CasaSugar

Cool Idea: New Orleans Water Meter Doormat

CasaSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:42 -0800

Anyone who's ever lived in New Orleans recognizes the starry, art-deco design of the city's water meter lids. Designed by Edwin Ford in the early 1920s, the crescent moon and stars became so sought after that people actually used to pilfer them, so much so that for a time the city tried to replace them with plain ones to try to stop the theft. Nevertheless, the 85-year-old design has become an iconic symbol of the city - along with the fleur-de-lys, of course. So, one clever local turned the groovy vintage meter cover into a Decorative Door Mat ($32). The high-quality, durable mat is as useful as it is nostalgic and charming, and you don't have to steal from the city to own it. Clearly, it's not for everyone, but it's a great gift for anyone who knows a thing or two about NOLA. Hint, hint.

10 Haunted Houses in New Orleans

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:00:46 -0700

Are you ready to see more haunted houses? If my slideshow on California haunted houses wasn't spooky enough, I've just got the thing. New Orleans is perhaps America's most haunted city, so it's no surprise the place is full of ghosts and floating entities. Come take a look.

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Hazelnut's Bryan Batt Opens Up to House Beautiful

CasaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:54 -0700

If you're a design enthusiast and a New Orleans fanatic like me, you know Bryan Batt as a co-owner (with his partner Tom Cianfichi) of one of NOLA's finest décor boutiques, Hazelnut. I featured the boutique back in February of '08, and now Batt is set to ink his own home décor book. If you're just mad for Mad Men, you know him as Sterling-Cooper's in-the-closet, recently fired art director Salvatore Romano.

This month, House Beautiful is getting to know him, too. The shelter glossy has the lowdown on Batt's bedroom behavior, from his no-TV rule to his underbed storage, and of course, his bedroom décor resources.

I'm always interested to see where people get their design inspiration. So it was fun to hear about the jumping off point for his bedroom design:

The painting is the whole point of the room. It's by a friend of mine. Suzie Allain, who's a local artist and designer here in New Orleans. She showed some things at Hazelnut, my store here, and I fell in love with this series of bamboo stalks. She did this for me custom and then the room evolved around it.

See more excerpts from the issue.

House Tour: Black White Yellow's Cheerful New Orleans Apartment

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:00:43 -0700

While reading the design blog Black White Yellow, I was really impressed by the author's cheerful and stylish home, so I asked if she'd be willing to give us a photographic tour of her home. She lives in New Orleans, where she works as an architect, so it's no surprise that she has a keen eye for design. But what's truly inspiring about her happy, chic home is that she's created it on small budget. "My goal was to create a space on a shoestring budget that screams happy," she says. "It is a work in progress, of course, but I am happy with how much I have gotten done so far." Not surprisingly, the base of her coveted crib is black and white, with a lot of playful yellow accents and patterned textiles. Ready for the tour?

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Sandra Bullock and Jesse James Buy a Historic New Orleans Victorian

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:00:25 -0700

From Angelina and Brad Pitt to Nicolas Cage, New Orleans is becoming a popular place for celebs to settle, the latest transfers being Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. The pair quietly snatched up a historic Victorian home in New Orleans's Garden District for $2.25 million back in June. The 6,615-square-foot, five-bedroom, 4.5-bath home, known as the Koch-Mays house, was built sometime between 1860 and 1870. It retains many original Victorian design details, including ornately carved marble mantels, carved columns, large plaster medallions, shadow molding, and beautiful ornamental cast ironwork on its exterior. It's no surprise Bullock looked for historical details when doing her real estate shopping: the French Southern bistro she owns and designed in Austin, Bess Bistro, is in a historic building with tin ceilings and hand-painted floors. And although Austin won't be a far trip for the couple, they're guaranteed to find a good Creole shrimp meal in NOLA. See interior photos when you read more.

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Source: Flickr User alykat

Mad Men Actor Bryan Batt Inks a Home Décor Book Deal

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Actor Bryan Batt, known for his role as in-the-closet art director Salvatore Romano on Mad Men, has signed a deal with publisher Clarkson Potter to write a home décor book. The book, slated for release in Fall 2011, will explore his favorite interiors and "through his own witty commentary and design techniques, show readers how to create their own stylish and enchanting spaces." As you may remember, Batt and his partner Tom Cianfichi own Hazelnut, one of my favorite décor boutiques in New Orleans. This is truly exiting news; I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Want to get a peek at Batt's design skills? Check out his carriage house in NOLA's Garden District.

