CasaSugar

LuRu Home Brings Shanghai Style to NYIGF

Angela Swinderman Elias — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:52:24 PST

If you're a fan of Indian block printing, you'll flip for Chinese Nankeen cloth. After moving to Shanghai, Liza and Claire picked up more than just Chinese. The two fell in love with the vibrant indigo hues and imperfect patterns of Nankeen cloth and decided to translate the look to products for the modern home, with LuRu Home.

The ritual of making this traditional cloth dates back thousands of years to ancient China. It involves applying soybean-rice paste to cotton and linen with hand-cut stencils. After the paste dries, the cloth is dipped over and over again into baths of indigo ink. While the fabric dries, oxidation creates brilliant hues of blue. The soybean-rice paste is finally scraped off to reveal a marvelous piece of hand-dyed fabric.

New to NYIGF, I have a feeling LuRu Home is going to be a hit! With pillows, tabletop linens, and aprons, I'm anxious to incorporate this look into my own decor. Keep reading to see more goods from LuRu Home and a peek at additional shots from their imaginatively styled lookbook!

Do You Replace Your Pillows?

Julia Walsh — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 11:00:00 PST

CasaSugar Community member Sherrilee recently wrote in the Organization Tips group, "I found it's worth it if you change your pillows often. I buy new ones when they lose their plumpness. They aren't sanitary anymore, and I feel safer as it prevents dust mites and other germs. It's worth investing in." Do you do the same? Do you swap in new pillows when they're no longer plump or clean?

CB2 Pixel Pillow: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 05:12:43 PST

It's been a while since we've seen a great geeky pillow (like these 10 great picks), but I'm loving this Pixel Pillow ($50) from CB2. The square throw features pixelated detail in shades of orange, yellow, green and blue, perfect for mixing and matching with all types of couches.

Since I'm an admitted sucker for orange, I of course love it. I also love that a geeky, tech-focused design has found its way into a mainstream retail outlet. What do you think?

An Alphabet Pillow

Casa Community — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 05:00:37 PST

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member Blueleafboutique from the Su Casa group:

As a mom, I love when I find cute things that also teach my kids something. That is what I had in mind when I designed my alphabet nursery pillow cover. This has catapulted me into a whole line of nursery decor that I want to design for my Etsy shop.

For this piece I kept it gender neutral with a soft blue duck fabric and soft very pale pink thread. My 3-year-old son couldn't resist trying to name all the letters as I posed the piece for pictures.

Have you made any decorating updates lately? Be sure to post photos and details in the Su Casa group!

It's the Little (Gold) Things That Count

Julia Walsh — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 03:00:43 PST

About a year ago, I bought a pair of linen Fred Shand throw pillows from Anthropologie with persimmon zigzag stripes and appliqué strips of navy and white patterned silk. I absolutely love them, and the best part is the silver lining: rows of metallic sequins bordering the orange stripes. I'm not a flashy girl, but that little bit of shine sure does make me smile.

So I've been on the hunt for a new throw for the sofa to coordinate since then, and I finally stumbled upon the perfect item at West Elm. The brand's Chunky Tassel Throw ($69), a mainstay from last season, was released this year in gold metallic. It's a cozy, textural layer woven with metallic thread and a marvelous match to much-loved pillows!

Desire/Acquire: A Piero Pillow

Julia Walsh — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 05:00:27 PST

I've always been a fan of Piero Fornasetti's mystical, black and white designs showcasing the face of 19th century operatic singer Lina Cavalieri. In particular, a throw pillow featuring that famous face is just the thing my sofa needs for a bit of je ne sais quoi. Unfortunately, $135, the price at Barneys New York, is more than I'm currently willing to spend. Lucky me, I recently discovered a much more affordable pillow that's clearly inspired by Fornasetti's work and equally intriguing.

Wondering where you can pick it up? Then continue reading.

Guess Who Is Jonathan Adler's Latest Muse?

Julia Walsh — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:00:45 PST

One of Jonathan Adler's new handmade needlepoint pillows features a famous quote from a British model: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." Can you name the woman who coined the expression?

DIY: Christmas Tree Pillow

Casa Community — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 08:00:00 PST

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member dsmendes from the Crave Worthy Creations group:

While searching for inspiration for a pillow, I stumbled upon an adorable tree pillow. The Woodland Forest in Moss Green and Olive pillow is from Etsy designer allisajacobs and her other designs are just as unique! Since I purchased fabric to make my own pillows, I used this design as my inspiration.

I was making this pillow from scratch, so I purchased a 12"x16" pillow form and the white cotton fabric to make a cover. I pulled out my sewing guide (Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts) and followed the directions to make an envelope-backed pillow cover, so that I can change the cover after different holidays. Then, I picked three print fabrics that look good together and could be used for trees. Walking on the crazy edge of crafting, I just cut out three triangles without using a template and hoped for the best. I didn't worry too much about perfectly straight lines. Because the pillow cover was already sewn together, I chose to glue the trees and stumps directly on the pillow using Dritz Heat Set Glue and an iron. Then, I used the tip of the scissors and frayed the edges. See step-by-step instructions on my blog.

Have you been doing any holiday crafts lately? Be sure to share your projects in the Artists and Crafters group!

Nice and New: Alexander McQueen For The Rug Company

Julia Walsh — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 14:00:36 PST

Before he passed away in February, Alexander McQueen created a luxurious six-piece collection of rugs and pillows for The Rug Company, and now, three years in the making, the line is finally available. McQueen's trademark skull pattern made its way onto one baby blue and white rug, as well as two pillows, in black and gold, while his recognizable hummingbird, feather, and military broçade themes make up the rest of the line. Finely knotted, the hummingbird rug is an almost photographic reproduction of McQueen's sartorial design, though these pieces will cost you more. A six-by-nine rug goes for about $19,000, while a scarf will cost you only $260. As for accessorizing and creating your ensemble, I think the same rules apply: layer one of McQueen's rugs or pillows over simple separates or go bold and mix them with prints.

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Love It or Hate It? Plenty of Pucci

CasaSugar — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:00:15 PDT

In the last episode of The City, Whitney Port visits the offices of Allison Brod PR in New York. I couldn't help but notice that the work space is also literally covered in Emilio Pucci. From the framed scarves on every wall to throw pillows on every sofa and chair, it seems that you can't turn your head without spotting a half a dozen Pucci products.

I did some digging and as it turns out, the brand is one of ABPR's clients, so that somewhat explains it. I love Pucci's colorful, graphic prints as much as the next girly girl, but from a design standpoint, I think Allison's gone a little bit overboard - her website is even dripping in the patterns! Do you agree? Or do you think putting out plenty of Pucci is über cute?