CasaSugar

One Room Two Ways: Sitting Areas in Silver and Gold

CasaSugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:00:47 -0800

Silver and gold are perfect colors for decking out your pad for a New Year's Eve party, and you can continue the theme into 2009 by creating a sitting area that echoes those glam metallics.

For my silver seating area, I relied on white and plum tones to offset the blingy silver. The look of this sitting area is refined, feminine, and warm, even though the colors are cool. My favorite piece, by far, is the Timber Table ($235), whose faux bois pattern looks surprisingly fresh when it's interpreted in lucite.

To go for the gold, read more.

The more masculine look of this sitting area is due to the rich chocolate browns. The Leucos Stacking C Floor Lamp ($236), is a truly crave worthy piece, with stacked blown glass cylinders assembled to create a luminous centerpiece for your sitting area.

Ask Casa: Best Ways to Store Vinyl?

CasaSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:00:39 -0700

Hi Casa,

I recently had the idea to start a record collection because I found some old vinyl albums that belonged to my parents and I live near a record store, and I also have a few CDs as well.

I was keeping one of my favorite vinyls in my bedroom but for some reason when I took it out of the cover it had cracked, now I'm wondering what is the best way to store vinyl records so this does not happen again as well as possible ways to store my CDs.

Do you have any design or organization tips? I've checked out Ikea or the Container Store but I don't want a bunch of separate containers scattered all over my room and I live with my parents so I can't just put a music collection in another room. Any ideas?

Thank you,
Peachy

To hear my suggestions for Peachy, read more.

Hi Peachy,

Between my husband and me, we probably have around 1,000 vinyl records at our house (at a minimum), so I understand your concerns! We used custom-made shelves that we bought inexpensively and stained (you can see them on the right side of this photo). Check out our other music storage solutions here.

Another great, inexpensive way to store records is by heading to Ikea and picking up some Expedit shelves. Record geeks note that each space holds 90-100 albums, so that should easily accommodate your needs (and the need to grow your collection).

I also love the solution that Gemma Ahern used in her apartment, which you can see in the top photo. She simply used a floating wall shelf from Ikea that she hung at a height about an inch above the height of a record, and then painted the shelf to blend in to the wall. This created instant storage, as well as space for books, a turntable, and sculptural objects.

As far as keeping your records in tip-top shape, always store them upright (not stacked) encased in the sleeve and a plastic or paper insert. Keep them out of direct sunlight, and if your record happens to warp, place it between two pieces of heavy glass, and lay it in mild sunshine for several hours, until the record lies flat.

Does anyone else have a brilliant storage solution? Tell Peachy about it in the comments!

Cheers,
Casa

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Home Away From Home: Sarah Jessica Parker's Favorite Hotel

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:00:43 -0700

In a Q&A in the October issue of Metropolitan Home, Sarah Jessica Parker revealed that her favorite hotel is The George V in Paris. And I can't really fault her for the choice. The hotel, an eight-story landmark 1928 building, offers 245 guest rooms, nearly one-quarter of which are suites. The hotel is so overwhelmingly Carrie Bradshaw, and so absolutely decadent, that I wish I could hop a plane (watching Sex and the City DVDs the whole way) and book a room at The George V right now. My first point of business would be to book a massage at the hotel's spa (shown here), and then finish off the treatment with a dip in the whirlpool or a sweat in the sauna. Then, I'd take a walk and enjoy some of the local attractions, since the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, The Eiffel Tower, and other gorgeous spots are a half hour or less away by foot. The hotel itself is only steps away from the Champs-Elysées. With private terraces, a gorgeous courtyard, an impressive collection of objets d'art, and a two-Michelin-star-cuisine restaurant, it's hard to see how you could go wrong with a stay at The George V. For a complete tour, read more.

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Casa Interview, Part II: Domino Founding Editor Deborah Needleman (and an Awesome Giveaway!)

