CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Just Say No to Slippery Steps

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:15:35 -0800

If you plan on hosting any dinner parties or holiday gatherings, the last thing you need is a guest with a head injury. Unfortunately, slippery, icy walkways and steps are often the culprit in Winter accidents. Stop slips before they start by making sure to keep your steps free of ice and snow. First step: Always shovel any ice and snow away as soon as it lands on your steps and walkways. Then, if there's still a problem, use sand or kitty litter to provide traction. Using rock salt is also an option, though if the temperatures get below 25 degrees, it won't work. Do you use these methods, or do you have another way to keep your steps slip-free?
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Casa Quickie: Rose Ice Cubes

CasaSugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:15:11 -0800

Hosting a bridal shower any time soon? Turn the sophistication up a notch by making some spray rose ice cubes to keep your vino or champagne cool and elegant. These beauties will turn any old ice bucket into a stunning centerpiece, and they're a cinch to make. Florist and interior design expert Jonathan Fong will give you the lowdown on how to recreate this icy confection. Plain ice cubes are so last season, don't you think?
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Love It or Hate It? Todd Oldham Ice Cream Party

CasaSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 07:00:14 -0700

I'm normally of the persuasion that Todd Oldham can do no wrong. But today? Not so much. The colorful designer has now slapped his name on a collection of floral arrangements for FTD, including this Todd Oldham Ice Cream Party ($39). If I'm feeling simpatico, I suppose I might say a genuine ice cream cone could make a cute arrangement for a kid's birthday, filled with some wildflowers. But a ceramic ice cream dish? Filled with carnations (yuck!) in "vanilla" or "strawberry," and a "red cherry" carnation? Come on, Todd!

Etsy Find: Ice Cream Lollies Tea Towel

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:00:22 -0700

I'm far from an Adam Sandler groupie, but there are a few of his movie scenes that always get me. One of these is in Mr. Deeds, when his character tries to sell an ice cream glove to investors — such a dumb idea but I still kind of understand the need for one. Since the fictional product was never produced, we'll have to make do by wiping down our sticky fingers with the MrPS Ice Cream Lollies Tea Towel ($16). The 100 percent cotton tea towel is hand-printed in retro turquoise with hand-drawn and photographic images of ice cream cones and popsicles, images synonymous with Summer Style. Sorry, fudgsicles not included.

Nice and New: Fred Flare Ice Cream Lamp

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:30:06 -0700

Although most of the time I feel like my life revolves around home decorating, part of me wishes I wouldn't take it so seriously. I'm thinking that the Fred Flare Ice Cream Lamp ($48) might lighten things up, making a visit to my home more like a casual, Summer stroll to an ice cream parlor — relaxed and sugary sweet. Granted, the lamp shrieks teeny-bop bedroom like a Jonas Brothers fan at a live performance, but it's good for a laugh. The way I see it: the only thing better than a jumbo plastic cone of soft serve is the real thing — and my daily diet certainly doesn't call for that.

Midday Muse: Fire and Ice

CasaSugar — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:00:39 -0700

Though this Kassiopeia Fabric comes from Finnish brand Marimekko, it has a sort of Asian-inspired fantasy vibe. Together with the cool-yet-fiery color combo, the pattern is very unique. How could you use these ideas in a room?

Artists Plan to Freeze a Vacant Detroit Home

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:27 -0700

This Winter, photographer Gregory Holm and architect Matthew Radune plan to freeze one of the thousands of abandoned homes in Detroit to draw attention to the city's foreclosure crisis. The house will be sprayed with water and gradually covered in ice, and Holm will photograph its transformation for the project, called Ice House Detroit. The property that's chosen will be one that is already due for demolition, because it is fire damaged or dangerous to the public. After the freezing, the duo will work with Architectural Salvage Warehouse Detroit to salvage what they can from the house to be recycled. It will then be demolished, and they hope to donate the lot to a group like Greening of Detroit or Earthworks Urban Farm to be used as a community garden or other public space.

I'm sure these four frozen walls and a roof will stand out against the landscape of thousands of other vacant homes throughout what was once Motor City. But it's not Detroit natives who need a reminder of the plight of the city, which is why it's nice to see that this project, not yet begun, is getting attention on a national stage. I'm intrigued to see Holm's photographs of the house in frozen form.

Casa Quickie: Ice Your Birdbath

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:00:21 -0700

One of Danny Seo's great tips in the Casa Interview was to repurpose your bird bath. Danny suggested that you fill your bird bath with ice and use it as a cooling station for beverages. When the party is over, let the ice melt and our feathered friends have a cool drink to enjoy. Want more tips? Check them out here.

Nice and New: Tord Boontje Crystal Ice Furniture

CasaSugar — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:00:49 -0800

Renowned tech-meets-folk product designer Tord Boontje debuted his new Crystal Ice furniture collection for Swarovski at the Maison et Objet trade show in Paris last month. The range includes three designs (a bench, table, and stool) which use densely wrapped crystals to create an illusion of floating icicles. If the words "winter wonderland" could ever translate to interior furnishings, he's pulled it off. The collection is completely stunning - almost (almost) too precious to own.Boontje wasn't alone in creating the Swarovski Crystal Palace; among others, Tom Dixon created a suspended virtual sphere out of crystals and Belgian architect Vincent van Duysen took home an award for his opulent 10-foot chandelier made from cascading crystals. It's not even Valentine's Day yet, but I'm definitely in love.
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Roundup: Cocktail Trays

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:00:53 -0700

Every entertaining household should have a stocked bar with an ice bucket, glassware, cocktail shakers, mixers, and a few choices of poison. I recommend keeping these bar essentials out in the open on a console table of sorts, so guests feel they can serve themselves. Sometimes a closet or cabinet is the only option, though. Regardless, a cocktail tray is crucial for keeping all these items in a cohesive, orderly arrangement. I recommend a rectangular tray with a raised edge and handles so you can carry the tray around to guests if you want to serve a special cocktail. See a few of my tray picks when you read more.

Photo courtesy of AMC

Simrin Botanical Large Rectangular Tray - $108.00	GG Collection - $245.00
Barneys New York Mondrian Mini Handle Tray - $165.00	Alessi Recinto, Rectangular tray with handles - $168.00
R & Y Augousti Brownlip Circles Tray- Multi - $115.00	R & Y Augousti Shagreen Tray- Ivory - $396.00
Vellum Mercer Tray - $325.00	Alessi Tau Rectangular Tray With Handles - $220.00
Cork Tray - $39.00	Elegant Lacquer Trays - $125.00
Match - $65.00	All-Over Mother-of-Pearl Trays - $88.00
Mother-of-Pearl Tray - $98.00	Christofle Anemone Large Rectangular Tray - $1,570.00
Christofle Three-Part Cocktail Server - $330.00