CasaSugar

Weird Furniture: Louis Vuitton Electric Chair

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:00:08 -0700

Artist Peter Gronquist opened a solo show,"The Revolution Will Be Fabulous," at LA's Gallery 1988 this weekend featuring his designer knock-off weaponry. NotCot was there and got a peek of his Louis Vuitton electric chair ($4,500), a "traditional" wooden electric chair printed with company's monogram and made with LV buckles used for wrist and ankle straps. The general consensus seemed to be that the quality of the chair, as well as other pieces like PacMan hand grenades and a peacock-feathered Gucci gun, didn't meet the standards of the brands they tried to emulate. To hear what I think of this artwork, read more.

While I will admit that building an LV electric chair certainly qualifies as thinking out of the box, I don't think knocking off big-name designers (who tend to prostitute their own logos to begin with) is much of a "revolutionary" statement. One of NotCot's commenters wrote, "To think that mass consumer culture can co-opt revolutionary ideals as some sort of a buzzword or the latest fad, is insulting and vulgar. If this is what the revolution looks like, then it is a sad day for the youth of today." Do you agree? Or do you think Gronquist is challenging the consumer-obsessed mentality in a valuable way?

Get the Look: Updated Diner Kitchen

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:14:48 -0700

I like the retro diner vibe in kitchens, but it's easy to overdose on reproduction chrome furniture and 1950s kitsch. So for this Get the Look, I decided to create a modern and sophisticated kitchen with subtle nods toward diner style. Here's how to recreate it.

The palette: Avoid cute overload by steering clear of bright and/or primary colors. Instead, opt for understated white-and-silver appliances, and throw in some darker tones like brown and forest green.

The furniture: Rather than go for a matching table and chairs with typical chrome accents, I decided to pair diner chairs with a modern wooden table that merely takes its design cues from the '50s.

For the rest of what you need, read more

The lighting: Look for hyper-modern and luxurious light fixtures and fans that echo art deco and retro styles.

The accents: Here's where you can let a little bit of kitsch into your kitchen. Scour for vintage clocks, napkin dispensers, metal signs, and the like on eBay and other antiques sites.

The appliances: There are tons of reproduction vintage appliances available nowadays, including countertop electrics, stoves, and fridges. I love these refrigerators from Big Chill.

For all of my picks, click on the photos below.