CasaSugar

Etsy Find: Table Talk Napkin Rings

CasaSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:28 -0700

If you were tempted by the customized wedding ring bowl from artist Paloma's Nest, chances are that you'll also fall for these Table Talk Napkin Rings ($48 for four). Made from reclaimed wood, the rings are stamped with a message of your choice. Need a wedding present for a newlywed couple? These, stamped with their wedding date, would be a great choice. Want to commemorate a special occasion or gathering? These rings can do just that. Since each ring is only two inches in diameter, the text is limited to 30 characters and spaces. The text is printed in uppercase letters in black ink, and the wood is sanded to a smooth finish to accommodate your favorite linens.

Casa Verde: Jon and Kate Plus 8 Go Green

CasaSugar — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 05:30:00 -0700

This Sunday, the Gosselin clan of Jon and Kate Plus 8 will welcome Planet Green's Renovation Nation host Steve Thomas into their home to retrofit it with some eco-friendly upgrades. Steve and his crew will help install electric solar panels and solar thermal panels onto the house, as well as solar powered lights along the driveway. They'll also build a picnic table for the family using reclaimed wood. Of course, the kids will also lend a hand (or 16) with the projects, and learn a few things about being green. Unfortunately, the hefty needs of the large household are not helping the family's carbon footprint! Catch the special at 9 p.m. EDT this Sunday, April 19, on TLC.
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Inspired: Bloodhound Bar

CasaSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:00:09 -0700

7x7, San Francisco's city magazine, recently wrote about a new bar in the SoMa neighborhood called Bloodhound. My life isn't short on watering holes, and I rarely find myself in that 'hood, but I was impressed by the design of the space. The coolest thing, as the mag points out, is the flock of black birds painted on the ceiling. Beyond that, reclaimed wood paneling and rustic accents like an antler chandelier and wildlife artwork give the space a spooky, lost-in-the-woods aura. I came across the CB2 Flock Rug ($249), which would be ideal for re-creating the look of this bar. Using it as a jumping off point, I decided to round up a few more items inspired by this San Francisco spot. To see them, read more.

A dining room, I thought, would be the natural room to design with Bloodhound as inspiration, seeing as we don't all have bars in our homes. See more photos of the space here.

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Steal of the Day: Railroad Tie Dining Table and Chairs

CasaSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 05:30:58 -0800

A dining table is a big investment. So why pay full price when you can swoop up a gorgeous one at 30 percent off? Made from reclaimed railroad tie wood with a sturdy, waxed metal frame, the Viva Terra Railroad Tie Dining Table and Chairs ($278-1,468) is a beautiful set for a casual, rustic home, or an eat-in kitchen if you have a separate dining room. I love its slender form and x-shaped base. The table top and chair backs, with original weathered markings, exude a sense of history that's much more interesting than anything you'd see in a showroom. I'd pair the dining table with a different set of chairs, perhaps something more comfortable for winding, conversation-filled dinners. What do you think?

Casa Verde: Nick Stagg's Turned, Reclaimed Wood Bowls

CasaSugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:00:06 -0700

Woodworker Nick Stagg lives in rural Oregon, where he operates Moonraker Turning from his farm-based studio. Using reclaimed wood whenever possible, Nick shapes rough pieces of wood into beautiful, turned wood bowls, vessels, and vases. I recently had the chance to ask Nick about the craft of woodturning, and he explained the ins and outs of the craft. Also, check out his shop to order some of his beautiful turned wood pieces.

CasaSugar: When did you start woodturning?

Nick Stagg: I started woodturning in 2003 after seeing some turned tool handles in someone's shop and I thought that I could do that! I had an old, inferior lathe and poor tools, but was able to make some small oil-filled lamps for family members. Shortly after that I upgraded my lathe and slowly purchased better tools and continued to turn. I joined a woodturning club and checked out all the books and videos I could from the library and spent my spare time trying to improve. As time passed, I've hosted instructors from Engalnd and Australia in my shop to give classes to other turners. I'm now confident enough that I can offer help to beginning turners and, perhaps, make their journey into the woodturning arena less painful than mine!

To hear about how Nick makes his turned wood vessels, read more.

