CasaSugar

Nice and New: Mason Jar Lights

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:00:00 -0800

Oh how I love me some mason jars. Among preserving jams, pickling tomatoes, shedding garden light, and showcasing healthy blossoms, the time-tested glass container has one more job to add to its already impressive résumé.

The crafty folks at Pigeon Toe Ceramics have a different take on the old classic. Familiar with their ceramic ways, the artists cast a large mason jar in porcelain and turned it into this Mason Jar Pendant Light ($108). Allowing the light to escape easily, they left the bottom open and kept it unglazed for a clean, raw look. Lucky for my wallet, I don't have a place for the light fixture in my kitchen but I'd love to see these jammin' jars hanging over a funky breakfast bar, perhaps with a vintage Coca-Cola sign hanging in the background.

Happy 103rd Birthday Eva Zeisel!

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:39:30 -0800

World-renowned Hungarian industrial designer Eva Zeisel turns 103 today! Though she is best known for her work with ceramics, Eva, a featured Designer Spotlight here on Casa, has designed everything from acrylic candelabras to wooden and glass coffee tables, and is considered by many to be the matriarch of industrial design.

In fact, New York magazine named Zeisel in its list of nine living Design Revolutionaries back in '07. Better yet, her work is in the permanent collections of museums like the Met, the V&A, and the MoMA, and she received the National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York in 2005. Honored with the award at 99 years old, she could have brought closure to her successful career, but she impressively continues to design new works of art today. And while the curves and sensuous shapes of her recent designs are certainly sought after, her earlier pieces remain relevant and stylish, a mark of a truly influential designer. Take a look at some of Eva's work below.

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Source and Source

Etsy Find: Woodlands Skunk Container

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 05:30:29 -0800

Skunks get a pretty bad rap (for a pretty stinky reason), but that doesn't mean they're not cute as a button. Anyone remember Flower, from the movie Bambi? Couldn't get any cuter - or so I thought. Now I might change my mind, after seeing Woodlands Skunky ($50) from ceramic artist Laura Walls Taylor.

This container, which I might use for a vase or for a stash of wooden spoons in my kitchen, was thrown on a wheel and then hand painted. Too cute.

Oh, and if skunks aren't your thing, no worries: Laura also has other woodlands creatures to choose from, including owls, birds, and squirrels.

Designer Spotlight: Bjørn Wiinblad

CasaSugar — Fri, 09 May 2008 07:00:37 -0700

If you're wondering where Jonathan Adler got his inspiration for his Utopia series, or where Tord Boontje got his taste for saturated colors and fanciful flora, look no further than Danish artist and designer Bjørn Wiinblad. This midcentury ceramic artist set up his own studio in 1952, and continued to reproduce his designs through the 1990s.
Much of his work is inspired by the fairy tales of fellow Dane Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote such well-known stories as The Little Mermaid and The Princess and the Pea. Starting in the 1950s, he produced silver, glass, furniture, and ceramic designs for Rosenthal Porzellan AG, and also designed posters, costume and stage designs, tapestries, and textiles for hotels and restaurants across the world. His work is particularly popular in Japan.

To see more images of his work, and to find out whether or not his work is a good investment, read more.

The good news for you? His work is still undervalued, which means that you can snap up some of his finds at reasonable prices (unlike some other midcentury designers' works), and the value is predicted to continue rising. You can find some of his designs on eBay and from other antique dealers, as well as at Unica Home. I love the childlike joy that's evident in his designs, as well as his unique illustrations of people. Are you a fan, or are these a little too fanciful for you?

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Nice and New: Jonathan Adler's Druggist Collection

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:15:43 -0700

Billing himself as "your 24-hour pot dealer," Jonathan Adler gets cheeky with his new collection of pottery, Druggist ($24-$55). Billed as "An Apothecary of Emotion" his collection features translucent porcelain pieces that are first thrown on the wheel. Afterwards, the trompe-l'oeil chains and names of the emotions are added.

Modeled after old apothecary jars and finished with an unglazed matte finish, these pieces are fun and slightly sinister at the same time - especially the mug that declares "love" on one side and "hate" on the other. Still, I would love to have a few of these pieces. I think the apothecary jars especially would be great vessels for all of the cotton balls and q-tips needed for your nightly ablutions. Oh, and they wouldn't look bad on that French Apothecary Chest either.

Designer Spotlight: Hella Jongerius

CasaSugar — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:00:09 -0700

When Ikea tapped Hella Jongerius to design a line of socially conscious vases in 2006, many of us were thinking, "Hella who?" But design junkies know that Jongerius's influence reaches far beyond the blue-and-yellow confines of Ikea. With her cutting-edge combination of industrial design and traditional craft methods, the Dutch designer's reputation has spread from Amsterdam's Droog Design Collective to the European design cognoscenti.

