CasaSugar

Before and After: RJ Thornburg's Getaway Bathroom

CasaSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:30:41 -0700

Self-declared "anti-decorator" RJ Thornburg, one of our Designer Spotlights, brought his design talent and a lot of flea market finds to his Pennsylvania 1860s farmhouse weekend retreat, which was in need of major renovation. Before then, though, the bathroom was decorated in typical Pennsylvania country style - lots of florals, dark tones, knick-knacks, and (gasp!) a toilet seat cover. Thornburg transformed it into a relaxing, light-filled escape with clean, white walls, a classic, freestanding tub, and lots of artwork. And, he turned the small alcove area into a lounge by setting a comfy cushion there.
To see the transformation, read more.

What do you think of this improvement?
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Before and After: A Victorian Rebirth

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 06:15:11 -0700

Years of neglect, a house fire, and a tree fallen through the chimney left this elegant 1902 Pennsylvania Victorian, which was featured on This Old House, in dire shape. Many would knock it down instead of facing the difficult task of restoration, but the owners decided to hire a local contractor who knew the house's history, as well as landscapers and a mason, to get it back in shape. To see it restored to its former glory, read more.

A pretty drastic change, huh? It looks completely new to me, but still maintains its wonderful original Victorian details such as that big round front porch. Have you made any restorations to your home?
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Nice and New: Terrain's E-Commerce Site Is Now Live

CasaSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0700

Nearly two years ago, I announced that Urban Outfitters, Inc., was launching a garden site. And earlier this year, when Danny Seo checked it out in person, I was looking for an excuse to head to Philly to see the store for myself. But now, it doesn't look like I'll have to book a ticket for Pennsylvania any time soon, since the gorgeous gardening and lifestyle store has just launched an e-commerce store.

The online shop is filled with all sorts of gorgeous details for glamming up your outdoor space, from hanging lanterns to beautiful potting containers. There's also a variety of indoor furnishings, books, and wellness and spa items. To see my favorites, check out the widget below.

Sale Alert: Room and Board Summer Clearance Sale

CasaSugar — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:30:21 -0700

Room & Board is cleaning shop to make room for Fall and passing on the savings to you all. At the Summer clearance event, furniture and accessories from throw pillows to sectionals have been reduced 30 to 50 percent. I'm loving this Matchstick Pillow ($69.99, reduced from $109), which I had my eye on when I toured Room & Board back in March. It's 100 percent linen and is hand-printed in Pennsylvania. Cute, graphic, and a bit folksy, right? Here are a few more sale goodies.

Fab Fall Photos: Dh931's Pretty Pennsylvania

CasaSugar — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:09:23 -0700

Dh931 is the latest user to write to me about some of the beautiful fall photos she's taken this season. Dh931 notes that while she used to live in a much more urban area, she loves the fact that there are more trees than people in her new Pennsylvanian home. She also says that the lack of rain has caused a lot of the leaves to drop early, and that red leaves are more scarce this year.

Even with the lack of rain, I think that Dh931 has done an admirable job capturing the beauty of the season. What about you?

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Su Casa Challenge: Miriam Olivia's Cocina Fiesta

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:00:59 -0800

Su Casa member Miriam Olivia responded to my January Su Casa Challenge and posted photos of her kitchen wall cupboard that she enlivened with colorful dishes.

She writes, "Living in Pennsylvania means long Winters with very little sun. So, one day I decided to take off the three doors to this 1950s kitchen wall cupboard. I painted the ugly wood an antique white. I replaced my dishes, cups, and so on with bright and bold beautiful colors. I love the Mexican motif. It's cheerful, and every day is a fiesta!"
I love the dishware's patterns and Miriam Olivia's flawless combination of bright tones. It really goes to show you how some colorful accessories can brighten a gloomy Winter.

Have you entered your home in my January Su Casa Challenge? For this month's contest, I want you to photograph and describe a bright and happy corner of your casa. Winter may be dreary, but I know that your homes are cheery! Show them off and you might win some CasaSugar swag of your choice. Intrigued? Read all about the January challenge here.

