CasaSugar

Casa Shops: The Joinery

CasaSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 05:30:00 -0700

I'm a huge fan of eco-minded furniture design shop The Joinery, which is located in Portland, OR. The Joinery handcrafts high-end furniture using traditional woodworking techniques in a variety of styles, including modern, shaker, mission, and arts and crafts styles, as well as custom pieces.

Taking a cue from the needs of its customers, who are often downsizing to smaller urban spaces, The Joinery has recently developed its Modern line.

To find out more about the Modern line, read more.

Marc Gaudin, the founder of The Joinery, explains that, “We created the Modern line to be timeless furniture that is built to last for generations. Sleek and simply designed, the furniture is handcrafted from responsibly harvested solid wood and finished with non-toxic oils. We believe that truly sustainable furniture is furniture that will transcend design trends and last forever.”

The Joinery's Modern line uses walnut, madrone, and reclaimed Douglas fir. Unlike other modern furniture, The Joinery distinguishes itself by applying classic jointing and solid wood to a modern aesthetic.

I love to mix styles and pieces, and to choose from a pool of both high-end and lower-end pieces. I definitely advocate for choosing some quality, heirloom pieces, such as the kind that The Joinery designs and crafts. Interested in picking up a piece of your own? You can find out more here.

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In the News: Youth Photography Builds Community in Portland

CasaSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:00:00 -0700

When photojournalist Julie Keefe moved into her rapidly changing (and gentrifying) North Portland community, a place that was once "a village raising all the kids," she noticed that as new business grew, streets became safer, and houses were fixed up, the dialogue between community members (and children) took a sharp decline . . . that people weren't saying "Hello" anymore. She wanted to publicly address these changes, that she as a new neighbor was a part of, and spur new conversation. So, she began a yearlong youth photography project called Hello Neighbor. Kids began to approach their new neighbors, of all ages, and ask to interview and photograph them. At the same time the children were learning interviewing skills and photography techniques, they were also saying hello to their neighbors and bridging a gap that had been widening for some time. Keefe chose several of the children's images to be printed in mural size and in black and white, along with text from the interviews, and hung them throughout the community to serve as a simple reminder that "it all begins with a simple hello." Read more about the project in NPR's "A Photo Project's Message: Hello, Neighbor."

Before and After: Squalid Domicile Transformed Into Amazing Abode

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:00:59 -0700

"Lisa and Todd's PDX Bungalow" on Design*Sponge chronicles the makeover of makeovers. Creative couple Lisa and Todd purchased a foreclosed Portland home which had been "occupied by various squatters and approximately 50 cats," and which Lisa says smelled, "so bad people had to cross to the other side of the street when they came near the house." Ten dumpsters and a lot of hard work and devotion later, the place looks fabulous — a coveted crib, you might say. To see what their kitchen looks like after the impressive makeover, read more.

Pretty *flipping* inspiring, right? Check out the original post to read and see more. Oh - and make sure to check out Design*Sponge next week; I'm the guest blogger!
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Casa Shops: Janus Home

CasaSugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:00:18 -0800

If you're a fan of mid-century modern design, then you'll want to make a stop at Janus Home, a showroom located in downtown Portland, Oregon. The store stocks a variety of high-quality restored mid-century furnishings and decorative arts. They are available for design consultations and custom uphostery consultations as well. So, if you're passing through Portland, or are a permanent resident who hasn't discovered this store yet, stop in in person to check it out.

To see some of my fave finds from this store, just read more.
Have any Casa readers already checked out Janus Home? What's your take?

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This Just In: Portland to Reward Energy-Efficient Homes

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:30:28 -0800

According to an article in The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, is considering a carbon fee and inspection requirement that would tax builders hundreds of dollars for each new home that is not extremely energy efficient. Builders who construct buildings that save at least 45% more energy over Oregon code requirements would be paid cash rewards. Each new home sold would also be required to undergo an energy efficiency report be done by home inspectors.

"This is obviously an ambitious and potentially controversial undertaking, but with the new urgency and call to action on issues around global warming, this is the type of policy that Portland needs to be a leader," said City Commissioner Dan Saltzman.

The proposal will go before voters in January, and if passed, will go into effect in 2010. While this proposal will take significant innovation and work on the part of developers and builders, it is the type of measure that will encourage good building practices. Kudos to Portland!
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Home Away From Home: The Ace Hotel, Part 2

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:00:53 -0700

Earlier today I began my tour of Portland's Ace Hotel. Welcome to Part Deux.

As they planned the hotel, the designers were interested in instilling a real sense of Portland life into the rooms, top to bottom, so they sourced lots of quirky vintage elements locally. Since the city is somewhat of a vinyl collector's mecca, Ace rocked out 14 of their suites with high-quality turntables, and allows guests access to a record library. Room numbers were inspired by the simple coding found on most Portland telephone poles, and Ace tracked down the Irwin-Hodson Co., WWII specialists in embossed metal tags, to create them, along with directional signage and graphics throughout the building. Edison light fixtures were sourced from Schoolhouse Electric, the 150-year-old locally based lighting company. Ace also commissioned Pendleton Woolen Mills, a 100+-year-old firm, to create custom wool blankets with a bunk-y, period feel, featuring a local icon, the Thompson Elk. And big fun—there's a working old-school photo booth in the lobby!

