CasaSugar

This Just In: TLC Premieres Over Designed Sept. 20

CasaSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:30:34 -0700

Saturday, Sept. 20, TLC will premiere another new series, Over Designed, hosted by design expert Kenneth Brown. Brown will help overzealous homeowners who have taken a motif to the extreme, by enlisting the help of their family and friends to create more livable and inviting spaces. Think palm trees, penguins galore, all things Africa, or an extremely played-out Hawaiian theme. "The series will strive to celebrate each person’s unique design sense of style, but will help streamline their look and offer ways to better celebrate their collections," explains Kenneth. The show airs at 8:30 p.m. EST/PDT, so be sure to tune in. I can't wait to see these magical transformations!
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Five Tips For Increasing the Property Value of Your Home

CasaSugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:15:09 -0700

In anticipation of the new TLC series Hope For Your Home, which premieres this Saturday, I thought I'd share with you host Kirsten Kemp Becker's five tips for increasing the value of your property. A veteran Realtor, author and real estate company, and owner of a successful design company, Becker knows a thing or two about acclimating your home to the current economic climate. Here's a few ways she says you can do so yourself:

Plants on the outside. "The most economic way to achieve curb appeal is by refining your landscaping at the front of your house and by making sure the front door is the focal point. Guests, buyers, and appraisers will take notice of the entry experience and homeowners/sellers need to establish that emotional connection from the moment they pull up to your home. Remember the details: trim weeds, fix broken screens, hide the trash cans from view, and plant some fresh flowers in prominent planters."

There's four more where this came from, so read more.

Paint on the inside. "The biggest transformation in the shortest period of time results from paint. It can lighten a room, create an accent wall, and provide flow from one space to another."
- "If you can't afford new lighting or higher ceilings try painting a neutral color on the walls and a shade lighter on the ceiling."
- "To give a room a focal point or create more drama around one wall, try your hand at some color by painting it a shade of chocolate or charcoal to achieve a designer's touch."
- "If you can't afford to remodel the entire house and change your floor plan to make each room transition smoothly, try using the same shade of paint in all the public areas and down hallways - consistency of tone adds a feeling of congruency and openness."

Kitchens and baths. "Invest time and money into updating kitchens and bathrooms, but it doesn't mean ripping it all out and starting over - you can enhance what is already there. Learn to distract buyers' eyes from that which is not perfect by directing them towards areas that have been completely updated. A coat of paint and new hardware on existing cabinets and bathroom vanities can instantly update dated countertops tiles and fixtures. Take it one step further by using epoxy over existing tile or regrout to avoid demolishing and installing new tile, which saves time and money."

Declutter. "Stick with the timeless tried and true paint colors, accessories, and furniture in order to maximize the length of time and enjoyment out of your investment. Paramount to this is how you maintain your home. There is nothing like clutter to bury a home's value. If a professional can't see the space, appreciate the finishes or easily navigate around personal belongings and oversized furniture, they can't appraise it or sell it for top dollar."

Clean, clean, then clean again. "Even if a house has a poor floor plan, limited landscaping, or outdated bathrooms and kitchens, everything looks more valuable when it is well maintained and dust free. Pride of ownership shines through in a house that is clean and well cared for, which translates into higher profits in a sale and more attractive loan options for a refinance."

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This Just In: TLC Premieres Hope For Your Home This Saturday

CasaSugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 06:15:27 -0700

This Saturday, TLC will premiere its new series, Hope for Your Home, about the harsh realities facing homeowners in the US today. In each half-hour episode, host and real estate expert Kirsten Kemp Becker will help one family in financial need make improvements essential to increasing the value of their property, with the help of a contractor, of course.
"In a slow, or dare I say declining real estate market, it is important to set yourself apart from other homes on the market when yours is listed for sale. If you need to refinance, the same holds true," says Becker in a press statement. "Fortunately," she continues, "there are high impact low cost improvements homeowners can achieve over a weekend with help from friends and family." After these improvements have been made each week, a real estate agent and mortgage broker will examine each home and reassess its value, giving the homeowner the option to refinance and stay in their newly renovated home, or sell and find a more affordable alternative. Tune into the premiere this Saturday, Aug. 9, at 8:30PM EST/PDT on TLC!
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Before and After: A Sophisticated and Glamorous Nursery

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:44 -0700

Su Casa member mianakao recently moved into a new home, and turned this dull room into something absolutely spectacular. Her fabulous results prove that even the most dull room can be transformed into a gorgeous, glamorous space with a little imagination and a lot of hard work.
She writes, "We just moved into our new house (a sprawling foreclosure), so I had free reign with this room! As you can see in the before photo, the room was dull, dingy, and needed lots of TLC."

The results are truly astounding. To see how mianakao turned this dingy, dull space into a beautiful nursery, read more.

Can you even believe it's the same room? I am truly amazed! Mianakao explains, "My goal was to use black and white in a tasteful way to help the baby's visual development. My first choice was stripes around the room, but I figured that might just make the baby dizzy after a while. So, instead, I went with a high-gloss black latex paint, and brightened up the room with tons of white. (The green is an after thought accent color to warm up the space)." "Also, in an effort to be somewhat creative, I stuck a vinyl decal of a tree on the wall, painted over it, and then cut out the vinyl with an X-acto knife. Had I thought ahead, I could have incorporated the accent green on the tree. Sticking a vinyl decal on the wall wasn't creative enough for me . . . and I didn't want to deal with all of the air bubbles."

