CasaSugar

Cool Idea: Play in Public

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:00:07 -0700

We may not remember rocking away in bouncy seats as infants, but I'm sure we all remember playing on swing sets as kids. In either case, was it ever not fun? I think not. So, why are Trix just for kids? And why should play be relegated just to playgrounds and backyards? I think adults should get a piece of the fun and games, and play should be accepted in public, and apparently so does British industrial design student Bruno Taylor.The renegade playground builder has decided that it's about time we bring play back into public space. He has created a project which incorporates incidental play in the public realm, including a public bench that bounces, for all to use, and the installation of swings into existing bus stops. Is that rad or what? To see a video of Taylor's swing being installed guerrilla-style into a bus stop, read more.

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Love It or Hate It? Upper Playground Molotov Cocktail Pillow

CasaSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:00:28 -0800

The Upper Playground Molotov Cocktail Pillow's ($40) cheeky take on the classic polo player symbol creates a rather revolutionary pillow. Would you want to display it on your sofa?

Midday Muse: Pastel Plastic Playground

CasaSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:30:35 -0700

I am smitten with this Jan Cowles-designed bedroom featured in the August issue of Domino. I love the color palette and the shag carpet, but it would be tough to recreate the look without those fly plastic chairs. Any ideas?

Love It or Hate It? Upper Playground Zebra Pillow

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:00:18 -0700

This Upper Playground Zebra Pillow ($40) puts a new twist on the old equine with stripes trend by using zebras as both the background and the foreground of this pillow. Are you a fan?

Etsy Finds: Art to Get You Into the School Spirit

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:57 -0700

Even though I'm far removed from my elementary and high school years, I still feel nostalgic every September, when my thoughts turn to big yellow school buses and swing-filled playgrounds. I'm betting that many of you feel nostalgic as well, especially if your little one is in elementary school this Fall. To get you into the school spirit, I've rounded up some great art that will have you singing your ABCs and reciting your multiplication tables.

View Slideshow ›

Etsy Find: Robert Ryan And I Walked Tape

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 06:15:18 -0700

London-based screen-printer and papercut artist Rob Ryan's recently published book, This Is For You, is an awe-inspiring and heartfelt accomplishment that turned me on to the art of papercuts. The charming detail of his work is a breath of fresh air, and something I'd love to have more of in my home. I was delighted to come across Ryan's Etsy site and this And I Walked Tape ($14), a roll of tape printed in black with small-town houses, playgrounds, and a lonesome man walking, captioned "And I walked and I thought and I walked and I thought . . . " Wouldn't moving be so much more fun with a roll of this?

Gift Guide: The Arrested Adolescent

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:15:59 -0800

If you have some friends who can't get enough of Hello Kitty lamps or tongue-in-cheek embroidered throw pillows when it comes to decorating their homes, don't despair, embrace it! Some of my favorite friends' abodes are peppered with fun accessories from Kid Robot, Upper Playground, Sanrio, and other hip and youthful stores. Maybe you don't want your pals to take the theme as far as they did at the Hello Kitty gate lounge in Terminal 2 of the Taipei International Airport, but I think some fun, arrested adolescent accents in a home can provide a lovely youthful spirit.

To indulge their obsession, check out my gift guide when you read more.

Check out HolidaySugar for all of our holiday coverage.

upper playground Lightbulb Pillow - $40.00	The Fatboy - $299.00
upper playground Morning Breath Poster - $40.00	Armand Diradourian Smiley Face Pillow- Pink - $250.00
My Pet Lamp - Siamese - $60.00	Mega Furlicious Beanbag - $499.00
Armand Diradourian Love Pillow- Blue - $265.00	Areaware Skullrilla Ashtray - $25.00
Petit Collage Blue Robot #4 - $140.00	upper playground Sam Flores Record Player Poster - $40.00
upper playground SuperFishal Wings Pillow - $40.00	Numbers Beanbag - $50.00
Fatboy Point by Dwell - Fuchsia Dots - $129.00	Pkolino Silly Soft Seating - $40.00
OFFI - MyPetLamp - Dachshund - $59.00	Matte Stephens Krasner Kitty - Print - $35.00
Hybrid-Home Limited Edition Print Visible Robot - Orange - $40.00	Armand Diradourian Peace Sign Pillow- Red - $250.00
Koko - Match Co Lion Pillow - $92.00	Clocky Mobile Alarm Clock - Almond - $49.99

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Home Away From Home: Google Zurich

CasaSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:00:29 -0700

Living in San Francisco, where Google is headquartered, I have heard plenty of tales of the company's unconventional office culture and environment, including free food mandates, excellent chefs, in-house masseuses, arcade rooms, off-site meetings in breweries and at fun spots like Disneyland, not to mention bouncy balls galore and tons of branded schwag. So, when I came across a photo of Google's Zurich office, I wasn't very surprised, so much as I felt a pang of jealousy — although, I can't complain about Sugar HQ's swank new space.

