CasaSugar

Desire/Acquire: Fisherman Pendant Lamp

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:00:03 -0700

I love the industrial, retro look of this Modern Dose Fisherman Light ($235). Its silver-toned steel surface provides a great neutral palette that one could decorate around, or simply add to an already-established room's decor. And while it's rather reasonably priced, if I want to decorate with multiples of these (I can see three of them hanging in my kitchen), they do add up.

To find an unbelievably cheap alternative, read more.

The Fisherman Ceiling Lamp ($69) is definitely a steal, and while its shape is more cylindrical than round, it's still a close match to the Modern Dose light. It has a tarnish-resistant chrome finish, and is hard-wired. Which one do you prefer? Or does this lamp leave you angling for another alternative?

Cool Idea: Embroidered Metal Lampshades

CasaSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:00:11 -0800

When I was swinging through the San Francisco Anthropologie store recently, I was stopped in my tracks by these metal pendant lamps.
We all know that objects make a bigger impression when they're arranged in multiples (and three is really a magic number when it comes to arranging), but the multiple lamps weren't what wowed me. It's the impressive embroidery on the metal shades! I'm not sure how they punctured the holes into these - perhaps with a tiny drill bit - but the overall effect is stunning and unexpected.

To get a closer look at this embroidery, read more.

I love the way the light shines through the holes in the lamp. Are you a fan?

Cool Idea: The Dressler's Decadent Details

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:00:44 -0700

I don't make it a habit to feature restaurants on CasaSugar, but when the interior design of one blows me away, I feel compelled to share. Take the Dressler, a neighborhood restaurant in Brooklyn, NY. While the Dressler serves a restrained, palette-tempting menu, diners are often equally taken with the eatery's décor. Capable of seating 60 diners, the Dressler's main room is an absolute visual treat. A pretty barstool reveals itself, upon closer examination, to be adorned with fairytale characters; a Baroque chandelier is alive with roosting birds.

Owner Colin Devlin showed great foresight when overseeing the interior design of his restaurant, which was completed by Joseph Foglia Designs. And the real charm is in the details: furniture, lighting fixtures, and accents were all made by Brooklyn Navy Yard artisan sculptors.

To take the full tour, read more.

To check out the restaurant yourself, make reservations through its site.

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Roundup: Heavy Metal

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 04:30:55 -0700

Since I found that re-imagined Aluminum Wine Table, I've been keeping an eye out for elegant metal furnishings. I love the interpretation of classic shapes in metallics. The shiny pop of metallic furniture can really add a fun update to a room, and just one well-chosen piece can take a room from expected to amazing.

To see some of my favorite metallic furniture finds, read more.

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Cool Idea: Metal Interiors

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:15:43 -0700

Are you into adding some heavy metal to your house? I'm not suggesting you start listening to Black Sabbath, of course, but that you experiment with some unusual materials. Take this ribbed metal wall, which I found in Australian architect Cathy Spratt's portfolio. She used metal walls for this beach house bathroom, which lends a vacation-oriented feel to the room. This is such an unexpected and interesting design element, which I think would work perfectly in a beach house or summer home. I'd love to experiment with metal walls. If you're interested you can find some metal wall and ceiling products here. Do you love this look as well?

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Cool Idea: Corrugated Metal Siding as a Fence

CasaSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:00:04 -0700

A white picket fence may be an icon of domestic bliss, but it's too traditional for some tastes. I recently relaxed in an outdoor seating area with corrugated metal siding used as a fence and loved its industrial modern look.

It offers more privacy than a picket fence, which is ideal for city homes. It's also a much more affordable alternative - especially if you can find salvaged siding. Subtle blue stripes were painted here, which is a great way to personalize it. And paired with patio chairs painted in a neon yellow, this outdoor area looks distinctly fresh and contemporary

DIY: Wine Cork Board

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:00:00 -0700

Cork is a versatile, sustainable, and quirky material, popping up on everything from ottomans to flooring, and of course, wine corks. My friend is going with a bit of a vino theme at her wedding this Summer, and decided to repurpose wine corks as a cork board and use it to pin place cards onto at the event. This clever memo board would look equally cute in the kitchen or bar in your home.

