CasaSugar

Have You Ever Lived in a Victorian?

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:07 -0700

From the ornate exteriors to the charming nooks and detailing on the interiors, Victorians are definitely pretty homes. Some of the ones I've lived in, though, have been pretty drafty and needed a lot of upgrades. However, when they're refurbished, they're completely lovely.

Source: Flickr User David Paul Ohmer

Before and After: Restoring a Victorian Staircase

CasaSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:00:32 -0700

Last year, San Francisco renovator John Clarke Mills bought an 1890s Victorian that needed a ton of work. So far, he's worked on everything from the foundation to rewiring.

His latest challenge has been tackling the staircase, which had been separated. The house had been divided into two rental units in the past, and the lower banister had been removed decades ago.

John writes, "Since the house was split into two units at one point in its life a wall was put up between the upstairs and downstairs. We were hoping that inside the wall we would find ourselves a banister like our neighbors did, but no such luck. Obviously whoever did the work on our house didn't have the foresight that the neighbors did. Anyway, we were only left with one choice; rebuild it ourselves."

To see the results of John's hard labor, read more.

John turned to San Fransisco Victoriana to help re-create the components of the banister, based on how it looked in the upstairs hallway. The results are impeccable, and a wonderful re-creation of the original staircase.

John writes, "After 5 days of working straight for ten hours and a lot of follow-up work including stain, multiple coats of varnish, and paint we are finally finished. I think it turned out wonderful and couldn’t be happier about the results. It was a great learning experience and not all that complicated as long as you have patience and some good do-it-yourself experience. The pride of building something like this yourself and saving thousands on highly skilled labor is enough to make me want to do it again someday."

Have you ever taken on a house project this challenging? Read more about John's renovations on his blog.

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Do You Have a Ceiling Rose?

CasaSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:00:46 -0700

A ceiling rose is a round, ornamental decorative element affixed to the ceiling from which a chandelier or pendant is suspended. They're common in historical Victorian and Edwardian homes (especially in the UK), but they can easily be added to new homes. And so long as your home isn't super modern, they look elegant and relevant with many styles of design. Do you have one?

Photo by Graham Atkins-Hughes

Sandra Bullock and Jesse James Buy a Historic New Orleans Victorian

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:00:25 -0700

From Angelina and Brad Pitt to Nicolas Cage, New Orleans is becoming a popular place for celebs to settle, the latest transfers being Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. The pair quietly snatched up a historic Victorian home in New Orleans's Garden District for $2.25 million back in June. The 6,615-square-foot, five-bedroom, 4.5-bath home, known as the Koch-Mays house, was built sometime between 1860 and 1870. It retains many original Victorian design details, including ornately carved marble mantels, carved columns, large plaster medallions, shadow molding, and beautiful ornamental cast ironwork on its exterior. It's no surprise Bullock looked for historical details when doing her real estate shopping: the French Southern bistro she owns and designed in Austin, Bess Bistro, is in a historic building with tin ceilings and hand-painted floors. And although Austin won't be a far trip for the couple, they're guaranteed to find a good Creole shrimp meal in NOLA. See interior photos when you read more.

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Source: Flickr User alykat

Coveted Crib: Lovely and Light Near London

CasaSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:00:32 -0700

Sometimes we get so caught up with trendy accessories and of-the-moment palettes that we forget to consider the feel of the homes we're creating. It's no secret that all-white rooms have a relaxing effect. But throw natural materials, well-loved hardwood floors, worn upholstery, and a collection of vintage and antique accessories and furnishings into the mix, and what you have is a home that's not concerned with the latest and greatest, but is simply content as is. No shopping list, nothing dated, everything is timeless. This lovely and light Victorian home near London is a wonderful example of that. You'll breathe a sigh of relief when you see it. To take the full tour, read more.

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Name This Type of Victorian

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:00:57 -0700

Built in 1886, the Haas Lilienthal House in San Francisco is a gorgeous example of this type of Victorian home.

Before and After: Renovating an Existing Fixture

CasaSugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:00:39 -0800

Last year, San Francisco renovator John Clarke Mills bought an 1890's Victorian that needed a ton of work. So far, he's worked on everything from the foundation to rewiring. I love the changes that he's made in his San Francisco Victorian, as well as some of the smart, simple renos he's completed with existing fixtures. I was particularly impressed with an existing chandelier that he took from drab to fab.

John writes, "When my housemate and I moved into our new place we weren’t thrilled with the Victorian-style knockoff chandelier that was in our living room. Our friend recommended we paint it and see if we still wanted to throw it out. So, I took the idea and ran with it."

To see how he improved upon this boring chandelier, read more.

After cleaning and painting the fixture, the more intricate work began. John used some small lampshade covers as the template for the chandelier shades. He writes, "I simply wrapped a big enough piece of paper around the lamp shade and taped it. Then I trimmed up all the excess and unwrapped it. Voila template." Then, using fabric, scissors, and glue gun, the shade was finished.

This is a great upgrade on the chandelier paint makeovers that I've been sharing with you. Depending on the fabric you use, you can really affect the entire mood of a room, with very little expense.

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Before and After: Updating a '70s-Style Kitchen

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

While there's much to love about living in Victorian homes, one thing that's often not a coveted feature is the multitude of renovations that succeeding generations of owners have added to the homes. The '70s-style kitchen renovation in this Boston Victorian definitely fits in that category. To see how it was fixed, read more.

Bamboo floors lightened up the previously dark space, while customized cabinetry allowed for greater organization. Recessed lighting, along with cheery yellow pendant lamps, brightened the scene, and the custom tile work added some needed personality. A new mudroom area also made the space more functional and open. Quite the improvement, isn't it?

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Before and After: A Serious Fixer-Upper

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:00:00 -0800

When the Atlanta, Georgia-based renovation firm Laughing Sun purchased this home, it was in absolute disrepair. Once a gorgeous folk Victorian home, it was missing its original roof, and the once-soaring 12-foot-high ceilings had been pared back to only seven feet. It also was so leaky that the renovators were able to push the back wall of the house with one hand!

To see how this mess was turned into a masterpiece, read more.

Laughing Sun replaced the original steep Victorian roof and extended the footprint of the home to accommodate five bedrooms, a roomy kitchen, a center hall, and two and a half bathrooms. Check out the gallery to see the extensive, beautiful renovations that the firm put into place, returning this home to its 19th century glory.

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Before and After: A Victorian in San Francisco

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 09:00:36 -0800

Native San Franciscan designer Tom Leach has a background in interior architecture and landscape design, and specializes in historical facade restoration. His work has been featured regularly on HGTV, and his latest project was the restoration of this Victorian home in San Francisco. As you can see, it was adorned with little else besides an Obama poster, and its hodge-podge palette left much to be desired. Once Leach got his hands on the house, a drastic (and fabulous) transformation ensued. To see the after photo, read more.

A change of palette and the addition of Victorian ornamentation and moldings give the house polish, but the window installation and staircase renovation make it a focal point. I'm wildly impressed! What do you think?

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