CasaSugar

Steal of the Day: Americana Cube

CasaSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:00:12 -0700

I love stars and stripes just as much as the next Yankee, especially around the Fourth of July. But, if I'm going to invest in patriotic furnishings to use year-round, I'd prefer to make a more subtle tribute.
The Pottery Barn Americana Cube ($499, reduced from $699) has all the right ingredients. The small trunk incorporates Old Glory imagery with muted distressed fabric stripes in dusty red and blue on its sides, and hand-stitched stars on its table surface. Nothing about it says barbecue, fireworks, or hot July day, but it certainly says "America."

Less or More: Trunk Coffee Tables

CasaSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:15:05 -0800

For the next installment of this game, take a look at each of these trunk coffee tables and see if you can answer my questions about them.

Take the quiz

How Would You . . .

CasaSugar — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:30:04 -0700

This set of four, brass-studded, Leather Bound Trunks ($15,000) likely once served as travel storage for a sophisticated lady on a worldly voyage like Angelina Jolie in Changeling. But, as these How Would Yous tend to go, I'm not interested in offering up suitcases to you. I want to know how you'd use these elegant antique suitcases in your home as décor. Would you use one as a coffee table? Stack them beside a reading chair as a side table? Turn them into planters? Hang them on the wall? Turn them into pet beds? Paint them? Fill them with old love letters? I know you can come up with a creative use for these ancient beauties. Tell me by commenting below!

Nice and New: Crate and Barrel Taka Trunk

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:30:00 -0700

I've always loved the look of an antique trunk used as a coffee table, and the fact that they can double as storage for your odds and ends. But, when you're entertaining and your coffee table is spotted with wine glasses and hors d'oeuvre trays, it's a hassle to have to sacrifice your tabletop space if you want access to anything that lies in the storage trunk. So, when I came across the Taka Trunk ($499) at Crate and Barrel, I was delighted to learn that I could have it both ways. The refashioned steamer trunk, made of sustainable plantation-grown shesham wood, is equipped with two generous storage areas, a secret central compartment, removable dividers to store wine or CDs, and a small front drawer to hold your remotes and other small clutter. And, particularly winning, its lid support arms fold out, so you can have tabletop space and still have access to your collection of board games or "bar" inside. I also just adore its nubby round feet and handsome iron hardware. It's this sort of piece that makes me favor traditionalism on occasion, and nearly convinces me to stop loving more modern pieces like the Louis Ghost chair. Just nearly.

If Money Weren't an Issue . . .

CasaSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:00:49 -0700

Luxury publisher Assouline has teamed up with French trunkmaker Goyard to release a trunk custom-made to store 100 of Assouline's chic photo-biographies on art, fashion, design, and architecture. You can get your Goyard Trunk for the measly price of $20,000. Gotham magazine says, "You're guaranteed a great read as well as a chic tote." Well . . . I'd hope so for 20k. Tell me, if you had the dough, would you like one for yourself?

Nice and New: Picnic Trunk with Table

CasaSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:15:00 -0700

One of my favorite ways to enjoy the Summer weather is picnic-ing with friends and good grub. But, sometimes picnics can be so orchestrated — "Meet at the north west corner of the park. Bring X,Y, and Z drinks. Oh! And don't forget your frisbee. I don't have a blanket, do you? Should we invite so and so?" — that it gets me down. I always envision the perfect picnic in my mind, and coordinating all the ideal details complicates things and stresses me out. So, it's crucial to have a picnic basket ready to go, so I can have a hassle-free picnic on the fly. The Design Within Reach Picnic Trunk with Table ($200) qualifies as that key ingredient and more; it has all the fixin's (two wine glasses, two melamine plates, cutlery, a corkscrew, two cotton napkins and salt and pepper shakers) and it has an extendable table on which I can serve up my feast. And, its durable canvas fabric and hefty strap will stand the test of time, making it perfect for habitual picnic-ers like me.

Nice and New: Williams-Sonoma Home Williams Trunk

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:00:00 -0700

The antique trunk used as a side table in my childhood home must have its grips on me because once again, a crave worthy coffee table trunk has caught my eye. This time, the new Williams-Sonoma Home Williams Trunk ($2,950) is on my mind. I love how its classic shape is balanced by updated nickel-plated hardware. And who would shy away from a table that moonlights as storage? I'd use it as a warehouse for cozy throws and timeless board games. I also think its golden raffia covering warms up the room, but still blends nicely with any color scheme. If you're not on the hunt for a coffee table, they've also got some cute matching cubes. What do you think?

Before and After: A Trunk Transformation

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 05:15:32 -0800

This trunk, called the Casulo, which means cocoon in Portuguese, opens to reveal something pretty, well, brilliant. Can you guess what it is? I'll give you a hint: it's perfect for people who are always on the go. To find out what's inside, .

A room! The Casulo, which was designed by two Danish students at the Köln International School of Design, is still in its prototype phase, but it's already causing a hullabaloo. Inside the box lies a "bed, bookcase, filing cabinets, stools a desk, a small cabinet, three stool chairs, an armoir, a bed (with mattress), and a shelving unit, and "the suitcase itself becomes a closet thanks to magnetic clothes hangers." All of these furnishings can be unpacked by just one person in seven minutes. And, since the designers eliminated the need for Styrofoam packing, it is environmentally friendly as well as space friendly. Bachelors, college kids, and nomads have just met their match!
Source

Crave Worthy: Sundance Steamer Trunk Coffee Table

CasaSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:00:04 -0800

The Sundance Steamer Trunk Coffee Table ($1895) is inspired by turn of the century steamer trunks from a more romantic era. It features riveted oak banding, leather reinforced seams, sturdy leather handles, and canvas-lined three drawers for ample storage. You can choose from top grain leather or stainless steel, but the industrial glow of the stainless steel is certainly hard to resist. This isn't a dinky coffee table that you can put your feet on for two years; it's built to last, and the price reflects that. It's also a classic design, which will never go out of style, though it is meant for a more casual living room, or "den." So if you've got stiff, silk-upholstered Louis XIV accent chairs and a velvet Victorian setee in your living room, then this probably isn't for you. Still it's a bit difficult for me to contemplate dropping two grand on a table, regardless of whether or not it's a good investment.

Love It or Hate It? Four-Trunk Faux Bois Planter

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:00:13 -0800

This Ballard Designs Four-Trunk Planter ($30) has four planting spaces with drain holes in the base, but can also be used to hold pencils or craft supplies. It is crafted of resin with a hand-applied, mossy-cement finish. Personally, I think it's a bit over the top. Yes, Ballard Designs, we know you're known for your fake French home accents. You don't need to prove to us that you know what faux bois means. What do you think?