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

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?

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 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

Show Me Your Casa!

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:21 -0800

Add any new additions to your home lately? A new pendant light? Have you wallpapered? Bought a new coat rack? Whatever you're doing, I want to see it!

Show off all of your home views, both interior and exterior, in my group Su Casa, where readers can share snapshots and stories related to home decorating, crafts, organizing, and gardening. A Su Casa post could be anything from a photo of a loved one's home to a tiny nook you're tickled by. Think of it as a look book for home style. If I see something I like in Su Casa, I might ask you if I can feature it on CasaSugar.

To learn how to join and post in the group, read more.

To join the Su Casa group, just follow this link and click "Join Group" on the right-hand side of the page. Once you're subscribed, click New Post on the upper right-hand side and choose what type of post you want to create. If you have just one photo and some text, create a text post; if you have a bunch of photos you want to share, select "gallery." The Community Help Group has a great primer on how to create a text post, so check that out if you've never posted one before. Here's a rundown of the basic process:

Su Casa can be found by clicking on See My Groups & Blogs from your member name drop-down. Once on the group homepage, click on New Post and choose the type of post.
Add a Title and the Body (content for your post). Don't forget to click the Check Spelling link and Upload an Image to make your post stand out!
In Advanced Options, add appropriate categories and tags. Click on Save Post and voila!

Source

Former Fixer-Upper of DJ AM Is For Sale

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:30 -0800

The former Beverly Hills home of the late DJ AM has been listed for $3.8 million. The 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath midcentury home is private and gated with both canyon and city views. It boasts "rich mahogany floors, custom built-in theater, Crestron system, and flat-screen TVs throughout, two-sided fireplace, office, large kitchen with stainless steel appliances and carrerra marble countertops," according to the listing.

AM purchased the property for $1.9 million in the Spring of 2007, and made some wonderful changes to it before his death. I love how he landscaped the pool with grass and slate tiles to complement its prismatic shape and chime in on its modern aesthetic. When he bought the property there were also some awful Ionic columns out front, which were completely amiss with the midcentury architecture, and it looks like he replaced them with something simple or just covered them up with shrubbery. He also added one and one-half bathrooms. He modernized the two-sided fireplace in the living room and had a custom built-in theater built above it. And I suspect he installed a television which rises from the foot of bed. It's unfortunate that he wasn't able to see the profits of his terrific renovations.

To look at photos from before and after he renovated, read more.

Before:

View 4 Photos ›

After:

View 5 Photos ›

Room Therapy: Help Me Choose Paint Colors!

Casa Community — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:00:14 -0800

Just in time for Color Theory month, Hvenbnd needs your help in choosing colors for her home! Read on to find out what she's looking for. Hi CasaSugar Readers,

I need your help ASAP! I recently experienced some water damage to my 1942 custom bungalow. As a result the wonderful insurance company has come through and has agreed to re-install new hardwood floors in my dining room and living room, paint the entire kitchen (including cabinets) laundry room, dining room, living room and to install a new kitchen floor.

My problem is choosing paint color for my rooms! I am so overwhelmed with all the options I have been researching. We are eclectic in our tastes, and have mixed antiques and modern midcentury pieces in our home. I collect Shag prints, which are bold and bright with lots of oranges and greens. I also collect tikis but hate the beachy thing. My husband is an airbrush artist and tends toward bold deep color.

For more pictures of this reader's home, and to hear more about what she's looking for,
Now, the house: We have 8 foot ceilings in the living area and dining area with coved ceilings and curved walls. I am installing recessed lighting in all three rooms. The red kitchen island that sits in the dining room in the pictures obviously belongs in the kitchen and will be painted as well. The house has lots of nooks and crannies and built in cabinets and bookcases. Can you help me pick some amazing paint colors? I will post the finished result for your viewing pleasure!

P.S. I am looking for a chesterfield sofa for the living room in what I envision to be olive green leather. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
Hvenbnd

Do you have advice for Hvenbnd? Leave a comment! Have interesting photos of your home to share? Then post them in the Su Casa group.

View 10 Photos ›

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?

View Slideshow ›