CasaSugar

Before and After: The View's Backstage Makeover

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:00:05 -0800

When I chatted with Thom Filicia the other day, he shared a few photos from his makeover of The View's dressing rooms. As you can see from this shot, before Thom took over, the show's dressing room was beige, blah, and uninspired.

To see Thom's vast improvement on this dressing room, read more.

Using gender-neutral colors and a bold mural, Thom created a dressing room that allows stars to relax in a stylish environment before appearing on the show. I love the color scheme Thom used, and that sofa is a must-have as well. What do you think?

Before photo courtesy of ABC/Donna Svennevik; after photo courtesy of ABC/Steve Fenn

Casa Query: What's Your View?

CasaSugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:30:21 -0700

In E.M. Forster's A Room with a View, on holiday in Italy, Miss Honeychurch and Miss Bartlett are vexed to find out that their views are not quite they were hoping for, and then an elderly man and his son offer to trade rooms, presenting them with perfect views. This encounter proves to be important to the plot. In cities like New York, a perfect view can mean a difference of millions of dollars in real estate prices. Tell me, what's your view? Unless, the back of your home is a concrete wall, you're bound to have more than one — which do you prefer? Show me what you're looking at these days by posting a photo in the Su Casa group, and give me the scoop by commenting below!

Source

Do You Have a View of Nature?

CasaSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:58 -0800

At my house, I can see a lot of trees, but my main view is of the San Francisco skyline. Sometimes I miss the more idyllic views that I grew up with in a rural community. Do you have a nature view at your home?

Source: Flickr User AMy Loves Yah

Do You Consider Detail Views When Shopping Online?

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:49 -0700

In my review of the Home Decorators Annandale Jute Area Rug last week, I voiced my concern that the rug didn't resemble the product image on Home Decorators website. An anonymous commenter on the post shared a similar concern, saying she would have passed on the rug from looking at the product image, but after reading my post and seeing my own photos of it, she ordered it! Home Decorators was pleased to receive my feedback and have let me know that they've already begun to add "Detail View" photos to certain rug collections, including the Annandale Rug. And, they've said they will continue to add more photos to other collections and products.

I'm really pleased to hear this, and to see how swiftly they responded. I personally rely on detail photos a lot when I shop online, and I also look at them before I recommend a product to you all. Home furnishings are investment (and a hassle to return), and if you don't have the ability to see them in person, it's important that you can get a good look at a product through photos. I know the power of Photoshop and I am wary of being fooled, so seeing detail views is reassuring to me. Do you consider detail views when you shop online?

Do You Have a Gorgeous View?

CasaSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:00:08 -0700

I wish this were the view from my front porch! It's actually the view from a farm stay at a cabin I visited in New Zealand a few years ago.

I also love the view from my home's deck, but I've lived in a few other places where the view was less than desirable. What's it like at your casa?

This Just In: Eat the View Wins Over On Day One

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 05:30:35 -0800

You may remember back in August, I told you about a campaign and petition to plant healthy, edible landscapes in high-impact, high-visibility places, including the White House - much like San Francisco's Slow Food Nation Victory Garden - called Eat the View. Well, as it turns out, after the polling the public on their preference of 81 ideas for our future pres., Eat the View was named the winner by On Day One, a platform for gathering ideas about what Obama should do on his first day in office. This isn't to say that Obama will be taking any orders from On Day One, but the people have spoken, and it's clear that many would like to see some veggies growing at 1600 Pennsylvania. What do you think about this campaign? Do you have your own vegetable, fruit, or herb garden? Would you like to see more gardens in public spaces?
Source

Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne Exhibit Debuts in Paris

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:00:00 -0700

A major exhibition of the works by famed '60s French artist couple Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne kicks off in Paris today at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and will run through July 4. The Lalannes are known for their large-scale animal and nature sculptures, notably their sheep sculptures. But in this exhibition, more than 150 pieces, including those monumental sculptures as well as smaller everyday objects like furniture and silverware, will be on view. It will be the first retrospective in Paris since 1977, but as you may remember, Lalanne works took over Park Avenue in New York just this past Fall. Now more than ever, there's simply no reason not to say bonjour to Paris. Summer voyage, anyone? Check out some of the works on display below.

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New NY Times iPhone App For Apartment Seekers

OnSugar Blog — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:00:00 -0700

Here's a post from OnSugar blog Apartmentalizing:

Earlier this month, The New York Times launched a new (and free) iPhone app that directs the wealth of info from their real estate webpage straight to your mobile device. This seems perfect for the apartment hunter on the go since you can browse listings by zipcode, price, size, etc, and view them on a map with directions from your location. You can also upload your own notes and photos to keep tabs in real time on what you've seen and liked (or hated!). Want to hear more about the app?

Rachel Ashwell Lists Her Shabby Chic Malibu Cottage

CasaSugar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 -0800

Purveyor of all things shabby chic, Rachel Ashwell has put her 1,783-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bath Malibu cottage home on the market for $4.4 million. Her beautifully remodeled home features limestone flooring, a brick patio with a spa, and mountain views. It's also surrounded by gorgeous gardens and just steps away from a shared beach access lot with a deck. The interiors, not surprisingly, are dressed in Ashwell's signature white shabby chic style, and look quite cozy and calm. You'd wonder why she'd want to sell this cute home, but I think the fact that her business filed for bankruptcy last year might have something to do with it. From the looks of it, Ashwell's already moved out; it seems pretty empty. But, she also owns another LA area property, so perhaps this was just her beach house. Would you like to live in this Malibu home? Take a look at the photos and tell me what you think!

Su Casa: Four Rooms With a View

CasaSugar — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:00:05 -0800

Sometimes, moving into a smaller space can make your style shine more. When Sugar staffer Nancita and her boyfriend moved from an enormous rent-controlled San Francisco apartment into a more reasonable one-bedroom unit, they were pleasantly surprised at how their downsized digs made every item pop. So let's take a tour, shall we?

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