CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Blanc de Chine on the Cheap

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:30:08 -0700

Blanc de Chine, a type of white Chinese porcelain, has been produced in Dehua in the Fujian province for over 600 years. It's beautiful, but also expensive. If you like the look, but don't want to pony up the cash for the porcelain, you can create a DIY version. Simply pick up a can of white spray paint and coat some cheap dollar store or thrifted statues with it. Want to hear more about how to do it? Check out this article in Elle Decor.

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Nice and New: Elephant Porcelain Candle

CasaSugar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:00:56 -0700

I've told you before about my guilty pleasure of spending big bucks on candles, and most of you said you wouldn't spend more than $25 on one. But would your opinion change if said candle came in an elegant porcelain jar you could use over and over again? The Vivre Elephant Porcelain Candle ($85) is quite pricey, but I'd almost buy it just for the textured black Limoges porcelain vessel it comes in. Its 14-karat gold painted elephant clasp is downright dashing. I'd love to use the jar to store cotton balls or Q-tips in the bathroom. I can't testify to the candle's aroma, Vetiver D'Orient, but for $85 I'm sure it smells a lot nicer than your Yankee Candle.

Guess What This Product Is?

CasaSugar — Thu, 07 May 2009 07:00:56 -0700

This piece of filigree porcelain is not just a decorative nod to the skull trend. It has a function that extends beyond spooking and intriguing your guests. Can you guess what type of product it really is? Hint: It might be the more favored version of an old favorite, since the swine flu hit!

Nice and New: West Elm Decal Square Drum Table

CasaSugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:15:09 -0800

West Elm has refreshed its inventory with plenty of Moroccan-inspired furnishings. As you might have suspected, I'm thrilled. One of my picks is the Decal Square Drum Table ($199) which, at 12-by-17 inches with silver-and-white Moroccan-inspired decals on porcelain, will add a small touch of North African style to your digs. Set it beside your favorite reading chair or sofa, use it as a bedside table, or even plop it beside your tub to hold towels and toiletries. You'll be
stumped to find a space where this adorable table doesn't make perfect sense.

Love It or Hate It? Porcelain Skull

CasaSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:45:39 -0700

This very realistic, glazed, ivory porcelain skull ($439) was designed by Bavarian sculptor Franz Ignaz Günther in 1756, well before skulls were cool. It is still produced today by the same Munich-based porcelain manufacturer, Nymphenburg. Given that it was designed as more of a sacred figure than a trendy home accessory, does it appeal to you?

Casa Quickie: Porcelain Por Favor

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:00:27 -0700

Whenever possible, you should try to create a home (and office) that is "free of tree." Considering that most of you use cloth napkins and towels, you're probably well on your way. But, when it comes to giving yourself reminders, and jotting down notes, I'm going to venture to guess that many of you probably still use paper (Post-Its, notepads, journals, etc.). If it didn't scream "college dorm room," I'd suggest using a dry-erase board instead, but unfortunately the memories of freshman year run thick wherever dry-erase boards hang. So, consider cruising over to your cupboard, or stopping by your local thrift store, and picking up a porcelain plate. You can jot notes and lists down on plain ol' porcelain just as well as you can with a tree-killing notepad, using a dry-erase marker of course. And, at the end of the day, when you've checked A through Z off your laundry list, you can wipe off those letters with your handmade cloth napkin.
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Etsy Find: Reproduction Milk Bottles

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:00:04 -0700

I'm a sucker for vintage glassware and pottery, so these reproduction milk bottles ($30) are right up my alley, having been hand-cast from antique half-pint glass milk bottles. They remind me a bit of Jonathan Adler's Druggist Collection, with their smooth white surfaces and cheeky printing.

These reproduction milk bottles are from Etsy seller Alyssaettinger, and were modeled after bottles from Concord Dairy. They stand at a diminutive four inches tall, perfect for displaying summer blooms. You can also pop them in the dishwasher, which is always a plus.

Artist of the Day: David Wiseman

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 05:30:48 -0700

David Wiseman works in a variety of mediums including wood, porcelain, crystal, and bronze, and is inspired by the subtleties in nature, like the texture of bark or the pattern of moss growing on a rock. His designs, which can be found on a tabletop, wrapped around a fireplace, or dangling from the ceiling, highlight these organic details, and bring a romantic, Sleeping Beauty-esque woodland quality indoors. His bronze branches, which sprout porcelain blossoms, are kindred spirits of midcentury bronze wall sculptures, but have a timeless sophistication that supersedes them. His deer head-shaped hat hangers bear the childlike playfulness of Rudolph, white still maintaining a distinct maturity. To continue your introduction and see some of his work, read more.

It's no wonder New York magazine said he'd be "Famous by 2010" — the work of the 2003 RISD grad suggests he's a man wise beyond his years. At the young age of 26, his work has already been acquired by notable collections, has appeared in numerous publications, and most recently, been selected for the Design Triennial at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

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Love It or Hate It? Jorine Oosterhoff Mad Hatter

CasaSugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:06:07 -0700

The Jorine Oosterhoff Mad Hatter ($250 each) set is aptly named, as my mind immediately jumped to Alice in Wonderland when I spotted it. Created in porcelain, Dutch designer Jorine Oosterhoff says of her designs, "My products become characters, like individual things that seem to live their own life. They have their own identity and personality. Sometimes they seem to come from a fairy-tale world. Products making us feel like being in a different world." Indeed.

Cool Idea: Edgy Porcelain

CasaSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:00:45 -0700

If you haven't noticed, I'm anticipating a trend here, with my coverage of alternative crochet work, subversive lace, and now, edgy porcelain. It's as if a punk-rock grandchild raided her grandma's attic and added some 'tude to traditional, feminine styles.

The Brooklyn-based designer Sarah Cihat did just that when she asked metalsmith Michael Miller to dress up the hand-cast porcelain bowls and vases from her new Dirt collection. Using copper and brass chainwork, Smith's metalwork adds an unexpected touch of edginess to Cihat's designs, and I love the results.

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