CasaSugar

Before and After: Taking Advantage of an Underutilized Garage

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:00:48 -0700

I've brought up the idea of using the garage for additional living space, so when I ran across the garage reno on Sunset, I knew I had to share the fabulous results with you. Architect Jonathan Feldman was brought in to help expand a San Francisco, CA, family's living space by using their garage. While a garage is a relative luxury in San Francisco, it's not actually a necessity, especially when the space can be used for something much better than simply storing an auto.

To see the transformation, read more.

Feldman's smart design turned the underutilized garage into a multi-functioning space for the entire family. The garage added an additional 400 square feet, which included room for an office, a guest bedroom, and a bath. It looks absolutely amazing. To find out more about this project, and 16 other great home makeovers, head over to Sunset for all of the details.

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Ditch the Garage

CasaSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 09:00:29 -0700

If you're cramped for space but don't have enough cash for an addition on your house, consider converting your garage into an extra room. What do you need? A guest room? A play room? A home theater? See how other people have used the space when they've decided the car can stay on the street. Source

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Does Your Car Stay in a Garage in the Winter?

CasaSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:00:58 -0800

When January temperatures dip below zero, sometimes it's hard to get your vehicle started, especially if you keep it outside. Keeping your car in a garage overnight is often your best bet for ensuring it will start easily in the morning. Do you keep your car in a garage at your home?
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Before and After: Garage Makeover

CasaSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 05:30:24 -0700

What do you do with an old garage that you never use except to store your bike and some tools? Well, if you've got a tiny backyard and are low on "outdoor" space, and you're Suzanne Dimma, host of HGTV's The Style Dept. and home design director of wish, you transform it into a chic indoor/outdoor room. With a little green paint, a pair of natural fiber rugs, a trio of butterfly chairs, a vintage dolly, some plants, and a fan, she transformed the unused garage, making the house's outdoor space feel three times as big. To see the results, read more.

Talk about Summer Style! I'm really impressed with the transformation that a few simple furnishings has achieved! I guess it helps to have a garage that's nearly empty; I've been to many that are overloaded with junk and used as storage (not for cars), which would be a major task in itself to clear out. Do you have a garage that needs a little love? Would you consider making over your garage in this way?
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Casa Quickie: Move on Over to the Dark Side

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:00:05 -0700

This weekend marks the Summer Solstice, and do you know what that means? Heat! If it hasn't already gotten steamy in your hood, your time will come. Summer heat is fun when you've got Italian ices and a pool, but it also translates to a couple of not-so-eco-chic things. A/C and gasoline. If you park your car in the sun, when you return, you'll immediately reach for the a/c dial. The heat also causes the gasoline in your car to evaporate, which is certainly not good for your wallet or the environment. So, get in the habit of using your garage, or park under the shade of a tree in your lawn. Don't have a tree? Plant one.
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Cool Idea: Garage Door Façade

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:16 -0700

When architect Bill Peterson decided to renovate his 16-foot-wide brownstone in Manhattan's East Village, he was determined not to be drastically modern. He wanted to maintain some of the circa-1869 building's history, but at the same time, wanted to use new technologies. The result? Trickery.

He built a façade for the structure's second floor, which can be raised like a garage door in just a few minutes, opening up to its modern living room. The feature offers a Manhattanite a rare thing: private outdoor space (well, semi-private). For safety, an ultra clear glass barrier was installed as a barrier. And to keep bugs and heat out, an air curtain wall system shooting high velocity air from the ceiling was used. Pretty clever, eh? Since the revealing façade is on the second floor, pedestrians can't really see in, and the trees across the street block some neighbors from seeing inside. But really, it's a living room, not a bedroom, so who really cares? See a photo of the living room with "the door" closed.

Getting the Most from a Garage Sale

CasaSugar — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 11:22:29 -0700

Garage sales and yard sales are a great way to get rid of stuff you don't want. But when shoppers are expecting prices in cents rather than dollars, it's tough to make any money off of them. But if you're going to all the trouble, why not try to turn a profit too? Check out this list of tips on how to make money off of your garage or yard sale (via Charles and Hudson).

Some of the advice is a bit too cheap even for my bargain-hunting self; I'm sorry, but I just don't see myself buying box lots at auction so I can sell the individual items at a garage sale. But there are also some good pointers here, so read more

Sell things whose value has appreciated since you bought them. By selling older furniture and accent pieces that could almost be classified as antique, you can charge higher prices than people expect to pay for new furniture and make money in the process.
Add value before selling. Don't just toss your junk out on a table; instead, make it more user-friendly. For instance, if you have a bolt of fabric, cut it up and sell it as tablecloths, and you'll get more money for it.
Do your own yard-sale shopping. This will give you a good sense of how people are pricing things in your city. If you see something that seems underpriced, snatch it up to sell at your next event. If you can use something for a year and resell it at the same price, you're coming out ahead.

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Do You Shop at Garage and/or Yard Sales?

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 05:15:32 -0700

This weekend I gave you some tips on maximizing your garage sale, but I like shopping at yard sales even more than hosting them. How about you?

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Ask Casa: What to Do About Burgundy

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:00:14 -0700

Su Casa member Pretty Little Things got this overstuffed burgundy chenille burgundy chair at a garage sale for only $50. She wants to integrate it into her awesome new apartment, but her "theoretical color scheme involves grays, golds, whites, neutrals, dark wood, no burgundy!" And aside from the color, she also finds the chair bulky. So she asks, "Can someone suggest a nice color palette that would match with burgundy (in keeping with the other colors I had in mind, or something like them) or should I just give up and get a slipcover?"

To hear my suggestions for Pretty Little Things, read more.

Hi there-

Good question!

First of all, is the chair in good condition? If not, I wouldn't invest any money in even a slipcover. While $50 seems like a bargain for a chair, with some more garage sale trolling and Craigslist, I think you can find another used chair in good condition that may eliminate the burgundy issue.

Next, do you mind the shape? Personally, that overstuffed look is not my style, but if you like it, keep it. If you don't like the bulky shape and you're just keeping it because it was cheap, I think you should just sell it. Don't bring anything into your home that you don't love, or that you can't alter (to be loved).

That said, I think it's a good decision to get a slipcover for the chair, or have one made. Your theoretical palette sounds beautiful and I would love to see how you put it all together. While the burgundy wouldn't exactly clash, I think it might stand out as more of an eyesore than anything else. And, if we're talking aesthetics, I've never been a fan of burgundy furnishings, either!

I suggest getting a white or off-white slipcover that's NOT fitted - and even wrinkly if you can find one. I'm thinking of the chairs in Stockholm's Hotel J, which I think are cool and relaxed. This look works really well with overstuffed chairs, and will give yours a modern-meets-shabby-chic vibe.

Hope this helps! Let me know what you decide!

Cheers,

Casa

Casa Quickie: Mix Your Own Paint

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:00:41 -0800

If you're an enthusiastic home renovator, chances are you have several cans of paint that are nearly empty sitting in your garage or storage space. You could donate them to a recycling center, but why not try using them for your next DIY project? As long as you have some flexibility in your color scheme, you can indulge your inner creative and mix. Start with the lightest color, and gradually add other shades until you have the shade you want.

I actually did this when painting a living room in an old rental house, and my friends were shocked when they found out that the color had been an experiment! Sometimes, the results are just that good.

Have you tried this technique at your house?