CasaSugar -- Home sweet home.

Before and After: Thrifted Headboards Get Glam Update

casasugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:30:44 -0800

When Country Living editors Larry Bilotti and Robin Long Mayer discovered twin headboards at a garage sale, they grabbed them for $10 total, with the idea of transforming them into something new. Taking a cue from the indented panel in the headboard's design, they brainstormed ways to highlight this feature.

To see what they did,

Before and After: A Cape Cod Crib in Connecticut

casasugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:00:25 -0800

This Old House recently featured the home of a Fairfield, CT, family who drastically transformed their 1953 Cape Cod home after enduring serious renovations, including raising the roof to add four bedrooms and two baths upstairs. Shown here is the former living room, with busy, antiquated wallpaper and worn oak floors that certainly don't help to make the space feel larger. With a little paint, some floor stain, an overhaul of the fireplace, and a lot of DIY demolition, the Kuryluk family transformed the room into an airy, modern space that's up-to-date and stylish. To see the after photo,

Before and After: Tenderloin Family Apartments, Transformed

casasugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:00:19 -0800

Remember when I told you about how Vern Yip was teaming up with Bank of America to transform two Bay Area nonprofits? Well, this morning, I was fortunate enough to attend the unveiling for the Tenderloin Family Apartments. Managed by the Chinatown Community Development Center, it's a safe, high-quality affordable housing property in the heart of the Tenderloin district, one of San Francisco’s lower income neighborhoods challenged by issues such as homelessness, safety, and drug use.

Renovations of the community room were just completed, with the reveal and ribbon-cutting ceremony taking place this morning.

Here's how it looked before Vern worked his magic:

To get a sneak peek of the transformation,

Before and After: John Jacob Astor IV's Heavenly Pavilion

casasugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:15:47 -0800

The New York Times has a jaw-dropping article, "A Fixer-Upper to End Them All," and coinciding slideshow about the 1902 Stanford White-designed Beaux-Arts sporting pavilion in Rhinebeck, NY, which was purchased and renovated by Kathleen Hammer, a retired producer for Oxygen Media. The building was originally designed for John Jacob Astor IV, great-grandson and heir of the fur and real estate magnate, and originally served as a weekend retreat and entertaining spot.

Astor's elder son Vincent inherited the property, and his third wife, Brooke Astor, made it more of a residential spot. Brooke donated it to the Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and it became a convent and nursing home, and later a residential home again.Shown above is the main hall of the home, which connects two wings. It can be closed off by French doors on all sides, and is the most central part of the pavilion. It measures 35 by 60 feet in magnitude, and for this reason was considered by Stanford White “one of the greatest rooms in America." Aside from its overwhelming size, the hall's heavenly domed skylight with elaborate plasterwork and vast fireplace are astounding, to say the least. Unfortunately, years of neglect left Hammer with a lot of work to do to restore it to its former glory. So, she hired the best person to do the job, Sam White, architect and great-grandson of the original architect. To see this room as it is today,

Before and After: An Ikea Clock Gets a Facelift

casasugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:30:54 -0800

Craftster member Ladypie decided to turn this dull Ikea clock into something a little more design forward. Here's how the clock looked before she got her hands on it.

To see how she upgraded this timepiece,

Before and After: An Editor's Refurbished Finds

casasugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 07:45:29 -0800

Anne E. Collins, editor of PointClickHome , recently refurbished some antique furniture finds. She says, "I tend to fall in love with run-down objects. I look right past the chipping paint and wobbly frame and see (with rose-colored glasses) a decorating project." Anne picked these pieces up at the Old Country Store outside Rhinebeck, NY, and she and her husband spent a frantic few days stripping, painting, drilling, and repairing. For the whole story, check out her blog. Get started on her journey with this slideshow, and hear what Anne has to say about the process! Source

Before and After: A Fabulous Fireplace

casasugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:00:19 -0800

In a matter of six months, Suzy of Studio Annetta bought a house in Australia, moved in, gutted the house, renovated it, and then moved out. The house has since been sold, so she'll never get to enjoy her beautiful renovations, but you can! Shown here is the living room fireplace, a red brick eyesore with a Chinoiserie mirror on the mantel. The fireplace original to the house had been taken out, and stripped of its original moldings and architectural features. Suzy restored the room to its former glory, bringing in a more historically appropriate fireplace, painting the walls a bright white, and replacing the floorboards. The transformation is stunning, and really gave the space a sophisticated style with a historical presence. To see the after photo and more photos of her renovation,

Before and After: Living Room Makeover

casasugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:45:08 -0800

Do It Yourself recently checked in with Linda Thornburgh, whose living room was awash with neutral tones and outdated furnishings, and lacked warmth and personality. She wanted a space that could be formal as well as comfortable, and decided to execute a full overhaul of the space.

