CasaSugar

Link Time: Cozy Home Tips, 25 Ways to Use Paint, and a Lovestruck Pencil DIY

Elka Karl — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:24 PST

25 orange paint ideas. - Stylelist Home
Decorate your walls in two minutes. - Real Simple
Sleep in soothing, nearly neutral bedrooms. - Houzz
See how a piece of wood was turned into a lampshade. - Craft
Seven steps to a super-cozy home. - Apartment Therapy
Tips for making an old kitchen feel new again. - House Beautiful
Create lovestruck pencils. - The Crafts Dept

Would You Ever Paint a Piano?

Elka Karl — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:25:57 PDT

In Saturday's episode of Home by Novogratz, Rob and Cortney decided to paint a piano white to add more style to the aged instrument and to match the feel of the hip bachelor pad they were designing.

I think the finished piano looks amazing. Truth be told, I'm generally not a fan of painting perfectly nice solid wood furniture - or pianos, for that matter - unless they're already damaged or cannot be remedied with stripping or refinshing. That said, I love the look of a high-lacquer painted piano, and while I know I'm contradicting myself here, there's something so compelling about a glossy little spinet piano in the corner of a room. I'll draw the line at painting a grand - that's a little too Liberace gaudy for my taste, but an upright or spinet painted piano often turns out quite chic.

Before and After: A Dining Room Trades in a Punchy Yellow For a Cool, Moody Gray

Elka Karl — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 05:00:30 PDT

This weekend, I finally tackled our dining room's much-needed repainting project. After sharing some gray options with you on Facebook and carefully observing the color at all times of day and night, my husband and I decided on Benjamin Moore's Vale Mist, in the company's no-VOC Natura line. Vale Mist provided a cool, elegant gray that I thought would look great with our artwork. I also wanted to use this gray to add a modern look to the traditional wool carpet that my mother-in-law kindly gifted to us. I couldn't be happier with the transformation. However, I know that gray paint isn't for everyone - take a look and then let me know; did you prefer the yellow, or do you like the change in color?

Love It or Hate It? High-Gloss Ceilings

Julia Walsh — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:00:00 PDT

The glossy white ceiling of this Coogee Beach, Sydney, home is by no means subtle. It's flashy and reflective, snazzy and arresting. But it works because the home - complete with a dreamy interior courtyard - has been designed to the nines. An "unfinished" room could not pull this off; it'd be like wearing a khaki shirtdress with rhinestone Louboutins.

I would consider this effect in a smaller room and in a darker shade - perhaps Benjamin Moore's Old Navy? The white is a little too Miami for my tastes. What do you say?

Decor Don't: Choosing Paint Colors at the Store

Shelterpop — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:49:37 PDT

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

It's tempting to pick a paint color on a whim, but don't do it! Here's why.

You've been on the hunt for that perfect shade for your bathroom walls, and you finally think you've found it -- in the paint aisle, at your local hardware store.

Word to the wise: Don't do it.

"Lighting has a huge effect on the appearance of colors and many stores use 'cool white' fluorescent lighting that casts a bluish tint, even though you may not notice it," says interior designer and color expert Kelly Porter. The lighting in your home, on the other hand, is most likely incandescent, which gives paint colors a warmer appearance.

"In addition to lighting, most paint chips are small, so it's sometimes hard to see the color's true undertones or level of intensity," Porter says.

Take time to test the colors. Try painting a one-foot square in the middle of the wall and observing it for a day or two. Then you can see how the color looks at different times of the day, in various lighting conditions.

If you're hesitant to actually paint a test area on your wall, ask about ordering a larger paint chip, not a painted poster board. "Taping a larger color sheet to the wall will work better than painting on poster board, which absorbs paint differently than your walls."

And most importantly, be committed to the painting process. That way, you'll be willing to test colors until you find the one that's right for your space.

Here are a few more of our favorite ShelterPop posts this week:

Source

The Bathroom Sees Red!

Casa Community — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 03:00:59 PDT

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member MashiaraQCS from the Su Casa group.

