CasaSugar

On the Market: Anne Heche's Canadian Beauty

CasaSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 05:30:12 -0700

It seems as if the cancellation of their show Men in Trees has forced Anne Heche and costar/sweetheart James Tupper to put their charming, well-appointed Vancouver home on the market. Since the show is no longer being shot in gorgeous British Columbia, the couple must cut their losses and head back to Los Angeles.

And what a loss! This house has great bones and gorgeous woodwork, and while it's big, it's not ostentatious. Sitting on nearly an acre of land, the home's grounds include old growth forests, a pond, and a waterfall. Sounds perfect to me. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom house is selling for $2.45 million.

To see photos and hear more about the home, read more.

The listing reads,

Gorgeous private celebrity owned house, nestled in old growth forest with waterfall and pond. Centrally located in West Vancouver. Minutes from waterfront, 20 minute drive from ski resorts. Completely renovated 4,000 square foot heritage log cabin designed by the builder of the Lions Gate Bridge in the 1930s. Manicured lawns with large private swimming pool and children’s playground. Chef’s kitchen (including Aga stoves stainless steel appliances and cathedral ceilings. Living room, dining room, office with internet and master suite all with fire places, huge play den. Truly a magical house to experience.

Are you a fan of this house's style, too, or is it a little too masculine for your taste?

View 7 Photos ›

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Get the Look: Marin's Cabin from Men In Trees

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:38:05 -0800

Although sometimes I can't decide whether or not I actually like the ABC series Men In Trees, I can tell you that I've always been a fan of main character Marin's charmingly rumpled cabin. It's so homey, and the fact that she's often found hibernating under a woolen blanket or stretched out in front of a roaring fire only reinforces this notion.

To find out how to get Marin's hibernation-worthy cabin's look, just read more

The charm of Marin's cabin is enhanced by its jumbled, comfortable, and Alaskan shabby-chic appearance. Marin probably bought most of this furniture from tag sales and the occasional Elmo, Alaska flea market, which is a perfect way to get this comforting, eclectic look. Marin paired a mix of unmatched dining chairs with a solid wood table, so take a cue from her and make this mismatched look work. She also successfully mixed feminine elements with heavier, masculine wooden furniture. For the bedroom, she chose a classic wrought iron bedframe whose starkness is tempered by lovely heirloom quilts.

To finish the look of Marin's cabin, choose a mix of warm and cool paint colors in eclectic tones. Pair damask or floral curtains with sheer white cotton panels for privacy from Elmo's mostly male population. Don't forget some cozy throw rugs and nature-inspired accents. While you're at it, make sure to keep your hearth ready for an impromptu snogfest before a crackling fire. And since the outdoors are so integral to this cabin, finish off the look with Adirondack chairs on the front porch and cute bird feeders in the back. Check the widget for even more ideas.

Casa Beta: Chesapeake Bay Candle Signature Collection

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:30:21 -0700

I recently received the Chesapeake Bay Candle Signature Collection ($65) in the mail. The set contains six cream-colored, soy wax candles in six different fragrances. Each candle comes in a clear glass vessel, which is individually wrapped in cellophane and tied with a satin ribbon. I was excited to try all of the scents, but since I knew that it would take me a long time to get through all of them, I enlisted some help from my Sugar friends.

To see what we thought of the set, read more.

I loved the gift box that the candles arrived in, which features a beautiful tree motif. It's sturdy enough to re-use for another craft project or gift-giving opportunity in the future. However, one problem with it was that some of the oil from each candle was pooled in the cellophane of every packaged candle. This may have been due to the fact that the box was sitting on its side, and the problem could've been remedied by storing the box upright.

Green Bamboo Jasmine: PetSugar reported some pros and cons with her candle. She says, "The candle seemed to burn very slowly - I only had it lit for about an hour and there was barely any noticeable difference in melt rate, so it’d last for a while. When I woke up, I could still smell the effects from the night before. However, when removing from the packaging, this candle was wet/sticky and my hands smelled of strong fragrance even after I washed them. While burning, it still smelled very strong and distracting . . . but part of that could have been the residual scent from the liquid/ packaging on my hands. I think if I loved the scent, or loved smelly candles, I would have loved this. Its potency was but a bit too much for me to handle every day. "

Tonka Bean Fig: This candle was tested by FabSugar, who reports, "I lit the Tonka Bean Fig candle this past weekend and I loved it. It permeated through the house, smelled sweet, and reminded me of men’s cologne. It also burned great and didn’t leave a smoky residue in my house."

Amber Vanilla Hazelnut: Unfortunately, geeksugar's candle didn't live up to her expectations. "The candle was oily inside its packaging, which made it a pain to hold, and to light (it took me several tries and a burnt thumb). When I did finally get it lit, the smell - which was lovely to sniff cold - was very subtle. Too subtle, in fact. Not only did it not waft around the room with its smell, it didn't waft at all. The only way I could smell a scent at all is if I put my nose directly over the candle (far enough away that I didn't burn my nose hairs off, of course). I extinguished it after an hour since it wasn't smelling up my home like I'd wanted it to."

Sheer White Musk: I'm not normally drawn to musky scents, so I was surprised to enjoy this one. It was light, clean, and very earthy with some subtle notes of jasmine and violet. I used it in a room that was smelling a bit musty, and it definitely freshened up the room. But, it didn't really seem to waft well - my go-to candles can normally be smelled throughout the house.

