Elmer's Glue-All, a plywood backing, and some polyurethane to seal it. It was really simple as you just glue them down in layers!"

Want to see more photos, and find out how to make it yourself? Then read more.

Get the complete instructions over on Instructables.

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Source

Chronicle Books Creature - $60.00	Bexley Plum Throw - $49.95
Books - from our house to your house - $16.95	Logan Throw - $59.95
Birds: The Art Of Ornithology - $19.95	Cable Throw - $49.95
20th Century Art - $24.95	Wallter Strip throw blanket - $250.00
Secrets of Longevity Book - $14.95	Cable Braid Throw Blanket - $39.99
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life - $26.95	Cable-Knit Throw - $79.00