CasaSugar

How-To: House Backyard Chickens in Style

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:00:24 -0700

My friend Beth, who I've known since high school, recently started a blog to update her friends and family on her latest domestic adventure - raising backyard chickens. Since Beth never does anything halfway, she and her husband Craig built a chicken coop that is super cute and matches their 1922 Craftsman home.

She writes, "I paid my way through college 10 years ago raising and killing chickens and also had laying hens. I wanted to get another batch of layers, but was resigned because a) we have a teeny tiny backyard; and b) my husband isn't much of a farmer."

However, all was not lost. Beth notes, "This spring, I convinced the man who drank a case of Diet Mountain Dew each week when we met (he has thankfully kicked the habit since) to build raised beds and start an organic garden. I gave up on the idea of having chickens, but he took up the cause and was convinced we could fit a small coop next to the garden."

To find out more about Beth and Craig's chicken-raising adventure, and to see how well their chicken coop matches their home, read more.

"We bought our chicks on July 9th and went on Seattle Tilth's coop tour the following weekend," reports Beth. "Craig took lots of photos and took all the best ideas from the coops we saw for his own design. Some materials were recycled: he salvaged the window and built the window box out of scraps we had from this and other projects. The coop is painted to match our house, white trim and all. Craig thinks the finished product took about 100 hours to build. It's a little over the top, but that's my husband. (By the way, not only has he stopped drinking Mountain Dew, but he's off all high fructose corn syrup and is quite the label reader. Weird. Now he's all about organic veggies and can't wait for the hens to start laying.)"

I have total chicken coop envy now, and I'm also envious of Beth's hubby's building skills. What a great coop! You can keep up with Beth and Craig's chicken adventures on Beth's blog. In the meantime, check out the gallery to see images of the decoupaged interior of the coop, as well as the coop's perfect match to their Craftsman.

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Garden Therapy: Little Farm in the Big City

CasaSugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:00:06 -0700

Imagine the possibility of creating a low-maintenance, beautiful, and productive farm in the middle of a city. Such is the reality for homeowner Jennifer Carlson, a Seattle resident who turned her backyard into something extraordinary. For photos of her smart landscaping and gardening ideas, as well as some adorable animals, check out the slideshow. For even more information, head over to This Old House to see blueprints and more photos. Any city dwellers who wonder how they can turn their small patch of yard into something productive will delight in Carlson's home. Source

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Casa Quickie: Chicken Wire For Open Shelving

CasaSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:15:00 -0700

Vintage china cabinets may be beautiful, but their glass doors are too precious for some homes. So if you have an all-wooden armoire or glass china cabinet, you can replace the wooden or glass door façades with chicken coop wire to bring an inherited piece of furniture into the 21st century. Chicken wire offers the visual lightness of glass, but it's less formal - ideal for those of you with eclectic or shabby chic homes. And yes, you could just remove the doors, but this effect is more unique. I love how the collection of beautiful dishes looks stacked in this cabinet. Why hide them?
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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:30:50 -0700

Take in some Scandinavian Summer interiors. - The Style Files
Whip up some cocktails in this tiki room! - AT:LA
Check out three readers' great gardens. - Sunset
Get ready for an auction of style. - PointClickHome
This chicken coop was made from Ikea parts. - Homegrown Evolution
Learn how to choose and care for succulents. - This Old House

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:00:10 -0700

This exotic home is full of stunning details.- Desire to Inspire
Learn to vacuum pack the DIY way.- AT:NY
Here's how to hang planters upside down.- Craftzine
Hear how the Marshmallow sofa was born.- UnBeige
Moving? Check out these 6 tips for home staging.- Simply Stated
I heart these modern chicken coops.- Poppytalk
Get some tips on clearing your yard of mosquitoes.- Charles & Hudson
I'm loving these gorgeous eBay finds.- More Ways to Waste Time

Coveted Crib: Country Comfort in the City

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:00:26 -0800

While this sprawling, comfy home seems like a mellow country abode, it's actually located in South London. That doesn't mean that it's without rural amenities such as chicken coop and garden, though. While the exterior is certainly fun and funky, the interior continues the country vibe with a lived-in arts and crafts style and fun vintage furniture finds. Take the complete tour when you check out the slideshow.
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Steal of the Day: The Company Store Honeycomb Rug

CasaSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:00:13 -0800

I may be biased because I grew up with a beekeeper father who wore a full-body bee suit and churned out bear-shaped jars of honey, but I'm sweet on the hexagonal pattern of honeycomb. If you had chicken-coop wire window and picked up this Company Store Honeycomb Rug ($58.99 - $256.99), I might just have to sting you out of jealousy. I'd caution against purchasing the 8-x-10 size though, the bold pattern and colors might overpower your room, giving you a buzzing headache.