CasaSugar

Cool Idea: Mounting Mismatched China

CasaSugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:00:00 -0700

Flea markets and thrift stores can be a treasure trove of mismatched china, which could lead to trouble depending on your level of impulse control. One too many "Oh, this little dish is too cute to pass up!" and next thing you know, you've got boxes of quirky plates without coordinating mates.

That's why I was mesmerized by this wall I snapped at a Northern California diner. The quirky patterns look so serene, mounted on the seafoam-green wall. What do you think of this idea? I loved it so much I never wanted to leave. The diner did something similar with mismatched mugs on a shelf. Curious about this curiosity? Then read more.

Nice and New: Fresh Finds at Ferm Living

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:00:33 -0800

One of my favorite wallpaper retailers, Ferm Living, has a few new things in store that I'm really loving. First of all, I think the way this Sewing Kit Wall Sticker ($57.50) is staged is absolutely hilarious. I think it would be clever to use it around a window or doorway in your home, especially one that doesn't have a lot of molding. See a few other new things when you read more.

I'm really digging the graphic, prismatic pattern of the new Monroe Wallpaper ($126.50). The black and gold have a really midcentury vibe, so I'd like to see it in other colors. But I think this would look great in a man's home office or small powder room with a statement-making chandelier.

I also absolutely adore the pattern and the palette of the new Peacock Pillow ($110). I only wish it complemented the colors in my home.

And last but certainly not least, the Tree Bomb Thermo Mug ($33) is so glam and hip. I'd use it to store jewelry or knickknacks, or as a votive holder.

CasaSugar Stuff on ShopSugar!

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:23:52 -0700

There are many things that excite me about CasaSugar, and one of them is the site's logo. I absolutely love the salmon and brown color palette. (It's okay for me to brag about it, since I didn't design it.) Anyway, I'm pleased to announce that the ShopSugar store on CafePress is now stocking CasaSugar gear!

There are tons of cute clothes (I particularly like the ringer tee) as well as lots of home-related goodies, like CasaSugar mugs, tote bags for eco-friendly shopping, aprons, and coasters. If you buy something, don't forget to share it in the Show Us Your Sugar group.

Orla Kiely For Target Will Be Restocked . . . Soon!

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:00:50 -0700

Have you had trouble finding your favorite Orla Kiely products at your local Target? Never fear, Target has heard your call for more Kiely and will be restocking many of the most popular products in mid-April.

You can expect to find more decorative home pieces including canisters, melamine bowls and plates, tumblers, and ceramic mugs. These items will be restocked beginning April 19. Additionally, select domestics items including placemats, napkins, table cloths, and kitchen towels will hit shelves between April 10 and April 26. Happy shopping!

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Cool Idea: Lego Frame

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:00:59 -0800

As part of his university project to give a household brand a new marketing direction, Michael Ciancio chose to rebrand Lego, targeting hip, young adults instead of children. He created a catalog featuring instructions on how to customize Lego blocks to make useful products like iPod cases, picture frames, and coffee mugs. I'm keen on his Lego frame. It looks like a cinch to make with some glue, a basic cardboard or wood frame, and of course, Legos. I think I'm going to raid my mother's attic next time I head home; I know she's got all my old toys stashed away as keepsakes. This isn't the first time I've seen Legos reenvisioned, though: remember my post on Kitchen Legos? Oh, what a little imagination can build . . .
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Gift Guide: The Cozy Cuddler

CasaSugar — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:30:27 -0800

I have a tendency to want to hibernate a little when Winter rolls around, so out come the blankets and the comfy throw pillows. I love spending a snowy day curled up under a blanket with a mug of tea and a good DVD.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who indulges in some wintertime hibernating, so if you have someone in your life who's known for cozying up on the couch, give them what they want: more ways to get cozy!

With that in mind, I've rounded up a bunch of gorgeous throws, pillows, and blankets that will have the cozy cuddler in your life swooning (and then disappearing onto the nearest sofa) when she opens her present.

To see my finds, read more.

Paige Velvet Lumbar Pillow Cover - $39.00	Lutz & Patmos Cable Throw - $89.00
Barneys New York Reversible Cashmere Throw- Black/Ivory - $750.00	Felted Wool Stones - $298.00
Bexley Throw - $49.95	Missoni Home - funny blanket by missoni home - $748.00
Brown Berry Neckroll Cover - $25.00	Kantha Throw - $99.00
Italian Wool and Cashmere Throws - $275.00	Olive & Brown Striped Lambswool Throw - $249.00
K Studio - Neighborhood Pillow - $98.00	Merino Wool Throw - $359.00
Missoni Home - fresia throw by missoni home - $265.00	Lion Zardozi Pillows - $98.00
Adrienne Landau Rabbit-Fur Throw - $954.90	Judy Ross - Tropical Blue/Chocolate/Cream Ricrak Pillow - $190.00
Winter Garden Throw Pillow - $159.99	Prized Aviary Pillow, Green Phoenix - $78.00
Lutz & Patmos Cable Pillow Cover - $39.00	Jolly Pillow - $39.95
Sheepskin Pillow Cover - $39.00	Nancy Koltes Fine Linens Lido Throw - $327.00
CLOSEOUT! Linden Street® Sweater Throw - $49.99	Nordstrom Faux Chinchilla Fur Throw - $125.00
Nancy Koltes Fine Linens Angora Throw - $175.00	Chunky Hand-Knit Throw - $89.00
Chirp Pillow - $29.95

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How-To: Removing Tea and Coffee Stains From Cups

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:15:37 -0700

I like to collect coffee mugs from all the previous incarnations of myself (jobs, vacations). But you might have noticed that tea and coffee tend to leave not-so-pretty stains on ceramic cups. So, I wind up with a lot to clean. Luckily, it's actually fairly simply to whiten my collection, and the task doesn't require a big smelly jug of Clorox.

