CasaSugar

The Card Shop: Turtle Papers Happy Birthday Deer Card Set

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:00:10 -0800

No gimmicks, sappy quotes, or photos of beefy men, the Turtle Papers Happy Birthday Deer Card Set ($10 for 4) is simply sweet and elegant. Yes, it does have that reimagined hunting trophy trendiness going on, but not in the sense that it's soon heading for the discount bins. Pick a set up and you'll always be prepared for the impromptu friend-of-a-friend birthday party you have to go to. There are at least five birthdays on my March calendar, and I know of a baby girl on the way, so I might just have to pick up two packs.

Let's Go Trend Hunting: Wordy Furniture and Graffitied Home Finds

CasaSugar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 07:00:03 -0700

This month, at Paris's trade interior design show Maison & Objet, UK designer Andrew Martin, who's known for his Union Jack motif furniture, showed off some other, bold prints, including this chair upholstered in designer Martin Waller’s new God Bless America fabric.

Martin and Waller aren't the first (or the last) designers to jump on the typography and graffiti bandwagon. There are a lot of really great interior design finds out there right now that display words, graffiti, or a combination of both. So, let's go Trend Hunting!

Here's how it works. First, join my group Trend Hunting. Then, when you track down a cool graffiti or typography product, bookmark it and tag it with the phrase Wordy Home Finds, and then save it in the Trend Hunting group. You can read this post for full directions on how to start your Trend Hunting mission, and here's a detailed explanation of bookmarks from GeekSugar.

Source

Participate in Trend Hunting

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:30:07 -0700

Since I love CasaSugar's new community features so much, I've decided to start a reader challenge called Let's Go Trend Hunting. In this challenge, I ask you all to help me track down cool home finds from across the web, using our Bookmark feature that lets us all share with each other the awesome items that we find online. Now, it's not just me telling you what I like; you all get to tell each other what you like! To get started, follow these easy directions:

Join the group Trend Hunting.
Once you have joined, you will need to add the bookmark code to your browser's toolbar. Check out Bookmark FAQ for the link to add to your browser's toolbar.
Find the products you want to bookmark for the challenge.
Click the Bookmark button on your toolbar. A window will pop up with your bookmark.
Change the title, if you want.
Fill out the Categories and Tag fields, if you want.
Select Trend Hunting in the group drop-down. Repeat this process for as many items as you would like to include in your widget.
Once you have your all bookmarks, visit Let's Go Trend Hunting and click on New Post. Choose Layout from the tabs at the top.
To include your bookmarks in your Layout, click on Add Image and pick Your Bookmark tab. Click on the bookmarks you would like to include. You can personalize your Layout page and make it look like a magazine spread.
Once you have created your Layout page, there are easy Widgets at the bottom to copy and paste into the comments.

Trend Alert: Reimagined Hunting Trophies

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 06:00:33 -0700

I'm willing to bet that most of you don't decorate with hunting trophies - those stuffed deer heads and mounted antlers typically found in lodges. I, for one, would never dream of hanging a deer head in my house. But I love that so many modern designers are reinterpreting the iconic look with antler-adorned accents.

From super-high end antler chandeliers - like the famed $1,500 fixture from The Future Perfect - to cheeky $10 wall plaques, there's a piece of hunting-inspired home decor to suit almost every style. Check out some of my favorite finds by clicking on the photos belows, and please, tell me what you think of this off-kilter look.

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.

Roundup: Wonderful Wardrobes

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:30:03 -0800

A friend of mine is moving into a bedroom in a new apartment which is closet-less. She will have access to two hall closets, but considering the miles of clothes and shoes she owns, an additional wardrobe may be needed. So, I decided I'd hunt some down for her. Are you in the market for a new wardrobe? Luckily, there are some at every price point, from only $45 to over $11,000. In particular, I think the CB2 Harmonica Wardrobe ($499, reduced from $799) is really sharp. Take a peek at a few others below!

