CasaSugar

This Just In: Nic Cage Lists a Historic Rhode Island Estate

CasaSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:30:52 -0700

Real estate hobbyist Nicolas Cage is at it again. The actor has listed a historic 24,664-square-foot, 12-bedroom, 10-full-and-3-half-bath estate in Newport, RI, for $15.9 million, according to Real Estalker. Cage purchased the monumental English manor-style estate just last year for $15.7 million. It's unclear whether he purchased the property furnished, but it seems furnishing the sprawling home alone would cost much more than the $200,000 raise in price. To see dozens of gorgeous interior and exterior photos, and read the property description, read more.

The property description reads:

Built in the tradition of the great English country manors, Gray Craig is an example of a sprawling estate in perfect proportion to its natural surroundings. The setting for this remarkable home is stunning, 26+acres of lush landscape, dramatically extending to Nelson Pond and continuing with outstanding views of the Atlantic Ocean beyond.

Of the finest structural design, built of textured brick and stone, it spreads between its flanking wings a towering slope of roof. Proportion is the good breeding of architecture, and this expanse of space and unity with the land express the power of design.

The grand hallway with sweeping staircase and the charming effects of hand painted murals are an example of repose and distinction. The library is perhaps the most impressive single room with its soaring barrel-vaulted ceiling. The sense of living space and the feeling of welcome and comfort in an elaborate manner also invites one into other richly detailed rooms including 12 bedrooms, 10 full and 3 half baths, a spacious formal living room with sweeping water views, vintage conservatory, billiard room, and a gourmet kitchen with stone fireplace, custom hickory cabinetry, and antique terra cotta floor tiles.

A perfect setting for lavish entertainment and a quiet country retreat for peaceful reflections. Set in the charming coastal community of Newport County, a haven of solace and privacy just two miles from the bustling Newport Harbor waterfront.

Are you a fan of this style of architecture? Or is it too traditional for your tastes? Take a look at the gallery and let me know. To read a detailed history of the historic home, go here.

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In the News: A Fiery Fix-Up

CasaSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:45:54 -0700

The New York Times' Light and Space Where Fire Alarms Once Rang visits the Providence, Rhode Island home of artist couple Wendy Edwards and Jerry Mischak, which was originally built in 1931 as a firehouse. The couple, who were living in a mid-19th-century house on Brown University's campus and also renting two separate spaces for their studios, wanted to find a place where they could both live and work. When Mischak saw a sign for a new firehouse going up in East Providence, he stopped into the old headquarters, and spoke to the firemen about the digs. A year later, they'd paid $185,000 for "a hazardous wreck," complete with "lead-base paint and asbestos." An architect helped them to transform the space, removing the fire poles, unearthing gorgeous steel beams, raising the ceilings, creating an open dining and living area, and making two artist studios. Some architectural details were salvaged as evidence of the structure's origins, like French doors, subway tiles, and fire pole openings. But in essence, the building was renewed, instilled with the kind of light and space that only artists could see in a perilous, old structure — the same kind of vision that has transformed ancient cathedrals and chapels and frat-boy dwellings into modern homes.
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Nicolas Cage Flips a Historic Rhode Island Estate

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:29:44 -0700

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Student Designers Win Corrugated Chair Competition

CasaSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:00:03 -0700

This year, the fourth annual Chair Affair student design competition asked architecture and package design students from 49 schools throughout North America to create chairs from nothing but corrugated board and glue. After much deliberation, the competition sponsors, American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation, have chosen six lucky winners. First place went to Cuesta College's Jessica Leung for her Hole on Hole chair, which I must say looks very inspired by the Campana Brothers' Favela Chair. To see and hear about the other winners, read more.

Two teams - Winston Mi and Jessica Brown of Rhode Island School of Design, and Sarah Clement and Michael Wallace of Louisiana State University - tied in second place. Mi and Brown's "Profile and Silhouette," clearly draws inspiration from architect Frank Gehry's innovative corrugated board 1972 Easy Edges Side Chairs, which are in the MoMA Collection. Meanwhile, Clement and Wallace's "A Corrugated Chair or a Chair Made of Corrugated" conjures Gehry's Bubbles Chaise Lounge, with its soft top layer.

Honorable mentions went to Keith Holman, Benjamin Shullaw, Neal Birchum, and Sean McDow for University of Oklahoma for their "Adjustable" chair; Brad Smith of Cuesta College for his "Caterpillared" chair; and Jonathan Coop of California State University Long Beach for his "Corrugated Board Chair."

