CasaSugar -- Home sweet home.

Steal of the Day: Hable Sand-Dollar Quilt and Sham

casasugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:00:11 -0700

One surefire way to hold onto Summer, even after it's bid you adieu, is to introduce accents with a subtle, beachy motif into your home. Just because the leaves may be turning, and you're keeping an extra layer handy when you leave the house, doesn't mean you can't have a reminder of Summer close to home. The Hable Sand Dollar Quilt ($128 -$134) and Sham ($14) will prolong the season with their cheerful, but muted, turquoise and green tones and sand-dollar motif, whilst keeping you warm. And, on sale, they'll do so without breaking the bank. If you're the type who likes to inject warm tones into your home come Fall, consider snatching these up and saving them for the Spring. Better safe than sorry!

Roundup: The Best of Endless Summer

casasugar — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:30:28 -0700

So long sweet August. Your time has come. But, I won't bid you adieu without a little reminiscing. Here are my favorite posts celebrating this month's Endless Summer theme:

Casa Quickie: Bring Summer to Your Fireplace

Don't worry, we'll be back next Summer with more wonderful tips. Until then, stay tuned for September's scholarly theme!
Source

Etsy Find: Wish You Were Here

casasugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:30:00 -0700

Since Summer definitely isn't endless, capture its essence with this limited edition print by artist Danna Ray. When you have Wish You Were Here ($25) on your kitchen wall, you'll get a reminder of sunshine and lake dreams, even if snow is madly falling outside your window.

This archival print is produced with high-quality pigment-based inks on heavyweight paper, and is seven inches square, allowing room for matting and framing in a standard size frame. It would be a great addition to any room in the house, from nursery to bathroom.

Six Perennials With Late-Flowering Habits

casasugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:00:01 -0700

For most of us, Summer is about being outdoors, enjoying the warm weather, and surrounding yourself with nature. When Fall comes, we bundle up, move indoors, and say goodbye to our gardens as they begin their descent into frosty Winter. But, one way you can have an endless Summer is to choose perennials with late-flowering habits for your garden. Want to find out about some plants that will help extend the flowering season at your home well into October? Then .

Sneezeweed. A bronze/red daisy that blooms mid-September for three to four weeks.
Aster. Another daisy-like flower in white, purple, lavender, pink, or red that blooms prolifically through October.
Chinese lantern. Flowers in mid-Summer with bright-orange seedhead in Fall.
Chinese anemone. Rose flowers bloom in mid-Summer to early Fall.
Autumn joy Simple, pink flowers bloom well into October.
Goldenglow. Golden disc flowers bloom in mid-Summer to early Fall.

A few houseplants you might also try are palms, ferns, mother-in-law’s tongue, euphorbia, and croton. Once your flowers bloom, be sure to share photos in our Su Casa group!
Source

DIY: Organic Fly Trap

casasugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:00:13 -0700

If you don't feel like spending your endless Summer chasing flies around with a swatter, a fly trap may be more like it. I recently came across a DIY for making an organic fly trap, and since this season goes hand-in-hand with the little pests, I decided to summarize it for you. You should have most, if not all, of the supplies already in your home.

Supplies:

A two-liter soda bottle (used)
Sharp knife
A wire hanger
Match, lighter, or stove gas flame
Electric tape
Bait (like a small piece of meat or dog poo mixed with water!)

To hear the steps,

Etsy Find: Hand-Printed Pillow Cover

casasugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 05:30:27 -0700

One simple way to perk up your endless Summer is by bringing color into your home. But that needn't mean repainting your walls, or letting your kids go wild with finger paint. A vibrant accessory here or there will surely suffice. And I'm a staunch proponent of happy, colorful homes, so I say there's no reason you should have to tone down come Fall. If your home is in need of a little pick-me-up, consider the Kalla Hand-Printed Pillow Cover ($30). This cute, natural fiber pillow cover has a modern, geometric green leaf pattern that'll keep things lively before and after the leaves turn. Not ga-ga for green? The cover is also available in orange, pink, and blue.

Midday Muse: Cue Your Color

casasugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:00:02 -0700

On beautiful Summer days, it's always convenient to have a furnished outdoor lounge area for entertaining, or just taking an escape of your own. If you have such a space, and you're anything like yours truly, you feel the urge to decorate the space just as you would the interior of your home. But, a part of me feels like the last thing I should be doing during my carefree endless Summer is worrying about coordinating colors and themes, etc. So, my suggestion to y'all is to take a cue from what's already there. I love how the owners of this home decided to coordinate their lounge space with the light-blue color of their home's exterior walls. With a simple blue, purple, and white striped rug, a set of white furniture, and some cool blue napkins, the space looks composed yet effortless.
Source

Casa Quickie: Decorate With Apples

casasugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Having a vibrant home is crucial to an endless Summer. For some, that may translate to kids running through the house wet from a sprinkler, and others, a fresh coat of paint and some perky new throw pillows. But, I try not to always advocate consumerism because it really shouldn't be necessary to buy, buy, buy with each new season. One simple way to introduce color into your home is with apples! The pomaceous fruit stays fresh looking for about four weeks. So, arranging a few in a bowl, on a plate, or even on your fireplace mantel, will instantly but not transiently add an accent color to your home. A bag of Granny Smith apples, or Red Delicious, goes for about $1.99, so it's not a huge investment. In addition to color, there's also an organic factor to them that is a nice way to combat the spareness of industrial-looking, modern homes. Of course, you can decorate with other colorful fruits, too, like lemons, but they don't tend to stay in shape for as long.
Source

Midday Muse: A Foolproof Summer Decorating Ritual

casasugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0700

I recently came across a quote from designer Jeffrey Bilhuber in House Beautiful that made me want to throw all of my Summer style and endless Summer tips to the wind. When asked if he lived by any Summer decorating rituals, he said:

No. I've rented a cottage on Nantucket and can't wait to get there. 'Have peppermill, will travel,' that's my Summer motto. Really, that's all I need. So here's my advice: Rent someone else's house. Just get away from it all.

