CasaSugar

Before and After: Taking Advantage of an Underutilized Garage

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:00:48 -0700

I've brought up the idea of using the garage for additional living space, so when I ran across the garage reno on Sunset, I knew I had to share the fabulous results with you. Architect Jonathan Feldman was brought in to help expand a San Francisco, CA, family's living space by using their garage. While a garage is a relative luxury in San Francisco, it's not actually a necessity, especially when the space can be used for something much better than simply storing an auto.

To see the transformation, read more.

Feldman's smart design turned the underutilized garage into a multi-functioning space for the entire family. The garage added an additional 400 square feet, which included room for an office, a guest bedroom, and a bath. It looks absolutely amazing. To find out more about this project, and 16 other great home makeovers, head over to Sunset for all of the details.

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Before and After: A Victorian Transformation

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:45:47 -0700

Sunset magazine recently featured the 154-year-old Victorian home of a Napa Valley couple that had great bones, but was bogged down with layers of wallpaper and colored with garish blue paint. The home had been neglected for 30 years, but a lot of hard work combined with the couple's pared-down aesthetic transformed it into a welcoming, light, and airy space that any of you would swoon over. To see the transformation, read more.

Beautiful, right? It amazes me how someone could ignore such a coveted crib for so long! I'm glad this Victorian's new owners were able to see through the mess and awful color choice.
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New Year's Eve Sunset, Redux

CasaSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:00:10 -0800

Apparently I wasn't the only Bay Area resident enchanted with the skyline on New Year's Eve. Candy23 sent in some photos of her view as well. She says, "This was taken during our drive down on highway 80 back to the Bay Area. It was amazing! As if the sky was on fire!"

Midday Muse: Supersaturated Sunset

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:00:09 -0800

One of the biggest advantages of getting to work at home over the holidays was the opportunity to watch the sun set from our deck. Through the wonders of temperate Bay Area temperatures and wireless Internet, I was able to work outside and watch the sky change color for several afternoons in a row. The evening of New Year's Eve was by far one of the most dramatic shows of color I've yet seen.

Was the sky this dramatic on your New Year's Eve? If so, send me pictures!

Sneak Preview: 2009 Sunset Idea House

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:00:12 -0700

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend, head down to Menlo Park, CA, for Sunset Magazine's Celebration Weekend. While there are plenty of booths, activities, and displays I'll be sure to hit, my first stop will be this year's Sunset Idea House. Each year, the Idea House features progressive home designs that incorporate green materials and practices with Sunset's love of indoor/outdoor living. This year, San Francisco-based company Modern Cabana will showcase its Modern Cottage at Celebration Weekend. This small-space design is the perfect solution for families who need to extend their living space, but can't necessarily afford an expensive addition to their home - models cost between $11,000 and $30,000. Stop by this weekend to see the beautiful, final design, but in the meantime, check out my preview of Modern Cabana's Modern Cottage.

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Cool Idea: Stool as Plant Stand

CasaSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 05:30:19 -0700

The folks at Sunset Magazine never cease to impress me with their crafty chic makeovers. Believe it or not, this sunny yellow plant stand used to be a metal stool that had seen better days. Sunset staffers removed the seat and sanded and spray-painted the frame. Then, they simply placed a planter inside the seat frame. The project only requires two hours of DIY time, a can of paint, and the planter! The bright-yellow paint choice makes it look fresh and modern rather than too shabby chic. I love it!
Do any of you have similar furnishings you can use to DIY a plant stand? See the stool in its original form when you read more.

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How Would You Design Your Dream Kitchen?

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 06:15:22 -0700

Want to show off your design druthers? Then head over to Sunset magazine's Dream Kitchen of the West digital design program, and vote for what you love. Do you prefer bamboo floors? Large central islands? Open shelving? Tell Sunset what your dream kitchen looks like by voting online.

“We wanted to come up with a 21st century take on our original Idea House concept,” said Katie Tamony, Sunset’s editor-in-chief. “The Dream Kitchen of the West is our Idea House 2.0.”

To find out more about the Dream Kitchen, read more.

Each week for 10 weeks, new sponsor products, kitchen finishes, features, and colors will be presented on the website for an online vote. The completed kitchen will be revealed the week of June 1 on Sunset's website, and will be featured in the October issue of Sunset magazine. Oh, and you can enter the Dream Kitchen sweepstakes as well, which gives you the opportunity to win design plans and $10,000 for your own kitchen.