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:00:39 -0700

Deborah Needleman, the founding editor of Domino, is a goldmine of savvy advice on decorating your home, honed from years of experience heading up the style-centric magazine as well as decorating her own home. You can read the first half of my interview with her here. Deborah's tips and thoughts on decorating continue in the second half of this interview.

Our homes are really personal spaces. Considering that most of us are shopping from the same few décor retailers and finding inspiration in the same shelter magazines and blogs, how should we go about personalizing our homes?
Every home definitely needs a few old things and a couple unique things. And when most of what we have is mass-produced, it's more important than ever to have some things made by actual human hands, whether it's pottery, rugs, pictures, whatever. It is essential to find a few things that no one else has, whether you find them in a shop, at a tag sale, bring them back from a trip, collect them from nature, or even make them - like just tacking up drawings or notes from friends. Stuff that is meaningful to us, what we love or collect or find is interesting to our guests. I also do think it's really nice to have one really good piece - whether that's a table, rug, chandelier, whatever. It gives your room some substance, some weight - and also ensures it doesn't look like anyone else's.

To read the rest of the interview, read more.

I love your home, which I saw featured in New York magazine a few years ago. I know that you’re a big fan of neutrals and white, or at least you were when that article was written. Are you still a neutrals gal?
Thanks. It's funny, in New York City which is so chaotic and where I get easily overwhelmed, I need to be a neutral gal. It totally calms me down, and keeps my head clear. But upstate, where I feel more relaxed, I love layering patterns and color - florals, suzanis, chintzes, Indian prints, etc. I'm covering my sofa there in purple linen, my study is painted black, and one room is the craziest color green I've ever seen.

I love how your home is elegant and adult-oriented, yet still kid-accessible. What is your advice on and personal experience with creating gorgeous spaces that are also kid-friendly?
I have never understood dumbing down design for kids. No one had kid-friendly homes when I was growing up - people just had the homes they had and their children lived in them! A family home is for adults and children - why on earth would anyone give over their living room to let it look like a play room?! I'll probably get hate mail for this, but aside from a gate so children don't tumble down the stairs, and maybe a lock on the cabinet if you have the kind of children that want to eat the Ajax or whatever, children can be taught that table edges are sharp and that food is to be eaten in the kitchen and that open markers can't be left on the rug!

Other than that, if you have a fairly light palette like I do, you have to accept that you won't have the cleanest house in the world. Fortunately I like a bit of a patina on things! I like that the floor is scuffed by skateboards in part because I love a house where children feel free to run wild, have loads of friends over, and make forts out of the sofa cushions, but also where they have a sense of responsibility and respect for things. Oh, and I have cheap rugs, so if they get destroyed, I won't be sad! And I certainly wouldn't choose a linen velvet sofa fabric if I had to do it again! Kids don't rule the roost, they share it.

Your HomeGoods StyleScope tool helps home decorators find their style. How would you describe your own style?
I think I'm fairly conventional at core - I couldn't have furniture at funny angles or a bed floating in a room or anything too wacky or "fun." I dig symmetry. I like things that are classic in shape and form - not overly embellished, but I appreciate many kinds of design. I think I take this fairly classic base and mess it up a bit. I'm certainly not traditional. I like to layer on personality and quirk with ethnic textiles, cushions, interesting objects, fabrics, and art. I love stuff from India, Morocco, England. Thus, Bohemian Classic.

And to revive a favorite Domino feature of mine, what are 10 things that make you happy?
Hilarious question! Well, first of all, we never let people say their children or their dogs!!! Too boring and obvious.

