CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Paint Your Home Library

CasaSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 06:15:00 -0700

If you don't read and you don't want other people to know it, you can fool your guests by painting a faux bookcase on your wall. New York interior designer Amie Weitzman had a trompe-l'œil bookcase put in this sitting room of the New York residence of one of her clients. As you can see, the homeowner appears to have a mighty colorful and extensive book collection that makes a powerful focal point. But if you look closely you'll realize it's not what it seems. Literacy is overrated anyway, isn't it?

Cool Idea: Floating Bookshelves Framed

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:00:10 -0700

Invisible Floating Shelves ($13.95) have become a popular purchase among modern design enthusiasts for the minimalism they offer. While I do like how the shelf itself is concealed, sometimes having the visual weight of wood is an easy way to create a focal point. So I like how Su Casa member SoCalSugar used an old frame that she picked up at the Rose Bowl flea market to give her books some body. It gives her shelving instant intrigue, and addresses the age old question, "What is art?"

Have you joined my Su Casa group yet? Show off your home updates, big or small, like SoCalSugar did!

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

Where Do You Keep Your Books?

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:00:38 -0700

I love displaying books in a spot where everyone can peruse them. Right now, they're on shelves in the study, but I also love keeping them in the living room. Where are the majority of your books kept?

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Love It or Hate It? Flatscreen and Bookshelf

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:00:12 -0700

I can see the logic in mounting a flatscreen next to a book shelf, especially, if you're storing media as well. However, I tend to think of books as special objects that should be housed away from tech items. What's your take?

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Is Your Bookshelf Color Coordinated?

CasaSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:30 -0800

Last year, I arranged my bookshelves by color, and I think this small change made a major difference in the study. While I'd be dismayed if my local library tried to arrange books in this manner, I do think that it works for smaller home collections. Doesn't it look stunning in this Scandinavian study?

Source

Steal of the Day: Pottery Barn Rhys Media Tower

CasaSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:00:21 -0700

Unless you're a discriminating minimalist, you probably collect a lot of crap (or good things). Books, DVDs, bowls, frames, souvenirs, knickknacks - it all adds up. And then, we need a place to put our consumerism on display. To ease the buyer's remorse, it helps to have a storage unit that comes at a highly discounted price. That's where the Pottery Barn Rhys Media Tower ($199) comes in. At $500 off, it's a superb steal. It also doesn't hurt that it's classic, with clean lines in basic black. It's also sturdy, made of solid mahogany, and versatile with four shelves, three of which are adjustable.

Before and After: From Awkward Corners to Splendid Shelves

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:00:09 -0700

DIYer Paul Smith spent several weekends constructing shelves for the odd, recessed space on either side of his fireplace. He cut wood to size, drilled, glued, clamped, and painted, and came up with something amazing. Here's what it looked like about halfway through the project.

To see what the shelves looked like afterwards, as well as a gallery of in-the-process photos, read more

Paul writes, "I think the shelves look pretty neat now the front room is painted. We have no idea what to use this room for, it's kind of a spare sitting room."

Pretty neat is an understatement, if you ask me. It looks like a great space for sitting, reading, or socializing. What a lovely change this is!

View 6 Photos ›

Source

Cool Idea: Ünal and Böler Salkim Book Hanger

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:20:06 -0800

The conventional hook form and function of the Ünal & Böler Salkim Book Hanger (price unlisted) toys with the idea of using less material on book storage, making a bookshelf much lighter than the weight of the books themselves. Each Book Hanger hooks onto the others and a slight breeze can make the entire "bookshelf" sway, transforming what would otherwise be seen as heavy books into objects with an air of lightness. This design was awarded the MAK DesignShop Award by MAK Museum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art Vienna and was chosen for the DesignShop inventory during the Blickfang Wien '06 design exhibition. What do you think?

Some Weekend Bookshelf Rearrangements

CasaSugar — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:47:04 -0700

Katedavis sent before-and-after pictures of her bookshelf, which she reorganized after reading my post. She writes, "CasaSugar provided the impetus I needed to get up and do what I had wanted to do for a long time. Thanks!"

Before:

After:

I think the difference is pretty stunning. What about you?