CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Disguise Your Radiator

CasaSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:07 -0700

A radiator can be an ugly, ugly thing. But there a few things you can do to disguise yours. Start by painting it to match the color of the surrounding walls, doors, or windows. Then, install a shelf in the same color just a few inches above it. This will give your radiator the illusion that it's actually a cabinet or a console, and you'll get some tabletop storage space out of it! Beyond that, you can make it disappear even more by hanging curtains around the radiator, effectively drawing your eye upward away from that big eyesore below.

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How-To: Paint Your Cast-Iron Radiator

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Now that it's Summer, and you're not likely to be heating your home much, it's a good time to make sure your radiator is looking sharp. If you have a cast-iron radiator in an older home, it may be plagued with chipping paint, or maybe you'd like to freshen it up or make it blend into your walls with some color. In any case, it'll take you just a few hours and some elbow grease to give it a paint job that's worthy of your stylish crib. To learn how, read more.

Some of you may have an unpainted radiator or a finish that's in good shape, but if the paint is chipping, you'll need to remove it all before you give it a new finish. Unless you're prepared to remove your hefty radiator to sandblast it (or have it sandblasted professionally), you'll need to sand and scrape it the old-fashioned way: with a piece of sandpaper, a lot of elbow grease, and maybe even a putty knife. If you have an old radiator, the paint may contain lead, in which case, you do not want to sand because this would release lead into the air. Instead, use an eco-friendly paint stripper like SoyGel, 100 percent biodegradable and made from soybeans, which will encapsulate the lead in the gel, preventing airborne lead particles and allowing for safe and easy disposal.
The next step (or first, if you didn't need to sand) is just to clean all of the dust and dirt off of the radiator with a damp cotton rag.
Then, sand the radiator to create a rough surface for the paint to hold onto.
Open your windows and doors and make sure the area is well-ventilated.
Saturate a rag in Wil-Bond Deglosser and wipe down your radiator. This removes oils and cuts gloss so that the new finish will go on smoothly, bond tightly, and last longer.
Now, it's prime time! If your radiator has never been painted, prepare it for painting with a bare metal primer. If not, use an ordinary oil-based primer.
Here comes the fun part. Lay down some newspaper to protect your floors. Paint on your finish top coat, using any oil-based interior paint and a brush meant for oil-based paint. This paint will be heat-resistant and durable. If you choose to, you can also use spray paint, but you'll want a high-temperature aerosol paint and you'll need to mask off the surrounding area to protect your floors and walls.
Let it dry, and if it seems to need a second coat, go ahead. Fini!

Go here to see some creatively painted radiators!
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13 Illusive Radiators to Haute Things Up

CasaSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:00:37 -0700

Sick of the way radiators have historically been made, some designers have decided to achieve house warming with something a bit more artistic. Whether you're sitting by the heat source or not, these radiators will become an instant focal point in your home. Gate by Lucy Merchant, for example, a fine example of trompe-l'œil, is a Desperate Housewives-style picket fence gate that requires only a standard installation to get temperatures rising in your home. Check out this slideshow to meet 12 more hotties!

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Love It or Hate It? Toilet Backrest Radiator

CasaSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:00:04 -0700

This design by Italian design firm Why Flou is meant to be not only a backrest for your toilet but also a radiator, making your bathroom not only warm but also fun! What do you think?Source

Casa Quickie: Steer Your Plants Clear of Heat

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:39 -0700

It's one thing to place your houseplants in direct sunlight, but you won't do them a favor by putting them near a direct heat source (radiator, duct, oven). Doing so will dehydrate your beloved plant quickly; even if you water it diligently, the leaves will dry out. The same goes for air conditioners and vents. Plants can't handle extreme temperatures, so consider where you place them. If you happen to live in a professional kitchen, or some sort of sweatbox factory, at the very least make sure to insulate the plant by placing a thick board between the pot and the direct heat source.
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What's Your Daytime Winter Temperature?

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 04:15:47 -0800

To save money on heating bills in the Winter, it's recommended to set the thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees during the day and 58 degrees at night or when away from home for several hours. Do your heating habits generally follow these rules? Or do you have a different routine?
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Hot Idea: Flaming Gradient Radiator

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:04:04 -0800

Interior design duo Wary Meyers painted a standard radiator with a red-yellow gradient to not so subtly allude to the heat that radiates from it. It really makes you think twice about what surfaces in your home can be canvases for creativity. I wouldn't suggest repeating this paint project in every home, but it definitely works with the rest of the interior they designed. What blank surface in your home could use a face lift?

To see other painted radiators by Wary Meyers, read more

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Cool Idea: Ceramic Radiator Food Warmer

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:00:15 -0800

The "Natural Weave," designed by Byung-seok You, is a ceramic food warmer with grooves that fit into the shape of a radiator, and a circular embossment meant to hold your morning coffee, along with your pastry of choice—muffins, croissants, etc. Were it in production, which it's not, I'd be wishing I had an old-school radiator to heat my breakfast each morning. It seems like it would be a simple DIY project, though. Is anyone up to the challenge? Placing a rectangular ceramic serving plate on your radiator would probably also do the trick. Send us photos if you resolve to make one of your own!
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Casa Capsule: The Week That Was

CasaSugar — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:30:08 -0700

Emily Walker wows me with her crib's Canadian charm.
Painting your roof white is an eco-friendly idea.
A stunning multi-story San Francisco mansion can be yours.
The first wedding was held at Romeo and Juliet's Verona balcony.
Have you checked out my June must haves?
Here are eight reasons to tie the knot in a national park.
One Su Casa member has made some fabulous living room updates.
Learn how to paint your cast-iron radiator.

Cool Idea: Pink Walls and a Patterned Floor

CasaSugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 10:00:28 -0700

Creative lady extraordinaire Medley recently turned a forgotten attic at a Craftsman home into a patterned and pink wonderland. She explains, "I have a degree in Architecture, and when I work full time, that's my main profession. I think that makes me a little bolder in my color selections than is typical. I also design jewelry, but that's mostly for fun. The inspiration for my room started with a similar shade of pink in an old article in Domino magazine. I went to the craft store with that in mind, and went through scrapbook paper, picking out a pallette with 2 shades of pink, robin's egg blue, and a dark purple. I planned all along to accent with black & white. The original plan was to have all black and white furniture and a robin's egg blue chenille or matalesse bedspread. At this point it's a work in progress. The scroll pattern for the floor was inspired by this floor in the Lena Corwin contest, though mine is more geometric and precise."

For more pictures of the attic room and to find out what paint colors medley used, read more.
For the walls, Medley used Behr paint matched to Ralph Lauren's Belmont Pink. For the floor, Medley used Behr Evening Violet for the scroll designs and Black Orchid for the background. The trim is Behr Swan Wing, and the radiator is Rust-Oleum Painter's Touch in Berry Pink.

I love the contrast between the pink and the patterned, darker floor. And as a lover of bold color myself, I appreciate Medley's choice of pinks. Beautiful work!

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