CasaSugar

How Would You . . .

CasaSugar — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 08:30:13 -0700

This adorable Jeu de Quilles (Bowling) Set ($575), designed to look like toy soldiers, is from 1940s France. With only nine pins left, it's probably a bit difficult to play a genuine bowling game. So, I'd like you to think outside of the alley and tell me how you'd use the set in your home as décor or a furnishing. If you're handy or know a good carpenter, you could certainly transform them into a playful and interesting furniture piece, by perhaps using the pins as legs for a table or arms for a shelf. Or, you might even hang them from the ceiling as a chandelier. I'd love to use them as small fence posts, or pedestals for outdoor candles. Tell me how you'd use them in your home by commenting below!

Love It or Hate It? Water Bowl Set

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:00:14 -0700

Design Milk is loving this Water Bowl Set ($350), designed by Michael Benzer, John P. Gilvey, Wendy Gilvey, and Jennifer Smith. But while the frosted-glass serving pieces have an elegant look, I don't think I'd want them in my home. What's your take?

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:00:08 -0800

Get inspired by these table settings. - AT:Chicago
Find out about a super-easy backsplash installation. - Charles and Hudson
Get lost in Maura McEvoy's photos. - Desire to Inspire
Start compiling some gift inspiration. - PoppyTalk
How about some bowling lane furniture? - Re-Nest
Keep calm, and carry on (through the holidays). - Simply Stated
Get the scoop on mums. - ShelterPop

Do You Store Your Books on Chairs?

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:00:23 -0700

It's a trade secret for interior designers to set coffee table books on side chairs, creating an instant, elegant little vignette. You'll often see a small bowl or objet d'art set on top of the books as well. Although this is mostly a decorative trick, it's also a good place to store your coffee table books, instead of allowing them to hog your cocktail space. I personally like to switch my coffee table books out every now and then, to keep my guests interested with new material. Do you store your books on chairs?
Source

Etsy Find: Recycled Album Jacket Coasters

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:00:03 -0700

If you're decorating a masculine bedroom or a hipster dude haven, or if you just want to show off your taste for rock 'n roll, add a set of Recycled Album Jacket Coasters and a Vinyl LP Bowl ($29) to your home.

Etsy seller Inoudid's Attic is repurposing her husband's vintage vinyl record album collection into these one-of-a-kind coaster and bowl sets (side note: my husband would never forgive me if I started deconstructing his vinyl collection). Each set has nine coasters, made by laminating the album jacket to a piece of Baltic birch plywood. They're then protected with a clear, moisture-resistant finish, and have felt pads underneath to protect your tabletops. Are these your style?

DIY: Rockin' Vinyl Record Bowl

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:57:00 -0700

I love crafts made from recycled records, like this blue-vinyl wall clock and ring-binder journal. It's a great way to re-purpose damaged or dorky vinyl, and the items have a lot retro charm. One of my favorite projects is this Rockin' Vinyl Record Bowl, which is a ridiculously easy DIY endeavor you can complete in less than half an hour. Here's how to make one.

1. Choose a record that you (obviously) don't mind destroying; I found this Kingston Trio vinyl at a thrift store. Choose one with a cool-looking label, since that will be the bottom of your bowl. Then, locate an oven-safe bowl that's about the same size as the bowl you want to make.

For the next steps, read more

2. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Turn the bowl upside down on a cookie sheet, and balance the record horizontally on the base of the bowl. When the oven is hot, place the cookie sheet, the bowl, and the record inside and set your timer for 8 to 10 minutes.

3. After 8 to 10 minutes, the vinyl will have conformed to the bowl; just use a potholder to check that the vinyl is soft enough to shape. The vinyl cools quickly, so you'll be able to work with it within seconds, but don't forget that the bowl and cookie sheet are hot!

4. Holding onto the oven-safe bowl with a potholder, peel the record off the bowl and place it inside, so that the sides of the bowl hug the record. Now, you can shape the edges however you'd like; more precise folding will give you finer scalloped edges like on my bowl. If the vinyl gets too cool to mold, just stick it back in the oven for a few minutes.

5. Your record bowl is ready to use! These work well as fruit bowls, catch-all trays, and containers for potted plants, or you can hang yours on the wall as art.

If you end up doing this DIY project, please do share the results!