I love it. I mean . . . Summer should be carefree and full of ease. Maybe we shouldn't be worrying about introducing bright colors and lightweight textiles into our homes, and just escape it all instead. That's easier said than done though, right?
Source

Trend Alert: Mod Minimalist Florals

casasugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

For endless Summer style, it's hard to go wrong with florals — just ask Fab. But if fussy flowers aren't your thing, don't fret: The new trend isn't the technicolor florals you're familiar with. It involves bold, graphic, and slightly mod floral prints, often in one or two understated shades and nothing more.

Some of these textiles and home accents have a slightly Scandinavian flair, while others — like the Ikea Inger fabric ($5.99) — tend toward geometry. Check out my favorite finds below and tell me what you think about this trend.

Casa Quickie: Bring Summer to Your Fireplace

casasugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:00:00 -0700

You can't have an endless Summer if your house looks like it's ready for a blizzard; you and your home should live and breathe the warm season until the leaves turn. So, if you've got a fireplace in your home, get to work and clean it! Store your fireplace tools and logs out of sight until next season. While it's still bikini weather outside, keep the chimney, flue, and logs off your mind, and opt for vibrant color and greenery instead. Create a summery arrangement of vases, plants, or candles (or all three) in your fireplace and on your mantel. Think of your fireplace like a shelving unit; stack your beach reads there, display your favorite knick-knacks, or lean artwork against the mantel.
Source

Casa Quickie: Cool Summer Sleeping

casasugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:00:37 -0700

Finding it hard to sleep on these hot August nights? To keep cool in a house without air conditioning, try this trick. Pop your pillow in a plastic bag, then stick it in your freezer. (A chest freezer offers the most room, and keeps your pillow from getting squished.) Then right before you go to bed, pull it out. You'll have a cool night of Summer sleep. Source

Endless Summer: Create a Enclosed Outdoor Retreat

casasugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:30:11 -0700

As we all know, Summer, like its counterparts, is an ephemeral season. Just as you've kicked the blisters on your new gladiator sandals, it seems like the leaves have already begun to change, and you catch yourself eyeing Fall's new collection of boots. But, it is possible to enjoy the Summer despite the fact that you know its fading fast. Aside from hopping on a plane to your favorite equatorial locale, you can have an endless Summer by extending the time you spend outdoors. You can do so by creating an enclosed outdoor retreat for yourself. Start by setting up a canopied tent, or hang sheets or curtains between trees to DIY one (keep them in place by hooking them to a stake in the ground); they'll shield you from the breeze. Then, set some outdoor furniture inside your tent. Make it cozy by setting outdoor cushions on the floor with a a Summer quilt and some throws. Fill in the corners of your retreat with potted plants, including fragrant herbs or flowers. Set an outdoor heater inside to keep you warm when the temperatures really get low, and use candles to create calm, romantic lighting. Bring out a tray to serve food and keep candles from being knocked over. Pick up a couple of rocks from your yard and use them as paperweights for any reading materials or wrappers you bring out. Enjoy Summer while it lasts!
Source

Do You Sleep Outside?

casasugar — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:30:00 -0700

When I was little, my whole family would sleep out on the deck on hot Summer nights. Not only was it fun, but it also kept us from overheating inside the house. As an adult, I've tried to recreate this family tradition by camping out in the backyard, and even spending a night or two in the hammock. Do you ever sleep outside on hot Summer nights? Source

Do You Sleep Outside?

Absolutely!

I've tried it once or twice.

Nope, never done it.

Other, I'll tell you in the comments.

Casa Quickie: Quick Cool Down

casasugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:00:49 -0700

Hot and bothered in this seemingly endless summer? One way to minimize your cooling bill is to cool yourself down instead of your entire home. For a quick and easy cool down, try this trick. Apply cold washcloths filled with ice to your pressure points — ankles, wrists, and temples. By applying cold temps to these areas, it will help to cool your whole body down quickly. It's also absolutely refreshing! Source

Roundup: Summer Pillows

casasugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:30:55 -0700

To get some easy Summer-inspired style, turn up the volume with accent pillows. By choosing a brighter color than you usually would, you'll have instant Summer style. I've rounded up some bright and beachy Summer pillows to get you started.

Source

Love It or Hate It? Driftwood Table Lamp

casasugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:00:06 -0700

This Driftwood Table Lamp ($299) seems to be walking a fine line between endless Summer chic and beach house kitsch. Where do you stand on it?

Love It or Hate It? Driftwood Table Lamp

Love It

Hate It

Undecided