Nearly all Santa Maria Novella products (if I could only choose one thing, it'd be their potpourri. But I'm crazy about the milk body cream, the honeysuckle perfume, and the pomegranate soap and bath salts). I am obsessed with scent - on my body and in my home!
My veg garden. (Really, seeing my children eat their way through our veg garden, but at Domino I would've edited that out as too sentimental!)
Making flower arrangements for the house.
My white parsons table (I have two) - and a brilliant new parsons side table in the pitch-perfect green color.
Comfy chairs in kitchens and bathrooms.
Cheap weekly blowouts from walk-in, no-appointment places.
Summer dinner outside with friends.
Staying in a lovely hotel room (never a trendy hotel, I like old-school, old-fashioned hotels). I love that nothing belongs to me and the beds are perfectly made. The Duc du St. Simon in Paris is pretty excellent.
Bobbi Brown makeup. Makes you look sun-kissed, not dolled up.
I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't say this, but having a decorator!! Specifically having the genius Rita Konig as a decorator!

Thank you, Deborah! We have a special giveaway for you CasaSugar readers on the way. One of you lucky readers will win a $500 gift card to HomeGoods! Check back for more details about the giveaway later on today!

How-To: Tineke Triggs's Tips For Designing in a Down Economy

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0700

It's only sensible for a UC Santa Barbara mathematical sciences degree-holder turned interior designer to prize cost-effective design over frivolous luxury. Meet Tineke Triggs. In the short time since launching her full-service interior design company Artistic Designs For Living in 2002, she has already been recognized as the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Baylist winner for Best Interior Designer, and placed on Western Interiors’s Gold List two years in a row. Talk about numbers! Well, actually, let's let Tineke talk. She's offered to share her 10 tips for designing your home in a down economy. To hear them, read more.

Paint. A coat of paint is an easy and inexpensive way to completely update or change the look and feel of any room. Try a bold color on an accent wall for minimal work with maximum impact!
Wallpaper! This is not your mother’s wallpaper. Companies now make interesting, whimsical, sophisticated choices for every room in your home.
Custom furniture? Yes! While it may sound pricey, having custom pieces made by local craftsmen can be a cost-effective choice in achieving one-of-a-kind design.
Discount fabric stores. Finding less expensive furniture and customizing it with your own fabric from local discount fabric shops is always a smart choice.
Mix and match. Mix lower-end furniture pieces with a few high-end pieces. Buying pre-made drapery and adding accents to it add a high-end and unique look.
What’s old is new again! Refurbish older pieces to give them new life.
A light bulb moment. Interesting lighting can completely change the look of a room.
Pillows. Accent pillows provide homeowners with an inexpensive and easy way to spruce up a room.
Beyond design. Look for a designer who can help manage a project who understands a remodel. This will ultimately save time, money, and frustration on any design project.

Artistic Designs For Living specializes in space planning, structural design, and concept-to-finish project management for kitchens, baths, and living spaces. Be sure to check out Tineke's portfolio online!

Desire/Acquire: Madeline Weinrib Zig Zag Rug

CasaSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:00:06 -0700

The cotton flatweave Madeline Weinrib Zig Zag Rug is one of my all-time favorite designs (see it in a room here), but unfortunately it's also quite pricey - if you must "inquire for price," don't bother. Luckily, there are two much more affordable alternatives. To see them, read more.

The West Elm Zig Zag Rug ($39-$649) has a similar traditional chevron pattern, is hand-woven and handloomed, and made from 80 percent wool and 20 percent cotton. It's also reversible! It's available in an ivory/espresso/flax colorway or iron/ivory/fez red.
If those colors aren't up your alley, you can get yours the DIY way. With basic sewing skills, you can transform a basic stripe pattern into your beloved chevron with a few supplies and some patience. Learn the steps here.Source

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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How-To: Find an Apartment on Craiglist

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:00:07 -0800

Apartment hunting is a necessary evil. It's not fun, but you can't fake it either - unless you actually like crashing with your parents. Short of throwing money at a broker, there aren't too many secrets to apartment hunting; you've just got to search the local papers, classifieds, and online agency listings, cruise the neighborhoods you like for signs, and of course, scour Craigslist in depth. I'm sure you can handle most of this, but there is a method to the madness of Craigslist that you may not all be aware of. It doesn't guarantee you a dream pad for the price of a shanty, but it'll at least get you in front of what you're looking for. If you're looking for tips on how to up your credit score for a prospective landlord, you'd better check out SavvySugar. To hear my tips, read more.

