CasaSugar

Love It or Hate It? Birdshade

CasaSugar — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:00:40 -0800

Dutch design studio and shop Tas-ka sells this Birdshade ($232), which is made of paper origami cranes. I love the idea of using origami pieces to create something that's more than the sum of its parts, and the colors here are really pretty, but the sharp folds in this shade look a little abrasive to me. What do you think?

Nice and New: Anthropologie Plumage Shade

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:30:01 -0700

For those of you who decided to splurge on the Peacock Chair, I have found the perfect lamp shade to go with it! And for those who restrained themselves, I've got a more affordable ostentatious bird for you. The Anthropologie Plumage Shade ($108) is embroidered in silk with peacocks strutting about a navy cotton background. It may be overly embellished for some, but if you've taken a liking to the peacock trend, I'm sure you can handle a little fuss. What do you think?

Casa Quickie: Grow Your Own Air Conditioning

CasaSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:00:49 -0700

For anyone seeking an eco chic lifestyle, air conditioning is a conflict, to say the least. If it were easy to acclimate ourselves to living a sweat-filled life, we would have, long ago. But, it turns out that the ability to control the climate indoors is a big life-saver when it comes to being comfortable and getting things done. One way to cut back on air conditioning use in the Summer is to plant trees, shrubbery, and vines near (or on) your home. They'll produce natural shade, and soak up the rain, not to mention look good while doing it. For a start, try growing Virginia Creeper vines or cheap grapevines.
Source

Casa Quickie: Lighten Up for Spring

CasaSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:00:19 -0700

In case you haven't noticed, it's Spring! Isn't that supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!? Yes, it is. So, it's time to lose a few pounds — and I'm not suggesting you get in shape for the beach. You really need to lighten up your windows! Move that thick velvet drapery to your storage closet in favor of some airy, sheer panels or shades. Spring light is nothing to shy away from; it should be whole-heartedly embraced. Not only will switching to sheer panels let in more light, but it'll give your home a more relaxed look. And, why shouldn't your home loosen up a bit when you're already sporting shorts and flip-flops? Here are a few styles that should fit the bill.

Source

Wicker Goes Modern

CasaSugar — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:53:57 -0700

I first saw these great wicker shades on eco-designer Danny Seo's blog. Since then I've checked them out at Ikea, both in-store and in the catalog. While I'm not a huge wicker fan, these lamp shades have a cool shape, and the extra-gigantic size for the larger shades-you could fit yourself and a friend's heads and shoulders under one of them-definitely makes an unexpected statement.

While most wicker is bent by being soaked in diesel fuel, IKEA asked that these shades, which are sourced from Vietnam, instead be soaked in palm oil-better for the workers, and for the planet. The shades are currently available in-store and through the catalog, but not yet online.

What do you think about these lamp shades?

Source

How-To: Clean Your Window Blinds and Shades

CasaSugar — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:00:52 -0800

As FotoFlat says, it's "2010, Y'all. Out with the old." It's nearly March already, so I hope you've gotten a start at cleansing your home of things you don't need and giving it a deep clean too. One area that's often overlooked, especially if you don't hire a cleaning service, is your window blinds and shades. Dust can collect there overnight, and they're bound to be covered in greasy fingerprints. So I figured I'd give you a little refresher on cleaning them.

Window Blinds:

Lay a towel down in your bathtub (for protection).
Remove your dusty aluminum or PVC blinds and place them in your tub.
Fill your tub up with warm soapy water - dish soap will do. Make sure to keep the roller mechanism dry, though!
Rinse with your shower head or a spongehead and shake the water off.
Rehang the blinds and let them air dry. You can place a towel underneath them to catch the water.

To learn how to clean your fabric shades, read more.

Fabric Shades:

Using your small brush attachment, gently vacuum your fabric shades or blinds.
If any spots remain, test clean them in an inconspicuous place using an upholstery cleaner (like a spray). Let dry.
If the colors haven't bled or faded, spot clean the dirty spots. Fini!

Shades of Green - A Disney Resort For Military Families

CitizenSugar — Sat, 17 May 2008 11:00:09 -0700

I can't believe I had never heard of this place until I cracked open the Times yesterday - Shades of Green. It's a vacation spot for soldiers on active duty (and other eligible service folks) to call their own when they come home to visit their families or need a vacation.

Nestled within Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL, the name is inspired by camouflage colors and features everything you'd expect from a fun-in-the-sun resort - all housed on property leased by the Army. Shades of Green is one of five Armed Forces Recreation Centers (the other fun-spots: Hawaii, Germany, South Korea and Virginia) where servicemen and women can reunite with families.

The resort has the usual - swimming pools and tennis courts - but there are some service-specific goodies as well. The pond has radio controlled boats emblazoned with service insignia so branches can compete with one another, and strict attention is paid to making the resort ADA-accessible. To see the other perks, read more.

There's the Disney attention to detail. Keeping the resort family-friendly, video games are not permitted to have any blood, gore, or foul language. Staff uniforms, nail polish, and mustache length are all regulated and potentially dicey magazines have all inappropriate material edited out before they're put on display. And adult beverages? The Shades of Green's cocktail lounge, Eagles, closed due to lack of business.

Spending time with family is only one bonus of the resort - as a military haven, it gives service members a chance to spend time with sympathetic strangers who understand the challenges of being in uniform. One Army MP just back from Iraq said: “You can enjoy the esprit de corps of being with other military.” Another attraction? The price. A room at Walt Disney world can cost as much as $350 a night while an "oversized" room at Shades of Green is available for $89. Oh, and lines for rides? Taken care of. Sea World has a special Heroes line on popular rides getting them to the goods that much quicker.

Have you been to one of the Armed Forces Recreation Centers? Did you know they existed?

Source

Steal of the Day: Grosgrain-Ribbon Roman Shade

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0700

If only PBteen offered more colors than pink, purple, and blue, it would be my favorite resource for steals! This Grosgrain-Ribbon Roman Shade ($14-$16, reduced from $79-$89) is classic, chic, and absurdly cheap. It's a sheer organdy shade, so it doesn't block out all of the light, but we're not mole people, so that's fine! It has a wooden handle that pulls the panel up, which is certainly a step up from your average plastic mini blinds! I'm not so keen on this pink, but it would be fairly simple to iron a different grosgrain ribbon on top of this teeny-bop color. What do you think?

Love It or Hate It? Anthropologie Ibbie Shade

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0800

While scoping out beautiful buys that fit the 3-D floral trend, I came across this decidedly different Anthropologie Ibbie Shade ($148). This drum-shaped lampshade is pastel and girly, with grosgrain sculpted flowers. Does it tickle your fancy?

New Product Alert: Fall 2007 Designer Shades by OPI

BellaSugar — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 09:00:02 -0700

Who knew that OPI had so many different categories of polishes? I thought they only came out with one new collection each season, but I've recently learned about two more: A line of six colorful Dog PAWlishes and the Designer Shades Collection.

For Fall 2007 OPI has released two new shades in this dynamic designer group: DS diamond and DS fantasy.

DS fantasy is a dark blue polish with heavy silver shimmer. How appropriate for Fall since there's just been a recent surge of trendy navy nail polishes on the scene.

DS diamond is a softer, silvery polish infused with diamond dust. This creates a glamorous, glittery evening look that reflects light. Both polishes come with the ProWide Brush for easy application. I wish all polish companies thought about their brushes like this!