While bouncy balls also float freely there, you may, in addition, hold a conference in a gondola car bedecked in ski gear or wrapping in a fishing net, take a break on a massage chair in an aquarium, brainstorm with co-workers while sitting in a canoe, spend a delicate few competing in Guitar Hero, or shoot down to lunch on a playground slide. Anything goes in the space, which one person described aptly as "kindergarten for adults." To hear more and see lots of images, read more.

As you may have expected, creating a fun office is great at keeping staff happy and fostering creativity. But, according to VP of Engineering Nelson Mattas, who said, "I was very surprised that on day one of joining Google I had access to every piece of code, design document, and confidential information," this wacky space is also meant to create "a structure that isn't dictated from the top," a place where information is free flowing. For Googlers, who no doubt spend a majority of their life at the office, this certainly seems like one heck of a Home Away From Home. Unfortunately, though, this Zurich funhouse is unconventional even by Google's standards. When I showed images to an SF-based Google friend of mine, she responded, "Is that a joke? Is that really the office? Where did you find this gem!?" Bewilder yourself by checking out the images below.

View 24 Photos ›

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Nice and New: Anthropologie Hardware Store

CasaSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:27:01 -0800

Anthropologie.com has a new tool called the Hardware Store that allows you to test out their collection of drawer pulls in aquatic, glass, or ceramic styles on your choice of four dressers or cabinets, which most resembles yours. We all know how tempting the buckets upon buckets of drawer pulls in Anthropologie's stores can be, so it's a good barrier against unnecessary shopping. In my case, I'm not in the market for any knobs but I must admit this tool is more like a playground than a hardware store — seriously amusing.

Casa Verde: 21 Surprisingly Recyclable Things

CasaSugar — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:34:16 -0700

Once you start recycling, it's hard to stop, and I'm always sad to throw anything in the trash. (Some of my biggest pet peeves are excessive packaging materials like peanuts and bubble-mailer envelopes.) So I was genuinely relieved to find this list of 21 things you didn't know you could recycle via Treehugger.

Some of these you may already know about, but some of them really surprised me, such as the aforementioned packing peanuts and eyeglasses. Check out the list and tell me what you think. Here are some of my most surprising finds.

Appliances: Goodwill accepts working appliances, or you can contact the Steel Recycling Institute to recycle them.
Cardboard boxes: Contact local nonprofits and women’s shelters to see if they can use them. Or, offer up used cardboard boxes at your local Freecycle.org listserv or on Craigslist.org for others who may need them for moving or storage. If your workplace collects at least 100 boxes or more each month, UsedCardboardBoxes.com accepts them for resale.

For the rest of my favorites, read more

CDs/DVDs/Game Disks: Send scratched music or computer CDs, DVDs, and PlayStation or Nintendo video game disks to AuralTech for refinishing, and they’ll work like new.
Compact fluorescent bulbs: Take them to your local IKEA store for recycling.
Eyeglasses: Your local Lion’s Club or eye care chain may collect these. Lenses are reground and given to people in need.
Foam packing: Your local pack-and-ship store will likely accept foam peanuts for reuse. For places to drop off foam blocks for recycling, contact the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers.
Oil: Find Used Motor Oil Hotlines for each state: www.recycleoil.org.
Tennis shoes: Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program turns old shoes into playground and athletic flooring. One World Running will send still-wearable shoes to athletes in need in Africa, Latin America, and Haiti.
Toothbrushes and razors: Buy a recycled plastic toothbrush or razor from Recycline, and the company will take it back to be recycled again into plastic lumber. Recycline products are made from used Stonyfield Farms’ yogurt cups.
Tyvek envelopes: Quantities less than 25: Send to Shirley Cimburke, Tyvek Recycling Specialist, 5401 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Spot 197, Room 231, Richmond, VA 23234. Quantities larger than 25, call 866/33-TYVEK.