CasaSugar: How long does it take you to make a bowl? Nick Stagg: The time involved with a bowl varies on several things. Most of the time I twice turn my bowls. This means I turn them to a thickness greater than the one I need and coat them with a wax to minimize cracking as excess moisture evaporates. They are then left to air dry, in our climate that's about 13 percent moisture. Different woods take longer to dry and can distort and crack. Oregon white oak is very difficult to dry without some degradation, Pacific madrone needs to be boiled to stabilize it. Big leaf maple is in abundance in Oregon and dries quickly and has more character than oak. I like to turn maple. The rough turning of a 12-x-5 inch shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. The finish turning and sanding, depending on the style of the bowl, should be accomplished in 45 minutes. I don't apply any finish to the bowl on the lathe. I sign the piece and give it several coats of Danish oil over a period of days, depending on how porous the wood is. The oil is left to thoroughly cure and it then goes through a three-stage buffing process.

CasaSugar: What type of wood do you use? Nick Stagg: Most of the wood I use is reclaimed. I gather wood from power line trimmings, trees cut down for safety reasons, or as a result of building/ housing developments. Other turners hear of trees coming down in their neighborhood and the homeowner wants it cleaned up in a day, so we gather a group of people and clear the area. None of my bowl or vessel pieces have ever originated from a tree that's been cut down for the sole purpose of turning. Wood turners are generous and are always willing to share.

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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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Crave Worthy: Gursan Ergil Design Studio Credenza

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:30:59 -0700

I love credenzas. They're perfect pieces for storing media and magazines in your living room while still providing a sleek and elegant look to the room. This Gursan Ergil Design Studio Credenza (inquire for price) is made from reclaimed wood and finished with environmentally friendly oils. I adore the piece's emphasis on joinery techniques, as well as the natural wood grain.

Gursan Ergil Design Studio specializes in modern, functional furniture. Utilizing traditional craftsmanship, including wood shaping and joinery, each furniture piece is finished with environmentally friendly methods. Instead of using newly cut wood, the studio utilizes reclaimed wood, saying that by doing so, "we believe that we are reducing the need to continue to wipe out our forests."

Have you spotted a gorgeous, crave worthy piece of furniture? Then post it to my group Crave Worthy Creations!

Sale Alert: Viva Terra's Fall Furniture Sale

CasaSugar — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 08:30:14 -0700

From now until Sept. 30, save up to 25 percent on eco retailer Viva Terra's furniture line. My all-time favorite, the Gustavian Bed Frame, is part of the sale, and I'm having a hard time resisting its gorgeous shape and reclaimed wood frame. Maybe it's time I finally bit the bullet and plunked down the cash for this beautiful bed. I have, after all, been admiring it for the past two years! Check out my other favorites from the sale, and then head over to Viva Terra for the entire selection of sale furniture.

Roundup: Trestle Tables

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:00:38 -0700

A trestle table is the oldest type of American table, and is described in mid-17th-century inventories as a "table board and frame." Often a trestle table is made from a narrow, long plank resting on two or more oak trestles, held in place by a brace that passes through the trestles and pegged in place. This trestle table, in Canadian House and Home designer Emily Walker's home, looks absolutely gorgeous in this dining room. The traditional shape of the table is offset by more modern chairs, an eyecatching overhead light, and a deep plum-colored accent wall.
Want to see some of my other favorite trestle tables? Then read more.

I'm a big fan of this Restoration Hardware Salvaged Wood Trestle Table ($3495). Handcrafted from reclaimed pine from a Great Britain distillery, its elegantly distressed look would look perfect in a country home or a chic city loft, depending on your choice of chairs or benches. It can accommodate a crowd, too, and can sit up to 12 people.

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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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Nautical Round Wood Mirrors - $149.00	Voyager Trunk - Brown - $999.00
Roost Halo Chandelier - $270.00	Jason Miller 4 Antler Chandelier - $1,700.00
Belleville Swivel Counter Stool - $289.00	Cooper's Small Draftsman Stool - $159.00
Limited Edition Thomas Edison Table - $1,595.00	Artel - black birds glassware by artel - $68.00
Wall Sticker Birds Black - $64.00	Flock Rug - $299.00

Morris Cherry Extension Dining Table - $2,499.00	Jonathan Adler - sawhorse tables by jonathan adler - $1,250.00
Camden Trestle Table - $1,295.00	Henry Trestle Table - $599.00
Chianni Trestle Table - $899.00	Berkley Trestle Table - $799.00
Trestle Salvaged Wood Dining Table - $3,180.00	Trestle Table - $950.00
Chelsea Dining Table - $69.99	Zinc-Inlay Table - $699.00
Camden Extension Trestle Table - $2,195.00	Mission Trestle Dining Table - $1,899.00