CasaSugar

Etsy Finds: Holiday Gifts For Crafty Babies

CasaSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:18 -0800

Is there a new bouncing baby boy or girl in your family or circle of friends this holiday season? See what fun nursery ideas Etsy has to offer for the bundle of joy!

View Slideshow ›

Before and After: A Sophisticated and Glamorous Nursery

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:44 -0700

Su Casa member mianakao recently moved into a new home, and turned this dull room into something absolutely spectacular. Her fabulous results prove that even the most dull room can be transformed into a gorgeous, glamorous space with a little imagination and a lot of hard work.
She writes, "We just moved into our new house (a sprawling foreclosure), so I had free reign with this room! As you can see in the before photo, the room was dull, dingy, and needed lots of TLC."

The results are truly astounding. To see how mianakao turned this dingy, dull space into a beautiful nursery, read more.

Can you even believe it's the same room? I am truly amazed! Mianakao explains, "My goal was to use black and white in a tasteful way to help the baby's visual development. My first choice was stripes around the room, but I figured that might just make the baby dizzy after a while. So, instead, I went with a high-gloss black latex paint, and brightened up the room with tons of white. (The green is an after thought accent color to warm up the space)." "Also, in an effort to be somewhat creative, I stuck a vinyl decal of a tree on the wall, painted over it, and then cut out the vinyl with an X-acto knife. Had I thought ahead, I could have incorporated the accent green on the tree. Sticking a vinyl decal on the wall wasn't creative enough for me . . . and I didn't want to deal with all of the air bubbles."

I also love that mianakao kept to a strict budget for this makeover. She writes, "Since we're in a tight economy, everything you see (with the exception of the crib and the chandelier) was found on Craigslist. Nothing was over $40! I also found items for free from the freecycle network. I just sanded the furniture and painted it flat white to match everything else in the room . . . well, my husband handled all the hard work. Small accents like the beautiful black and white crystal chandelier just added a touch of chic for our new baby girl!"

Take the full tour when you check out the gallery. I'm truly inspired!

View 0 Photos ›

Su Casa: A Well-Designed Nursery

CasaSugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:45:06 -0700

TeamSugar member Schnappycat has shared some photos of her son's nursery. I'm so impressed with her great eye for color and design!

Schnappycat writes:

I wanted to keep my son's nursery modern and not too babyish or themed, so he could easily grow into it. I found the Dwell Studio Alphabet crib sheets and adored the blue and brown color combination, so I opted to incorporate the colors into the decor (they were also the colors of my shower and the birth announcements, so it's been the "theme" of my experience so far). However, I also wanted to mix in some brighter colors, so I chose orange as the main accent color (I'm also adding a bit of lime green). You can see the orange stretched Avalisa wall art and the Wise Old Owl Mobile. Silver and metal accents are also present around the room, particularly in the contemporary light fixture and wall letters and numbers from Anthropologie. To keep the room from being too dark, I added a white bookcase, white shelves, a white cat nightlight, and a white end table/storage unit. I also put a lambskin rug in front of the crib. I made the window valance from the crib bumper, which would otherwise go unused. The glider is the Monte Luca. Some of the pictures here were taken before he came home from the hospital, and others were taken more recently, so the items in the pictures differ a bit here and there.

Do you want to post photos of your home? To join the Su Casa group, just follow this link and click "subscribe" beneath the photo on the lefthand side of the page. Once you're subscribed, click Share in the upper lefthand menu of any TeamSugar page and choose what type of post you want to create. If you have just one photo and some text, create a blog; if you have a gallery you want to share, select photos.

View 12 Photos ›

Coming Soon: Amenity Home's Nursery Line

CasaSugar — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:30:15 -0700

These woodland creature designs are so adorable and serene, I kinda want them for my own bedroom. But they're actually part of the new nursery line created by Los Angeles-based design shop Amenity Home.

Though the products don't go on sale until October, you can already pre-order as well as admire them. Made from organic cotton and other sustainable fibers, the nursery line includes blankets, pillows, wall art, and other baby-room accessories. Everything is rendered in charmingly muted earth tones, which are a nice change from the usual pastels. What do you think?

via Design Milk

Gift Guide: Modern Mobiles

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:15:12 -0800

Like decorating your first apartment, decorating your baby's nursery is a really exciting task. But many new moms tend to forget that their $59 polyester pony mobile will end up in the attic within a few months. So if you're shopping for a holiday gift for an infant or a nursery-decorating friend, I recommend wrapping up a mobile that can act as décor long after a baby moves out of the crib.