First of all, if you're looking for an apartment from long distance, you should be extra cautious, demand to see many photographs and references, and don't sign a lease until you or someone you know has visited it.
Moving on - no pun intended: You should begin looking for a place two months in advance of when you want to move. Most places are listed about a month ahead, and in big cities, apartments will go in a day. But, if you give yourself two months, you'll get a better idea of what's available, what you can afford, what neighborhoods you like, and how quickly things are going.
You should already have an idea of what you're looking for. So write it all down in front of you, and don't be too picky; a penthouse apartment with maid, pool, gym, and ocean and mountain views for $700/month is never gonna happen.
The wonder of Craigslist is that it allows you to add your search terms to your RSS reader. To do so, go to your city's site on Craigslist, click "Housing," then fill in specifics like keywords, rent, number of bedrooms, neighborhood, and whether you need a pet-friendly place. Then, choose "apt/housing for rent" from the drop down menu, and check off "has image." Then, scroll to the bottom of the page and click the yellow "RSS" button. This will bring up the feed and allow you to add it to your RSS reader. Try Google Reader or Bloglines, if you don't have one already. Just so you know, you can use this same method for looking for furniture, cars, or anything else on Craigslist. And, you can download an app to your Blackberry or iPhone for your reader so you can read listings on the go.
If you're open to a range of living situations, neighborhoods, rents, etc., then your chances of finding a place are greater, but that also means you'll need to subscribe to more feeds. So go through the last step again until you've entered all the possible search terms and combinations.
I have 118 blogs in my RSS reader (a lot!), so if I were apartment hunting, I'd want to compound them all. You can combine a bunch of feeds into one with FeedBlendr.
If you're afraid to get dirty with an RSS feed, you can do it the old-fashioned way, by making methodical searches. Peruse Craigslist's various categories (apartments, rooms, sublets) the same way you entered a range of search terms. You never know: a temporary rental could last three years, or a shared apartment could be with someone who travels nine months of the year.
Whichever way you'll be reading the listings, you need to do so routinely. Get up first thing and the morning and then look again every few hours. Set an alarm if you have to remind yourself.
When you see something that you might like, click on the map link at the bottom of the CL page to verify its address (people lie about neighborhoods sometimes). Or better yet, use a Google Maps/Craigslist mashup like MapsKrieg, which allows you to see all the listings for your location on a map.

Stay tuned for tips on actually snagging the apartment you want once you've found it!

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Ask an Expert: Cheap and Easy Home Improvement Projects

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:00:38 -0800

In October, I asked Lou Manfredini (better known as "Ace Hardware’s Helpful Hardware Man") to give CasaSugar tips on keeping your homes cozy and efficient during the Winter months. Lou had such great advice that I asked him if he could answer some other reader-inspired questions about home fixes and improvements. Check out his answers!

CasaSugar: What are some easy home projects that tool-shy readers should attempt to fix or upgrade their homes?

Lou: Simple things that can really make a difference are projects like changing and upgrading your furnace filters. Clogged filters will force your furnace to run longer which means more money spent on energy costs. And by upgrading to Ace pleated furnace filters you can trap 10 times more of the airborne particulate that flows through your unit than the standard blue fiberglass filters. Also at around $5-$6 a filter it’s over 50 percent less per filter than leading consumer brands. Another project is to change six of the most used light bulbs in your home to compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs), which will save you over $60 a year on electrical energy costs. You can also put a face lift on your kitchen cabinets with a small bottle of Howard’s-Restore-A-Finish and #0000 steel wool. This “face peel” for your cabinets will bring the life back into the wood. Finally, refresh your hardwood floors with Bona X Hardwood floor refresher. After you clean the floor you apply the urethane coating and spread it out with a synthetic sheepskin pad. Leave the home for about two hours and the shine will look brand new - no sanding, low odor, and it’s a waterborne product.