Supplies:

Wine corks
Skill (or craft) saw
X-acto knife
Frame
Hot glue gun with glue sticks
Cork sheet
Foam board
Hammer (optional)
Small nails (optional)

To learn the steps, read more.

Here's how:

Using the skill saw, carefully cut the wine corks in half lengthwise. This nearly 24-by-28-inch frame required 60 wine corks (120 halves).
With the X-acto knife, cut the cork sheet and the foam board to fit snugly into the back of the frame (the same size the glass would be) and glue them together.
If your frame has bendable metal clamps that keep the backing in place, skip this step. But if you're dealing with a thrifted frame with no clamps, use a hammer and nails to secure the cork/foam board into the back of the frame, cork side out.
If necessary, group the corks into piles according to size. Then - and this is important - lay out all the halved corks, flat side down, into the frame to make sure they fit. Create a pattern alternating two horizontal corks with two vertical.
Using the hot glue gun, glue all the corks inside the frame with a small line on the flat side of each. Fini!

Total project time: approximately two hours.

Although you can buy the wine corks in bulk online, collecting your own recycled stoppers will give the finished piece much more character. Stop by a local restaurant or wine bar and ask if they have corks to spare; they may be able to give you a bag. Or, ask your wine-loving friends to share their collection with you.

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Midday Muse: A Metallic Palette

CasaSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:00:10 -0700

I'm loving the walls of the Berrington house in Munich, which Dutch interior designer Marcel Prins painted 24 colors of metallic paint, which I spotted on AT:LA. Not only does the space look fantastic, and do a fabulous job of leading the eye around the house, but for an indecisive decorator, choosing all of the colors that you're contemplating, rather than just one per room, seems like the optimal choice. The Pantone-esque metallic paints also work wonders with the light, reflecting even more colors around the room. When the walls take center stage, you can go minimal with a few pieces of furniture and artwork you love, without looking like you're purposely skimping (i.e. some modern celeb manses).
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Roundup: Metal Lanterns For Outdoor Spaces

CasaSugar — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:56:11 -0700

Earlier today, the fabulous lanterns in Justine's backyard inspired me to post a Midday Muse about backyard paradises. Now, my mind is jumping ahead to Summer backyard parties, filled with great barbecue, fun friends, and lively discussions. And what better way to light your friends' conversations than with some beautiful metal lanterns? I've rounded up a few to give you some ideas.

Walt Disney Launches a Wallpaper Collection

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:00:00 -0700

From silent films and gloved mice to Arabian nights and amusement parks, the Walt Disney Company has covered a lot of bases. But never ever did I think the media conglomerate would get its feet wet in the world of wallpaper. I was wrong. York Wallcoverings and the lifestyle brand Walt Disney Signature have teamed up to debut an upscale wallpaper collection inspired by original artwork from the Disney archives of the 1940 classic Fantasia. The collection includes 12 prints with graphic and botanical motifs derived from specific scenes in the animated film, such as the dancing thistles and orchids, frost fairies, and milkweed ballerinas in "The Nutcracker Suite."

The verdict? I am really impressed. When wallpaper samples arrived at my desk and I saw the words "Disney" and "wallpaper," all I could think was, "Oh no." But the designs are sophisticated, modern, and hip! My two favorites are Allegro, a Moroccan-style fretwork pattern, and Shimmer, a grasscloth that's very subtly woven with metallic gold, but there are a few others I'd definitely use, too. The only downfall of the collection are two wallpapers, Pixie and Sparkle (at left), which have glass beading and sparkly sand on them; from a tactile perspective, they are cool, but the shimmer is just tacky.

See the other wallpapers in the collection when you read more.

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What do you think? Would you like to use any of these in your home?