CasaSugar

Home Away from Home: Jacques Grange's The Mark Hotel

CasaSugar — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 13:00:04 -0800

Last winter, my mom got some amazing deals on botanical prints and chinoiserie-style furniture when one of New York's luxury hotels, The Mark, was selling its furnishings to go hybrid—in other words, to convert a third of their building into co-ops and become somewhat of a boutique hotel. Fast forward nine months and Jacques Grange, France's most famous interior designer, has given birth to a new Mark, transforming what was once an elegant, traditional, and antique-filled space into a buoyantly modern mix of 20th century furnishings and contemporary furniture designed by Grange himself. I was a bit anxious about how the Mark would metamorphose, but I think the results are everything that the Upper East Side needs today: a dose of humor, a dash of trend, and a dollop of Paris.

To see images of the transformation, read more
According to the New York Times, Grange said

"That’s the influence of New York - the modernity, the creation. I’m more protective in Paris, more traditional, but I’m more open to being modern in America.”

That surprises me. As old world and conservative as France may seem at times, I see Paris as one of the more cutting-edge cities in terms of design. Modern design furnishings are everywhere there, in major department stores citywide and living rooms on both banks. In the US, contemporary flair is just starting to move beyond specialty stores and haute hotels. In any case, Grange's eye for interiors is always welcome here, and I hope to see more from him stateside.

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Casa Quickie: Make Your Own Mark Rothko

CasaSugar — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:30:38 -0700

Abstract artist Mark Rothko was a largely self-taught artist who created large, abstract expressionist paintings. This photo, from Miles Redd's portfolio, shows a painting with a similar look in this home. While most of us will never be able to afford a real Rothko, we can definitely fake the look. Start by purchasing a canvas at your local craft store, and experiment with painting hazy, rectangular shapes with acrylic paints. Choose your favorite colors, or ones that would complement your home. Have you tried creating something similar?
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This Just In: A Marky Mark on the Market

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:30:59 -0700

Mark Wahlberg has put his five-bedroom, 10.5-bathroom, 15,000-square-foot Beverly Hills manse on the market for a whopping $15.9 million, according to Real Estalker. The listing for the property reads:

Privacy, unbelievable outdoor areas and gorgeous views. 15,000 SF of dramatic spaces, including an amazing 2 story private guest house, basketball court, 2500 SF gym with boxing rink and trainer's quarter, lavish waterfall pool w/ grotto, cabanas wired for sound and flatscreens. Newly constructed motor-court, Screening room/Theatre appointed w/ high ceilings, 35mm digital projection technology, 2 luxurious living rooms, bedroom suites all opening to lush gardens and resort like settings.

Wahlberg purchased the property in November 2001 for $4.95 million, and since then has dropped a lot of dollars on renovations. There doesn't seem to anything particularly exceptional about the property; it's your typical outlandish celebrity property with all of the unnecessary conveniences, few unique architectural elements, and not a stitch of personal style. I must say, I think a television screen that takes up nearly the entire wall (and isn't concealed) is beyond tacky. But then again, Wahlberg needs that sort of thing when he's watching final cuts with his entourage. To see lots of additional photos, read more.

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Coveted Crib: Mark Homewood's Mod Victorian

CasaSugar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:30:24 -0700

The eclectic early Victorian row house of Designers Guild buyer Mark Homewood was recently featured in the Brit shelter mag, Livingetc. The Stockwell, London house is full of contrasts, with white used as a backdrop for furnishings bold in both color and form surrounded by architectural details reflective of an earlier time. To put it briefly, the word "coveted" doesn't begin to describe the space. Check out this slideshow to see for yourself what I'm drooling over. Source

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Happy 103rd Birthday Eva Zeisel!

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:39:30 -0800

World-renowned Hungarian industrial designer Eva Zeisel turns 103 today! Though she is best known for her work with ceramics, Eva, a featured Designer Spotlight here on Casa, has designed everything from acrylic candelabras to wooden and glass coffee tables, and is considered by many to be the matriarch of industrial design.