For the rest of Lou's answers, read more.

CasaSugar: What is the number one cheap and effective way that readers can change their homes, using Ace Hardware?

Lou: Paint, For about $25.00 a good gallon of Ace paint and a few tools can be purchased which will change the look of a bedroom or even a small kitchen or dinning room. Adding some color will creating a whole new look in the matter of a day or so. Another way that consumers can be more “green” is by shopping locally. We like to say that most of America is within 5 miles of an Ace hardware store, which are all locally owned and operated and help their community by giving back every step of the way. Not only are we competitively priced against the big boxes but I can say with 100 percent assurance that we are the most helpful place on the planet when it comes to your home improvement needs.

CasaSugar: Are there any painting tools that you recommend that would help make readers’ painting projects easier?

Lou: One thing to keep in mind when it comes to painting is that the quality of the tools you use as well as the quality of the paint is critical. If you have made the decision to paint yourself you will be saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars depending on the size of the project. With that in mind, buy higher quality brushes, roller frames and covers, ladders and so on. In this category you get what you pay for, and using cheaper tools will make the job harder and not give you the look you are trying for.

Check back tomorrow for the rest of Lou's tips!

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Room Therapy: Help Me Make My Bedroom More Livable!

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 06:15:01 -0700

Hi Casa,

I'm a student who recently moved into a huge four-bedroom apartment with four other girls. We converted a den into a bedroom, which also means that my room opens into the sunroom. While there is a lot of space, there isn't closet space anywhere. I have questions about making this space more liveable.

How do I get hanging space on the cheap? I only have one more year of school to go! And don't want to spend too much money.
I inherited a really old bed (no headboard) and was wondering what's an easy/cheap way to make it look nicer?
The sunroom has huge windows that overlook the street. I love the sunlight but the lack of privacy makes me nervous especially since it's on the first floor. Any way can I create some privacy while still maintaining sunlight?
Thanks!
Princessjaslew

To see my suggestions, and to leave suggestions of your own, read more.

Hi Princessjaslew,

Back in my college days, I once lived in a house with six, yes, count them, six roommates, in a house where the laundry room was converted into a bedroom, so I sympathize. I think that most college students have had to deal with similar issues to yours, and even if my suggestions aren't perfect, other Casa readers will provide you with a wealth of ideas for your space.

Let's look at solutions for each of your issues:
- Hanging Clothes: Since you're in school and want to spend as little cash as possible, I recommend buying a couple Riggas ($19.99) from Ikea. My sister would use them at her sewing studio to hang up clothes she made, and while they're pretty bare bones, they will do the job. You can always spring for a more expensive wardrobe unit that has a space for hanging clothes, but for a college student on a budget, the Rigga is a good choice.
- Sprucing Up Your Bed: Start with beautiful linens that reflect your style, and some fluffy, comfortable pillows with matching or coordinating shams. In place of a headboard, try painting a trompe l'œil headboard. One of the Su Casa members also created an awesome illusion of a headboard using curtains. Framing pretty photos in matching frames and arranging them above your bed (as long as you don't live in an earthquake-prone region) is also an easy, cheap option.
- Privacy and Sunlight: When I lived in my college rental, we turned the second living room area in our Victorian apartment into a bedroom simply by hanging floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains in the open, eight-foot space between the two rooms. Would this work as an option for you? That way you can keep the sunroom cheerful and bright, and you can also choose to open the curtains when you want to welcome some sunshine into your bedroom, and then close them again for privacy. Otherwise, a combination of pull-down shades and a more light, pretty curtain could be used in the sunroom itself, with the same idea of using both for privacy and one for letting the sunshine in.