CasaSugar

Guess What This Product Is?

CasaSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0800

This sleek-looking product is designed to combat an organizational issue that has become more problematic as we introduce tech gadgets into our homes. It really looks nothing like its predecessor. Can you guess what it is?

Do You Hide Your Television?

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:00:10 -0700

While some people display their flatscreens proudly, others opt to hide the television behind a cabinet or panel. How's the television situation in your home?

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Garden Therapy: EasyBloom

CasaSugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:00:56 -0700

Gardening and technology aren't mutually exclusive; in fact, tech tools can often help a garden to reach its full potential. One tool that I recently had the opportunity to try is the EasyBloom ($59.95). This wand-like tool is simply inserted into the soil where you want plants to grow. Then, you plug the EasyBloom into your Mac or PC, and it gives you information on which plants will grow best in that spot. You can also use the information for plants that are already established in an area, learning about what they need to thrive, or what their watering needs are. How does it work this garden magic? The Easybloom senses temperature, available sunlight, and water saturation, analyzes that information, and then measures it against its 5,000-plus plant database. Given that many of my friends claim their black thumb makes it impossible to even keep a houseplant alive, I think I finally have the perfect comeback for them - why not try an EasyBloom?

To see a video explaining how the EasyBloom works, read more.

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Roundup: Retro Tech Accents

CasaSugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:15:44 -0700

Before the general populace relied on key cards, laptops, iPhones, and cars to get through their busy days, such technological advancements as the typewriter, the skeleton key, and the bicycle were the height of fashion. Not only are these classic shapes superbly functional, they're also quite beautiful, which makes them the perfect inspiration for home accessories.

To add some retro tech flair to your home, read more.

I found some great accents that rely on 19th- and 20th-century motifs. Do you love them, too?

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You Make the Call: Is This a Green Home?

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:00:52 -0800

Whether or not it's really green, it certainly is beautiful. WIRED magazine has teamed up with LivingHomes, a company that builds green, prefabricated homes, to create WIRED Home, a house in LA that showcases green, sustainable technology.

The home was manufactured in the factory, reducing cost and construction waste. When the home was brought to the site, the installation took only two and a half days. The home is fully automated, with the latest in gadgets, gear and appliances, yet still keeps kilowatt usage low.

To find out more about this home, as well as to see some gorgeous photos, just read more

This is no drop-in-the-bucket cheap and green home, though. In fact, this modernist palace costs $4 million and is housed in an exclusive enclave of Los Angeles. And while I believe that small is beautiful (and green), the house measures in at 4,057 square feet-almost 2000 square feet bigger than the average US home! However, it is designed to attain at least a Gold rating from the USGBC LEED for Homes Program, which is nothing to sniff at. The home’s anticipated energy use is 36% more efficient than a conventional residence of a similar size (but again, if the house were smaller, it would be even greener). The home will also feature a forced hot air radiant heating and cooling system; recycled glass bathroom countertops; Heath ceramic tile; low-maintenance high-design ecological kitchen cabinetry; an environmentally friendly washer/dryer system that uses less water and energy; windows and doors constructed with recycled glass and aluminum; reclaimed redwood milled from old military barracks; FSC-certified exterior siding; tankless water heaters; and LED lights that consume less energy than conventional light bulbs.

What do you think? Is this really a green home, or is it just an example of trying to put a coat of green paint on something that's too big, too expensive, and too unsustainable?

View 14 Photos ›

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Cool Idea: Garage Door Façade

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:16 -0700

When architect Bill Peterson decided to renovate his 16-foot-wide brownstone in Manhattan's East Village, he was determined not to be drastically modern. He wanted to maintain some of the circa-1869 building's history, but at the same time, wanted to use new technologies. The result? Trickery.

