CasaSugar

Inspired: Matthew Williamson Tie-Dye Dress

CasaSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:15:38 -0700

This dress, which FabSugar noted took tie-dye from hippie to hip, is from Matthew Williamson's Spring '08 collection. While tie-dye is nearly synonymous with hippies, the craft of tie dying predates Woodstock by centuries. Some tie-dye techniques and traditions include Japanese Shibori, Indian Bandhani, and African tie-dye. Tie-dye's unique look is accomplished by bundling or tying up the material before applying dye, which only allows the dye to reach part of the area to which it is applied. The boundaries of the dyed and non-dyed areas are usually somewhat blurred.

To see some home design tie-dye finds, read more.

Tie-dye's influence on the world of fashion has also trickled down to interior design. I've found a number of home accents that take cues from the technique of tie-dye. Take a look at the widget to see if there are any that you like.

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New Design Predictions: On Track or Way Off?

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:00:57 -0800

Nicole Swengley of the London Financial Times recently wrote about her design predictions for the coming year. While some of these seem wacky to me (such as open-air bathrooms that encourage their use as public spaces), others seem on-track.

One of her predictions is that '60s and '70s colors, pop art sensibility, and sense of whimsy will play a big role in the upcoming designs this year. She writes:

Interiors are moving on from the Hollywood story of the past year. Glamour will remain the goal but there’ll be more than a hint of nostalgia from the 1960s and 1970s and a fresh injection of fun. Think black-and-white Op-Art with splashes of orange, bold upholstery prints (check out Kenzo’s new sofa and Missoni’s zappy designs), colourful glassware (such as John Rocha’s Red collection for Waterford Crystal), velvets in strong, medieval colours, glossy patent leathers, metallic wallpapers and chain-mail curtains.

What do you think? Are you ready to move on from Hollywood Regency styles to zappy and zippy '60s and '70s-inspired designs? Tell me by commenting below.

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Your Favorite Recent Home Trend of 2007

CasaSugar — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:23:40 -0800

As part of our Best of 2007 polls, you chose stacked ball lamps as your favorite recent home trend this year. I certainly see where you're coming from on this one. Stacked ball lamps are elegant, sophisticated, and versatile. But this time, I have to part ways with you and name ikat as my favorite trend. If you've been following Casa, you know my love for ikat runs deep.
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Let's Go Trend Hunting: Wordy Furniture and Graffitied Home Finds

CasaSugar — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 07:00:03 -0700

This month, at Paris's trade interior design show Maison & Objet, UK designer Andrew Martin, who's known for his Union Jack motif furniture, showed off some other, bold prints, including this chair upholstered in designer Martin Waller’s new God Bless America fabric.

Martin and Waller aren't the first (or the last) designers to jump on the typography and graffiti bandwagon. There are a lot of really great interior design finds out there right now that display words, graffiti, or a combination of both. So, let's go Trend Hunting!

Here's how it works. First, join my group Trend Hunting. Then, when you track down a cool graffiti or typography product, bookmark it and tag it with the phrase Wordy Home Finds, and then save it in the Trend Hunting group. You can read this post for full directions on how to start your Trend Hunting mission, and here's a detailed explanation of bookmarks from GeekSugar.

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Participate in Trend Hunting

CasaSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:30:07 -0700

Since I love CasaSugar's new community features so much, I've decided to start a reader challenge called Let's Go Trend Hunting. In this challenge, I ask you all to help me track down cool home finds from across the web, using our Bookmark feature that lets us all share with each other the awesome items that we find online. Now, it's not just me telling you what I like; you all get to tell each other what you like! To get started, follow these easy directions:

Join the group Trend Hunting.
Once you have joined, you will need to add the bookmark code to your browser's toolbar. Check out Bookmark FAQ for the link to add to your browser's toolbar.
Find the products you want to bookmark for the challenge.
Click the Bookmark button on your toolbar. A window will pop up with your bookmark.
Change the title, if you want.
Fill out the Categories and Tag fields, if you want.
Select Trend Hunting in the group drop-down. Repeat this process for as many items as you would like to include in your widget.
Once you have your all bookmarks, visit Let's Go Trend Hunting and click on New Post. Choose Layout from the tabs at the top.
To include your bookmarks in your Layout, click on Add Image and pick Your Bookmark tab. Click on the bookmarks you would like to include. You can personalize your Layout page and make it look like a magazine spread.
Once you have created your Layout page, there are easy Widgets at the bottom to copy and paste into the comments.