Source and Source

Casa Verde: Paint It White

CasaSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:30:00 -0700

If you've ever read Robert Fulghum's All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, you know that some of life's most important lessons were learned when we were young. One of them might save the world, sort of. As a kid you learned that light-colored surfaces reflect the sun's rays, while dark surfaces absorb them and warm up. Well, have you ever considered applying this simple technology to your home? Obama's energy secretary Steven Chu is pitching painting all rooftops white to curb global warming, saying that, "it’s the equivalent of reducing the carbon emissions due to all the cars on the road for 11 years," if not more. If that's not reason enough for you to paint it white (what do the Stones know?), consider that a reflective rooftop will reduce your air-conditioning costs this Summer, which in turn will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Cha-ching! The folks who built New Orleans's Superdome know what I'm talking about.
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Before and After: Eddie Ross's New Orleans Showroom

CasaSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:00:07 -0700

Eddie Ross is at it again. Last month, he headed down to the New Orleans Home and Garden Show, where he was asked to design a room showcasing products from participating vendors and stores around town. He started with this lavender wall color to set a soft tone to the space. Then, he added an antique mantel from a local shop, a Swedish Secretary ($7,500), an antique zinc pedestal dining table from Perch, and some sleek, black Chippendale chairs. He then accessorized with some classic antique glass and white ceramic dinnerware. The result is supremely elegant and quite impressive, considering the quick turnaround. To see his finished product, read more.

Hear all about the process and some innovative tricks Ross used to get this look for less here. To read more about design in New Orleans, check out New Orleans.
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Roundup: Mardi Gras Madness

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:00:25 -0800

Happy Mardi Gras! The yearly celebration in New Orleans ends officially tonight, the day before Lent begins on the Christian calender. While the people in NOLA have surely been decorating the streets with beads, floats, crawfish, costumes, doubloons, and beverages galore, I thought I'd have a go at decorating our homes Mardi Gras style. The official colors of Mardi Gras were chosen in 1872 by the Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch Romanoff of Russia during a visit to New Orleans, and reaffirmed at the first daytime parade, Rex. Mardi Gras's symbolic colors include purple (justice), green (faith), and gold (power). The Mardi Gras flag also features a crown, another symbol of power. Beyond that the fleur-de-lys is an iconic symbol of New Orleans, and undoubtedly makes many appearances in NOLA during this holiday. So, I thought I'd roundup a few furnishings for you incorporating these historical symbols. Don't go overboard and snatch them all up: A few accessories will add just enough festivity to your home. To see my finds, read more.

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Love It or Hate It? Ravaged Katrina Homes Become Art

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:00:04 -0800

KK Projects, founded by Kirsha Kaechele, reimagines New Orleans buildings as site-specific artworks. While I'm an enthusiastic supporter of the arts, I'm not necessarily a fan of this project. The last thing that ravaged New Orleans neighborhoods need, in my opinion, is somebody turning building sites and homes into art projects, when these lots could be turned into homes for families. Do you agree? What's your take?

Merida Meridian Viewpoint Kids Forget-Me-Not Fleur Modern Kids Rug - $609.00	Sandy Chapman 2-Light Fleur-De-Lis Hand Forged Iron - $378.00
Belle Fleur Knob - $8.00	Fleur de Lis Lanterns (Set of 3) - $129.99
Fleur De Lis Wall Art - $100.00	Louisiana State Map - $249.00
Orleans Table Lamp - $100.00	"Marina" Mirror - $245.00
Crown Correspondence Cards - $46.00	Art Insert, Crown - $19.00
Hoops Glasses (Set of Four) by New Arcadia - $75.00	Bernardaud Frivole Collection - $45.00
Rutherford Park - $89.99	Momeni "New Wave NW-19 Multi" Area Rug , 2' 6" x 14' - $1,089.00
Koko - Waves Plastic Floormat 5 x 9 - $81.00	Ming Medallion Silk Pillow - $125.00
Rosemary Vine Rugs - $169.00	Venini Hourglass- Green/Purple - $770.00
Flower Beaded Napkin Ring - $2.95	avalisa - Wonder Wool Rug - $310.00