But I like Jongerius's stuff for even more basic reasons: It is beautiful and very much unlike the other beautiful things I admire each day. The ways in which she combines folksy tradition with sleek aesthetics always impress me. The Majolica Large Multicolored Vase, for instance, uses 17th and 18th century ceramic designs for a wholly modern look, while her Worker Chair might serve as seating in a farmhouse of the future. To see some of my favorite Jongerius designs, just click on the photos below.

Bird Jug & Mug: Love It Or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 03:58:39 -0700

I have a thing for little birds, they're pretty darn cute and add a nice rustic flair to modern elements. They're also pretty trendy right now, which is okay in my book. Yesterday I saw this lovely bird jug and mug set and just swooned. The mug is £4.95 ($10) and the jug is £19.95 ($40). What do you guys think, love it or hate it?

Source: Another Shade of Grey

Your Fancy Coffee Deserves a Fancy Milk and Sugar Set

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 03:29:21 -0800

Since so many of you enjoy your coffee with cream and sugar, I thought I'd share this cute set with you. I'm a sucker for great design and clever innovation and Tonfisk's Newton Milk and Sugar Set definitely captures both. The sugar bowl acts as a lid for the milk and has a slick mechanism that will keep it still while you pour the milk.

Unfortunately, like most really great designs, this set doesn't come cheap. You can get it plain for $62 or with a gold interior for $125.

Ask Casa: Petrified Wood and Ceramic White Stools?

CasaSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:00:37 -0800

Hi CasaSugar!
I am working on wrapping up my living room and would love to get a petrified wood stool and a ceramic white stool similar to those in Monique Lhuillier's house (that I am totally in love with), which was featured on an Elle Decor cover a year ago.

I've talked to Hudson Furniture in New York - they have the petrified wood but they sell at $1,200-2,000 each. I'm looking for something in the $800 range. As far as the ceramic stool, I've seen one from West Elm, but I'm not sure about the quality. I'm willing to spend up to $500 on something nicer.

Thanks in advance for your suggestion!

Pookie17

To see my suggestions, read more.

Hi Pookie17,

Monique Lhuillier's house is indeed gorgeous, and the accents that caught your eye are particularly beautiful. Unfortunately, one of the other sources for petrified wood stools I found came in above the Hudson Furniture quote - Jayson Home and Garden carries a variety of petrified wood stools for around $1,500 each. The Chicago-based store Primitive also sells petrified wood stools, and you may have better luck securing a lower price through them. One suggestion I have, in lieu of the petrified wood stool, is the Roost Enchanted Forest Stool ($385), which is made of ceramic instead of petrified wood, but whose matte gunmetal finish gives it a rather realistic appearance.

As for the white ceramic stool, I'm a fan of (again!) Jayson Home and Garden's White Lattice Stool ($275). Instead of a geometric design, as employed in Lhullier's ceramic stools, this one uses an open lattice pattern to create visual interest. I also think that the west elm stool would be a good choice, though I welcome other readers' opinions on the durability of this particular piece.

Definitely check out the widget below to see if there are any pieces that strike your fancy as well.

Good luck!
CasaSugar

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Sensational Ceramic Hair Brushes

BellaSugar — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 13:58:32 -0700

Ceramic hair brushes work much the same way that ceramic flatirons do: They hold heat from your hair dryer longer and distribute it evenly throughout the brush. Not only do ceramic brushes dry your hair faster than wooden or metal models, but they also protect hair from excessive drying and eliminate frizz. After switching to a ceramic brush, you will undoubtedly feel the difference in your light, silky smooth hair. Here are a few of my recommendations.

The Luxor Brush Tifi Collection features soft, pure-boar bristles combined with individual nylon "porcupine" tufts to help grip and penetrate even the thickest of hair. They're perfect for controlling frizz, waves, and curls. The brushes are available in four sizes: small for $14.25, medium for $16.50, large for $19.50, and extra-large for $25.50. Buy one here.

To see the rest, read more

The Ceramic Mega Vent 5-Inch Round Brush is crafted with a huge open space, so that your hair dryer actually fits inside the brush head! It is also made from pure-boar bristles and includes a vent designed for maximum airflow and quick drying time. This is a terrific size brush for straightening long, coarse hair. Buy it here for $17.99.

The T3 Tourmaline Ceramic Brush is super lightweight and comfortable and helps maximize your hair's shine and polish. It is made from crushed Tourmaline jewels, which are believed to help eliminate static electricity and breakage. You can buy the extra-large brush here for $23, and the medium sized brush here for $20.