CasaSugar

Wedding Planner: The Things We Do For Love

CasaSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:00:25 -0700

When I moved in with my fiancé, I had some artwork and furniture that he simply refused to have moved into our house, citing them as either too colorful or girly. And on his end, there was some furniture that was too dull and bachelor pad-esque for my tastes. So, to appease each other, we had to get rid of those items. Ah, the things we do for love. Take this Craigslist ad, for example. Here we have a bride-to-be who's in the same situation, and is forced to choose between her future husband and her taffeta lady wingback chair:

This Craigslist seller writes:

The time has come for me and my glorious purple taffeta chair to part ways. I'm moving in with my husband-to-be, and we agreed there's not room for all three of us. As much as I love this chair, I love him more. So, I hope there is someone out there that will appreciate this beauty. It's been lightly used, and is in good condition. No tears, or stains, although the fabric has a few snags. The frame is solid, the cushion is spry. It looks and sits like a fresh, young chair, and is a beautiful purple with a happy sheen. Sorry if the pictures are a little blurry, I may have been sobbing gently when I took them.

Anyone else out there have stories about furniture or artwork you had to give up when you moved in with your partner or husband? Anything you made your significant other get rid of? Tell me in the comments below.

Room Therapy: A Successful Cohabitation?

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 06:00:45 -0800

Dear Casa (and Casa Readers),

My boyfriend of two years and I have been talking about moving in with each other. However, I'm the homeowner, and he would be moving into my space. We've talked about how this would work, treating it as "our" space. But he is still worried about feeling like it would be more my space. I've suggested moving my items out of one room, so he can have a space completely his own, and that we can incorporate his other items into the rest of the house.

Any suggestions on how to make this transition more welcoming to someone moving into a space?

Thanks much,
HelloKittyMini

To see my suggestion for HelloKittyMini, and to leave a suggestion for her, just read more.

Dear HelloKittyMini,

I know that DearSugar is answering the more relationship-oriented part of this query, so I'll stick to the interior design portion.

First of all, it's always more difficult to move into a partner's house than for both parties to move into a new house together. I just went through the same experience when I moved into my fiancé's house, which he owns. As this sounds like you're in a serious relationship, it could very well be possible that the house will belong to both of you in the future, in a legal sense. But for now, to make both you and your boyfriend feel good about the situation, you should definitely integrate your boyfriend's ideas, furniture, and sentimental belongings into your home-décor scheme.

One thing that really helped my move in was to switch the rooms around, which helped to make the house feel "new" to both of us. My fiancé and I moved the bedroom and the office around, repainted, and also rearranged the dining room, kitchen, and living room. Projects like this will help your boyfriend feel as if he's invested in his living situation, and not just a tenant living under your roof.

Depending on the size of your house, giving your boyfriend a room of his own may be overly accommodating. Instead, try to make a workspace that both of you can use, but at different times. This way you'll each have a "getaway" if you need it.

One thing that you should definitely be open to is potentially minimizing the girliness of your pad, now that your man will be living there. You're going to have to introduce a more masculine aesthetic into the house. This may mean getting rid of floral bedding (it certainly did for me) or investing in artwork that has bold, primary colors and more man-friendly subject matter (note: cute cartoon creatures rarely cut it).

I know that a lot of other Casa readers who've shacked up also have some great advice for HelloMiniKitty, so leave your comment below!

Thanks,
Casa
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Roundup: Gender-Neutral Nightstands

CasaSugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:00:07 -0700

Since we're on the topic of gender-neutral bedrooms, I decided to hunt down some nightstands for the nonpartisan rooms to help you get the look. Whether you're trying to fashion a successful cohabitation or you're just decorating a guest room or spare room, these tables are for you. The thing to remember is that your choice doesn't have to be bland to be neutral; you can still have color, ornamentation, shape, shine, and interesting materials without creating an overly feminine or masculine room. To see what I'm getting at, read more.

Belmar Black Nightstand - $249.99	Portman Pedestal Night Table Espresso - $715.00
Autoban by De La Espada Pumpkin - $2,695.00	Vitra - nesting tables by josef albers by vitra - $2,060.00
Manchester Bedside Table - $799.00	Martha Stewart with Bernhardt Bali Coast Nightstand - $1,339.00
Calvin Klein City Nightstand - $750.00	Hemnes Nightstand - $59.99
De La Espada ring table - $2,395.00	Iannone Design - Wood Stripe 3 Drawer Nightstand - $1,900.00
Kartell componibili - $117.00	Hive Side Table - $89.95
Brighton Pavillion Magazine Table - $350.00	Red Shika Cabinet - $199.99
Abaca Ottoman - $119.00	Lacquer Bunching Table - $695.00
Michael Aram - $590.00	Seagrass Accent Table - $229.00
Sasha Side Table - $399.00	Recycled Aluminum Accent Table - $299.00
Tangier Table - $1,395.00	Knoll platner side table - $662.00
Blu Dot - Barbarella Side Table - $349.00