How-To: Find an Apartment on Craiglist

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:00:07 -0800

Apartment hunting is a necessary evil. It's not fun, but you can't fake it either - unless you actually like crashing with your parents. Short of throwing money at a broker, there aren't too many secrets to apartment hunting; you've just got to search the local papers, classifieds, and online agency listings, cruise the neighborhoods you like for signs, and of course, scour Craigslist in depth. I'm sure you can handle most of this, but there is a method to the madness of Craigslist that you may not all be aware of. It doesn't guarantee you a dream pad for the price of a shanty, but it'll at least get you in front of what you're looking for. If you're looking for tips on how to up your credit score for a prospective landlord, you'd better check out SavvySugar. To hear my tips, read more.

First of all, if you're looking for an apartment from long distance, you should be extra cautious, demand to see many photographs and references, and don't sign a lease until you or someone you know has visited it.
Moving on - no pun intended: You should begin looking for a place two months in advance of when you want to move. Most places are listed about a month ahead, and in big cities, apartments will go in a day. But, if you give yourself two months, you'll get a better idea of what's available, what you can afford, what neighborhoods you like, and how quickly things are going.
You should already have an idea of what you're looking for. So write it all down in front of you, and don't be too picky; a penthouse apartment with maid, pool, gym, and ocean and mountain views for $700/month is never gonna happen.
The wonder of Craigslist is that it allows you to add your search terms to your RSS reader. To do so, go to your city's site on Craigslist, click "Housing," then fill in specifics like keywords, rent, number of bedrooms, neighborhood, and whether you need a pet-friendly place. Then, choose "apt/housing for rent" from the drop down menu, and check off "has image." Then, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the yellow "RSS" button. This will bring up the feed and allow you to add it to your RSS reader. Try Google Reader or Bloglines, if you don't have one already. Just so you know, you can use this same method for looking for furniture, cars, or anything else on Craigslist. And, you can download an app to your Blackberry or iPhone for your reader so you can read listings on the go.
If you're open to a range of living situations, neighborhoods, rents, etc., then your chances of finding a place are greater, but that also means you'll need to subscribe to more feeds. So go through the last step again until you've entered all the possible search terms and combinations.
I have 118 blogs in my RSS reader (a lot!), so if I were apartment hunting, I'd want to compound them all. You can combine a bunch of feeds into one with FeedBlendr.
If you're afraid to get dirty with an RSS feed, you can do it the old-fashioned way, by making methodical searches. Peruse Craigslist's various categories (apartments, rooms, sublets) the same way you entered a range of search terms. You never know: a temporary rental could last three years, or a shared apartment could be with someone who travels nine months of the year.
Whichever way you'll be reading the listings, you need to do so routinely. Get up first thing and the morning and then look again every few hours. Set an alarm if you have to remind yourself.
When you see something that you might like, click on the map link at the bottom of the CL page to verify its address (people lie about neighborhoods sometimes). Or better yet, use a Google Maps/Craigslist mashup like MapsKrieg, which allows you to see all the listings for your location on a map.

Stay tuned for tips on actually snagging the apartment you want once you've found it!

Source

How-To: Snag Yourself an Apartment

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:00:17 -0800

Now that you know how to find an apartment on Craigslist, I'd like to give you some tips on how to snag the apartment you want. If you found a listing you like in the newspaper or on a sign, no need to put on the earmuffs: these tips apply to you, too.

First of all, if you see a listing that's even of vague interest to you, email or call the contact with all of your information, and do it fast. Some digs will go within a couple hours or a day.
You should have all of your credentials and references ready to show a potential landlord in case something pops up.

To hear the rest of my tips, read more.

