CasaSugar

Before and After: A Renovated Ranch

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

This 1950s ranch home had seen more stylish days, and was in need of a complete update. Leave it to Pill-Maharam Architects to provide a 21st-century improvement to this midcentury home. To see the changes, read more.

The home's indoor and outdoor spaces were updated, expanded, and improved, with an entire wing added to the original home. This new wing houses the bedrooms, which overlook a private courtyard. The home is infused with natural light, courtesy of improved fenestration, including new patio doors. In addition, this pretty home is super efficient, thanks to a new geothermal heating and cooling system.

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Ranch-Style Homes

CasaSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:00:42 -0700

Many of us grew up in ranch-style homes. At the very least, you're probably familiar with their shape and layout. Test your knowledge of ranch-style homes with my quiz!
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Casa Capsule: The Week That was

CasaSugar — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:30:00 -0700

Check out scenes from the 20th Century Modernism Show.
Discover my October must haves.
I love this Where the Wild Things Are-inspired decor!
Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch is in Architectural Digest.
Get some great products for your Fall garden.
Get your house ready for cold weather.

Coveted Crib: Echo Park Modern

CasaSugar — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:08:00 -0700

When a writer and an artist couple bought property in Los Angeles's happening Echo Park neighborhood, they wanted a home that would serve as an urban oasis in Los Angeles. Instead of constructing a home that jutted out from the Los Angeles hillside, they wanted something more discrete and comforting, and envisioned a home that nestled into the landscape.

After hiring architect Rachel Allen, they planned a home that would update the classic California ranch house, emphasizing indoor-outdoor living. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house is a modest size, at 1700 square feet, and features ample outdoor space, including a bridge entrance, an outdoor deck, and outdoor seating spaces. Eco features include the home's small size, sustainably harvested walnut flooring, a radiant heating systems, and low-flow toilets and shower heads. A recent LA Times article about the home fawned over the outdoor spaces:

The terraced property is a symphony of citrus trees, yucca, bougainvillea, pine trees, and eucalyptus. The couple added a rock garden, organic vegetable beds and native plants and wildflowers. A potting area with a fire pit is not far from where the couple were married. Cozy wooden sitting areas, hand built by previous owners who lived here for more than 60 years, remain throughout the backyard like rustic diner booths.

Finches, doves, woodpeckers, skunks, squirrels, and other animals add to the rural feeling. Goats and chickens will be next, says the couple, who are aspiring urban farmers.

For a complete tour, read more.

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Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck Buy Pacific Palisades Ranch

CasaSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:00:02 -0700

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have finally ended their year-long house hunt, settling in a California ranch house in Pacific Palisades, which they purchased from Hollywood producer Brian Grazer for $17.55 million. But, believe it or not, the home had been listed for $27.5 million! These A-listers must have some serious negotiating skills. The 8,800-square-foot, five-bedroom, eight-bath home was designed in the 1930s by California architect Cliff May, who is credited with pioneering the California ranch-style home. But, the home isn't short of a Hollywood heritage either: film and stage star Gregory Peck bought the low-slung house in 1947. Rooms in the one-story building flow directly onto one another with large picture windows blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living - a May trademark. The home also features a swimming pool, a guesthouse, and an office/gym/art studio. No word yet on whether I'll be invited as an esteemed guest, though. To see more photos, read more.

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Do You Know Anyone With an Elevator in Their Home?

CasaSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:00:11 -0700

The White House is an unusual home, but it's not the only home that features an elevator. Growing up I had a classmate whose ranch-style home had an elevator running from the main floor to the basement. I always suspected it was an escape route because her father was possibly a Mafioso. You needn't be a world leader or a criminal to own an elevator, though. Remember photographer Jay Maisel's 72-room bohemian dream house with its ornate copper elevator cage? Tell me: do you know anyone with an elevator in their home? Apartment buildings don't count.
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Open House: Could You Grow Old in Your Home?

CasaSugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:00:34 -0800

Sometimes simple, elegant solutions can make all of the difference, such as these LED lights, which illuminate a low set of stairs at the Green Mountain Ranch. Design features such as minimal staircases, wide hallways that may accommodate wheelchairs, and showers with built-in seats are just a few of the features that make homes elderly-friendly. While my house is elderly-friendly in many ways, the long, uneven brick staircase that leads to the backyard is definitely not one of its more accessible features.

So tell me, could you grow old in your home? Is there anything preventing you from reaching the ripe old age of 80 or 90 within its walls? Tell me what makes your home elderly-friendly - or not - in the comments.
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President Bush Buys a Post-White House House

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:00:53 -0800

As President-elect Barack Obama prepares to move into the White House, President Bush has picked up some new property for his life post-1600 Penn, when he leaves office in January. George and Laura have ponied up for a 8,501-square-foot, four-bedroom, ranch-style home in Preston Hollow, a wealthy North Dallas neighborhood where they lived before he became governor of Texas in 1995. I guess George is saying goodbye to the Georgian style.Preston Hollow counts some other prominent residents, including Dallas mayor Tom Leppert, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, former Dallas Cowboys Roger Staubach and Chuck Howley, and billionaire investors Harold Simmons and T. Boone Pickens, among others, so the Bush family should feel right at home, and perhaps their new neighbors won't be starstruck. The word on the sale price is that the property sold for "considerably more" than its $2.1 million appraisal price. There's also rumor that the couple is under contract to purchase an adjacent home, which they may tear down, use for an office, or for secret service. To see photos of that property, read more.

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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:00:02 -0800

Make your own personalized gift wrap.- Craft
Hey Canadians! Get your handmade gift guide.- PoppyTalk
Find out how to tile a fireplace surround.- This Old House
Take a tour of Sonoma Ranch.- AT:SF
Win these Thomas Paul dishes.- Shelterrific
Do you know the top 10 green materials of 2008?- Charles and Hudson
Figure out how to deal with the cold.- Re-Nest
Can clean people and messy people live together in harmony?- Simply Stated

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This Just In: Brett Favre Lists His Wisco Quarters

CasaSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:15:01 -0700

Quarterback Brett Favre has put his 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bath Ashwaubenon, WI, home on the market for $475,000, according to Real Estalker. The property description reads:

Outstanding spacious ranch home on a beautiful landscaped lot. 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and 1st floor laundry. Enjoy the formal dining room w/ FP & wet bar. Large 3+ stall garage.

This makes perfect sense, as Favre was recently traded from the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets. I heard from a friend that Favre had moved to Morristown, NJ, which is a few minutes away from the Jets training camp in Florham Park, NJ. After a little detective work, I learned that this is exactly the case; according to The Star-Ledger, Favre told the paper in early September, "We just bought a house in Morristown and (daughter) Breleigh started school on Wednesday." Sayonara Midwest, hello Jersey!

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