It's inspiring to see how these students have created stylish, modern furnishings from such a common packaging and display material. Corrugated board is made from a natural renewable resource, and seeing these innovative creations suggests that the possibilities for sustainable furniture design truly are endless. While I personally like these contemporary creations, what I'd love to see is a corrugated chair designed for traditional design enthusiasts. Sustainable furniture designs will never make a huge impact if they don't appeal to everyone's tastes.

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This Just In: Nicolas Cage Lists Two New Orleans Properties

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 08:30:36 -0800

Prolific real estate investor Nicolas Cage is on the loose on a wild selling spree. Cage has already put his Las Vegas, Bel-Air, and Rhode Island properties on the market, and today we have news that he's listed his two properties in New Orleans. According to WDSU and Real Estalker, Cage has listed his historical property (shown right) in New Orleans's French Quarter, the most haunted home in the neighborhood, in addition to a Garden District mansion. The haunted home, known as the LaLaurie House (which I wrote about here), is listed for $3.9 million, $400,000 more than he paid for it in April 2007. To hear about the other property and see photos, read more.

The listing for Cage's 13,176-square-foot, six-bedroom, five-full-and-two-half-bath Garden District mansion, which was once an active Catholic chapel, reads:

The most superlative of Garden District mansions with the best of every amenity. Ample room for a large family and big-time entertainment venue with formal gardens, parking, and everything anyone could possibly want in a most grand of grand, star-quality home.

It also features a pool and central air, which are ideal for the broiling NOLA heat. If the house looks familiar, it's probably because I quizzed you on the owner of it once, as it was once owned by gothic novelist Anne Rice. I've passed by the property hundreds of times myself and I can tell you it's an idyllic example of New Orleans architecture; I'd love to see interior photos.

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Designer Spotlight: Denyse Schmidt

CasaSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:45:51 -0800

I've written a couple posts trying to convince you that quilts can be hip. One of the hippest and most modern quiltmakers out there right now is Denyse Schmidt. Both of her parents took pleasure in creating and sewing as Denyse was growing up, and she followed their lead and was crafty from a young age. Denyse attended Rhode Island School of Design and then started her business about 10 years ago.

To find out more about her quilts, as well as see a gallery of her quilts and pillows, just read more.

Concerning the art of quiltmaking, she writes that

Few of us are fortunate enough to have one of our grandmother's own handmade quilts. In our granny’s time, they used bits and pieces of fabrics from worn-out dresses, workclothes, and scraps found around the house. When the quilt was pieced together, its fabric represented a lifetime of memories and emotions. This is one of the traditions of quiltmaking that we at Denyse Schmidt Quilts love and wish to continue. Let us be your un-grandma-like grandma - one with a modern design sensibility. Our designs may be color customized and/or personal fabric preferences may be incorporated into almost any design. Look at some of our custom projects for some ideas of what you can do

Denyse's quilts range from wildly affordable ($450 for one of her Sarita Handa quilt to terrifically lux ($5,800 for one of her couture designs). She also sells quilting books, paper goods, pillows, and patterns on her website. Take a look at the gallery and then check out her site to see if there's anything you can't live without.

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Artist of the Day: Karen Ondracek

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 05:56:55 -0700

Artist Karen Ondracek makes deceptively simple images out of difficult-to-manipulate scraps of paper, photographs, and ephemera. Her fanciful, creature-filled collages often feature animals speaking nonsense out of comic-style dialogue balloons. And now, for full disclosure, I'll also say that Karen is a good friend of mine. I've known her since she was 12, and now she lives across the street from me, where she and her boyfriend throw elaborate parties and host craft days. Even if I wasn't friends with Ms. Ondracek, though, I'd still definitely recommend her art.

To see a gallery of Karen's collages, as well as read my interview with her, just read more

CasaSugar: What is your background, artistically?
Karen: I've always liked to make all kinds of art projects. I also studied Textiles at Rhode Island School of Design, where I received my BFA.

CasaSugar: What attracted you to collage?
Karen: My penchant for ephemera and other flat things I can take a pair of scissors to.

CasaSugar: What influences your art?
Karen: Accidental discoveries and nature.

CasaSugar: Who else out there is making art that you admire?
Karen: I have a new artist/designer/craftsperson crush every day. Sometimes I have more than one per day. The true answer to your question would make my fingers very strong from so much typing!!

CasaSugar: What do you do with your time when you're not making art?
Karen: I work as a textile designer, bake pies, have parties, play board games, give bones to Ozzie, go to flea markets...

You can buy Karen's collages at her Etsy shop.

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