CasaSugar

Ask Casa: A Sand-Friendly Vacuum

CasaSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:00:59 -0700

Dear Casa,
I have seen posts on pet-friendly vacuums, but my problem is not just dog hair. It is massive amounts of sand that my beautiful Chow Chow drags in from Crissy Field [in San Francisco]. I need a recommendation for a vacuum for wood floors and carpets strong enough to pick up the sand. Any ideas?
Thanks,
MaryBeth

To hear my response to MaryBeth, read more.

Hi MaryBeth,
Funny you should ask . . . literally just two days ago, I spilled a fine-granule cleaning solution that is very much like sand, and used my Dyson DC24 ($399.99) to suck it up with no problems. I didn't even have to run over the sandy solution twice; first time was a charm! If you read Casa regularly, you may remember that I reviewed the Dyson DC24, so you can read about it for more details. If not this particular vacuum, I highly recommend Dysons in general for your dilemma, as they exhibit great suction power. Some other vacuum brands that I highly recommend are Electrolux (vintage ones are best) and Miele. I hope this helps!
Cheers,
Casa

Source

Before and After: Boring China Cabinet to Fabulous Bookcase

Casa Community — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0800

Su Casa member LittleLeo recently transformed a dated china cabinet into a fabulous bookcase:
We inherited this piece from a friend who was getting a new dining room set. My husband couldn't understand why I wanted the cabinet and not the dining table too. I explained I had a vision for my home office. I sanded it all down and painted it matte black, wallpapered the back, and had acrylic shelves made. It has set the tone for the room and now the "office" doesn't take away from the living room. It actually adds an extra layer of function to the room, at least I think so.
To see LittleLeo's finished project, .

Have you made over any furniture lately? Be sure to add photos to our Su Casa group!

Before and After: A Sad, Sad Daybed, Rescued!

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:19 -0800

One Living Etc reader had been looking for daybeds by Ercol, a British furniture manufacturer known for its bentwood designs, for ages and finally bought this one off of eBay for a good price. But it required a bit of work. She "sanded it all down, oiled it, replaced the webbing which had crumbled to dust." And it needed a cushion! So she embarked on her first upholstery project and also made throw pillows to go on top. You'll be wowed when you see the finished project, so read more.

Doesn't it look great!? The shape of the daybed really is beautiful, and I'm so glad that she rescued it. I love the mixture of pattern pillows, too.

Source

Steal of the Day: Hable Sand-Dollar Quilt and Sham

CasaSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:00:11 -0700

One surefire way to hold onto Summer, even after it's bid you adieu, is to introduce accents with a subtle, beachy motif into your home. Just because the leaves may be turning, and you're keeping an extra layer handy when you leave the house, doesn't mean you can't have a reminder of Summer close to home. The Hable Sand Dollar Quilt ($128 -$134) and Sham ($14) will prolong the season with their cheerful, but muted, turquoise and green tones and sand-dollar motif, whilst keeping you warm. And, on sale, they'll do so without breaking the bank. If you're the type who likes to inject warm tones into your home come Fall, consider snatching these up and saving them for the Spring. Better safe than sorry!

Home Away From Home: A Sand Hotel in Weymouth

CasaSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:30:52 -0700

The world's first sand hotel was recently constructed on Weymouth Beach in Weymouth, England. This gritty hotel features twin and double bedrooms, but don't count on reservations - rooms are strictly booked on a first-come, first-served basis. You can book a stay for a mere 10 pounds a night, and cash is the only accepted method of payment. The hotel was built with about 1,000 tons of sand over a period of eight days, with volunteers putting in 14-hour days to get the job done.

Would you stay in this open-air "hotel" if you were in Weymouth?
Source

Before and After: A Sophisticated and Glamorous Nursery

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:44 -0700

Su Casa member mianakao recently moved into a new home, and turned this dull room into something absolutely spectacular. Her fabulous results prove that even the most dull room can be transformed into a gorgeous, glamorous space with a little imagination and a lot of hard work.
She writes, "We just moved into our new house (a sprawling foreclosure), so I had free reign with this room! As you can see in the before photo, the room was dull, dingy, and needed lots of TLC."

