CasaSugar

Hazelnut's Bryan Batt Opens Up to House Beautiful

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:54 -0700

If you're a design enthusiast and a New Orleans fanatic like me, you know Bryan Batt as a co-owner (with his partner Tom Cianfichi) of one of NOLA's finest décor boutiques, Hazelnut. I featured the boutique back in February of '08, and now Batt is set to ink his own home décor book. If you're just mad for Mad Men, you know him as Sterling-Cooper's in-the-closet, recently fired art director Salvatore Romano.

This month, House Beautiful is getting to know him, too. The shelter glossy has the lowdown on Batt's bedroom behavior, from his no-TV rule to his underbed storage, and of course, his bedroom décor resources.

I'm always interested to see where people get their design inspiration. So it was fun to hear about the jumping off point for his bedroom design:

The painting is the whole point of the room. It's by a friend of mine. Suzie Allain, who's a local artist and designer here in New Orleans. She showed some things at Hazelnut, my store here, and I fell in love with this series of bamboo stalks. She did this for me custom and then the room evolved around it.

See more excerpts from the issue.

Cool Idea: An Easel as TV Stand

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Since I don't watch much TV, updating my hefty idiot box to an ultra slim HD flatscreen is not very high on my list of priorities. But if I did own the latest and greatest in television technology, I would love to use an artist's easel as a stand, like this one featured in House Beautiful. Tech gadgets are always difficult to coordinate with décor, but that's especially true when your design scheme is earthy and traditional. The wood construction of the easel makes for a near seamless integration. And better yet, it allows you to change the height and angle of your TV - something that few standard media centers can do. Would you try this in your home?

Do You Have a Kitchen Island?

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:00:23 -0700

Designer of House Beautiful's Kitchen of the Year Robert Stilin says, "I like an island you can work on but that can also be a gathering place for coffee or a casual dinner." I wholeheartedly agree! Growing up, I'd always do my homework at our kitchen island while my mom cooked dinner. It's also a great place to socialize. Do you have one?

Casa Quickie: Use a Beach Towel For Casual Summer Dining

CasaSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Leave it to Target to come up with yet another cool option for Summer dining. Partnering with event planner David Stark, a new collection of Americana-tinged outdoor tableware is ready to amp up your outdoor dining in the Spring and Summer months to come. I’m particularly fond of Stark’s idea for an on-the-fly outdoor dinner party. In House Beautiful he suggests using one of his Bandana Beach Towels ($12, available in June) for a tablecloth, saying, “Summer makes me think of spreading a towel on the ground for an impromptu picnic. So why not put one on the table?”

Find out how to get the complete look of this table at House Beautiful.

Source

Coveted Crib: California Cool

CasaSugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:00:28 -0800

In Healdsburg, CA (i.e. Sonoma County), there's a rare nearly all-white (actually, very pale gray) house with white furniture, recently featured in House Beautiful, that is anti-shabby chic, anti-slick modern. Nostalgic, campy objects are interpreted in a contemporary fashion, and on glossy floors and against pale walls, large lived-in furniture pieces make a statement. The space almost gives you the feeling of floating through the atmosphere, and when you decided to come back down to earth and sit a while, you're greeted with a plush cushion in every room and a glass of wine - after all, it is Sonoma. To take a tour of the rest of the house, read more. Source

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Midday Muse: A Foolproof Summer Decorating Ritual

CasaSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0700

I recently came across a quote from designer Jeffrey Bilhuber in House Beautiful that made me want to throw all of my Summer style and endless Summer tips to the wind. When asked if he lived by any Summer decorating rituals, he said:

No. I've rented a cottage on Nantucket and can't wait to get there. 'Have peppermill, will travel,' that's my Summer motto. Really, that's all I need. So here's my advice: Rent someone else's house. Just get away from it all.

I love it. I mean . . . Summer should be carefree and full of ease. Maybe we shouldn't be worrying about introducing bright colors and lightweight textiles into our homes, and just escape it all instead. That's easier said than done though, right?
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Midday Muse: Matchy Matchy

CasaSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:00:11 -0700

I hate to be a downer, but I just have to say that there is nothing interesting about this matchy-matchy style of décor to me. I do love toile, florals, and gingham but seeing so much of them all in one space makes me sad. The lithograph prints hanging on the wall look like they could be beautiful, antique treasures, and the armchairs have an elegant, classic shape, but these great qualities are lost in the busyness of the patterns. To me, there's nothing creative or inspiring about using one fabric everywhere. Setting one of the gingham chairs in all-white room would have a significantly more positive visual impact. But, that's just me, and to each his own. If a bedroom such as this makes one woman comfortable in her home then I can't argue with that.
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Coveted Crib: Kathryn Ireland's Ojai Farmhouse

CasaSugar — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:30:19 -0800

Before launching her career as an interior designer, Kathryn Ireland worked as an actress, a women's clothing designer, ran a public relations firm, and produced music videos with her husband. A bit of a nomad professionally and residentially, Ireland has called London, Scotland, Toulouse, and LA home. Her Ojai Spanish-style farmhouse is a reflection of her travels with furnishings sourced from retailers all over the map and bold textiles with an ethnic vibe.

To find out about her design style and see images of her home, read more.
Although her home is equal parts ancestral English charm, sunny California whimsy, bohemian indifference, and Mediterranean warmth, she pulls it all together in her homey, comfy, family-friendly signature style. House Beautiful recently interviewed her, uncovering her distaste for "matchy-matchy-matchy," her fireplace fetish, and her tips on stuffing pillows. More importantly, the inspiring images of her 1940s farmhouse certainly put her in Coveted Crib territory.

View 14 Photos ›

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Decorating Makeovers Part IV

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:00:40 -0800

In my final ode to House Beautiful's 101 Decorating Makeovers, from the February issue, here are some more of my favorite tips for renewing your home with small changes. To see them, just read more.

Go here to see my other favorites, and be sure to pick up a copy of House Beautiful for 80 or so more decorating makeover ideas.

"If your kitchen is cramped, remove your upper cabinets and install open shelving. Just as much storage space, but without the bulk."
"Cover the books in your bookcase with white or brown kraft paper, and write the titles on the jackets with a fountain pen in really personal handwriting."
"Tired of your red coral? Spray it black!"
"Instead of centering one big piece of art over your bed, hang one really small piece. It will have even more impact."
"Rearrange your fireplace mantel. Instead of one candlestick at each end, mass lots of them on one side. Remember: Odd numbers make the best arrangements."

Source and Source

Decorating Makeovers Part III

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:20:46 -0800

In continuation of Decorating Makeovers Parts I and II, here are some more of my favorite tips from House Beautiful's 101 Decorating Makeovers in the February issue. If I haven't drilled it into your head enough already, it's Renewal month, so get at it when you read more!

"Change your house numbers."
"Paint the inside of your kitchen cabinets a color that sets off your dishes and glasses. Everything will look cleaner and more finished."
"Use your best silver and glasses every day."
"Invest in a set of matched wooden hangers for your closet."
"Tack nailheads on a plain, inexpensive ottoman."
"Rearrange your living room. Instead of one big seating area in the middle of the room, break it up into two smaller, cozier seating areas."

Source