CasaSugar

Guess Who Lived Here in 1983?

CasaSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:00:44 -0800

A prestigious German fashion designer lived in this apartment in Rome in 1983. Can you tell me who? Hint: He recently purchased new digs in Vermont.

Guess Who Kate Moss Is Modeling?

CasaSugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 07:00:03 -0700

In this photo from a 1996 fashion show, Kate Moss is modeling a multi-colored checkered jacket designed by someone who today is an icon in the interior design world. Can you name the designer?

Guess Who?

CasaSugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:00:50 -0700

According to a recent New York Times article, a top American designer is the condo board president of this building, 173 Perry Street, New York.

Guess Who Designed This Rug?

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:15:47 -0700

A fashion designer best known for her hallmark wrap dress designed this rug. Do you know who it is?

Casa Shops: Taigan

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:41 -0800

As the list of online designer sample sales grows, a new web shop has opened with a slightly different business plan. Taigan is a community of over 30 (and growing) specialty shops, boutiques, and galleries nationwide for members only. The site offers access to small, upscale shops in cities as far and wide as Chattanooga, TN and Aspen, CO, which may not otherwise have an ecommerce site.

Taigan gets its name from a rare hunting dog which is said to have "a discerning eye and keen sense of awareness," an analogy for the company, which hunt for all things little-known and beautiful around the country. Purveyor of art, antiques, home décor, fashion, and jewelry you'd be hard-pressed to find elsewhere online, Taigan does seem to have a card up its sleeve. But, after your 14-day trial is complete, membership costs $15 a month or $165 per year. For the average shopper, I'm not sure the cost is justifiable, but it certainly might be worth it for an interior designer.

Color Theory: Mix Pink and Red

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

When you're talking fashion, there are a lot of rules about color. No white after Labor Day. Black and brown clash. A lot of these rules have fallen by the wayside now that people dress a bit more bohemian, but for interior design, they've never really applied. You can be more liberal with the colors in your home. There's no doubt about it that red and pink clash, but if you mix them purposefully, it works!

I love the color pairing of these photos from stylist Olga Naiman. The solid red corner headboard and solid magenta bedspread on the left were very clearly designed to be used together, and it looks chic in a bold way. On the right, patterned and textured pinks and reds were mixed in a very playful manner. Since it's a low, lounge-y space, there's no need for those formal rules to apply. You'll see in both images that neutral colors were used on the walls and furniture; this tames the palette a bit. Mixing these colors also gives them a new association. On their own, pink is girly, while red is seductive. Together, they are lighthearted and fun. Try this at home!

Home Library: Downtown Chic

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:00:47 -0700

No academic course will teach you how to give a derelict house a gut renovation and turn it into a fantastically unique, high-style home. That skill comes with experience and serious design savvy, something which Robert and Cortney Novogratz accidentally learned they had.

After renovating their first home in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood 10 years ago, which then was a neglected, not-so-fashionable area, they realized they had a knack for building and decorating, together. Since then, they've renovated and designed numerous buildings in and around NYC, including an entire block in SoHo and a house in the country, and founded their own design powerhouse, Sixx Design. As a memoir of sorts chronicling seven of the couple's projects, the Novogratz clan - did I mention they have seven children? - published Downtown Chic: Designing Your Dream Home, From Wreck to Ravishing. Hear my thoughts on the volume when you read more.

The first seven chapters of the book each cover a house the Novogratz couple have renovated, including lots of before and after shots. The duo offer advice learned from each experience, such as how to handle contractors, tips for buying a wreck, how to make your house renter-friendly, and how to mix high- and low-cost furnishings.

While the book jacket says each project proves "time and again you can bring charm to any four walls - and do so affordably," it actually just left me with a sense of envy, and with the reminder that the word "affordable" is all relative. The pair do have a knack for flea marketing and using vintage artifacts and architectural treasures in a unique way, but having the time to do so is a luxury in itself.

The book is full of tips like taming bold colors with neutral furnishings and mixing modern pieces with regional furnishings that in theory are helpful and affordable. But in reality it's the Cappellini coffee table, the luxuriously upholstered bed frame, and the couple's extensive collection of artwork that make me want to "get the Downtown Chic look."

This book is definitely a treat to read. It offers a sneak peek into one family's wonderful life as well as lots of inspiration, but in all likelihood, it won't solve the everyman's design woes. But then again, I guess you can hire Sixx to do that for you.

Nice and New: Barbara Hulanicki Flock For Graham & Brown

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:00:54 -0700

Legendary fashion designer Barbara Hulanicki, who founded the iconic London boutique Biba in the '60s, is taking her signature art-nouveau style to the walls. She has created Graham & Brown's Flocked Collection, including five exclusive flocked wallpaper designs - Skulls, Ophelia, Shoes, Baroque, and Antoinette. Flocked wallpaper has a history over three centuries long. But like Hulanicki, it did have a heyday in the '60s and '70s, so it's a very fitting collection.

The papers go for $125 for a double roll, which is pretty reasonable for such luxurious material. Baroque, with a Victorian-inspired geometric pattern, and Ophelia, with a sophisticated floral pattern, are the most tame of the designs. Meanwhile, Skulls, Shoes, and Antoinette have more playful, eccentric imagery. Maybe it's just because Halloween is near, but I'm really drawn to Skulls. It has a mischevious quality that's almost shocking, because you don't recognize the pattern right away; I'd love to use it in a small dark corner of my home.

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Vivienne Westwood Debuts Wallpaper Collection For Cole & Son

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:00:29 -0700

Brit fashion designer Vivienne Westwood's apparel may be too punky to wear for some, but her new collection of wallpaper for Cole & Son has just enough whimsy for every house. From her iconic Squiggle print of Fall/Winter 1981-92 to her more recent Cutout Lace of Spring/Summer '07, all of her wallpapers are based on signature designs from her fashion collections.

"It is good when my ideas get carried over into other artistic media," she says. She's right about that. Her Squiggle print has always been a favorite, so I'd love to dress my walls with it. See the designs when you read more.

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Coveted Crib: Abbijane Schifrin's Technicolor Townhouse

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:00:33 -0700

The Gramercy Park townhouse of the late fashion designer Abbijane Schifrin is on the market for $8.75 million, and it's truly a dream. The five-story 1855 building sits on a delightful, tree-lined street and looks quite prim from the exterior, with a pair of 21 Club-esque jockeys and a cast-iron gate. But inside the house is dressed with glitzy gilt walls, bright turquoise and pink paint, and Mediterranean-style arts and crafts tilework - a drastic deviation from what passersby see. Dramatic art-deco furniture, animal-print upholstery make the zany space a treat to tour. The style is not for everyone but definitely fun! See more photos when you read more.

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