CasaSugar

Gift Guide: The Arrested Adolescent

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:15:59 -0800

If you have some friends who can't get enough of Hello Kitty lamps or tongue-in-cheek embroidered throw pillows when it comes to decorating their homes, don't despair, embrace it! Some of my favorite friends' abodes are peppered with fun accessories from Kid Robot, Upper Playground, Sanrio, and other hip and youthful stores. Maybe you don't want your pals to take the theme as far as they did at the Hello Kitty gate lounge in Terminal 2 of the Taipei International Airport, but I think some fun, arrested adolescent accents in a home can provide a lovely youthful spirit.

To indulge their obsession, check out my gift guide when you read more.

Check out HolidaySugar for all of our holiday coverage.

upper playground Lightbulb Pillow - $40.00	The Fatboy - $299.00
upper playground Morning Breath Poster - $40.00	Armand Diradourian Smiley Face Pillow- Pink - $250.00
My Pet Lamp - Siamese - $60.00	Mega Furlicious Beanbag - $499.00
Armand Diradourian Love Pillow- Blue - $265.00	Areaware Skullrilla Ashtray - $25.00
Petit Collage Blue Robot #4 - $140.00	upper playground Sam Flores Record Player Poster - $40.00
upper playground SuperFishal Wings Pillow - $40.00	Numbers Beanbag - $50.00
Fatboy Point by Dwell - Fuchsia Dots - $129.00	Pkolino Silly Soft Seating - $40.00
OFFI - MyPetLamp - Dachshund - $59.00	Matte Stephens Krasner Kitty - Print - $35.00
Hybrid-Home Limited Edition Print Visible Robot - Orange - $40.00	Armand Diradourian Peace Sign Pillow- Red - $250.00
Koko - Match Co Lion Pillow - $92.00	Clocky Mobile Alarm Clock - Almond - $49.99

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Vivienne Tam Launches Upholstery Furniture Collection

CasaSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:15:39 -0700

Fashion force Vivienne Tam is taking her modern Chinoiserie home - to your home. She's partnered with Rowe Furniture to create a new collection of custom upholstery furniture, including multiple sofa groupings and accent pieces. While designing furniture is a natural extension for many fashion designers, I think Tam's strength lies in textiles, so I'm excited to see a range of exclusive fabric designs used in the collection. "I want to bring beautifully designed prints, fabrics, colors and textures to create a truly unique line with subtle and sophisticated pieces inspired by my Chinese roots," she explains.

As for the furniture designs themselves, I'm most impressed with her Adler Sofa (shown here). There's a really harmonious balance between its sleek legs and plush cushions, blending formality and comfort. The way the rectangular shape of the legs is built into the sofa's arms themselves is very unique, but also derivative of Eastern styles. To see her chair designs and hear more details, read more.

To me, her Peony chair looks too much like a cross between the Artifort Apollo chair and the Ikea Skruvsta - not very original. Her Daniela chair is a slipper chair we've all seen before. And the Greek key arms on her Camelia chair are amiss paired with her cherry blossom print and Chinoiserie-style legs. But I do praise the textiles; each is understated, elegant, and youthful.

The line will start shipping at the beginning of next year, but will be unveiled at the Las Vegas World Market in September as well as the High Point furniture market in October.

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Trend Alert: Chalkboards

CasaSugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 06:00:05 -0700

It's back-to-school season, and even if you haven't been a student in ages, now is the ideal time to get out the chalk. From chalkboard paint to write-on vases, chalk-worthy surfaces are showing up on all sorts of home accents for both kids' rooms and adult decor.

Not only do I love the retro schoolhouse vibe of these products, but they are also a practical way to write yourself reminders, label (and re-label) boxes, or just keep the kids occupied. And while some of the chalkboard surfaces I've found are clearly toys, others - including this VivaTerra Barn Wood and Chalkboard Bin - just have a youthful spirit. For more on the chalkboard trend, just click on the photos below.