When you've made an appointment to see an apartment, get there early! If you're first, the landlord will show it to you first, and if you like the place (assuming you have good credit), it's yours. If you come after it's been shown, you may lose out.
People can be flaky, and there are a lot of scams on Craigslist, so don't hold out for anything thinking you've found "the one." Keep sending out emails and visiting apartments until you've signed a lease.
On that note, don't be a flake yourself. If you've said you're going to visit an apartment, go! And, come prepared with anything the landlord has asked for, in addition to extra credentials and references. Also very important, bring a checkbook when you visit an apartment. Be prepared to put a deposit down, or even the first/last months' rent (if you want it) when you visit the place: it's pretty standard to ask for either of them.
Also, take photos. You'll be looking at a lot of apartments, and you'll want something to look back at if you end up deciding between places.
Finally, keep at it. Don't get bummed or frustrated. Don't panic if you need to leave work early. Apartment hunting is practically a rite of passage, and your bosses will understand.

Source

Love It or Hate It? Moo Light

CasaSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:45:59 -0700

Norwegian lighting company Northern Lighting has taken Jason Miller's Ceramic Antler Chandelier and the subsequent reimagined hunting trophy trend to the next level with the Moo Light, a sconce in the shape of a full-size moose head. Made of poly-resin and steel, no moose were harmed in the making of this lamp . . . which is good because I have a strange fascination with moose.Source

Casa Beta: Home Decorators Annandale Jute Area Rug

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:00:52 -0700

Jute/natural fiber rugs are a great versatile, nondescript choice for every room in the house when you're not trying to make a statement but rather just pull a space together. I'd been looking for one for a sitting area in my home, and found that the prices really ran the gamut. I've seen super-simple 5-x-8-foot sisal rugs for only $50, and thicker jute rugs like Pottery Barn's Flat-Braided Jute Rugs for $300. For such a faceless style, I really wouldn't spend more than $200. I like the thick cushioning of the more expensive jutes, but I've also found that some designs are too rough underfoot. So I'm definitely particular about them.

Home Decorators Collection recently sent me the 5'6-"x8'6" Annandale Jute Rug ($159, reduced $199) in Natural to review. Wondering what I think of it? Then read more.

I've found the Annandale to be a really high-quality rug. It's thick and durable, like anything you'd find at Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel - always my comparison. But this one in particular is woven with both jute and chenille, making it softer than a 100 percent jute rug. This is definitely a plus.

I've given myself some time with the rug, and found that it stays in good form with foot traffic and vacuuming, both things that can cause many rugs to lose their luster. It also has a latex backing which keeps it from slipping and stabilizes the weave, so you don't have the added expense of a rug pad.

The rug also gives the space the casual look I was looking for, and instantly pulled the seating area together. So I would definitely recommend the rug to any of you on the hunt for that same effect.

My beef with the rug, though, is that it really doesn't resemble the product image on Home Decorators site - at all. The natural color is much, much lighter online than in person. Luckily, it seems to work in the room. But also the rug's weave looks only vaguely like the product image. Home Decorator's site does disclaim, "The digital images on our website are as accurate as possible. However, different monitors may cause colors to vary slightly." But really I think that's no excuse. Capturing candid photographs is no mystery anymore, and plenty of retailers seem to have it down.

Harmonica Wardrobe - $799.00	Best-Dressed Wardrobe Rack & Hangers - $69.00
Martha Stewart with Bernhardt Bali Coast Armoire - $4,999.00	Aspelund Wardrobe With 2 Doors - $179.00
Sniglar Wardrobe - $45.00	Morrum Wardrobe/ Shelf Unit - $179.00
Belvedere Armoire - $299.00	Oeuf Sparrow Wardrobe - $1,160.00
Hosle Wardrobe With Sliding Doors - $79.99	Vinstra Wardrobe With Sliding Doors - $699.00
Anthologie Quartett - superbox wardrobe by ettore sottsass - $11,515.00	Engan Wardrobe With 2 Doors - $179.00
John Kelly J-36A Amoire Wardrobe -4 drawers - $6,525.00	Cynthia Wardrobe - $999.00
Odda Wardrobe - $299.00	Aneboda Wardrobe - $99.99
Cadet Wardrobe - $649.00	Aspelund Wardrobe With 3 Doors - $199.00
Brave Space Design Planar Wardrobe - $4,275.00