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

Home Library: Majestic Metropolitan Living

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:00:10 -0800

Just a week after the fold of Metropolitan Home, I've got my hands on another city-centric design volume: Sue Hostetler's new book Majestic Metropolitan Living: Visionary Homes in the Heart of Cities. The shelter and design editor for magazines like Gotham, Hamptons, and LA Confidential, and the host of Plum Homes With Sue Hostetler on Plum TV (which "targets the most active, influential, and educated audience in the world"), Hostetler has tapped her cronies for tours of their unique and luxe urban dwellings.

The American dream of retiring to the pool and tennis courts in your countryside home is squashed by this book, which showcases a range of sprawling, real-life city homes. Each has an original sense of style, a warmth that defies traditional conceptions of "cold urban modernism," spectacular views, and in several cases, an outdoor space complete with a pool or lush garden. Many of the homes were created, not surprisingly, by converting former warehouses or other nonresidential buildings, or combining apartments.

Continue reading . . .

On the Market: Sleep in Edward Cullen's Bedroom

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:37:06 -0800

All right, Twilight fans, here's your chance to get a little closer to Edward Cullen. The Vancouver residence that the Cullens inhabit in the New Moon film is for sale for $3.3 million through Soprovich Realty.

The five-bedroom, four-bath home is a modernist's dream, with extensive use of glass and post and beam style throughout the soaring, open spaces. The fantastic views of the surrounding Pacific Northwest landscape only add to this home's considerable charm. According to the realtor's listing,

"The Cullen House" as seen in the recent world-wide hit saga - "Twilight: New moon"!! Arthur Erickson's finest and totally renovated in 2001, this award-winning residence is situated on a private 1/2 acre creekside property nestled amongst a gorgeous greenbelt and towering trees. Tastefully remodeled by Brian Hemingway, this home has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, with the finest detail and quality available.

The home features a private studio with koi pond, concrete, slate, wool carpet, and cherry floors, a chef's kitchen, cherry cabinets, granite countertops, 20-foot-high ceilings, an outdoor pool, and a huge media room overlooking a nearby creek. Absolutely gorgeous, for vampires and humans alike.

Take the complete tour when you read more.

This is not the same house used in Twilight. That house was designed by architect Jeff Kovel of Skylab Architecture. For New Moon, the filming was moved to Vancouver, BC, and the Erickson-designed house, which was also featured in the John Cusack film Martian Child, became the Cullen home for the second film in the Twilight saga.

View 18 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 ›

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