CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Herbal Power For Your Shower

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 05:30:16 -0700

To create a spa-like environment in your bathroom, simply add some herbs. One of my favorite scents is rosemary, which adds a spicy, bracing scent to a room. Cut the herb, wrap it with ribbon or thread, and hang it from your shower. Then, as you bathe, the hot steam will release the scent of the herb and wake up your senses as you scrub and shampoo. Other great herbs to try include peppermint, lavender, or sage.

Casa Quickie: Mix Up Your Own Shower Spray For Pennies

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:00:36 -0700

Are you trying to save money in your household budget? Then consider skipping the store-bought shower spray and making your own.

One of the simplest recipes for whipping up your own shower spray is this one: simply add one part rubbing alcohol to four parts water in a spray bottle, then spray this mixture onto your shower walls and curtain every day after you shower. No need to rinse, as it'll rinse off next time you take a shower.

Want some other homemade recipes for shower spray? See them when you read more.

I'm a huge fan of tea tree oil, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Add three cups of water, three tablespoons of dishwashing soap, and about 30 drops of tea tree oil to a spray bottle, and shake to mix.
Use one cup of white vinegar and one cup of water, as well as half a lemon's juice and a tablespoon of dishwashing soap for this shower spray. Shake the mixture together in a spray bottle.

Casa Quickie: Go For the Glass

CasaSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:15:54 -0700

Petite bathrooms often suffer from a lack of wall surface for hanging artwork. This means you have little room to personalize your space beyond a few accessories and wall color. But if you have a glass shower door instead of a shower curtain, you've got more space to work with. Make the most of it by using a heavy-duty adhesive or a suction cup hook to hang a painting, photograph, or other piece of framed artwork. Here, a painting hung on the shower door infuses this gray bathroom with color, pattern, and style.

Cool Idea: Galvanized Steel Instead of Shower Tile

CasaSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Country Living has an inspiring article about how one of its contributing editors (also a carpenter) transformed his dated, minuscule bathroom into a seriously glamorous one for only $1,000. The photos definitely wowed me, but I have a soft spot for clean, white rooms, especially those with feminine accents. What really impressed me was his innovative use of sheets of corrugated, galvanized metal as a tub surround instead of traditional shower tile. The sheets totaled only $21, and the only other supplies he needed to install it were an enamel finish, roofing screws, and caulk, for about $10.
The juxtaposition of the frilly, ruffled shower curtain and crystal chandelier with the galvanized sheets and bucket keeps it all from looking too industrial, and fittingly, gives it a country vibe.
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Ask Casa: A Chic Shower Curtain

CasaSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 05:30:00 -0700

Hi Casa,
I'm moving out in September, but I want to start buying my décor for my next place now so I don't have to spend too much later on. I'm looking for a cute, girl-y shower curtain but I'm having no luck! I'm drawn to bright colors, but also nothing for teens. I'd love a green and yellow palette or something similar. Got any suggestions? Thanks!
dancer0420

To see my suggestions for dancer0420, read more.

Hi dancer0420,
Fun! I love these kinds of questions. Actually, I love my own shower curtain, the India Rose Freedonia Shower Curtain. It's definitely feminine, but mature, and it does have a green palette! Anthropologie also always has a wonderful selection of shower curtains that are girlish but grown-up. They can be pricey, though, so check the sale bins at your local store. Here are some other curtains you might like:

Hope that helps!
Cheers,
Casa
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Casa Verde: An Inflatable Shower Curtain

CasaSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:30:14 -0700

French textile design and applied arts student Elisabeth Buecher designed My Shower is a Green Warrior (prototype), which fights water overconsumption by slowly inflating around you while you shower, leaving you only a few minutes to take your shower before trapping you. It uses innovative materials, printing techniques and inflatable technology to do so, but I think her experimental thinking is what's key to this design. I love that it awakens people to their behavior, allowing them to change it before the curtain inevitably traps them. It's probably too unpleasant for most, but I think it could work wonders in places like hostels or extreme dry climates, where long showers should be a luxury to begin with. Buecher also designed a shower curtain with spikes that inflate, slowly pushing you out of the shower; see it here.

Source

Do You Want an Outdoor Shower?

CasaSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:00:42 -0700

While staying at the Park Lane Guesthouse in Austin, the owner urged me to try the outdoor shower. I did, and fell in complete and total love. Now, I'm lamenting the lack of an outdoor shower at my own home, and trying to figure out how I could build one while using it for a greywater irrigation system for the garden. Hm . . .

Casa Verde: EcoDrain

CasaSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 06:15:46 -0700

I'm not going to lie and say I don't love a hot, hot shower. And, I'll admit, I fancy myself a long, hot shower sometimes, too. But I pay for it, and so does the environment. Unfortunately, every time I shower, that hot water disappears down the drain, instead of being harnessed for another purpose. Thanks to the EcoDrain, that needn't any longer be true. The unique heat exchanger transfers the heat from hot shower waste water to cold incoming water, cutting water heater use down by 25 to 40 percent. This small handy device is easy to install directly in the shower drain line, and separates the fresh water from the waste water to prevent them from mixing. Unfortunately, it's currently only available in Canada, but I hope one day to see it in homes worldwide.

Casa Quickie: Steamer-Free and Wrinkle-Free

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0800

I'd love to own a garment steamer, but I really don't need another space-hogging appliance lying around the house. While I do actually enjoy ironing, I tend to leave it to the last minute, so it's impractical for my morning routine. Wrinkles aren't practical either, though.
Instead, I hang my clothes from the rod at the end of my shower (far from the faucet), close the bathroom door, and then take my morning shower, letting the steam do all the work. By the time I'm finished, my clothes are wrinkle and odor free! If you don't have a shower rod in your bathroom, you can really hang your duds anywhere in the bathroom. Just make sure you close the door so the steam is contained, and don't allow your clothes to get wet.
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Casa Quickie: Heat Wave

CasaSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:00:52 -0800

Do you have a hard time getting motivated on chilly Winter mornings? Instead of shivering through your morning shower, move a space heater into your bathroom. Turn it on as soon as you get up, and then dash off a few morning errands for about 10 minutes. By the time you've started a pot of coffee, set out your work clothes, and fed your cat, the bathroom will be toasty warm. Even if the weather is in the single digits outside your door, you can pretend you're in a tropical paradise for at least the length of your shower. Just make sure to turn off the space heater and flip on the fan when you're done - that way, your energy use will be minimal, and so will the amount of humidity lingering in your bathroom .

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Flamenco Shower Curtain - $118.00	Weekend Bouquet Shower Curtain - $88.00
Red Coral Shower Curtain - $49.00	Marimekko Tamara Shower Curtain - $49.95
DwellStudio Geometry Shower Curtain - $79.00	Marimekko Lehtimaja Shower Curtain - $49.95
Delphine Organic Shower Curtain - $69.00	Eleanor Organic Shower Curtain - $69.00
Sophia Organic Shower Curtain - $69.00	Beanstalk Shower Curtain - $39.00