In fact, New York magazine named Zeisel in its list of nine living Design Revolutionaries back in '07. Better yet, her work is in the permanent collections of museums like the Met, the V&A, and the MoMA, and she received the National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York in 2005. Honored with the award at 99 years old, she could have brought closure to her successful career, but she impressively continues to design new works of art today. And while the curves and sensuous shapes of her recent designs are certainly sought after, her earlier pieces remain relevant and stylish, a mark of a truly influential designer. Take a look at some of Eva's work below.

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November Must Haves

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:01 -0800

This month marks the beginning of holiday planning, prep, and celebration. Here on CasaSugar, we'll also be exploring the world of color. From paint colors to vibrant home accents, I'll show you ways to add vibrance to your home through the use of color. See what's happening in the world of decor and design, both in and out of your home, this November!

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Get the Look: The Ruffalos' Relaxed Bohemian Home

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:00:54 -0800

In the February issue of Domino, Sunrise Ruffalo, wife of amazing actor Mark Ruffalo, shows off the family's adorable and eclectic home. Make sure to check out the entire tour on Domino, as well as pick up its February issue next week. To get the look of their relaxed, bohemian home, check out the slideshow. Source

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ELLE Decor Gears Up For the Launch of Style and Substance

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 06:15:37 -0700

It's a big month for ELLE Decor. Not only is it the magazine's 20th anniversary, but Oct. 28 marks the official launch of the new book Style and Substance: The Best of Elle Decor, written by editor-in-chief Margaret Russell (below). So on Tuesday the magazine held a special event for 600 of the design elite on the third floor of Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan. The guest list included amazing designers from interiors to art to fashion, including Bunny Williams, Michael Smith (Obama's decorator), Alexa Hampton, Jeffrey Bilhuber, and Mario Buatta. And Bergdorf's also created a special commemorative window for the event, which you can see below if you're not in the Big Apple to pass by it.

I've been collecting a giant stack of dog-eared ELLE Decor issues for the last 10 years, so I cannot wait to get my hands on this book, which condenses the best of the magazine's timeless interiors into one much more manageable volume! The book (which you can pre-order) is already number one in the interior design category on Amazon, and 240 pages overall, so I suspect it'll be worth the hype! See some more photos from the event below.

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On the Market: Spend Some Green on this Green Day House

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:57:25 -0700

While Green Day lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong may hail from working-class roots, his Bay Area home, which is now on the market for $4.85 million, shows that he's certainly not living on a boulevard of broken dreams.
I wouldn't read anything into the decor of the house, or Armstrong's punk sensibilities (or lack thereof), since I'm sure that this house has been staged within an inch of its life. Whoever staged it seems to have taken a little too much inspiration from Napa Style, Pottery Barn, and a really unfortunate mix of poorly sourced Moroccan influences.

The house itself isn't bad, though it's certainly not one of my favorite celebrity homes. To see why, and to view lots of interior and exterior photos, read more.

Located in the swanky Upper Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, the Mediterranean-style five-bedroom, four- and two-half bath home spreads across 7,000 square feet on a nearly 1/2 acre double lot. Built a little more than 10 years ago, the home features a pool, pool house, and professional music studio.

The listing for the property notes that the "original Julia Morgan steps [are] intact." Armstrong's house was built on the site of Red Gate, a gorgeous mansion built for Charles Wells by one of my favorite architects, Julia Morgan. The home apparently burned down in the 1991 Oakland fires. And while I'm sure that Mark Becker, the architect commissioned by Armstrong to build his home, is a fine designer and builder, hardly anyone can, in my opinion, compare to Julia Morgan's sublime style.

The home is being shown this month by appointment only, and if you have the dollars and the down payment, you can make an appointment here.

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Sale Alert: Modern Economy Online Sale Kicks Off Tomorrow

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:00:38 -0700

Modern Economy's second annual online sale kicks off tomorrow with a range of fabulous home decor products from over 40 independent designers. Doors open at 12 p.m. EDT, but you can get early access to the sale at 11 a.m. EDT with the user name shopearly and password 2009sale. You can also get free ground shipping anywhere in the continental US (excluding rugs) by using the code ship175 at checkout. I've definitely got my eye on Sara Poloma's handmade pottery (left), but I'm sure there will be plenty to love. When the Modern Economy sale came to San Francisco, I left the sale with over 15 treasures! Mark your calendars!