Trend Alert: Advanced Etching

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:30:00 -0800

Dating back to the 1500s, etching, using acid or mordant to cut into a material, is certainly a thing of the past. There's actually an old cliché that I love: in an effort to entice a woman home with him, a man will say, "Want to come up and see my etchings?" as an offer to come look at something artistic. But ladies, these days etchings are something worth taking a look at. Designers have abandoned girlish mirror and glass etchings, using new materials like acrylic and plastic, using laser to etch, or even adding color like a tattoo. And these advanced etchings aren't simply decorative. Many, like the Ghost Acrylic Candelabra ($65), make a trompe-l'œil statement. See more modern etchings.

Open House: What Trends Have You Bought Into?

CasaSugar — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:30:00 -0700

Some trends are so pervasive, you don't know how transient they'll be until they're "over" - and all over your home. I fall hard and fast for lots of décor trends. But I'm such a skeptical and prohibitive shopper, I usually don't make the mistake of buying things that will be "out" in a few months. I will cop to buying into a few fleeting trends, such as wall decals and lace.

Other trends I think have enough staying power to invest in. For instance, I wrote about ikat as a trend nearly two years ago, and I think it looks as chic and relevant, yet classic, today as it did then. My interior designer aunt and mother used four ikat pillows in the sitting room of one of their clients, and though they were probably on my wish list a couple years ago, I still totally covet them. I think that says something; even if only, "buy what you love." Tell me: What trends have you bought into? Any trendy items you still love? Any headed for the donation center?

Trend Alert: Asterisks

CasaSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:00:02 -0700

It might seem odd that a shape could be trendy, but hearts, quatrefoil, teardrops, and circles have all made an appearance on these pages in the past. The latest in the group is the asterisk. In this Australian home, the magenta asterisk is far from subtle, but the star-like shape is popping up in more understated forms and equally bold ones as well. From ottomans to bookends and coasters to throw pillows, the asterisk is shaping up to be a very popular trend. See proof when you read more.

Trend Alert: Pears

CasaSugar — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:30:03 -0700

Maybe it's just because pears are in season here in sunny California, or because I'm still drooling over YumSugar's bubbly pear cupcakes, but I can't seem to get pears off my mind lately. They seem to be everywhere I look these days, and I'm loving it.

Did you know that there are 30 different species of pears in the world? Well, there are, and there are even more home décor items related to the crisp fruit out there right now. From trays and casseroles to handmade pillows, sophisticated pear interpretations are popping up in every category of the shelter market. I'm not talking about Art 101 style still-life paintings of apples and pears organized nicely in a bowl, but updated, modern silhouettes of the fruit as well shabby-chic renditions.

I've trend-spotted more pear finds than would be sane to buy, so click the images below and let me know which is your fruit-bearing fave.

Source, Source, Source and Source

Trend Alert: Multi-Paned Mirrors

CasaSugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:00:58 -0700

While looking for a mirror to coordinate with a friend's very graphic bedroom dresser, I noticed a developing trend: multi-paned mirrors. Some, like the CB2 Perspective Mirror ($149), have various shapes of mirrored glass, each angled differently to create a carnival "funhouse" effect. Others have varying shaped panes which sit flat on a single plane or are even overlapped. The most conservative of the bunch are made of many panes of the same size and shape, arranged symmetrically in columns and rows. But regardless of their arrangements, I'm seeing multi-paned mirrors everywhere I seem to look! See a few others when you read more.

Kyra Mirror - $399.00	Essex Mirror - $299.00
Zanotta - pablo mirror by zanotta - $3,146.00	Eagan Multipanel Mirror - $699.00
Herrion 9-pane Beveled Mirror - $199.99	Lots Mirror - $4.99

Stripe Tie-Dye Duvet Cover & Sham - $29.00	Victoria Bay Pillow, Green - $128.00
Noritake "Java Graphite Swirl" Relish Tray, 8.5" - $29.00	Sound Wave Shade - $29.00
Mistral Pillow - $39.95	Red Run Into Me Giclée Print - $299.00
Sasaki "Toyo" Small Vase, 8" - $150.00	Liora Manne "Ombre" 9620/44 Ombre Stripe Multi Area Rug, 4' 10" x 7' 10" - $619.00
Balanced Design - Flannel/Felt Color Block Pillow - $140.00	Fair Winds Trading Rwanda "Crest" Bowl, 14" - $60.00
Dip-Dye Duvet Cover + Shams - $39.00	Aiden Tie Dye Sheeting - $18.00
Oversized Tie-Dye Sham - $29.00	Oversized Tie-Dye Shower Curtain - $59.00
Aiden Tie Dye Sheeting - $99.00