Award-winning New York- and San Francisco-based home and restaurant architect and designer, Cass Calder Smith, is directing the design of the Dream Kitchen by providing a selection of floorplans, kitchen features, and design inspiration. The kitchen, which is located in a single-family home in the Rose Garden section of San Jose, CA, will be built by DeMattei Construction.

What features would you want in your dream kitchen?

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Q&A With Dream Kitchen Architect Cass Calder

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:00:16 -0700

Earlier today, I told you about Sunset magazine's Dream Kitchen Contest. Now, I want to introduce you to the man behind the Dream Kitchen's designs, San Francisco architect Cass Calder Smith.

Cass Calder Smith's firm, CCS Architecture, has been building and renovating modern spaces for almost 20 years. The San Francisco-based firm concentrates on commercial and residential projects, as well as kitchen design. A native of New York City, Cass has lived in California since 1972. The son of an Academy Award-winning filmmaker and a California landscape painter and designer, his childhood was influenced by both Greenwich Village intellectuals and rural California artisans, and he draws inspiration from history’s great architects and cities as well as the epic filmmakers of the last century. Cass was kind enough to answer some questions about Sunset magazine's Dream Kitchen, as well as kitchen design in general.

To check out the interview, read more.

CasaSugar: How did Sunset come up with the idea for the Dream Kitchen?

Cass: It's an offshoot of their dream house, but more specific. It also has an interactive design process that connects the design to their readers.

CasaSugar: Who owns the dream house?

Cass: DeMattei Construction is building the house as a spec home. It will be sold once the kitchen is completed. Right now, everything in the home is finished except for the kitchen.

CasaSugar: What is the architectural style/features of the San Jose home where the dream kitchen will be installed?

Cass: It's a new house with a Craftsman look and feel. The house is about 3,300 square feet with four bedrooms and four baths.

CasaSugar: What features do you think are essential for a home kitchen?

Cass: Everyday livability. It needs to be a social space for a family to do much more than cooking and eating. The Dream Kitchen is connected and fully open to the family room, so it's very much a large family room with a kitchen in it. Aside from that, the appliances and the cabinet configurations are very important.

CasaSugar: What do you think is extraneous for a home kitchen?

Cass: I don't like overly fancy finishes that are not in sync with the rest of the house.

CasaSugar: What are three things that every home owner should add if the kitchen is being renovated?

Cass: 1) Island for prep; 2) a second sink for clean up with its own dishwasher; 3) sexy/functional appliances.

CasaSugar: What flooring do you prefer for kitchens?

Cass: I like whatever is also being used in the adjacent rooms or areas . . . this tends to be wood, but I also like slab stone if it's honed.

CasaSugar: What do you see as smart new kitchen trends?

Cass: Appliance garages, nice hoods that add rather than detract, walk-in pantries, overall design as social spaces.
CasaSugar: I love the simplicity of the Pt. Reyes kitchen on your website; are you a fan of open shelving, such as the shelving shown in this home’s kitchen?

Cass: Yes I am, because most kitchens have lots of doored cabinets. Open shelving opens a kitchen up, and exposes the home owner's lifestyle, making it more casual.

CasaSugar: What are you hoping to see in the future in terms of kitchens in your work?

Cass: I'd like to see more specific kitchens that are related to each client's dreams and desires. For me, this means live fire cooking.

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Would You Like to Shop Your Favorite Magazine's Closet?

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:00 -0700

This coming weekend, June 6 and 7, as part of its Celebration Weekend, Sunset magazine will be hosting a flea market of sorts at its Menlo Park, CA, campus. They've cleaned out their prop closet, editor's sample closets, and Idea House furnishings and will sell a large selection of home and garden treasures which have appeared in the magazine to you! Prices will range from $1 to $20, and all proceeds will benefit charity.
While I certainly can't pass up a good deal on home décor, and there will be plenty of awesome finds at this sale, a part of me enjoys the hunt too much to shop straight from my design inspiration. How about you?

Color Theory: Cool Colors

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:30:48 -0800

This week in Color Theory month, one of the areas I'll be focusing on is cool colors. The term is associated with the contrast of landscape light between the colors of daylight and sunset with a gray or overcast day, cool colors being the latter and warm, the former. Cool colors are the hues that range from blue-green to blue-violet, including gray.

As you know, colors have a psychological effect. Unlike their counterpart, cool colors tend to recede, which in effect creates a calm and relaxing space. With that in mind, you should consider this perceptual temperature of a color when choosing your paint and textiles. Cool colors are great for bedrooms and other lounging spaces. Cool colors also make a great background for warm-colored focal points, making them pop more. Stay tuned for more posts on decorating with cool colors.

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