CasaSugar

Guess Whose Office This Is?

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:30:01 -0800

A popular website just moved into these new digs. Can you guess the website?

Get the Look: Schoolhouse Style

CasaSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:00:00 -0700

My lecture hall days may be over, but I'm still loving the industrial schoolhouse aesthetic of this office styled by Canadian magazine editor, stylist, and decorator Margot Austin. From the galvanized metal file cabinet to the linen grain sack pillow, every item seems to have a history. The black/metal desk and sunburst mirrors are a bit more contemporary, which keeps the room from looking too much like a dusty old library. Add some messy piles of paperwork and a MacBook and this room would work for any college student or work-from-home professional. To get the look, read more.

Photograph by Daniel Harrison

Kyle Schuneman Redesigns the Tyra Banks Show Office

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

The Tyra Banks Show recently called upon one of my Designer Spotlights, Kyle Schuneman, to transform its drab and boring office into a fabulous workspace. Kyle started by painting the walls a serene blue with eco-friendly, zero-VOC paint. Then, he anchored the room with a Room and Board Parsons Desk and brought in a file cabinet with classic lines for storage. Nature-inspired curtains from Lotus Bleu added some pattern and chimed in on the earthy blue of the walls, while the Palladian Urn Crystal Lamp from Restoration Hardware gave the space polish.

I love how he mixed an Eames task chair knock-off with a Louis XIV side chair at the desk, flawlessly blending different eras and styles. Off to the side of the office, Kyle brought in the Urban Outfitters Antoinette Fainting Sofa, which countered the hard lines of the desk with feminine curves, and created a glamorous space to relax in with a mirrored table at its side. As for artwork, he displayed antique wallpaper in baroque frames from Ikea. Easy, instant, beautiful! See before and after photos and a widget of some of the products used when you read more.

Funny enough, the space was shot by one of my Photographers to Watch, Joe Schmelzer! Check out the photos and tell me what you think. Do you like this makeover? Would you like to re-create this look in your home office?

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Faceted Mirror Side Table - $199.00	Ung Drill Frame - $24.99
Herman Miller® eames aluminum group - executive chair - $1,299.00	Kieran Chair - $595.00
Parsons 60x30 29h Desk/Table Base - $309.00	Home Office Ensemble File Console - $549.00
Sandy Chapman Mini Urn Form Lamp In Crystal - $210.00

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Home Away From Home: Selgas Cano Architects

CasaSugar — Wed, 06 May 2009 06:15:49 -0700

Beyond high hopes for an ergonomic desk chair, most of us don't give a second thought to what our office space looks like. But when you're an architect, the design of your workspace may not only affect your productivity and mood, but the impressions of your clients as well. Madrid-based architecture firm Selgas Cano should have no trouble dazzling clients who visit its office, a futuristic gem in the middle of the woods. I was blown away when I saw the space, gleaming white and mimosa-colored and narrow like a train car. One side of the structure is nearly all windows, giving you the feeling of living (working) in the wild. My only complaint is that each desk sits behind another like bedrooms in a railroad apartment, which isn't very engaging socially. Check out plenty of photos shot by photographer Iwan Baan, and tell me what you think when you read more.

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Home Away From Home: An Office Made From Cardboard

CasaSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:40:11 -0700

Amsterdam ad agency Nothing has manifested its name in its office space by building it entirely out of cardboard. The idea was conceived by Alrik Koudenburg who wanted to use the most "nothing" building material he could find. The space was designed by Joost van Bleiswijk and uses a no-screw-no-glue technique. Beyond that, the walls double as a creative canvas for the creative agency, allowing clients and staff to leave their mark. Not only does it amaze me that everything from the desks, shelves, stairs, and pillars are made from cardboard, but that it all looks so polished and streamlined. There's nothing "trashy" about it. To see more photos, read more.

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Before and After: Desire to Inspire's Fabulous Home Office

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:00:04 -0800

Desire to Inspire's Kim Johnson recently made over her home office and the transformation is so stunning I had to share it with you. The L-shaped room began with pale blue walls, unpainted trim, and hardwood floors she calls "totally uninspiring." Since a home office is an oft-used room for a blogger, dreary was just plain unacceptable. Kim said, "Since it gets a lot of sun, I wanted it to be cheerful and bright." Luckily, she has a killer eye for design. After painting it in crisp white from head to toe, she infused it with colorful accessories and furniture. To see a photo of the transformation, read more.