To see how she transformed this room,

Before and After: A Tacky Chair Gets an Update

casasugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:00:05 -0800

The other week, I asked you what projects you were working on, and I've got to say, you are all some busy bees. While some of you are painting rooms, stripping cabinets, and arranging home offices, I told you that I was going to reupholster a chair that I found for $2.50 at a flea market. Here's what the chair looked like before I switched out the fabric.

To see how it looks after I reupholstered it,

Before and After: Mexican Gone Modern

casasugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:00:59 -0800

Summer, an entrant into Grassroots Modern's affordable modern kitchen contest, began with a dark, low-ceiling kitchen with Mexican floor tiles, a faux wall treatment, and a zarape blanket tossed over the sofa. In other words, it was like cooking in Cancún. Originally, there was a wall dividing the kitchen and living space, with a window looking through to the living and dining area. Summer knocked down the wall, transforming it into a beautiful open plan living space, and ripped up the tiles, replacing them with gorgeous hardwood. She shopped around at Ikea, eBay, and local retailers for affordable cabinetry and appliances. She installed high gloss white cabinets which brightened up the space. And she even gave the staircase a modern transformation. To see the after photo,

Before and After: Slipper Chair From Blah to Ta-da!

casasugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:00:57 -0800

The folks at Better Homes and Gardens took this modern microsuede slipper chair and reupholstered it in an icy blue fabric with lots of dressmaker details like pleating and tufting. You're probably thinking, "Cool story, Hansel." Right? Well, actually, they tackled the reupholstery themselves, and chronicled the project so we could all have detailed instructions for doing it on our own as well. I'm really impressed with the makeover. Beforehand the chair was simply uninteresting, and now it's sophisticated and detailed. To see the after photo, and hear how you can reupholster a slipper chair on your own,

Before and After: A Basement Goes Big

casasugar — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 08:30:41 -0800

To accommodate visits from their four grown children, an Illinois couple decided to clean up and renovate their basement space. The project, which was recently featured on This Old House, dramatically improved the function of the previously uninhabitable space.

Here's how it looked prior to renovation.

To see how this couple transformed their basement,

Before and After: A Customized Kitchen

casasugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 12:00:09 -0700

A Florida Craftsman home suffered from a dated kitchen reno. Its faux wood cabinets, sad linoleum floors, and dropped ceiling seemed more institutional than inviting. This Old House recently showed readers how the home's owner, architect Manny Occhiogrosso, changed it for the better.

Here's how it looked prior to renovation.

To see its updated appearance,

Before and After: Real Simple Meets P.S. 346

casasugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:00:44 -0700

The folks over at Real Simple (70 of them, to be exact) recently took part in New York Cares Day, and volunteered at the P.S. 346 elementary school in Brooklyn. In just five hours, they assembled 37 pieces of new Ikea furniture and applied their design expertise to an uninspired multi-purpose room. At the end of the day, the room had been transformed into a stimulating space that looks contemplated and composed. To see the after photo,

Before and After: A Salvaged Stairway

casasugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:15:27 -0700

Kara, an Atlanta homeowner whose 1911 Arts and Crafts home was recently featured on This Old House, knew that her home's sad, leaning staircase was in need of a renovation, for appearances and for safety's sake.

Here's how it looked prior to renovation.

To see its updated appearance,

Before and After: An Airy Attic Office

casasugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:00:39 -0700

The owner of a Queen Anne home in Florida decided that a home office might be the best choice for her small business. Her 700-square-foot attic space, which was recently featured in This Old House, seemed like the perfect fit, but it would require a lot of renovations. Her husband volunteered his services to realize her vision.

Here's how it looked prior to renovation.

To see how this attic was transformed,

Before and After: From Sterile to Welcoming

casasugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:45:07 -0700

Craftster member Sweets4ever reports that she and her husband have been getting their nest on. She writes, "I'm due in just over two weeks and we decided we need to repaint some rooms in our house now . . . We bought our house six years ago. I don't think I have pictures of the original bathroom, but it was awful. It may have been the original bathroom from the build in 1969. Cheesy. We remodeled — new sink, vanity, lighting, tiles, tub and surround. Unfortunately we either ran out of time, money or energy and we never really decorated it. But now we've finally redeemed ourselves!"

