CasaSugar

Open House: Where Do You Cut Back?

CasaSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:15:29 -0700

Unless you're a celebrity with money to burn, or just one very successful lay-dee, most of us have to cut back somewhere when it comes to furnishing and renovating our homes. I myself have been known to drop big bucks at high-end design shops and haggle over flea market finds in the same day. And although I'll concede that spending money on my house itself is in most cases a better investment than purchasing furnishings to fill it with, sometimes I just can't restrain myself from bringing home a beautiful lamp or having a chair reupholstered. Some of you may be renters, and it wouldn't make sense to spend on renovations. Or maybe you'll splurge on an antique dining table, but pair it with Ikea chairs. Maybe you spend on your interiors, but haven't given a thought to buying even a plant for your front stoop, let alone hiring a landscaper. Maybe you don't spend any money on your home at all. Tell me where you fit in by commenting below!
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Coveted Crib: Pink Simplicity in Tribeca

CasaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:54 -0800

In this 700-square-foot Tribeca loft designed by Ghislaine Viñas, precision and simplicity rule the roost, along with one particular: pink. The owner, a life-long pink enthusiast, wanted to give her family home some personality with her beloved bright pink and magenta hues. So the focus of the living room is this bright '70s-style corner sectional, and white and light oak give the space lightness and a neutral background to tame the vibrancy of the furnishings. The kitchen boasts a fuschia backsplash and counter stools, which make the industrial concrete countertops and steel elements seem more playful. When you move into the bedrooms, bathrooms, and children's playroom, the color palette changes, with neutral background tones still dominating but blues and greens introduced as focal points. Take the full tour when you read more.

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Furniture and Accessories That Make Us Blush

CasaSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:00:05 -0700

If you're going to put provocative décor in your home - dudes, are you listening? - forget the stripper pole and the cheesy frat boy Kiss poster. When it comes to erotic furnishings, designers and artists around the world have gotten very creative. From crystal penis chandeliers to porcelain vaginal vases, there are plenty of furnishings and accessories for the pervert in you, and if not, at least you'll get a laugh out of these.

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Color Theory: Decorating With Pink

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:00:08 -0800

We've explored cool colors and warm colors, and this week we're featuring a feminine favorite: pink! From pink furnishings to little pink houses, we're going to look at all of the ways that you can decorate with this color. It's more versatile than you might think. Have you decorated with pink in your home? Or are you still waiting to do so?

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Trend Alert: Advanced Etching

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:30:00 -0800

Dating back to the 1500s, etching, using acid or mordant to cut into a material, is certainly a thing of the past. There's actually an old cliché that I love: in an effort to entice a woman home with him, a man will say, "Want to come up and see my etchings?" as an offer to come look at something artistic. But ladies, these days etchings are something worth taking a look at. Designers have abandoned girlish mirror and glass etchings, using new materials like acrylic and plastic, using laser to etch, or even adding color like a tattoo. And these advanced etchings aren't simply decorative. Many, like the Ghost Acrylic Candelabra ($65), make a trompe-l'œil statement. See more modern etchings.

Ask Casa: Help With My New Living Room

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Hi Casa,

I recently rented my first apartment and now I have to furnish and make it my own space. Eeek! I feel like I need some serious help. The apartment is not very big and I'm not allowed to paint the walls so they must remain white. Right now I'm focused on the living area. As of right now I have a couch, chair, and an accent table. I'm need of a coffee table, but I was thinking instead of going the table route, of doing a cocktail ottoman. I found one at Target, the Kerry Rectangle Ottoman, I thought might work well. If you could give me some pointers I would be truly grateful. I've included a picture so you can get some idea of what I'm working with. Thanks, xnieves

To hear my suggestions for xnieves, read more.

Hi xnieves,

Thanks for writing in! How fun? Your first apartment! The space looks great. Your parquet floors are gorgeous, and that fireplace nook is great.

It's too bad you can't paint the walls, but you do have some alternatives. If you're allowed to, hang large-scale artwork to instantly bring color to the space. The wall above that fireplace is just begging for a big, bright painting. You can also hang textiles, tapestries, or curtains to bring in color. Another great trick is to wallpaper boards of plywood and just lean them against your walls - see what I mean here.

While I do like the idea of using an ottoman instead of a coffee table, I'm afraid it will be too hefty for this small space, especially in that dark brown color of the Kerry ottoman. If you really want one, I'd recommend getting two small ottoman cubes instead - something more like this. But honestly, I think the space would really benefit from a coffee table that's much lighter visually, such as a glass or Lucite one. For instance, the CB2 Smart Coffee Table ($199) would look great (and let those parquet floors peek through).

The biggest problem I see already here though is that you're headed in a very beige and brown direction, which is not very inspiring or intriguing. You need color in this space. I recommend adding colorful throw pillows to the couch, and maybe a small one to the chair as well. Since you can't paint the walls, your furnishings should take the lead on adding color and personality. You should also dress up that fireplace nook; read my post on Decorating a Nonworking Fireplace for ideas. Bring in color with accessories, too, such a candlesticks, books, vases, etc.

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
Casa

Found It! Ace Hotel Table

CasaSugar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:42:12 -0800

The Side by Side Suite at the new Ace Hotel in Palm Springs cultivates a moody vibe with its curtained-off, king-sized bed and vintage furniture as well as great tech products, including 42-inch flat screens, MP3 plugs, and vinyl record players.

My eye was drawn to this great vintage coffee table. I'd seen it before. Do you remember it as well? To jog your memory, read more.

It's the Vintage Industrial Peg Leg Cart ($799) from American Furnishings. It was also seen in this Coveted Crib post.

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Would You Buy a Sheepskin Throw?

Casa Community — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:30:28 -0800

Crave Worthy Creations member HannahNicole is throwing activism to the wind in favor of a sheepskin throw:

The animal activist inside me is screaming "No!" - but regardless, I'm absolutely in love with this sheepskin ($449, originally $899). It would be the perfect home accent when I'm cozy by the fireplace, so soft and plush. I know it's wrong, but I can't help it. I'll take one for Christmas, please.

Do you have any fur furnishings at home? Do you have one on your holiday wish list? Be sure to add photos and links to our Crave Worthy Creations group.

Casa Verde: eBay Gets Green With DIYs

CasaSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:13 -0800

eBay, purveyor of thousands of used goods, is pretty green to begin with. But now the online auction house is asking you all to be earth-friendly, too. The eBay Green Team and sustainable style blog Ecofabulous have aligned forces, asking you to turn everyday items into fab must haves for a chance to win a $1,000 "shopping experience" on eBay and a personal consultation from Ecofabulous.

To inspire you, Ecofabulous founder and DIY superstar Zem Joaquin has given new life to a few vintage, used, and discarded furnishings with a little elbow grease and a few eco-friendly supplies. This stripped and refinished cabinet was one of her projects, in addition to a transformed telephone bench and a reupholstered couch. To enter, you need to send in pictures or a video of your eco-DIY project. Considering all of the wonderful before and after projects many of you have submitted to Su Casa, I'm sure you're up to the task!

Vintage Lamps Make For a Lovely Home

Casa Community — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:00:33 -0800

Vintage Delight group owner Deemurph is loving vintage lamps lately and has had some wonderful luck tracking some beauties down. Take a look at her finds:

My eye for old chairs kicked off my vintage obsession, but now my love for vintage lamps is on the rise! It's not just the great old shapes and materials - look at the ceramics! - it's also the shades that come with them. Where can you find shades like these that won't cost a custom fortune?
Dining room lovelies . . .
See a few more of her treasures.