CasaSugar

Sale Alert: Sundance Holiday Sale

CasaSugar — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Sundance is currently offering up to 60 percent off of its festive holiday décor. So, if you're looking for stockings, ornaments, snow globes, festive hooked pillows, or nostalgic decorative items, Sundance is the place to go. As much as I like the look of CB2's holiday items, considering that Christmas is something that's celebrated year after year (and sometimes we even inherit our parents' holiday decorations), I prefer the classic look of this retailer's holiday décor. I'm loving this super affordable Set of 18 Vintage Jewel-Tone Ornaments ($12), this classic White Tree Hooked Pillow ($48), and for some odd reason, this kitschy Five Foot Santa Lawn Light ($49).

Casa Verde: Cameron and Cameron Talk (and Walk) Green

CasaSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:00:31 -0800

I have yet to catch an episode of Sundance's Iconoclasts series, which pairs celebrities or leading innovators from two different industries to chat about their passions and creative processes. But, after seeing some clips of season four, which couples long-time environmental advocate Cameron Diaz and Architecture for Humanity cofounder Cameron
Sinclair, I think I've been wooed. This season, the series follows the two to New Orleans and Biloxi, MS, to take in the environmental impact of Hurricane Katrina. While Diaz may be an eco-conscious gal, she's not exactly an expert, so Sinclair, whose global organization works to find sustainable architectural solutions to humanitarian crises, is really the force in this pairing. It's refreshing to see him getting some face time and interesting to hear his perspective on an environment which has been so monumentally devastated.

To see a clip of this show, read more.

I'm curious now if anyone over at Sundance has a personal connection to New Orleans and a strong interest in architecture. If you remember, the network also has a series called Architecture School, which follows a group of students from Tulane University's prestigious School of Architecture as they compete for the chance to design an affordable home in Katrina-devastated New Orleans. Regardless, I'm happy to see that both Sinclair and the city of New Orleans are receiving some attention.

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This Just In: Sundance's Architecture School Premieres Tonight

CasaSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:00:56 -0700

Tonight at 8 p.m. (CDT), the Sundance channel will premiere an original six-part documentary series, Architecture School, which follows a group of students from Tulane University's prestigious School of Architecture as they compete for the chance to design an affordable home in Katrina-devastated New Orleans. The winning model will be built during the school year and put on the market, giving one recent grad one whopping résume bullet point at the start of his career. Stiff competition! The home will be built as part of Tulane University's URBANbuild program, which was founded in 2005 to restore urban neighborhoods as a response to the storm. Executive Producer Michael Selditch was so inspired by Tulane University's URBANbuild program that he designed and built the show specifically around the 3-year-old program. Tune in tonight to see for yourself!
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Crave Worthy: Sundance Steamer Trunk Coffee Table

CasaSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:00:04 -0800

The Sundance Steamer Trunk Coffee Table ($1895) is inspired by turn of the century steamer trunks from a more romantic era. It features riveted oak banding, leather reinforced seams, sturdy leather handles, and canvas-lined three drawers for ample storage. You can choose from top grain leather or stainless steel, but the industrial glow of the stainless steel is certainly hard to resist. This isn't a dinky coffee table that you can put your feet on for two years; it's built to last, and the price reflects that. It's also a classic design, which will never go out of style, though it is meant for a more casual living room, or "den." So if you've got stiff, silk-upholstered Louis XIV accent chairs and a velvet Victorian setee in your living room, then this probably isn't for you. Still it's a bit difficult for me to contemplate dropping two grand on a table, regardless of whether or not it's a good investment.

Steal of the Day: Sundance Continental Suitcases

CasaSugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:00:00 -0800

Perhaps a grand, continent-crossing voyage isn't on the itinerary for you this year, but you can still evoke the look of a frequent flier in your home, for a fraction of the price. The Sundance Continental Suitcases ($32-100) will pack your paperwork, collections, art supplies, or what-have-you with nostalgic, adventurous style. Made of recycled cardboard, I wouldn't trust them for genuine travel, but I would surely use them to store odds and ends, DIY a planter, or stack them to build a side table.

Desire/Acquire: Midcentury Studio Stool

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:51 -0700

I love the look of the Sundance Catalog's Midcentury Studio Stool ($245). The varnished raw steel has an understated, industrial look that seems as fitting for a bistro or bar counter as a kitchen or home office. At 27 inches tall and 17 inches wide, they're also a great size - big enough but not too hefty. Unfortunately, if you want someone else to sit at your countertop with you, it'll cost you five Benjamins. Ouch. See a more affordable alternative when you read more.

With the same industrial look and practically exact form, the Set of Two Tabouret 24" Metal Counter Stools ($99.95) is a steal! You can get yourself four for less than the price of one of Sundance's stools.

Will You Be Tuning Into Man Shops Globe Tonight?

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:00:40 -0700

Man Shops Globe, the Sundance Channel's new series about Keith Johnson, the antiques buyer for Anthropologie, premieres tonight at 10 p.m. EDT. Johnson travels the world looking for unusual and inspiring objects to sell in their stores as well as commissions new things from little-known artists around the globe. In other words, I'd kill to have his job! See a preview of the show above! Will you be watching tonight?