The results are truly astounding. To see how mianakao turned this dingy, dull space into a beautiful nursery, read more.

Can you even believe it's the same room? I am truly amazed! Mianakao explains, "My goal was to use black and white in a tasteful way to help the baby's visual development. My first choice was stripes around the room, but I figured that might just make the baby dizzy after a while. So, instead, I went with a high-gloss black latex paint, and brightened up the room with tons of white. (The green is an after thought accent color to warm up the space)." "Also, in an effort to be somewhat creative, I stuck a vinyl decal of a tree on the wall, painted over it, and then cut out the vinyl with an X-acto knife. Had I thought ahead, I could have incorporated the accent green on the tree. Sticking a vinyl decal on the wall wasn't creative enough for me . . . and I didn't want to deal with all of the air bubbles."

I also love that mianakao kept to a strict budget for this makeover. She writes, "Since we're in a tight economy, everything you see (with the exception of the crib and the chandelier) was found on Craigslist. Nothing was over $40! I also found items for free from the freecycle network. I just sanded the furniture and painted it flat white to match everything else in the room . . . well, my husband handled all the hard work. Small accents like the beautiful black and white crystal chandelier just added a touch of chic for our new baby girl!"

Take the full tour when you check out the gallery. I'm truly inspired!

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Casa Quickie: Tips For Spray Painting

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:30:30 -0700

Spray painting is a seriously easy way to update everything from furniture to shelves to candlesticks. Lacquered finishes, a nod to Hollywood Regency style, are all the rage these days, so updating an old furnishing with glossy spray paint is an easy way to get the look on a small budget. But there are a few tips you should keep in mind. First of all, before you paint, clean your piece and sand it lightly to make the paint adhere better.
To prevent paint globs, apply several light coats, letting each dry completely in between. And, when you are painting, keep the can completely upright to keep the flow consistent. Oh and this one might go without saying, but make sure you shake well before spraying!

Source: Flickr User ohad*

Do You Have a Stucco Home?

CasaSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:00:05 -0700

Traditionally, stucco consists of cement mixed with water, sand, and lime. While the material became a popular finish for homes in the 20th century, stucco techniques have been around since the time of ancient Greece. Is your home stucco?

Source: Flickr User Jeremy Levine Design

Before and After: Peeling Paint Replaced With a Sunny Hue

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 04:00:50 -0700

Su Casa member and impressive home renovator Ahles and her husband wanted to repaint their home, but the painter's estimate came in at $13,000. She writes, "This was close to our budget for the entire house, so like much of the rest of it, we did it ourselves."

To see the results, read more.

Ahles writes, "The total cost was $1300 in primer, good paint, sanders, and supplies. Shortly after we started sanding the first part of the house (we did a lead test first), both my parents ended up in the hospital, so we didn't touch the house again until August. With the help of three dear friends, the rest of this was done in the past month. It's far from finished yet, but an improvement!"

This is such an incredibly big project, and the results look great! I love the sunny new yellow shade of the house.

Have you joined my Su Casa group yet? Show off your home reno projects, just like Ahles did!

View 6 Photos ›

Before and After: Renovating Family Furniture

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:00:29 -0700

Su Casa member Melissa Kathleen recently updated a piece of furniture that had been in her family for decades. She writes, "When my family and I had to move my grandmother out of her apartment, we didn't know what to do with all of her furniture. When I saw her old chest she kept in her large bathroom, I loved the shape and wanted to re-finish it." Curious as to how Melissa Kathleen's chest looks after its makeover? Find out when you read more.

Melissa Kathleen gave the old chest a thorough sanding. Then, she primed it and covered it with a few coats of paint. Another great update she added was changing out the drawer pulls for something more contemporary. She says, "I love my new chest! And the best part is, it's been in my family for about 60 years!" From the looks of it, I bet this stylish chest could easily stand the test of time for another 60 years, don't you think?

Have you joined my Su Casa group? Showcase your home makeovers, or just ask for advice from other members about your latest home project.