Lily Orange Blossom: I love the smell of citrus blossoms, so I was excited to light this candle. While I loved the scent when it was unlit, once I struck a match to its wick, I had a hard time discerning the blossomy scent. I let it burn for about an hour, and while the scent was definitely there, it was very subtle, unless I was very close to the candle. I'm not a fan of overwhelming scents, but I would've enjoyed a more robust scent here.

Honey Lemon Crème: This candle has a lovely, rich scent that reminds me of sugar (or should I say honey?) cookies. Its scent, too, was quite subtle, but added a lovely, cozy smell to my home. Who needs to bake when you can simply light one of these candles?

How-To: Display Your House Numbers

CasaSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:00:18 -0700

There's nothing more frustrating than a late delivery (especially if it's 2 a.m. and you've got the munchies). It's easy to blame UPS or your pizza delivery person, or whoever you're waiting for, but believe it or not, you could be at fault for your own delivery woes. When I say that I mean if your house numbers are poorly placed, you could be sending your guests, delivery people, and service men on a wild goose chase. Here are a few simple things to consider that will maximize the visibility of your house numbers from the street:

Put your numbers horizontally on the side of your mailbox facing traffic, not the door or the nontraffic side.
Put your numbers in a well-lit area above eye level close to your front door. Centered above the front door is best.
Make sure that no trees or bushes are blocking the view of the numbers from the street.
If your front door recedes, just place the number on the house itself, not the door.
You should also paint your numbers on the street curb about two feet from the driveway towards your house, with the number facing the street.

To hear more tips like these, read more.

Be sure not to park your car in front of the curb numbers, and brush away any leaves or debris.
Pick a color that contrasts with the number's background. If your house is white, choose black numbers. If your mailbox is green, choose red numbers, etc. If your house is brick, white numbers will show up well.
A lighted house number is ideal.
If you have motion detector porch lights, the numbers will not be visible from the street. Put a porch light on a timer to go on at night instead.
Brass or bronze numbers are practically invisible, unless the sunlight happens to hit it at a precise angle.
On the house or curb, the numbers should be at least four inches tall, and on the mailbox, at least three inches tall.
Choose a bold, sans-serif font. Serifs, cursives, etc. can make sixes look like eights, ones like sevens, etc.
Don't display the number vertically or diagonally. People read from left to right.

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Get the Look: Mad Men - Helen Bishop's Living Room

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:17:00 -0700

AMC's Mad Men hits the mark on so many levels, from its spot-on, witty dialogue to its vintage geekery and sexy '60s looks. I, of course, am all atwitter over the awesome interiors.

The next room I'll break down is Helen Bishop's living room. Helen, neighbor to the Drapers, is the (scandalous!) single mom in the show. It's fairly casual, since it's mainly used for entertaining her son and watching TV. I love the individual elements of the room, and I've created some updated takes on the original look.

The Sofa: For a slight update, I chose solid color sofas with slightly cleaner lines than Helen's sofa, but which maintain the same period authenticity.

Westwood 87" Sofa in Discover - $999.00	Martha Stewart with Bernhardt Putnam Tufted Sofa - $1,749.00
Baxter Sofa - $2,195.00	Blu Dot Paramount Studio Sofa - $1,599.00

For the rest of this look, read more.

The Pillows and Throw: Since I went with a solid sofa, I mixed it up a bit with the pillows and throws. You can definitely find similar looks at flea markets.

Dempster Side Stripe Pillow - $19.95	Bertrand Pillow - $215.00
Etro Bati Stitch Throw - $650.00	Olli & Lime - Carrie Pillow - $35.00
Orb Pillow - $59.95	Barneys New York Ibiza Zig Zag Throw- Red - $365.00
Needlework Pillow, Rectangle - $78.00	Kumi Pillow - $24.95

The Table Lamps: I'm a sucker for matching table lamps, and while the ones found in the photo above are perfect for Helen's home, they're not perfect for everyone. With that in mind, I've found a slightly updated take on their look, which is 21st-century friendly.

Moore Table Lamp in Golden Opal - $299.00	Campari Green Table Lamps - $179.99
Asbury Table Lamp - $229.00	Dover Table Lamp - $329.00

The Wall Art: The organic shape of the gold tree branch sculpture was a common feature of '60s living rooms. Here are some other options for sculptural wall elements.

'The Elms' Metal Wall Art by Artisan House - $379.99	Crossroads Wall Art - $99.95
Roost Gingko Leaf Wall Sculpture - $330.00	Brass Squares Wall Art - $79.95

Photos Courtesy of AMC

Best of 2007: Get the Looks

CasaSugar — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 05:38:22 -0800

This year, I showed you how to get a laundry list of looks in your homes. Some were inspired by TV shows and films, and others by a destination or a specific style. You seemed to enjoy the Get the Looks, since you commented like crazy!

Here are some of my favorite Get the Look posts this year:

I showed you how to live like a true Sex and the City gal in Carrie's creative crib and Miranda's slick Upper West Side home.
You learned to live like Men in Trees in Marin's rumpled cabin.
I channeled Sofia Coppola with my modern Marie Antoinette maison.
I guided you to Holly Golightly's glam quarters.
I went kitschy camping indoors.
And last but not least, I took you on a voyage to Morocco.

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