To see the finished bathroom,

Before and After: A Smart Space For Keeping Clean

casasugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:15:57 -0700

Sometimes our homes are laid out in seemingly inexplicable ways. Take for instance this home, whose laundry room was located on a back porch that was difficult to access. To get around the problem, the homeowners decided to move the washer and dryer into a small passageway between the kitchen and the garage.
Here's how it looked prior to renovation.

To see what this space looked like after renovations,

Before and After: A Cutlery Tray Reenvisioned

casasugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:30:30 -0700

Last week I showed you another use for a plate hanger, and today I'm back with some more inventive repurposing. DIY queen Twiggie had a spare cutlery tray lying around and a need to store some of her finest personal possessions, which had been piling up. With some basic household supplies and some decorative paper and knobs, she transformed her basic cutlery tray into something both feminine and functional. Can you guess what she made? To find out,

Before and After: Betty's Ugly Apartment

casasugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:45:29 -0700

I have a soft spot for makeovers, even ones on television sitcoms. Remember when I asked you if you'd ever been tricked about an apartment? Betty Suarez, one of my favorite characters on television today, certainly was. Here's what her apartment looked like upon move-in.

To see how Betty infused the apartment with her unique style (and cleaned it up!),

Before and After: Creating a Craft Desk

casasugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:30:47 -0700

Is your desk space hindering your creativity? Jannypie certainly thought so, and she remedied the problem with some low-cost materials and some DIY know-how. Here's what her desk looked like beforehand.

To see the impressive improvement,

Before and After: Halsig's Bathroom Makeover

casasugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:00:53 -0700

If you saw TeamSugar member Halsig's brilliant lighting design and her impressive kitchen remodel, I'm sure you have no doubt that she's taken that design goodness to other areas of her San Francisco loft as well.

In fact, her remodel of her oh-so-basic bathroom, which she called "a gas station bathroom," might just be what impresses me the most. She installed a Thassos white marble vanity, a Thassos marble white floor, a sleek partition for the toilet area, lights that turn on when the door closes, and a six-foot-long Boffi Makro Cherry Red Glass bath tub with inset marble cubbies. The result is something so high design, it looks straight out of a W Hotel — a far cry from an Exxon bathroom. To see for yourself,

Before and After: Halsig's Kitchen Makeover

casasugar — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 08:30:35 -0700

TeamSugar member Halsig, who recently installed a brilliant bathroom door, has been working on remodeling her loft — which began as, in her words, "a big empty cement box" — into exactly what she wants for about five months. Thanks to her keen design sense, she now can cook in style in a warm, industrial-looking modern space with all the essentials for a great chef. She installed stainless countertops, Bulthaup open shelving, beautiful Swiss pear Bulthaup cabinetry, a Gaggenau convection oven, Dacor convection microwave, Dacor refrigerator, and an appliance storage room, which serves as a pantry, too. She also designed and installed an anodized aluminum and glass backsplash on her very own! In addition to all of these wonderful amenities, a warm gray/beige (in her words, "greige") paint color kicked the sterile feeling of the loft before, and a round glass table in the middle of the room keeps the space cohesive. To see this impressive transformation,

Before and After: A Modern Bungalow Kitchen

casasugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:00:42 -0700

One Grassroots Modern reader moved into a 1946 bungalow with a kitchen that was desperately begging for a makeover (see avocado green stove, gloomy cabinets, and dingy tiling). The homeowners whipped it into shape in record time with only $4,000 by ripping up old carpet, refinishing the hardwood floors, installing Ikea cabinets, and hunting down a great deal on a Sub-Zero refrigerator. The difference is truly unbelievable. The space is bright, airy, and modern, not cramped or somber. To see the transformation for yourself,

Before and After: RJ Thornburg's Getaway Bathroom

casasugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:30:41 -0700

Self-declared "anti-decorator" RJ Thornburg, one of our Designer Spotlights, brought his design talent and a lot of flea market finds to his Pennsylvania 1860s farmhouse weekend retreat, which was in need of major renovation. Before then, though, the bathroom was decorated in typical Pennsylvania country style — lots of florals, dark tones, knick-knacks, and (gasp!) a toilet seat cover. Thornburg transformed it into a relaxing, light-filled escape with clean, white walls, a classic, freestanding tub, and lots of artwork. And, he turned the small alcove area into a lounge by setting a comfy cushion there.
To see the transformation,

Before and After: A Kitchen Goes Victorian

casasugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:00:33 -0700

When a New York couple bought their dream house, a Queen Anne Victorian, they discovered that the kitchen had been stripped of its period details. Instead of soaring spaces and crown molding, the dated kitchen had minimal counterspace, poor light, and very little room to cook.