Just fill the tainted cup with warm water and drop in a denture-cleaning tablet like Fixodent. Once the tablet stops fizzing, it will be whitened, and the tablet will also kill away bacteria. Want your toilet bowl to sparkle too? The tablet works on porcelain toilets too; just drop it in, let it fizz, and flush! Don't have denture tablets around? You can also use white vinegar to do the trick!

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How-To: Ten Household Uses For White Vinegar

CasaSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:00:26 -0700

Not so long ago, I told you about some of the ways you can use baking soda around your house. Now, I've got some great uses for another eco-friendly product: white vinegar. Not only is white vinegar eco, it's also cheap: You can buy a gallon of white vinegar for less than $3.

The word "vinegar" is from the French term vin aigre, meaning "sour wine." White vinegar is made from allowing a distilled alcohol, like white wine, vodka, or gin, to oxidize. This changes the chemical components of the alcohol, making it more sour, but also more useful.

To find out how you can use white vinegar for your household cleaning, read more.

Need some scouring power? Combine 1/4 cup baking soda with one tablespoon liquid detergent. Add a little white distilled vinegar so your paste has a creamy texture.
Do you have a stinky garbage disposal? Freeze white vinegar in an ice cube tray, then drop several cubes down the disposal while running cold water through it.
Get rid of soap scum in your dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through an entire cycle
Remove tea and coffee stains from mugs by scrubbing them with salt and distilled vinegar.
Polish chrome sink fixtures with a paste made of two tablespoons salt and one teaspoon white distilled vinegar.
Clean tarnished copper and pewter with a paste using equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.
Oops! Did you leave wet laundry in the washing machine? Banish the musty smell by pouring two cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and washing the clothes in hot water. Run the clothes through again with detergent.
Kill bathroom germs with white vinegar in a spray bottle. Wipe clean.
Get your brights brighter by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to your rinse cycle.
Your steam iron will work best if it doesn't have pesky mineral deposits in the steam vents and spray nozzles. Fill the water chamber with a mix of white vinegar and distilled water. Set it upright and let it steam for a few minutes. After the iron is cool, rinse the chamber with water, refill with water, and shake the water through the vents.

Do you have other household uses for white vinegar? Tell me about them by commenting below!
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Get the Look: Timber Land

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:45:15 -0700

The wall of random planks of reclaimed timber makes a unique, eco-chic focal point for this workspace and dining area. You can re-create this look by scouring your home, friends' homes, demolition sites, and architectural salvage shops for used wooden planks and nailing them in a random fashion to one wall.

Furniture: Combine a simple white Parsons-style table, like the Poliform Trevi Table (inquire for price) shown here, and an assortment of different styles of chairs, like an oak Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair ($835) and modern white plastic dining chairs, like the Habitat Zucco Chair ($193) shown here.

Accents: For lighting, get yourself a table lamp with a traditional base shape in glass or ceramic with a glossy finish, in a fun but not overwhelming color, like hunter green. Or, paint a table lamp you already own with high-gloss paint. Pick up some of the tones in your timber wall with red project storage boxes and a Pantone coffee mug to coordinate perfectly. Keep a basket or box with a graphic cut-out pattern nearby to get finished and future projects out of the way, and toss a soft, gray, cabled throw on the back of your Wishbone chair to shield you from the occasional Summer breeze.

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Casa Quickie: Coffee Stain Removal

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:00:04 -0700

Spilling coffee on a freshly dry-cleaned shirt during the morning rush is unfortunately such a recurring mishap for many of us that it's almost a cliché. Seriously — how many Kate Hudson/JLo/Sandra Bullock romantic comedies can you think of where it's a pivotal scene to the plot? If these chick-flick chicks had just had a little advice from yours truly (well, actually from Do It Yourself), they'd have won the guy, the ring, and popped out a first born well before the popcorn intermission. To hear how to send coffee stains to the curb, read more.
Be it a coffee mug or a faulty Starbucks lid, whenever you spill, just make sure you don't allow the stain to dry. Blot the spill with a clean white rag or paper towel to soak up the liquid. Then, mix a teaspoon of dishwashing soap with a cup of lukewarm water, dab it on, and blot the area again. Then mix one-third of a cup of vinegar (white) with two-thirds of a cup of lukewarm water, dab it on, and blot the area again. Rinse, and then follow your normal washing routine for the item. Then, next time, try sitting down for your caffeine fix for a change.
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Wegner Wishbone Dining Chair in Oak - $835.00	Artifort - spirit chair by artifort - $1,386.00
Modular Tables - White - $499.00	Geometric Pattern Box - $69.00
Dragonfly Oasis Lamp - $98.00	Milk-Glass Table Lamp Base - $90.00
Alexis Ceramic Table Lamp Base - $105.00	Stella Bedside Lamp - $229.00
Vitra sim - $500.00	Parsons Desk With Drawers - $299.00
Designer's Eye - Double Throw Blanket - $188.00	Cameron Artwork Storage - $14.00
Orbit Arm Chair - $119.00	Fritz Hansen pk8 upholstered chair - $1,962.00
Woven Nylon Laundry Basket - $24.99	Round Back Chair + Cushion - $199.00
Chevron Pleated 50" x 70" Throw - $9.99