CasaSugar

Sale Alert: Save 25 Percent at VivaTerra's Bed and Bath Event

CasaSugar — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 08:30:17 -0800

Looking for an excuse to splurge on the Gustavian bed frame? Or are you simply interested in stocking up on some organic cotton sheets? Then head to VivaTerra's Bed and Bath Sale. Through Feb. 10, save on eco-oriented bed and bath products, from dressers and bed frames made from reclaimed lumber to bamboo towels. If I had my way, one of the beautiful bed frames, be it the Gustavian, Vintage Fir Canopy Bed, or Plank Vintage Bed, would be making its way into my bedroom. What are you craving from the sale?

Nice and New: Amenity Muir Bed

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:00:46 -0700

If you admired the pretty bedframe that took second stage to Amenity's botanical organic duvet covers, then you're in luck, because the bed frame is now available for purchase. The Amenity Muir Bed ($1,540 – $1,980), which was designed by Nicole Chiala, has a straightforward, spare design that will appeal to the warm minimalist in you.

To find out what makes this bed so eco chic, just read more.

The bed is made by local artisans from solid, reclaimed Douglas Fir and finished with low VOC, water-based materials. This means that not only will you get great indoor air quality, but that no trees were chopped down to make your lovely, modern-lined bed frame. I'm personally smitten. Are you?

Casa Verde: Sleek and Green Furniture

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:00:46 -0700

Environment Furniture Inc. creates compellingly sleek furniture that's also notable for its eco-conscious design. Located in Los Angeles, the company sources much of its furniture from reclaimed and recycled wood. This wood, Peroba Rosa, is a native Brazilian hardwood and is used in most of Environment Furniture's pieces. The Peroba is reclaimed from abandoned and run-down homes, barns, and buildings in Parana, Brazil, and the age and condition of the wood gives the company's furniture an added level of richness.

While some companies who claim to be green simply aren't, Environment Furniture is actively defending its green status. You can download the company's environmental report, "Pathway to Sustainability," from their website, as well as read their sustainability newsletter. The company also notes that when they exhaust their stock of reclaimed Peroba, they will tradition to other South American reclaimed woods, while also purchasing FSC-certified plywood and FSC-certified teak veneer for use in their furniture. Take a look at the gallery for some of their stunning pieces.

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Crave Worthy: Gustavian Bed

CasaSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:00:56 -0800

I've been coveting this Gustavian Bed ($1995 for a queen frame) for months now. Its combination of simplicity, elegance, and sturdy craftsmanship makes it seem like the perfect compromise for a couple who are looking for a classical gender-neutral bed. According to VivaTerra's description, this bed was inspired by Sweden's King Gustav's visit to France about 250 years ago. The king returned to his Scandinavian country obsessed with ornate French neoclassical design, which was then re-interpreted with a more streamlined Swedish design sensibility. This bed is made from reclaimed Douglas fir that's up to a century old, which makes this new piece look like a lavish antique.

Before and After: Reclaimed Lumber Bench

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:30:07 -0700

Oakland-based design-building studio Because We Can was hired by SunPower to create furniture for their new office in an old Ford manufacturing building in Richmond, CA. This enormous, potential-filled pile of lumber had been taken out of the building and slated to be dumped, but the studio stepped in, deciding the wood could be reclaimed to build something new. After mulling it over, they "decided that benches were the most feasible idea to use the lumber and keep costs down." They created two designs, one simple with legs and a seat, and another that doubled as a bookcase, with a bottom shelf fit for storing books. They designed 20-foot-long benches to use the wood most efficiently, basically as it was in its found state — but prettier and less splintery. When the wood was milled down, they discovered "a beautiful Douglas Fir glue lam, not far beneath the weathered exterior." The benches are so large that they had to be fork-lifted through a small opening on the second floor of the building. Now installed in the new HQ, they look gorgeous and fit for the vast size of the old factory building. To see the splintery wood planks in their fabulous new form, read more.

Are they eco chic or what?
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Coveted Crib: Firehouse No. 44

CasaSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:00:24 -0700

Here's something to ignite your envy. San Francisco firehouse Chemical Engine House 44, which was originally built in 1909 (when horses led fire "carriages") and served as a firehouse until 1959, has recently undergone an extensive renovation, transforming the historic structure into a modern masterpiece. The four-bedroom, four-and-two-half-bath home in SF's Noe Valley neighborhood is on the market for $5,175,000. The house includes four floors of living space, an observatory tower, a wine cellar, and a tasting room, all centered around a remarkable industrial spiral staircase and elevator atrium.

Want to hear about the firehouse's décor and designers, and see photos? Prepare to swoon, my friends.