I adore her cheerful color palette, with its sunny punches of yellow, the tropical teals and greens. The fact that she used white as a background really allowed her to go wild with vibrant accessories. Everything in the room was from eBay, Etsy, Ikea, or local vintage shops; it's inspiring to see affordable furnishings make such a bold statement. My favorite piece is the brushed turquoise Art Deco armoire which she made over herself from its original dark wood form. Check out Desire to Inspire to see many more photos and hear how Kim completed this project!

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Home Away From Home: Chandelier Creative

CasaSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:00:00 -0800

Chandelier Creative is a three-year-old, full-service creative agency based in New York City with a focus on fashion, beauty, retail, travel, and luxury lifestyle brands. Among Chandelier's clients are Coca Cola, Four Seasons, Parfums Givenchy, Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Old Navy, Nanette Lepore, and W Hotels. Though the agency's client list is certainly an impressive one, you know me: I find myself more taken with the interior design of its SoHo penthouse, designed by agency owner, Richard Christiansen. Much like its work, Chandelier's space is slick, colorful, and imaginative and in every sense far from what the word "office" conjures in even the most forward-thinking mind. Here, a black leather Chesterfield sofa with matching tufted Louis XIV chairs and a Saarinen table set on glossy white floors form a creative conference area. Soccer balls roll about to lighten the mood. A Chippendale chair at a turned wood dining table makes a desk space, and an overflowing book case with colorfully spined volumes infuses the space with life and language. To see many more photos of this amazing space, read more.

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Do You Have a Home Office?

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 06:15:38 -0700

When I leave the office and head home, the last thing on earth I want to do is sit at a desk, even if I have bills to pay and thank-you notes to write. So, while there may be "an office" in my house, I rarely use it, even when I'm working from home. If there's any official household business to be conducted, you're likely to find me getting it done while curled up on the couch with my shoes off. But, don't think for a second my home office isn't as stylish as I am!
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Top Design, Episode Six: "Eco-Offices"

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 09:15:08 -0700

In the latest episode of Top Design, the remaining designers tackled a project near and dear to my heart: renovating a space in a green fashion. Guest judge Danny Seo, whose green designs and ideas I love, offered the contestants advice on remembering the R words (reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose, and be resourceful, among others) in their spaces.

The designers were challenged to use all materials in the office (including ugly desks and bad carpet). They were also given fabric remnants to work with instead of new fabric as well as low VOC paint. Contestants were paired with clients and challenged to renovate their office spaces in an environmental manner.

Some designers were gung-ho about this challenge, while others were immediately put off by the idea. In particular, Eddie came off as a snob, calling his client a dork, berating him for his use of the word "funky," and then repeatedly uttering "Ew" as he had to do the demeaning work of going through boxes of fabric remnants. Oh, the horror!

To see who won and who had to leave the show, read more.

Just as the contestants were beginning to ease into their design ideas, India Hicks presented the designers with a twist: the contestants had to hand the keys to the office space over to another designer. This meant that the designers then inherited the prior design decisions of their fellow contestants.

Overall, the designers did a much better job this week with their designs. I loved Ondine's water bottle chandelier, and I liked Preston's bookshelf and defined, elegant use of color on the walls. Oh, and I also was coveting India Hicks' dress. Was that eco, too?

Wisit had to leave for his dull, ultraminimalist, and uninspired office space, and Eddie won the challenge. Luckily though, we were treated to a final operatic swan song from Wisit.

What struck you as particularly good or bad about this decision? Who did you want to go? Did you think Eddie deserved to win?

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Photos courtesy of Bravo

How-To: Make an Easy Message Board

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:45:49 -0700

Tired of corkboards? Can you not even stand to think about a whiteboard? Then try this alternative to message boards.

Simply hang a cord from one end of your room to the other. You can use something practical, such as picture hanging wire, or something more fanciful, such as grosgrain ribbon. Now, clip on some clothespins, and you're ready to go. Secure artwork, bills, messages, and to-do lists from your message "board." It's a fresh take on an old necessity.

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Bradford Mirror - $249.00	Galvanized Office Tower with Casters - $199.98
Acanthus Message Boards - $379.00	French Grain Sack Square Classic Stripe Pillow Cover - $52.00
Turner Barstool - $199.00	Linnarp Desk - $119.00
Globe Pendant - $129.00	Glass Cloche - Bell - $79.00
Montparnasse Grain Sack Tote - $65.00	FLOS Archimoon Classic Table Lamp - $365.00
Galvanized Metal Chalkboard Cabinet - $99.00	Red Rim Metal Wire Basket - $79.00
Chrome Storage Basket - $29.95