CasaSugar

Ask Casa: Revamp a Childhood Headboard

CasaSugar — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:30:13 -0800

Hey Casa! I've been racking my brain and the internet looking for ideas for how to turn my childhood bed into an acceptable guest bed. The furniture in the room is nice and looks great - like a dark wood dresser, but this bed frame is awkward. A lot of the ideas I've seen work mostly for square headboards or just the headboard. The issue here is I have to somehow cover the head and the foot, and they're both semi-circles reminiscent of rainbows. Yikes . . .

Let me know if you or other readers may have some ideas! I'm attaching a photo of the frame. We don't want to exchange the headboard for something else since it's holding up the bed, just somehow transform it without changing the structure too much?

Thanks,

Nikkeeb

To see my suggestions for Nikkeeb, read more.

Hi Nikkeeb,

That is definitely a kid's bed! This is a tough one, so I'll just throw a few different ideas out at you.

Regardless of anything else, the first thing you need to do is paint the bed. I'd recommend silver, bronze, or black.

If the two smaller semicircles are removable, that would make a big difference and instantly eliminate the "rainbow" effect. Can you try to remove them?

If you rearrange the bed lengthwise against the wall, it'll also put less emphasis on the head and footboards as focal points. Then, you can hang a piece of artwork above it to grab attention.

If you leave the bed arranged as is, you can easily hide the rainbow shapes at the head with two big Euro shams. On the other end, you can try to hide it by setting a bench at the foot of the bed, and maybe leaning a couple throw pillows against it.

Hanging a throw over the head and footboards would do wonders in the camouflage department. The circular shape might make it slippery, but I have confidence that you can make it work.

Another idea is to wrap the frame with rope to give it a sort of nautical look. This might require a glue gun, but you can play around with it.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,
Casa

Do You Sleep on the Sofa When You Visit Friends or Family?

CasaSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:00:53 -0800

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, my husband and I are staying at his mom's Whidbey Island retreat. Luckily, the house is big enough to allow us the luxury of staying in a guest bedroom. I've spent a good many nights sleeping on sofas, and I don't mind, but a guest bedroom is always a wonderful luxury!

Source: Flickr User jaliyaj

Before and After: Guest Quarters by Mae Brunken

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:00:35 -0700

Desire to Inspire recently posted a makeover of the poolside guest quarters of a Pacific Palisades estate by interior designer Mae Brunken, and I was completely floored by the project. As you can see, the space was cramped with large furniture, and it didn't quite make sense. Items were not stored properly, the television was oddly positioned, and quite frankly, the space simply lacked personality. Guest rooms are usually the last place we devote our attention when redecorating, but we should want to treat our pals to a well-designed room when they visit! To see Brunken's fantastic transformation, read more.

I'm simply in love with this room! The soft gray and yellow color palette is splendid, and that rich zebrawood is so unusual. I almost can't believe it's the same room. Just using smaller, shorter furnishings has really made the space seem 10 times larger. The daybed is so versatile and ideal for a guest room. What do you think? Head over to Desire to Inspire to hear more about the project and to see more photos!
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Room Therapy: A Bed For Our Guests

CasaSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:00:31 -0700

Hi, Casa!

I am at a loss, and I'm hoping you or other Sugar readers can help me out. I recently moved from a spacious apartment to a tiny townhouse. My husband and I decided to make the larger of the two bedrooms into a joint guest bedroom/office. The only problem is our guest bed is a queen! We are definitely tight for space in this room, and a pull-out sofa or futon seems like the ideal solution. We've started our search, but everything seems so expensive (after moving expenses, we really can't afford to go over $200 or so on an "optional" piece of furniture). What can we do? We crave our office space and I definitely cannot give up my bookshelves, but we still want friends and family to be able to visit and stay with us. Please advise!

Thanks,
Bethany21

To see my suggestion, and to leave a suggestion of your own, just read more.

Hi Bethany21,

I can totally empathize with you! Moving costs are often exorbitant, and it's so nice of you to already be turning your attention to your guests' comfort. I'm sure that you're a popular household for friends and family to visit, given your outlook on entertaining.

First of all, I'd suggest donating or selling your current guest bed. A queen bed is huge, and it likely dominates the guest room/office. Since you say that you're also attached to your bookshelves, why not set up this second bedroom primarily as an office? For years I put guests up comfortably on a pillow-top full-size aerobed in a room that was primarily an office, and I think that this might be a good option for you as well. I recently slept on one for four nights when I visited a friend, and didn't have an ache or pain anywhere upon waking, so I can wholeheartedly recommend this product. And more importantly, you can deflate, roll up, and store this bed in a closet when you're not entertaining overnight guests. That way you and your husband can optimize the space as an office when guests aren't visiting, rather than as a huge bed-dominated second bedroom/office. I also spotted a Aerobed Peremier Pillowtop Inflatable Bed on sale for $124.95 at Sierra Traders, so that's well within your budget. And if you're absolutely opposed to an Aerobed, check out this morning's Good, Better, Best post for a wrought-iron daybed that's also in your budget.

Anyone else have a suggestion?