This Just In: Eat the View Wins Over On Day One

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 05:30:35 -0800

You may remember back in August, I told you about a campaign and petition to plant healthy, edible landscapes in high-impact, high-visibility places, including the White House - much like San Francisco's Slow Food Nation Victory Garden - called Eat the View. Well, as it turns out, after the polling the public on their preference of 81 ideas for our future pres., Eat the View was named the winner by On Day One, a platform for gathering ideas about what Obama should do on his first day in office. This isn't to say that Obama will be taking any orders from On Day One, but the people have spoken, and it's clear that many would like to see some veggies growing at 1600 Pennsylvania. What do you think about this campaign? Do you have your own vegetable, fruit, or herb garden? Would you like to see more gardens in public spaces?
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Cool Idea: Feed Bag Pillow

CasaSugar — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:30:29 -0800

Danny Seo recently made some pillows out of feed bags he scooped up at an old general store in Pennsylvania for a buck each, by simply stuffing and stitching them. I love this fresh twist on an antique; it's unexpected. But, there's also quite a lot you could do with feed bags, such as upholstering or making tea towels, or framing them. The country graphics are charming and offer kitschy, yet understated style. And, the $1 price won't break the bank! But, if you're not a crafty person, I can see how this wouldn't appeal to you. Luckily, I've found some colorful pillows made from recycled rice sacks to purchase for those of you who fit that profile. To see where you can buy them, read more.

The Urban Outfitters Recycled Rice Sack Pillows ($20) are made from recycled rice sack on one side and soft tonal cotton on the other, and stuffed with polyfill. These pillows certainly have more of an international look with varying-tongue typefaces, but make a similar agricultural reference.
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The White House: A Model of Energy Efficiency?

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:00:54 -0800

2009 will certainly be the dawning of a new age for the United States, and now that Barack Obama has been named president-elect, he should be prepared to follow through on his aforementioned goals. He needs to walk the walk. In the green building department, he proposed investing in infrastructure, advancing energy efficiency and sustainable buildings, and developing a 21st century transportation system. Sounds great. But, as we all know, no man is an island, and he'll need some help (lots) along the way. The American Institute of Architects, which led the “Greening of the White House” initiative in the '90s, has offered to help Obama with these goals. To hear about AIA's green building proposals for the White House, read more.

To start, the group has recommended that a high-level advisor on green buildings be put in place in the White House to coordinate executive branch activities and promote green building issues to the public. AIA has also offered to help develop a White House Office of Urban Policy to address national energy and infrastructure issues. One of AIA's most notable proposals (to me, at least) is to work with the Obama administration to make the White House a model of energy efficiency, and make federal buildings in general less reliant on fossil fuels. As much as I love to see high-profile Hollywood types like Leonardo DiCaprio living in eco-friendly condos, you can't get more visibility on an international level than the White House. So I hope Mr. President-elect will accept this generous offer, and I'm eager to hear more specific details of how they'd like to create the Green House. And, if the White House edible garden petition is a success, 1600 Pennsylvania will be a prime example of eco-consciousness!
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Casa Shops: Chairloom

CasaSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Chairloom is a Pennsylvania company that repairs, reupholsters, and reinvents vintage furniture pieces, mostly seating and ottomans, with fresh, stylish fabrics. Quality antiques in their own right, given a facelift with textiles like Schumacher, Oliveiera, Rubie Green, Virginia Johnson, and John Robshaw, owner Molly Worth's pieces are inherently high-end. Her keen eye for design takes the old to new levels, with her careful arrangement and selection of fabrics and perfect choices of Benjamin Moore paint color to make colors pop. If it weren't for their price tags ($385-$4,200), I'd lay claim to her entire inventory. A friend of mine came across some of her pieces at the Brooklyn Flea recently, and shared these drool-worthy images with me. Do you covet them as much as I do?

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Origami 6'7"x9'10" Rug in Charcoal/Marigold - $1,999.00	Tulane 77" Sofa in Desmond Surf CG - $799.00
NYC Pentatray with Map - $199.00	Tuscany 20 Square Pillow in Kelp - $89.00
Spectrum 2'6"x9' Rug in Mist - $299.00	Cotton Basket-weave Full/Queen Blanket in White - $59.00
Henley 2'6"x9' Rug in Olive - $179.00	Portland 73" Full Sleeper Slipcover in Dorien Natural - $379.00
Regan 18 Square Cube in Digit Moss - $149.00	Lenox Ottoman in Dita Salt - $299.00