CasaSugar

Before and After: A Traditional Swedish Clock Gets an Update

CasaSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:10 -0800

Su Casa member dezignerwannabe recently decided to update her traditional Swedish Mora clock. In case you didn't know, these Scandinavian floor clocks were created near the town of Mora, Sweden, around 1750, after bad farming seasons forced the Mora farmers to find another way to earn income. Many of the clocks were decorated with painted faces, but now, hardly any of the original artwork remains on the clocks, and most have been painted over with inferior, rosemaling-type designs.

Since dezignerwannabe wanted to update the look and color of her traditional clock, she decided to go for it, and, as she wrote in the title of her post, "I hope I don't regret it but after so many years it needed an update."

To see the update, read more.

I, for one, can't see how dezignerwannabe would have any regrets over this update. The teal-and-gold paint combination with rosemaling designs was really holding this piece back, and while it stood out, it didn't do so in a positive manner. The real beauty in this piece is its gorgeous shape, and the simple, white paint update that dezignerwannabe gave it allows its beautiful curves to really stand out.

Have you made any updates to any home accents, like a clock, credenza, or cupboard? If so, then share it in the Su Casa group.

Before and After: A Bathroom Makeover For Under $80

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:00:33 -0700

Craftster member Nichola accomplished the admirable feat of making over her bathroom for under $80. Cheap, chic makeovers are always inspiring, and Nichola's bathroom definitely fits the bill. Before Nichola's bathroom got to this "before" status you see here, she spent three nights removing ugly, decrepit wallpaper that may have been original to the house. With this somewhat blank palette, Nichola went to work.

She notes, "Now, I really admire people who can use color, people who can grab a can of bright red paint and slap it on the wall, but I am not one of those people. I shamefully admit that I am one of those who grab a can of white, or off white and go to town."

Even if Nichola is shy of bright colors, she still pulled off an amazing makeover in more neutral colors. To see how it looks, read more.

Nichola hung a new mirror, added some furniture and accents (including that cool basket of dowel rods), painted, sewed and hung curtains, and crafted a silhouette portrait. She says, "In addition to being frightful of color I'm also cheap as can be and on a budget. Here's a rundown of my costs: $15, white eco friendly paint for the walls; $17, white floor paint; $35.99 mirror; $3.94, 2 metres fabric for curtains; $2, supplies for silhouette picture. Everything else was stuff from my stash (frames, vase, cotton to line curtains)."

The black and white palette looks very sophisticated, and all of the little touches are perfectly pulled off. Nichola notes that she's not quite done with all of the changes (how many of us home reno-ers ever are?), but that she's quite pleased with the results. As she should be! This bathroom looks fabulous!

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Before and After: A Country Kitchen Lightens Up

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:00:37 -0700

I spotted the makeover of this small kitchen in an 1895 house in Dutchess County, NY, in Country Living and felt really inspired. When your room is plagued with dated features like these knotty pine cabinets, sometimes it's hard to see the potential in a space - even more so when you've got only 180 square feet to work with.

Home owner Jennifer Vreeland saw beyond this dreary space, and chose to remove the cramped, wall-to-wall cabinetry in favor of two open upper storage units and a hanging pot rack. The change immediately opened up the space, making it feel airier and less claustrophobic. Top that with fresh coats of white and baby blue, and the space looked instantly lighter and more spacious. See the after photo and hear about her other changes when you read more.

Vreeland kept the country vibe with a slim antique farmhouse table and iron draftsman stools. She made the smart choice to go with a modern, streamlined sink and an oven in powerful sunny yellow, giving the room a touch of modernity and keeping it fresh. I love it! Do you?Source

Before and After: From Stark and Sad to Warm and Romantic

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:30:47 -0800

Su Casa member Zulkey bought her home less than a year ago, and since that time she, her husband, and her friend Jessica Riddle have made countless improvements throughout the house. When Zulkey and her husband moved into the house, the bedroom was a little limited in the personality department.

To see how they breathed life into this blank canvas, read more.

Zulkey writes, "Jess painted the room grape mist and the doors cocoa bean and she added coral knobs on the closet doors."

Crate and Barrel and West Elm were sourced for curtains and bedding, and Jessica cleverly fashioned the headboard for the bed from her own materials.

I love the improvement to the room. It went from stark and sad to warm and romantic. The browns and reds add such a cozy feel to the space, and painting those closet doors really made them look luxe. Now I'm inspired to see how I can transform my home with paint!

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Before and After: The View's Backstage Makeover

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:00:05 -0800

When I chatted with Thom Filicia the other day, he shared a few photos from his makeover of The View's dressing rooms. As you can see from this shot, before Thom took over, the show's dressing room was beige, blah, and uninspired.

To see Thom's vast improvement on this dressing room, read more.

Using gender-neutral colors and a bold mural, Thom created a dressing room that allows stars to relax in a stylish environment before appearing on the show. I love the color scheme Thom used, and that sofa is a must-have as well. What do you think?