To see what the couple did to remedy these issues,

Before: A Community Center in Need of Renovation

casasugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:00:50 -0700

Years ago, I lived in the same neighborhood where this Boys and Girls Club is located. Community resources are few and far between in West Oakland, and the Boys and Girls Club is a welcome refuge for kids who need a place to hang out after school. The center, though, is in need of some renovation. Luckily, a very cool designer is soon going to transform the center. To find out who's going to renovate the center, check out the slideshow!

Before and After: A Humble Shutter Gets Its Due

casasugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:15:01 -0700

I found these cool, untreated, wood shutters at Urban Ore, an architectural salvage yard in Berkeley. While I didn't exactly know what I was going to do with them, I knew that I'd think of something, so I dragged a few of them home.

Curious as to what I came up with? Then

Before and After: Kitchen Update

casasugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:45:24 -0700

This Old House recently ran a story about a California couple who waited almost 20 years to renovate their kitchen. The original kitchen, which is shown here, was dominated by oak cabinetry and outdated accents.

To see what it looked like after the reno,

Before and After: Upholstering an Antique Chair

casasugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:00:57 -0700

Andrea, who writes the delightful blog Some Twittery, recently reupholstered an old chair. She writes, "The chair above has been sitting in the kitchen for about five months, patiently waiting for its moment to sparkle. I found it at an antique store. It had already been painted cream but was re-upholstered in a material not quite like oilcloth but a step up from contact paper. Underneath this was the original fabric, avocado green, cranberry, and gold stripes, with the paper label dating the chair itself from 1924. Old pieces of mattress were used for padding and the wood for the back was mint green with tire tread marks across it."

Here's what she started with.

To see the finished product,

Before and After: DeJaVuE's Basement Remodel

casasugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:30:09 -0700

TeamSugar member DeJaVuE recently remodeled her basement, which had red brick and stone foundation walls and a dreary striped carpet. She installed wood floors and soft beige carpet, as well as drywall, but she kept some stonework on the wall as an accent. She painted the walls an army green, which lightened it up and gave it a more serene vibe. To see this fantastic remodel,

Before and After: A Buffet Gets Styled

casasugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:45:30 -0700

Talk about changing the look of things! Craftster member Olga reports that this buffet, which is made from cheap materials, was purchased for $15. She writes, "I wanted to do something to help this buffet, and at the same time I needed to get more practice with different or new materials. For a long time I went back and forth on what to do with this monster, and finally, after months of staring at its ugliness I was inspired by an ad in Architectural Digest."

Here's what Olga started with.

To see how she changed the look of this "monster,"

Before and After: Amazing Mosaic (Out of Beans!)

casasugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:45:54 -0700

I was blown away by this incredible mosaic that Craftster member Boogaloo made out of various types of dried beans. Curious as to whose portrait she's crafting? Then

Before and After: Lampshade Recovery

casasugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:15:27 -0700

Crafty lady Tresa Edmunds had two boring pendant lamps that needed to be changed out. She writes, "I bought two plain jane lampshades at Home Depot on clearance. Because the shades needed to hang from the ceiling, I needed shades with hardware conducive to that. Then I found this great fabric at a quilt store that had nearly every color I was working with. With all my materials, the rest was just a case of reverse engineering."

Here's what she started with:

To see what it looked like after her craftiness,

Before and After: Erin84's Bathroom Makeover

casasugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:45:00 -0700

Su Casa member Erin84 recently gave the "ugly 70's-style bathroom" in her new condo a major overhaul, and the transformation is a vast improvement. She gutted the space, and then "used subway tiles on the floor and ceramic tiles on the walls." She says, "A new vanity and chandelier make it look like a completely different space." While the original bathroom may not be the biggest eyesore you've ever seen, the new vanity and tiles certainly are much more sophisticated and classic, and the chandelier adds a touch of glamour. Replacing the original trifold mirror with a single wall mirror opens up the space, relieving the bathroom's former cramped feeling. To see the after,

Before and After: Grandma's Sideboard, Refreshed

casasugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:30:35 -0700

Craftster member OpheliaITA recently refurbished her grandmother's sideboard. She writes, "I started this restoration two years ago, but the university, work, and, well, the lack of will stopped my good intentions! This Summer I finally had the time to bring back to life this old sideboard that was of my grandmother's and had stayed for years in the cellar with humidity, dust, mice, and other not so sociable little animals!"

With some hard work, OpheliaITA restored the sideboard to its former glory.