Casa Interview: Destination Wedding Planner Alison Hotchkiss

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

Alison Hotchkiss, the creative director of Alison Events and the author of Destination Wedding Planner, took some time out of her busy wedding planning schedule to offer CasaSugar readers some words of advice on planning their weddings. If you, or a couple you know, are planning a destination wedding, I highly recommend Alison's new book to help lend a guiding hand in your planning process.

CasaSugar: Congratulations on the book! I love the tone and the fun look of this planner.

Alison Hotchkiss: Oh thank you! I thought that the imagery and the lighthearted tone would encourage people to enjoy planning their weddings.

CasaSugar: What was your experience with working with Chronicle Books [the publisher of Alison’s book]?

Alison Hotchkiss: It was fun to work with Chronicle. They were really open to all of my suggestions and it felt like a very collaborative project. It felt really good, and they treated me like family. Chronicle is very supportive. They’re very cool people over there. I feel very happy to have them as my publishing company.

CasaSugar: How did you get started as a destination wedding planner?

Alison Hotchkiss: I’ve been an avid traveler since childhood, and my initial goal was to be a meeting planner, since my understanding was that they could travel all over the world. So a couple years after doing that I fell into the right situation helping with someone doing day-of event wedding planning. I realized there was a need for destination wedding planners; there were only a small number of us. The cover of my book shows the first wedding I planned. The bride on the cover is Emily Nathan, who got married in Kauai. I gave that wedding 150 percent of my energy, and I realized how much I loved it. That was seven years ago. So now, I’ll travel pretty much anywhere, but my specialty is tropical locations or mountainous locations. I love going somewhere new and learning about the place, the culture, and making new friends. It’s a blast.

To hear about some things a couple should consider when planning a destination wedding, read more.

CasaSugar: What would you say are some of the most important points of advice for a bride who’s starting to make decisions about her destination wedding?

Alison Hotchkiss: I think it’s important to narrow it down to one specific area if possible. Often couples will come in and say, “Somewhere in the tropics.” We try to help couples to determine what they really want for their destination wedding, whether they want their weddings to be activity-based, culture-based, etc. We ask couples to sit down and make a list of what the most important things in the wedding are, and then offer help in narrowing it down even further. Oftentimes weather is a consideration; the time of year will narrow the choice by determining what month is best for the location.

If people are on a budget, that cusping month (such as in May/June in Mexico), can save hundreds of dollars on your room rates in June, and the likelihood of a tropical hurricane is much less, though the weather may be sweltering hot. You have to just be flexible.

CasaSugar: What are some of the most fun weddings you’ve planned? What would you say the elements are that are universal?

Alison Hotchkiss: I think the idea of a destination is making it about a long weekend or a holiday for people and less about it being one day. We often find that we turn it into a four-day weekend starting with a fun cocktail reception, and then plan activities for the next day. Instead of rehearsal dinners we’ve had rehearsal barbecues down on the beach, and we’ve done the wedding brunch the morning of the wedding instead of the day after the wedding.

You don’t want to overwhelm your guests and feel as if they have to do everything, but it’s great to have options and have lots of fun things to do and experience and the culture and the local community.

I would say Costa Rica was one of my favorite weddings, and we also did a wedding in Sundance, UT, and those were both really fun. One was centered around surfing, the beach, and the tropics . . . it was a really laid-back group. The other wedding, in Sundance, consisted of people skiing, drinking hot toddies after skiing, and sitting around the fire.

People also have to consider, “Who are your guests?” Be mindful of who your guests are. Are they elderly? Are there kids coming? Do you have teenagers? Have babysitters services available if you need to, and if there are teenagers, find cool teenager things to do, have a movie night. If there are elderly guests, make sure there’s always a chair for them, and have a waiter dedicated to making sure they’re comfortable. I think that people get a little caught up in the planning and forget about all of the people who are attending. You have to remember your audience.

Alison has a lot more advice for brides, so make sure to check back on Monday for the second half of this interview!

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Love Shack: Romancing Your Walls

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:00:58 -0800

Looking to add a final touch of romance to your home this month? Then don't forget your walls! By adding a new print to your home, you can easily change the mood of the entire room. If you're thinking about adding some romantic prints to your wall, Montreal-based photographer Irene Suchocki is an excellent choice. Irene's photos capture a sense of mystery and beauty in her subject, whether she's turned her lens to a flower or a common park bench. She says that she enjoys "creating little poems for the eyes."

Irene's work has appeared on numerous book covers, magazine spreads, and in exhibitions at festivals such as Sundance. Best of all, her prints are quite affordable, ranging in price from $25 to $185. Take a look at the gallery and see if anything catches your fancy.

View 14 Photos ›

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Designer Profile: Kelly LaPlante and Organic Interior Design

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:58:07 -0800

Los Angeles eco-designer Kelly LaPlante and her firm, Organic Interior Design, try to impress upon clients that good style and organic and sustainable furnishings can be synonymous. LaPlante has designed her own line of elegant, eco-friendly furnishings, including soy candles and organic sofas, which are available through her showroom in Venice Beach.

Kelly's work has recently been seen at the Sundance Style Lounge, the Global Green Oscar Party and the Ultimate Emmy Green Room. Her book, Eco-Luxe: Sustainable Spaces of Extraordinary Individuals is forthcoming.

To see a gallery of Kelly's design work, just read more

View 20 Photos ›

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