CasaSugar

How-To: Create a Moss Chair

CasaSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 07:00:08 -0700

Last week, I introduced you to talented designer Kyle Schuneman, who's known for his innovative small space design. Kyle recently created this cool moss chair. Luckily for all of us, he also sent along directions on how CasaSugar readers can get the look of this awesomely garden-inspired seating option.

To see how to make this chair for your own home, patio, or garden, read more.

Find a side chair that has a nice solid seat - something with a great shape and with a vintage flair will really take this chair to the next level. You will need to wet newspaper strips as well. Once you clean the chair cover it in moist newspaper strips.
Once the chair is covered in newspaper you will then put a little spray adhesive down and a thin layer of chicken wire so that the moss has something to grab on to.
Section by section, spray a bit of adhesive on the back of each piece of moss and push it onto the damp newspaper/wire. The bigger the piece the moss the better, so it doesn't look pieced together. Instead, it will feel like it has grown from the earth.
Once the entire chair is covered in moss, make sure to water it regularly in order to keep it healthy and growing. You can use a spray bottle or a hose with a spray attachment in order to keep it damp. The newspaper acts as something for the water to soak in, keeping the moss healthy. Use this moss chair as a great sculptural piece in a sunroom, a plant stand outside, or even a functional chair that is also a conversation piece.

Weird Furniture: Chainsaw Rocker

CasaSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:30:25 -0700

Artist Christopher Chiappa's Chainsaw Rocker is a to-scale reproduction of a junkyard-find Honda Accord car seat that was chiseled to form by a chainsaw sculptor. Currently on view at Moss in Los Angeles, it's lowbrow artwork for the design elite. While its brass plated legs make it a delightfully functioning rocker, it's the chair's texture that really gets me. The wood was so expertly carved, with such realistic curves, that its toughness is almost disguised. It's funny: you wouldn't normally associate the harsh cuts of a chainsaw with the upholstery of a car seat.
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Coveted Crib: Lamptastic in London

CasaSugar — Fri, 01 May 2009 10:00:47 -0700

Any good interior designer will tell you that lighting is everything. But when we regular folk start decorating our homes, it's usually the last thing we think about. Furniture first. And when designers say "lighting is everything," they're not talking about the style of a floor lamp, but the light it gives off. But, if a lamp is unique enough, it can make a room. Take three wild, fringed Victorian lamps, two oversize candelabras, and a set of candlesticks and put them in one room, and you've got it made. That's what the owners of this eclectic Victorian house in London, which is used for photo shoots, did and I can't help but feel a twinge of "I wish I were cooler" just looking at it. A Shaker rocking chair covered in fabric. A patchwork sofa. A moss-covered loveseat in the garden. This house, with its wealth of theatrical, mix-and-don't-match furnishings set on a solid gray and white background, suggests that overdoing it may be the only way to do it. See more photos when you read more.

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Weird Furniture: Where There's Smoke by Maarten Baas

CasaSugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:15:20 -0800

Dutch designer Maarten Baas's "Smoke" is a series of a charred furniture finished with an epoxy resin so that the pieces are preserved instead of destroyed. A 2004 exhibition called "Where There's Smoke" at Moss in New York showcased the collection of 25 one-off pieces, including iconic designs by Gaudi, Eames, Rietveld, Sottsass, and the Campana Brothers among others, which had each been burned with a blow torch and then salvaged with the translucent sealant. At the exhibit, the pieces were put in a timeline from antique to modern, grouping pieces like a grandfather clock and chaise lounge together, and a second stage of pieces like an Eames LCW chair and Noguchi coffee table from 1900-1950 together.

Three of the "Smoke" works were picked up by Marcel Wanders for reproduction by his international design company, MOOOI, and important designers and collectors like Lidewij Edelkoort and Philippe Starck have also personally acquired the pieces. Select pieces have been exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. What's really beautiful about the series is that the furniture retains that charred texture, it's quite haunting, and appropriate for Halloween. To see more photos and close-ups, read more.

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Summer Style: Design Tips From Kyle Schuneman

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:15:48 -0700

If you're a fan of Kyle Schuneman's livable, stylish designs, you'll probably also be interested in hearing his words of advice on creating Summer style in your home (especially if you're entering the Summer style contest).

To hear his advice, read more.

Kyle offers the following advice:

Regarding Summer style, I think it is all about an effortless flow. I always think of Summer as a smell in the air - a light and fun idea that really has no rules. For Summer, I like using materials like glass and sisal to keep a clean and fresh look. For a flower store that I just revamped, I actually covered a chair in moss, which is a whimsical idea to bring a natural aspect to your design. Whether you complement your home with a great plant stand or a fun side chair in your Summer garden or a sculptural item in your sun room, just one special piece will be a great addition for Summer style.

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Casa Capsule: The Week That Was

CasaSugar — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 10:30:58 -0700

Marc Jacobs's Paris apartment is a coveted maison.
Got junk to toss? Freecycle it!
Kyle Schuneman shows you how to make a moss chair.
Beck wants a (sea) change from Hancock Park.
Are you well-read? Get the look of a timeless library.
Up for a swim? Pick up some pool photography.
Pete Sampras scored $23 million - love on his Hills manse.
If the California fires are giving you the creeps, you can still protect your home and family.
I previewed the new CB2 store in San Francisco!
CasaSugar is having a Summer Style Contest! Check it out: you could be a winner!

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