Before photo courtesy of ABC/Donna Svennevik; after photo courtesy of ABC/Steve Fenn

Thom Filicia's Top Tips For Design

CasaSugar — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:00:07 -0800

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to interview Dress My Nest host Thom Filicia. Thom, who recently authored Thom Filicia Style, talked about his experience making over The View's dressing rooms. Thom also appeared on the show to promote the Kimberly-Clark Room-a-Day Giveaway, which gives 16 participants the chance to each win a $25,000 room makeover. Thom also shared his personal philosophies for creating cohesive and beautiful rooms. Thom's style, which blends relaxed elegance with each client's individual sense of style, seemed to be a perfect resource for CasaSugar readers interested in making over their own homes. You can peruse some of Thom's design tips from his new book when you read more.

Mix Timeless and Timely: Timeless is a fresh look at traditional design and timely is a more livable version of what we know as modern design. Pair a classic rug with more contemporary furniture. When Timeless and Timely pieces are used together you’ll create an interesting, eclectic room that’s entirely your own.
Color Your World: There’s nothing that will transform your space as easily and affordably as paint. When looking to refresh your world, bring in your favorite color with the ease of a roller. And when looking to strengthen the foundation of your room bring in a stylish and bold rug layered on your basic wall to wall carpet. Pick colors that suit your personality. When painting a room don’t be afraid to be bold and choose the colors you love, not colors that are safe. And remember, a fresh coat of white paint can bring an old piece of furniture back to life and help it fit in anywhere.
Decorate Outside the Box: Don’t allow a home’s architecture to limit your decorating options. Just because your house is a colonial, it doesn't mean that you have to decorate like you’re a pilgrim. Your interior should speak as much about you as it does about your architecture, so be free in making choices and make sure your home tells your personal story.
Personalize Your Space: Your home should be an extension of your personality and reflect your individual aesthetic. Personalizing your space is key to any successful design. Choose artwork and accessories from throw pillows, to books, to picture frames, and interesting objects and artwork that collectively tells your story and make you smile.
Well Read: Layering your room with books is a great way to add depth, color, and visual textures. A stack of books can make a great, interesting little side table.
Lose the Matchy Matchiness: Each piece you select in a room should have character, be eye-catching, and tell your story. It doesn’t matter if your furniture, artwork, and textiles are collected during exotic trips or sourced from
local design shops. As long as the overall look is original with intriguing juxtapositions and unexpected contrasts you’ll create a room that is interesting, unique, and beautiful.

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Before and After: From Blah to Ta-Dah!

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:00:33 -0800

Domino reader Vianca Valdez recently won a $10,000 room makeover from the shelter mag, and her newly made-over space looks fantastic. Valdez and her husband, who recently bought their first home, needed a space that could give them a needed time-out from their children, and was full of chic, grown-up design finds. Domino contributing editor Tom Delavan came to the rescue.

To see how he transformed this blah space, read more.

Delevan used rich reds and oranges in accent pieces and a chocolate brown paint for the walls. What a difference! Valdez says, "It's the best room in our house. We use it every day and it's absolutely gorgeous. Tom did an amazing job. There is no way I would have picked out the pieces he picked and thought they would have turned out the way they did."

For the whole story, check out the slideshow on Domino.

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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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Before and After: Squalid Domicile Transformed Into Amazing Abode

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:00:59 -0700

"Lisa and Todd's PDX Bungalow" on Design*Sponge chronicles the makeover of makeovers. Creative couple Lisa and Todd purchased a foreclosed Portland home which had been "occupied by various squatters and approximately 50 cats," and which Lisa says smelled, "so bad people had to cross to the other side of the street when they came near the house." Ten dumpsters and a lot of hard work and devotion later, the place looks fabulous — a coveted crib, you might say. To see what their kitchen looks like after the impressive makeover, read more.

Pretty *flipping* inspiring, right? Check out the original post to read and see more. Oh - and make sure to check out Design*Sponge next week; I'm the guest blogger!
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Before and After: Julie's Bright and Cheery Kitchen Makeover

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:00:21 -0700

Julie, who writes the awesome blog Mamaphunk, recently took her kitchen from drab to fab with a total makeover. She writes, "My husband and I did everything except install the cabinets and countertops, we're good but not that good! I wanted to go for an Anthropologie-like vibe and I think I did a decent job. I also love color and really wanted to make a splash."
Here's how the kitchen looked before Julie got started. To see how she infused this dull space with color and life, read more. I love the bright pops of green that have given this kitchen new life and energy. These two shades are ones that I would never have thought of putting together, yet I adore the effect. It's unexpected, lively, and fun. I'm also a huge fan of the tin tiles that Julie has used as a backsplash along the wall. And of course, the new cabinets and countertops are a huge improvement. Take the full tour when you check out the gallery!

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