CasaSugar

How-To: Upcycle Objects For Flower Display

CasaSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:00:21 -0700

There are plenty of wonderful vases in the world to display your bouquets. But let's be honest, the flowers themselves are where it's at. So why not upcycle some objects you already own to display those stems? I've collected a few vase alternatives for you, some of which may truly surprise you. So check out this how-to!

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Cool Idea: Using Cabbage as a Centerpiece

CasaSugar — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:48 -0700

Glass vases are chic and timeless, but sometimes you need to stir things up a bit. And when you've used every old coffee pot and vessel you can think of, look to your kitchen or garden. Real Simple looked at a head of cabbage with an inventive eye, and decided to use it as a centerpiece. After cutting an opening into the top of each cabbage, they fit a piece of saturated floral foam inside, turning the produce into a vase! I love how they chose purple flowers to match the hue of the cabbage; it really makes a statement. For full instructions, go here.

Casa Quickie: Double Your Pleasure

CasaSugar — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:15:00 -0700

Once you've taken steps to make your cut flowers last longer, you might as well make the most of them while they're lookin' good. Once you've put them in a chic vase, set it in front of a mirror! For the price of one bouquet, this trick will give your arrangement the visual presence of two. It helps to have a stunning bouquet like this one, but this two-for-one tip doesn't discriminate. A mirror, my friend, is a wonderful thing - especially when it's a "skinny" mirror.

Source: Flickr User smcgee

Casa Quickie: Vases as Fish Bowls

CasaSugar — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:00:53 -0700

To me, big ole electric fish tanks just scream bachelor pad, or worse, a divey Chinese restaurant. There's nothing pretty about a standard pet shop fish bowl, either. But having a little Nemo in your home can inspire a connection to the natural world, and there's something calming about watching them propel their little bodies through the water. The design-savvy solution? Use simple vases as fish bowls. On this windowsill, three cylindrical vases (remember, when in doubt, group in threes) are filled with small, white rocks and decorated with seaweed. The colors of the vases are cued to those of the room, using mostly white, yellow, and green, showing that fish can be used as décor as well as low-maintenance pets!

Cool Idea: Take the Flowers Off the Table

CasaSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:00:48 -0700

Looking for a cool way to display flowers at your wedding reception? Forgo the standard table arrangement and ask your guests to look up instead.Want to re-create this floral look for your big day? Find out how when you read more.

Use CB2 Teardrop Vases ($4.95) hung from the ceiling. These handblown vases have a cut and polished opening for easy hanging. Use filament so it looks like the vases are floating, and instead of arranging the blossoms outside of the vase, gently arrange them into the belly of each vase.

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Crave Worthy: Lifesaver Bowls

CasaSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 08:00:15 -0700

While the name of these Lifesaver Bowls ($495) is derived from their candy-like colors, their dream-like designs could sweeten even my most sour of days. I just wish I could afford one of these hand-blown masterpieces, particularly in this economy. The bowls/vases were created by New York-based glass blowing artist John Pomp, whose work has been featured in a slew of esteemed publications, such as Vogue, Elle Décor, and the now-defunct House & Garden. I hope to see much more of his work in the future . . . preferably in my own home.

Cool Idea: An Enduring Valentine's Day Gift

CasaSugar — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 05:30:00 -0800

After years of flower arrangements stocking our cabinets with boring glass vases, Rose and Radish has come up with a more sensible approach to valentines. They've paired some of their favorite design objects - not vases - with stunning arrangements of fresh flowers, so that after those blossoms wilt, your loved one will have something to hold on to. They'll work with you to find a style and price range that works for you. This vessel, Sweet Nest ($389), which is made of Nymphenburg porcelain, has a higher price point than most of the other options. Unfortunately, delivery is only available in San Francisco, but you can easily recreate this Valentine's Day gift yourself. To see how this nest can be used when the flowers are long gone, read more.

It's a votive holder! A beautiful one at that.

Cool Idea: Baubled Wire Vase

CasaSugar — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 05:30:54 -0800

This one-of-a-kind vase, owned by a relative of mine, was wrapped with basic copper wire and strung with a melange of vintage beads and buttons. The glass vase itself is a basic cylinder shape - the kind a florist would use - but the adornment gives it remarkable flair that I find quite chic. Recreating this vase wouldn't be difficult, even for a novice beader, but amassing such an extraordinary collection of baubles would be a feat in itself. Furthermore, I love how it's been used here to hold serving utensils in the kitchen window, so that it can be enjoyed daily!

Cool Idea: Kitchen Legos

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:30:11 -0800

In these tough economic times, we all have to do a little penny-pinching. For some, that means cooking at home instead of dining out, steering clear of the shopping mall, doing DIY projects on the weekends, or even making your own firestarters. But even DIY projects cost money sometimes. So, how do you make something from nothing? You look in your kid's toy box, of course. Instead of shopping for accents, Evil Mad Scientist made some kitchen accents like bowls, napkin holders, vases, and utensil holders out of Legos! Resourceful, huh? As grown-up kid, who loves Legos, Playmobil, and Barbies as much as she did when she was 6, I can't get enough of this project.

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Nice and New: Brocade Home Brushed Metal Vase

CasaSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:00:22 -0700

We discussed last week how Brocade Home is back, but with little fanfare and no new Fall collections to show for all the time it spent on its grand vacance this Summer. But, I did notice something nice, new, and appropriate for Fall in the shop. The oversized Brocade Home Brushed Metal Vases ($129) in high-gloss bronze have a warmth that faces off with the rapidly decreasing temperatures these days. At 22 to 30 inches high, they're also statement pieces that will demand attention whether or not you fill them with fresh flowers. If bronze isn't for you, though, they're also available in silver. What do you think?