He built a façade for the structure's second floor, which can be raised like a garage door in just a few minutes, opening up to its modern living room. The feature offers a Manhattanite a rare thing: private outdoor space (well, semi-private). For safety, an ultra clear glass barrier was installed as a barrier. And to keep bugs and heat out, an air curtain wall system shooting high velocity air from the ceiling was used. Pretty clever, eh? Since the revealing façade is on the second floor, pedestrians can't really see in, and the trees across the street block some neighbors from seeing inside. But really, it's a living room, not a bedroom, so who really cares? See a photo of the living room with "the door" closed.

Nice and New: Dyson Air Multiplier Fan

CasaSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:30:29 -0700

For Dyson, innovation is a breeze. My favorite vacuum brand has just released a new fan, the Dyson Air Multiplier ($299.99-329.99), which is very unconventional. The fan uses a trademarked technology to draw in air and amplify it 15 times, producing an uninterrupted stream of air, instead of using the blades or grills we're accustomed to. The omission of blades means there's not only no noisy air-chopping, but that it's also safe and easy to clean. You can effectively stick your hand through its annular aperture and remove it unharmed! Sounds pretty fabulous to me. It also has a handsome, unfussy shape, which I like. Can't wait to try it!

In the News: Grad Student Bakes Green Power in Pizza Oven

CasaSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:00:48 -0700

One of the main reasons that green power hasn't taken off is its high price tag, but Australian PhD candidate Nicole Kuepper may be changing that. This green-thinking student has discovered a way to produce solar cells using a pizza oven, nail polish, and ink jet printers.

According to the The Sydney Morning Herald:

Ms Kuepper realised a new approach would be needed if affordable cells were to be made on site in poorer countries: "What started off as a brainstorming session has resulted in the iJET cell concept that uses low-cost and low-temperature processes, such as ink-jet printing and pizza ovens, to manufacture solar cells."

While it could take five years to commercialise the patented technology, providing renewable energy to homes in some of the least developed countries would enable people to "read at night, keep informed about the world through radio and television and refrigerate life-saving vaccines". And it would also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The inspiring Kuepper was awarded the British Council Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change for her solar power development, as well as a $10,000 study tour to Britain. I'm always proud of girl geeks, and since women are underrepresented in the sciences, I am doubly impressed by this young inventor. Congratulations, Nicole!
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Casa Verde: Pope Benedict Goes Solar

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:00:34 -0700

Still thinking about adding some renewable power to your home? Well, maybe this story will inspire you. Pope Benedict XVI recently installed photovoltaic solar panels in his home outside of Regensburg, Germany.

The panels are estimated to generate as much as 5,800 kilowatt hours per year, the equivalent of $3,500 worth of surplus electricity, which will be routed back to the German power grid. Any profits from the panels will be donated to job- and skill-training programs for disadvantaged youth.

To hear what the pope has to say about energy use, and to find out about tax credits for renewable energy, read more.

“Technologically advanced societies can and must lower their energy consumption, either through an evolution of manufacturing methods or through greater ecological sensitivity among their citizens. It should be added that at present it is possible to achieve improved energy efficiency while at the same time encouraging research into alternative forms of energy,” said Pope Benedict in a prepared statement.

The Vatican's roof was also covered with solar panels, beginning last Winter. Pope Benedict was also instrumental in the Vatican's plan to install a $600 million solar plant. A 6,000-seat hall's heating, cooling, and natural light needs will be supplied through 2,700 solar panels. When the hall is not in use, the energy will be used to power the Vatican.

If you live in the United States, you can find about renewable energy tax credits here.

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Cool Idea: An Easel as TV Stand

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Since I don't watch much TV, updating my hefty idiot box to an ultra slim HD flatscreen is not very high on my list of priorities. But if I did own the latest and greatest in television technology, I would love to use an artist's easel as a stand, like this one featured in House Beautiful. Tech gadgets are always difficult to coordinate with décor, but that's especially true when your design scheme is earthy and traditional. The wood construction of the easel makes for a near seamless integration. And better yet, it allows you to change the height and angle of your TV - something that few standard media centers can do. Would you try this in your home?