I recently redid my bathroom. Unfortunately I don't have any before pictures. Not enough foresight. It used to be a calming and boring shade of misty green. As I'm sure you've already guessed, it's been entirely made over with a vibrant shade of red! I love it. The old shower doors, which were getting stained and discolored in uncleanable areas, were ripped out and a delightful curtain replaced it. I added fun new knick-knacks and chose new wall decor and new bath mats. Still haven't replaced the towels however. Eventually they will match the bathroom. My favorite item however is the eye-chart. I created it using photoshop and had it printed through Zazzle and then created my own matte and framed it. The guys of the house had a fun time trying to figure out what it said (it hangs above the loo). The space is very awkward to shoot pictures in.

Check out all of the photos of the newly painted and decorated bathroom!

I Chat With Cynthia Rowley About Devine Color!

Elka Karl — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:40:44 PDT

Yesterday morning I had the chance to video chat with fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, who recently partnered with Gretchen Schauffler, the founder of paint company Devine Color. Rowley has curated a palette of 10 paint colors inspired by the looks she showed in the Fall 2011 collection.

Describing the palette, Rowley explained, "Whether it's on the runway or in my home, for me great design begins with great colors. Next season is all about vivid hues and rich shades and I have selected 10 fabulous hues from Devine that really speak to the power of color to brighten our moods and transform our lives."

Take a moment to listen to Cynthia and Gretchen discuss the eco features of the paint, how it can coordinate with her limited-edition online art gallery, Exhibition A, and how the paints relate to her Fall 2011 collection, when you watch our video interview!

Cool Idea: Camouflage Your Small Screen

Julia Walsh — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 05:00:00 PDT

Black isn't my go-to paint color of choice, but the next time I decide to mount a glaring television on my wall, I'll reconsider the moody shade. In the March/April issue of Lonny, homeowner Jennifer Bandier's bedroom small screen was treated to a clever camouflage thanks to a coat of black paint. Surrounded by an array of photographs with white mats and black frames, the oft-inconspicuous flat screen blends right into the wall. Paired with classic moldings, bordered, hotel-style bedding, and a pop of rouge in the hallway, the room has a neoclassical style and not so much the rock 'n' roll vibe I associate it with.

Would you try this at home? Have you camouflaged your TV in any other way?

Refinish Your Kitchen Cabinets With One Easy Product

Julia Walsh — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 04:00:00 PST

If I were to ask you, "Are you proud of your kitchen?" I would venture to guess that most of you would respond, "No." Considering that the average age of the American home in 35 years, many of you have may inherited an old kitchen with laminate floor tile and countertops or dingy, dated cabinetry that doesn't look exactly as you'd wish.

With home prices down 30 to 50 percent, most consumers are only buying what we need and can afford, but unfortunately, a kitchen renovation is not the most budget-friendly of expenses. The cost to replace your cabinets and countertops stands somewhere between $4,000 and $20,000, depending on whether you purchase stock supplies or have a custom kitchen built. To reface your cabinets, you can expect to pay between $1,000 and $6,000. And painting your cabinets will cost you around $200, but as anyone who has tried this will tell you, the paint will inevitably peel if you don't strip, sand, and prime beforehand - a lengthy process.

So what's the alternative? Luckily there's a new product on the market for refinishing wood, melamine, laminate, and a number of cabinet surfaces that doesn't require sanding, stripping, or priming! Better yet, it'll cost you as little as $80. Find out what it is when you read more!

Graham & Brown Launches Its First Interior Paint Collection

Julia Walsh — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:00:49 PST

British wallpaper retailer Graham & Brown has your walls covered. After 64 years in the wallpaper business, the company is expanding its horizons with its first interior paint collection. Inspired by British icons, the collection is aptly named "The Colours That Made Britain Great." The range includes 30 high-quality, flat, matte finish colors in a full spectrum of shades. From a peachy beige named "Nice Cup of Tea" to a riveting rouge called "Double Decker Bus," each hue is a clever nod to British culture. Better yet, the paints were designed to complement G&B's existing collection of wallpapers, taking all the guess work out of choosing colors to match your accent wallpaper. The water-based formula is low-odor, low-VOC, and nondrip, making it easy to apply and easy on the environment, and each coat dries in only one to two hours. The paints are available to order online in 0.66 gallons for $35 or in $5 sample sizes.