What really sets this hotel apart is that no room is alike, and most are decorated to feel like real bedrooms. Half of the rooms are decorated with the work of artists, local (Brent Wick) and international (Kenzo Minami), and the rest by Ace's in-house graphic team (and they ain't bad either). They also feature green mattresses, headboards upholstered in recycled army ponchos, U.S. domestic mailbags turned laundry bags, and lots of other cozy, vintage elements, all used minimally and with clean lines, not flea market clutter. The rates are also really affordable: with budget 'band rooms' (named for penny-pinching touring musicians) with bunk beds and shared baths at $95 a night to giant, airy deluxe rooms at $250 a night. I don't know if I'll make it to Portland, but if I do, you can find me there. Until then, I'll just be drooling over these photos—and the founders, 'cause they're dreamy too.

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Home Away From Home: The Ace Hotel, Portland, Part 1

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:59:05 -0700

Thanks to a tip off from neekoh, I learned about the Ace Hotel in Portland, Oregon, and I'm already thinking about booking my flight to the Northwestern city. This 79 room hotel is the sophomore effort by Ace Hotel Group founders Alex Calderwood and Wade Weigel, opened as a sequel to their Seattle rest stop, and as a place for their creative pals (DJs, artists, musicians, designers, bona fide hipsters) to stay.

The hotel, built in 1912, and what used to be the Clyde Hotel, occupies an entire city block. Calderwood and his cronies wanted to maintain as much of the building's historical character as possible, and were sure to refurbish original details like the deep cast-iron roll-top baths, polished wood paneling, patterned mosaic-tiled flooring and ceiling moldings. The results are astounding, and a flawless nod to both the local arts scene and the beloved Portland of yore.

Check in later today, when I continue my role as Ace Hotel tour guide. But for now, enjoy the photos.

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Coveted Crib: Twilight's Cullen Family House

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:30:48 -0800

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to live like a vampire, let me tell you: it can be pretty sweet. That is, if you're a member of Twilight's Cullen Family. The 100-plus-year-old vampires don't live in a decaying lair, but a stunning contemporary house that would incite jealousy in any mere mortal. I actually showed you this house back in February, when I featured the 4,300-square-foot home's architect. The home was designed by Portland, OR-based Skylab Architecture - a name that very well suits the towering structure. Architect Jeff Kovel originally built the home as a spec house, but to no surprise, it sold after only two days on the market to Director of Footwear Design at Nike, John Hoke. If you caught the romantic fantasy, you'll remember that the interior is just as phenomenal as the exterior. I personally swooned more over Edward Cullen's "bedroom" than over brooding Robert Pattinson himself. But just to jog your memory, check out photos when you read more.

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DIY: A Fab Photo Wall

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:00:36 -0700

I love this instant-art idea, used in one of the Superior Deluxe Rooms at the Portland Ace Hotel. It also seems like it's begging to be DIYed.

Find out how to create something similar when you read more.

You can re-create this look by measuring your wall, and then selecting white matting for each photo, and mounting the matted photos along your wall. Or, you can simply use a découpaging technique to fasten the photos to your wall directly. See how to do the latter below.

Measure your wall, and then estimate the number of photos you want to use for each row. Space the photos evenly. You may want to cut out pieces of paper that are the same size as your photos, and then gently tape them to the wall. Experiment until you have the dimensions and spacing that you like the best.
Lightly pencil in the space where each photo should be. Use a ruler, measuring tape, and level to make sure the photos are even.
Lay down a drop cloth or newspaper on the floor below the wall you're covering.
Open up your windows, and make sure the room is well ventilated.
Using a sponge brush, apply wheat paste to a small portion of the wall.
Now, line up the first photo, and apply it, burnishing out any bubbles with your hands as you press it onto the wall.
Continue to apply wheat paste and press your photos onto the wall, lining them up neatly until the wall is covered.
Make sure you've burnished out any bubbles. Sometimes using a credit card here will help.
Now, allow the wall to dry.
Using a synthetic bristle brush, apply a coat of Polycrylic Protective Finish, which will protect the pages from peeling, scuffing, and other damage.
If your adjacent walls get messy from applying the Polycrylic, you can easily clean it up with a sponge and some warm, soapy water.

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Jill's Blissful Portland Digs

CasaSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:36:11 -0700

AT: SF recently posted a house tour of artist Jill Bliss's home in Portland. Jill is one of my favorite artists, and she currently has a show up the fabulous West Berkeley home decor store Relish at Home. I love Jill's use of blue on her walls, and the natural touches that can be found in her home accessories. In the AT: SF post, she describes her home's style as consisting of "[f]ound or made items and modern design pieces [that] are slowly replacing the ubiquitous Ikea items. We like simple shapes and designs, and natural materials (especially wood), plus hints of color." This last statement also describes some of my favorite elements in Jill's artwork (and if you like Jill's work, to, you'll be happy to hear that we'll be giving away a set of her art prints later in the month for Dress Your Walls month).

To see more pictures of Jill's tranquil home, just read more

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