Steal of the Day: Riveted Metal Lamp

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:00:35 -0800

I'm so strongly drawn to feminine accessories that sometimes I forget that men need furnishings, too! And, having a gender-neutral room when you're living with your man can be key to a successful cohabitation. That's where this Wisteria Riveted Metal Lamp ($115, reduced from $289) comes in. Its faux bolts and metal casters certainly give it bachelor flair, but its aged patina gives it a French Industrial Age look that could add architectural interest to a common living room, an office, etc. I think it was also a smart choice to pair the simple, white empire shade with the striking base. It's riveting, isn't it?

Su Casa: Whittle03's New Apartment

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:30:34 -0800

Su Casa member Whittle03 and her boyfriend just moved to a new apartment near downtown Boston, and although her interior design work is not complete, things are looking great! A successful cohabitation is always a difficult balance when it comes to design, but Whittle03 sounds like she has it under control. She says, "Love is all about compromise. I hate leather, but my boyfriend loves it. So, I tried to find something more streamlined." Clearly, in this living room she's balanced a leather sofa, chair, and storage ottoman with other textiles on her cushions, throw, and silk lamps shades. I think her living room manages not to look overly feminine or masculine. And, although it certainly looks like a cozy lounging spot, it is also quite polished and neat. To see more of her home, read more.

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Steal of the Day: Chiasso Glam Table Lamp

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:00:35 -0700

My man wouldn't allow the Chiasso Glam Table Lamp ($88, reduced from $198) within 100 yards of our home, so I'm hoping one of you can take it home instead. Cohabitation sometimes requires sacrificing the super-femme furnishings that I love, but knowing that I can decorate vicariously through you makes it all OK. This sparkling, disco-chic mirror has a playful shine that makes me glad I wound up with a pair of X chromosomes. It's not understated in any way, shape, or form, but I think we all need a little extravagance in our lives. And it helps when we can get that extravagance on sale! I know this lamp is not everyone's style, but you know how I love anything covered in mirrors . . .

Midday Muse: Robot Love

CasaSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:00:44 -0700

I'm loving how the display of these toy robots under bell jars takes them from geek to chic! This is a great idea for bachelors who want to give their homes a more mature look, but aren't ready to part with their toys. Or, you're working on finding a successful cohabitation design balance, you can compromise by letting him keep his Star Wars memorabilia collection under a glass cloche alongside something girlie of yours. You can pretty much turn anything into a work of art if you display it in the right fashion, such as these bread bag tags and nicely packaged New York City trash. Don't you think?
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Crave Worthy: Cotswold Chair

CasaSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:30:48 -0700

You were understandably enthusiastic about the aptly named Lady Chair. However, I have a hard time imagining those of you who cohabitate with a manly man getting even the smallest, riveted corner of the Lady Chair in your door. If that's the case, then I present you with a testosterone-friendly option: the Cotswald Chair ($1,998) from Anthropologie. With a wide seat, leather whose coloring is described as "bourbon," (it doesn't get much more manly than bourbon), and a mahogany finish, this is a chair that even the most furniture-apathetic man can get enthusiastic about.

Steal of the Day: Martha Stewart Faux Bois Towels

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:00:34 -0700

If you've yet to cash in on the faux bois trend, now's the time. A bona fide bargain shopper, I couldn't bring myself to pay full price for Martha Stewart's Faux Bois collection for Macy's, but now that some items are nearly 40 percent off, I'll gladly pony up. I'm loving the Martha Stewart Collection Faux Bois Towels ($5.99-$13.99), in particular. The soft color choices complement the rustic quality of the woodgrain pattern well — perfect for cohabitation design. The faux bois pattern is also quite realistic, which is nice; trust me, I've seen plenty of second-rate interpretations. What do you think? Need some fresh new towels for Spring?

Casa Capsule: The Week That Was

CasaSugar — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 10:19:00 -0800

The Garner-Afflecks bought a house, but they're still shopping!
I offered design tips on successfully cohabitating with your man.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened to serve as a library for endangered plant species.
Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch foreclosed. Boohoo.
Katherine Heigl, you can't hide your chandelier secrets from me!
Please Anthropologie, stop tempting me with your low prices.
I'm not just PMSing; teardrops are the latest trend.
Ikea wants to build you a house.

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