I also love that mianakao kept to a strict budget for this makeover. She writes, "Since we're in a tight economy, everything you see (with the exception of the crib and the chandelier) was found on Craigslist. Nothing was over $40! I also found items for free from the freecycle network. I just sanded the furniture and painted it flat white to match everything else in the room . . . well, my husband handled all the hard work. Small accents like the beautiful black and white crystal chandelier just added a touch of chic for our new baby girl!"

Take the full tour when you check out the gallery. I'm truly inspired!

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Casa Verde: A Handmade Home Gets Some TLC

CasaSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 06:15:18 -0700

Last year, I told you about my brother's handmade home, which he built in an eco fashion for a surprisingly small amount of money. However, nothing much had been done with the home's interior. This year, he and his wife made a lot of interior changes in the home to spruce it up. To see what this previously unfinished home looks like now, check out the slideshow.

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Roundup: Element-Withstanding Outdoor Furniture

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 05:30:28 -0700

If you're going to invest in outdoor furniture this Summer, you want to know that it will withstand the elements. Choosing furniture made from teak is always a good idea, since this wood is highly resistant to the wear and tear of sun and rain. In addition, look for outdoor fabrics from Sunbrella. For over 45 years, Sunbrella has made outdoor fabrics that resist the elements. It's even earned the Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Recommendation for its fabric's ability to filter out the sun's harmful rays. You'll find Sunbrella fabric on everything from boat cushions to outdoor pillows to shade structures.

Just remember, even if outdoor furniture is weather-resistant, it will still need to be cared for. While it's definitely made to take more damage than indoor furniture, it still needs some TLC at the end of the Summer season. I'll give you more tips for caring for your outdoor furniture as we get closer to the end of August, but for now, see some of my favorite element-withstanding outdoor furniture when you read more.

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Casa Verde: Jon and Kate Plus 8 Go Green

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:30:00 -0700

This Sunday, the Gosselin clan of Jon and Kate Plus 8 will welcome Planet Green's Renovation Nation host Steve Thomas into their home to retrofit it with some eco-friendly upgrades. Steve and his crew will help install electric solar panels and solar thermal panels onto the house, as well as solar powered lights along the driveway. They'll also build a picnic table for the family using reclaimed wood. Of course, the kids will also lend a hand (or 16) with the projects, and learn a few things about being green. Unfortunately, the hefty needs of the large household are not helping the family's carbon footprint! Catch the special at 9 p.m. EDT this Sunday, April 19, on TLC.
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How-To: Repair a Hole in the Wall

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:45:32 -0700

Like us, our homes are living, breathing creatures that need a little TLC every now and then. Just as we might stub our toes or nick ourselves shaving, our homes suffer some occasional battle wounds. But recovery calls for little more than a band-aid of sorts. If you're rearranging furniture or hanging artwork, you might wind up with a small hole in your drywall, but no worries, treatment is simple with a little first aid. To fix the hole, all you'll need is a putty knife, some sandpaper, an adhesive repair patch with a reinforced metal center, paint, tack cloth, and spackle. To be home schooled in how to repair a hole, read more.

Here's how, from Barbara K!:

First off remove any loose or rough plaster with the sandpaper or putty knife.
Then, generously coat the hole with spackle, and let dry.
Apply another layer of spackle.
Once it has completely dried, smooth down the surface with your sandpaper.
Cut your adhesive repair patch to fit over the hole.
Then smooth spackle over the patch and hole using the putty knife, and let dry.
Then, smooth the area down again with sandpaper, until the surface is flat.
If there is any residue, wipe it off with your tack cloth.
Then, touch up the wall with a little paint. Fini!

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Casa Capsule

CasaSugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:30:58 -0700

Ferm's new wallpaper collection is nice and new.
TLC premieres its new show Over Designed tonight!
Bored? Turn your spare Netflix flap into a popcorn tray.
HGTV's Rate My Space host Angelo Surmelis's kitchen was in the news.
One Su Casa member achieved a gorgeous dining room transformation.
Feeling lopsided? Why not get the look of symmetry?
Throwing a party or getting hitched? Try to do it DIY and green like me.
We had a blast teaming up with Ikea for Park(ing) Day!

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Before and After: From Rundown to Revitalized

CasaSugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 07:30:58 -0700

This 1936 moderne triplex, which was designed by architect Andrew Rebori, needed a lot of TLC to bring it into the 21st century.

To see what it looked like after rehabilitation, read more.

Find out more about this gorgeous home in the Architetural Digest article.
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Sunbrella® Cane-Stitch Outdoor Pililow - $79.00	Royal Botania - mixt series outdoor seating by royal botania - $789.00
"Relax" Teak Chair - $169.00	Montego Lounge Chair Cushions in White - $300.00
Ventana Sunbrella Cushion Collection - $120.00	Overlapping-Squares Metal Side Chair + Cushion - $30.00
Barlow Tyrie Dune Daybed And Ottoman - $4,713.00	Customized St. Tropez Indoor/Outdoor Rugs -Pattern - $129.00
Sunbrella Outdoor Drapery - $159.00	Montauk Rocking Chair - $499.00
Northshore Outdoor Lounge Chair - $949.00	Carlisle Sofa/Trovata Rectangular Coffee Table - $399.00
Sunbrella® Striped Throw - $198.00	Ballard Indoor/Outdoor Curtains - $64.99
Valencia Bench - $899.00	Corsica Outdoor Ottoman - $599.00
Trovata Chaise/Cushion - $999.00	Tufted Outdoor Chair Cushion - $24.00