Good, Better, Best: Chic Backgammon Sets

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:00:49 -0800

Even if you haven't a clue how to play backgammon, these chic boards will put you on top of your design game. Laid out on a coffee table, backgammon sets are like the leisure-time equivalent of a pretty art book or an elegant bowl. Here are three to suit your budget, whatever it may be.

The Ballard Designs Backgammon Set ($70) looks like it could have been designed by Kate Spade. It's perfect for whiling away the days at a Summer retreat, or just making your living room feel like one.

For the even better backgammon boards, read more.

I can't get enough of the Barneys Handmade Psychedelic Lacquered Wood Backgammon ($795). Something about combination of hoity-toity and hippie-dippy puts me perfectly in the mood to roll some dice.

This luxurious Ralph Lauren Dawson Backgammon Set ($1,299) could easily be a set piece in a Gossip Girl Upper East Side living room. It's masculine and just a tad sinister.

Su Casa: Erin84's Sweet and Simple Christmas Decorations

CasaSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 05:30:00 -0800

Su Casa member Erin84 responded to my Su Casa Challenge and posted some gorgeous pictures of her sweet and simple Christmas decorations. She got festive without going overboard by creating a dining table centerpiece with a few silver balls and a single poinsettia flower in a vase, which she then set inside a glamorous bowl.
Have you posted holiday decorating photos to Su Casa? In case you forgot, this month I'd like you to share photos of your own holiday decorating with the rest of us in the Su Casa Group. You have all month to get your photos in, and feel free to add a caption, talking about how you achieved your festive look, where your accents are from, or what your holiday traditions are when it comes to decking the halls!
Two lucky participants will win the CasaSugar swag of their choice, so it's definitely worth taking a snapshot or two of your home! I'm looking forward to seeing all of your inspired decor!

View 7 Photos ›

Get the Look: It Takes Two

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:00:03 -0700

I may have been mystified by the synchronized swimmers during the 2008 Olympics, but they're not the only proof of value in symmetry. By using symmetry as a starting-off point for decorating your interiors, you can create a strong visual theme that looks polished, but not necessarily stiff.

To get this look, you should start by centering your sofa on one wall, preferably in front of a window. Then, pair a set of bookcases and a set of chairs on either side. In front of your sofa, set a trio of modular side tables and an area rug beneath them. Set a pair of matching throw pillows on the sofa. You've now created your room's architectural focal point, so it's time to offset that with some accents. To learn how to choose your color palette, offset the symmetry, and see products that'll help get the look, read more.

Stick with no more than four colors. Here, the palette includes chartreuse, gray, black, and white. Note that there are no patterns: add interest instead with texture.

Try a set of white faceted vases filled with tall flowers or greenery to make a bold statement. Then, fill in the space with a mix of decorative accents, such as vases, trays, and bowls, that share the same color palette. Below are some accents and furniture that I've rounded up to help you get this look.

The Furniture:

Lillberg Rocking Chair - $149.00	Leksvik Bookcase - $179.00
Sloane Leaning Desk/Bookcase Set - $377.95	Parsons Cube Side Table - $169.00
Shelton Side Table - $299.00	Knihult Sofa - $349.00
PB Square Slipcovered Sleeper Sofa - $1,749.00

The Accents:

Source

Casa Quickie: Rearrange For Holiday Parties

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:00:38 -0800

This weekend, my husband and I are throwing our annual Christmas party, which means that about 70 people will be in and out of our house. Since the party focuses on a flaming bowl of punch and lots of yummy food, we decided to rearrange the dining room and living room for the party for best traffic flow. Our dining room is about half the size of our living room, so it made sense to move the table into the larger room.

Here's how we had the table set up last year. It's in its normal spot in the dining room, but as you can see, there's not much room to move. There was definite traffic congestion!

To see how I switched it around for this year's party, read more.

This year, I moved most of our living room furniture into the dining room. There's so much more room for the table in the living room, and I have high hopes for eliminating the congestion we experienced at last year's party!

Have you ever rearranged rooms like this for a party?

Tempo Velvet Chartreuse Pillow - $36.95	Tetra Rug - $299.00
Pure Ceramic Vases, Woodland Whites - $29.00	Baldwin Table Lamp - $149.00
Bamboo Thermal Roman Shade - $60.00	Bussolari - brac lacquered tray by bussolari of italy - $150.00
Denby "White" Serving Bowl - $67.00	Lucy Vase - $5.95
Jonathan Adler Tamarind Vase- White - $198.00	Eklo - Green Vase - $24.99