One of my favorites is this CB2 Abstract Mobile ($19.95), which is very clearly inspired by the work of acclaimed American sculptor Alexander Calder, who invented the mobile in 1931. I have a few more modern mobiles up my sleeve, so read more.

Fall Garden: Scarlet Jewell Maple

CasaSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

If, like me, one of your favorite parts of Fall is taking in the gorgeous colors of leaves, you might want to consider purchasing trees for your yard that are known for their Fall colors. For instance, if you love brilliant, fiery red tones, you might want to check out the Scarlet Jewell, a variety of maple tree that gives you bright red color typically two weeks ahead of other maple trees. Growing to a height of 70 feet and a width of 30 feet, its leaves are dark green in the Summer, and it grows in zones 3-7, preferring moist, slightly acidic soil.

To find out more about this maple, read more.

And as an added bonus, the Scarlet Jewell also showcases tiny, bright red flowers each Spring. This gorgeous tree was selected in northern Minnesota by Terry Schwartz of Bailey Nurseries, and is grown exclusively by that nursery as well. It's only available at independent garden centers across the country, so check mom and pop operations in your neighborhood for this tree. If you have garden catalog lust, you can also check out the Bailey Nurseries catalog here, and save a tree!

Source

Ask Casa: I Need Cool Nursery Fabric!

CasaSugar — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:45:38 -0800

Dear Casa,

I need serious help. I am decorating a nursery for my first baby and I don't know where to look for the fabric I would love to use. I don't want to go with a cutesy baby room. I want it to be vintage and fun and funky. I love the fabrics that Anthropologie uses for their chairs, but have been unable to find anything online. I want something bold, with large graphics, and kind of kitschy. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Samantha675

To see my response, just read more.

Dear Samantha 675,

My immediate thought was of Reprodepot Fabrics. This online fabric shop was started in 1999 by the president, owner, and founder of Reprodepot, Djerba Goldfinger, out of her love for vintage textiles. Unable to find suitable yardage and with supplies dwindling of actual older fabrics, she decided to compile a handpicked selection of brand new fabrics with vintage and retro themes and offer them online. What started as a side business to feed her fabric addiction quickly became a full-time business. A lot of her fabrics are exactly what you're looking for: cool, graphic designs that won't scream "nursery." Take a look below at some of my fave finds and let me know what you think.

Decorating With the Eames RAR Rocker

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:00:46 -0700

Legend has it that the Eames RAR (rocking armchair rod) Rocker was designed by Charles and Ray Eames as a gift to employees who'd just given birth. Since I've seen the rocker pop up in photos of nurseries all over the Internet, I wouldn't be surprised. Anyone who's sat in an Eames Rocker knows that it's beyond comfortable - something you might not expect from a fiberglass chair. The RAR rocking chair is well over 50 years old, but it still looks as fresh as it did when it was designed for the MoMA. See some gorgeous examples of how home enthusiasts have integrated this rocker into their décor.
Source: Flickr User Flo and Me

View Slideshow ›

Get the Look: Cameron and Mitchell's House on Modern Family

CasaSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:00:46 -0700

Tonight's the second episode of ABC's new winning comedy Modern Family, and I have to say I'm hooked. I love all of the family dynamics in this extended family, and I also have to say that I absolutely adore Cameron and Mitchell's home. The couple, who've been together for five years and have just adopted a baby, have a great style to their home. While I'm not a fan of the nursery, the rest of the house displays a pleasing mix of modern and cozy elements, with a great use of color and art. Take the tour with me!
Photos Courtesy of ABC

View Slideshow ›

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:00:08 -0700

Check out Caroline Lubbers' dreamy home.- Design*Sponge
Let's talk greenwashing.- Daily Danny
Buy furniture for you and match it to Fido's.- Shelterrific
Explore some smart ideas for decorating a nursery.- Making it Lovely
Create an elegant, kid-friendly garden.- AT:SF
Would you welcome a tattooed table to your home? - PointClickHome
Make your own wedding invitations.- Craft

Flensted Mobiles Horse Mobile - $28.00	Flensted Mobiles The 4 Viking Ships Mobile - $35.00
Flensted Mobiles Futura Mobile - $64.00	Flensted Mobiles Balloon Mobile 5 - $43.00
Wallter Palm Mobile in Red - $120.00	Wallter Hex Mobile in White - $80.00
Flensted Mobiles Shoal of Fish - $47.00	Flensted Mobiles Viking Mobile - 5 Ships - $45.00
Wallter Butterfly Mobile in Blue - $70.00	Flensted Mobiles Life and Thread Large Mobile - $439.00
Sheesham Iron Strands - $24.00	Flensted Mobiles Jonas and the Whale Mobile - $28.00
Flensted Mobiles Tango Mobile - $124.00