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Casa Quickie: Welcome Guests With a Shoe Organizer

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:15:43 -0800

TeamSugar member SweetPeasMom shared a great tip for making your guests feel right at home involving an over-the-door shoe organizer, which she repurposed. She says:

I hang an over-the-door shoe organizer on the back of the door of our guest room. In each of the different clear pockets I may include the following: a map of the local area, sun lotion, soaps and shampoos (usually the free hotel ones or samples), note cards, a good paperback book (with a note saying to take it with them if they haven't finished), candies, a flashlight, a variety of medications and personal items, a couple of stamps, postcards from the surrounding area, etc. My guests seem to really appreciate it. And it's amazing how many of these little things are free or very inexpensive.

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Primer: A Well-Equipped Guest Room

CasaSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 07:00:17 -0700

Old-fashioned homemaking wisdom says that everyone should sleep in her own guest room at least once, to see how it feels and make improvements. (As the guest in many rooms over the years, I can safely say that most people do not do this.) Of course, if you live in a smallish apartment or house, you may not have a spare room, but that doesn't mean you should ignore your guests' needs, even if they're just crashing on the couch.

So I've put together a quick checklist that covers the basic essentials that any good guest room (or mere guest space) should have. To see if yours is up to par, read more

clean towels, perhaps laid out on the bed
a well-lighted mirror
a bedside table and reading lamp
a few well-chosen books and magazines
a wastebasket
paper and a nice pen
a closet with plenty of free hangers
an alarm clock
a night light, if the room is unusually dark

From there, whatever embellishments you want to add - from fresh flowers to maps of your city - are up to you. Think I'm missing a crucial accoutrement? Tell me below.

Source

Cool Idea: Leave Guests in Mint Condition

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0800

Is your half bath the total package for visitors? Aside from the newly painted black stripes, my powder room is pretty standard and I wanted to give guests a little something extra to freshen up while visiting the little girl's room.

I habitually pop a mint after using the restroom when I am out, so I channeled my inner sweet spot and hunted for the perfect mints to sit sinkside in my tiny bath. Since the candies would be on display, they had to be white - and for sanitary reasons, individually wrapped. Good ol' Pep-O-Mints fit the bill perfectly. I found a small glass dish in my cupboard, filled it with the confections, and placed them near the sink in my half bath. Guests always praise the minty treats, and I chuckle each time someone says they are going to steal my idea. Imitation is the best form of flattery, isn't it?

Assisted Living: Housewarming Party Etiquette

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0800

PartySugar recently came to me with a very good - and common - question: how soon should a housewarming party be after one moves in?

Here's the thing: I want to host one for my half birthday which is on March 16. It will be about a month after I moved. But my apartment will be far from finished, especially in terms of artwork and decorations because I plan on doing a lot of it myself. Since it's a work in progress, I can't imagine it being done until perhaps this Summer. But by that point, everyone will have seen my house and it won't necessarily be a housewarming. Is it OK to host a party when my house isn't completed? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Want to hear my thoughts on the subject and a few hosting tips?

Before and After: From Red to Striped

CasaSugar — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0800

At first glance, this red bathroom isn't too bad. When I moved into this place, the powder room wasn't my main priority. Now that I've spent some time here, the red has started to wear on me. Worse are the faux sponge marks on the wall though they are hardly visible in the photo. While I may not use the room that often, my guests do. I've thought about wallpapering the room or doing something traditional and simple. That was all before I checked out the latest issue of Lonny. Charmed by the black and white look, I decided to try it out at home. To see my inspiration and how it turned out, read more.
The Lonny bathroom (to the left) got my creative juices flowing. A small powder room is quaint enough to pull off bold black and white stripes and my black and white marble floor would play perfectly into the new theme. After deciding on my new scheme, I went to work.

First, I taped the baseboards with my standard blue tape. Then I painted the entire room with a primer and then a stark white. Unfortunately, the red base was so strong that I had to apply four coats! Once the white was dry, I marked off my 5-inch stripes with a pencil. Then I used my newest find, Frog Tape, to seal off the edges of the stripes. Worried that the black would bleed into the white, I pressed as hard as I could, especially on the molding, ceiling, and baseboard. When all was dry, I gently pulled the tape away from the wall.

Nervous as I was during the drying process, I was ecstatic with the results. The bleeding was minimal and easily touched up with a small paintbrush. I swapped out the gold mirror; pretty as it may be, it was too big for the small space, and hung my $15 flea market find instead.

Before I finished the job, I had turquoise on my mind and considered painting the frame a bright shade of blue. But after testing out my CB2 Fu Dog Bookends ($50) on the back of the toilet, I may be swayed to go with a hint of red. Really any color would be fun in here - kelly green, bright yellow, or a lacquered purple.

View 16 Photos ›

Next on my powder room to do list: decide on color scheme, possibly add a skirt to the sink, and make a curtain for the window. Stay tuned . . .

Easy DIY: Swatch Portraits

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:00:48 -0800

Looking through Flickr photos, I was impressed with Jennifer's adorable guest room. The dark chocolate wall creates a soothing, cozy space, while the patterned Amy Butler swatch portraits create a dramatic focal point to the wall behind the bed.

This project is surprisingly inexpensive to re-create in your home. All you need are some wooden embroidery hoops and swatches of your favorite fabric. Learn how to make your own swatch portraits, and see a close-up of the swatch portraits in Jennifer's home, when you read more.

So pretty! I love the contrast between the vibrant fabric patterns and the chocolate brown wall. For the full tutorial on creating swatch portraits, head to The Purl Bee.

Source: Flickr User Special J