To see how her efforts paid off,

Before and After: A Patio Facelift

casasugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:30:40 -0700

The crafty lady behind the blog Handmade by Alissa is a pretty sweet sister. When her sib Cate moved into a new house with a very unfinished cement blocked patio, she decided to give it a much-needed facelift by sewing some cheerful cushions and pillows. She sewed one long cushion to run along the cement block bench, two arm rests, and a handful of throw pillows. The result is not only pretty but cozy, and just the thing to get her sister entertaining outdoors. Ohhh . . . what you'll do for a free dinner! To see the results,

Before and After: A Fresh and Bright Kitchen

casasugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:45:34 -0700

Most of my Before and Afters feature homes or furniture pieces that have seen better days and undergo a transformation that brings them back to their former glory or gives them a new look altogether. But sometimes a home or furniture piece is in great shape, but just isn't the right style for its owner. That is the case for Carrie Deane Corcoran, whose kitchen, in her Colonial Revival in New Canaan, CT, was featured in This Old House. While it's perfectly functional, the kitchen was simply designed in someone else's style, and furthermore, wasn't efficient. Corcoran gutted and sold the contents of the room, which had good quality cabinets and a marble counter top. Then, she brightened it up with white cabinetry and pale marble, and made the kitchen more efficient with things like freezer drawers and a tiered island. To see the transformation,

Before and After: From Backyard Planter to Bathroom Centerpiece

casasugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 06:15:24 -0700

Homeowner and DIY-er Kim Henson initially used this bathtub as a planter in her yard, since it was missing a leg. However, when a matching clawfoot was located, they decided to move it back inside.

To see the tub in its new home,

Before and After: A Craftsman Gets a Makeover

casasugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:30:39 -0700

A DIY couple were enchanted with this 1909 Craftsman in South Carolina. The couple bought the house for $135,000, and then set about fixing the house's many issues, including peeling paint, multiple broken windows, holes in the floor, and faulty plumbing.

To see the house after the homeowners finished fixing it up,

Before and After: Peruvian Pet Stairs

casasugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:00:20 -0700

A celeb client of Danny Seo's had these cringe-worthy dog stairs by her bed, but her pooch couldn't part with them. So, it was unanimously decided that they needed a chic facelift. Seo hopped over to a flea market in Los Angeles, where he picked up a vintage Peruvian rug for around $30. A lot of trimming and stapling later, Seo had reupholsterd the stairs, giving them a bit of cheer and an ethnic vibe. To see the transformation,

Before and After: Danny Seo's Safety Pin Pillow

casasugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:00:42 -0700

I consider myself "a creative," but it simply baffles me how inventive Danny Seo is. He seems to just ooze creativity, always devising original ways to decorate his digs in style without paying a price tag for it. His latest is achievement is a pillow he decorated with safety pins, of all things. He writes:

I stopped by the store to pick up the basic essentials and was looking at a package of 275 mixed gold and silver safety pins. They were on sale for $3 and I thought, could you do something creative with them?

To see what Danny Seo did to transform this plain mossy green throw pillow into something out of the ordinary,

Before and After: Kimpossible's Gorgeous Dining Room Switch

casasugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:00:44 -0700

While Su Casa member Kimpossible tends to downplay the effect her new dining room rearrangement has on guests, I have to give her major props for her work. She even switched out the chandelier by herself. Nice work! Here's how the dining room looked beforehand.

To see the new look,

Before and After: Office Chair Rehab

casasugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:30:30 -0700

Craftster member Dink recently took this dingy (in her words, "skanky") office chair from trashy to fantastic with a simple reupholstery project. Here's how it looked beforehand. Dink explains that the missing fabric is due to her "habit of sitting with both my feet up on the office chair, cross-legged in a not-quite-lotus position. This is comfortable for me, but disastrous for the chair."

To see the results,

Su Casa: A Spruced Up Bathroom

casasugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:15:30 -0700

Su Casa member Tweet Hotpants recently posted some great pictures of her bathroom renovation. She writes, "These are some before and after shots of our downstairs bathroom. When we first moved in, it was painted a boring white, so we decided to spruce it up a little and paint it brown . . . well, we woke up the next morning and hated it!

To find out how they switched it up,

Before and After: A Vintage Chair Makeover

casasugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

TeamSugar member Sgdish had a plain vanilla, and stained, vintage armchair with a great frame that was just begging for a makeover. She decided to "be bold and choose two different coordinating fabrics" for reupholstery, but used the same fabric for the chair's trim as on its backside. The results are truly impressive and inspiring. To see the transformation,

In the News: HGTV's Angelo Surmelis's Before & After Kitchen

casasugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:45:35 -0700

Design show hosts have gotten used to entering into contestants' homes, but for once the tables are turned. HGTV's Rate My Space host Angelo Surmelis recently played host to the LA Times, who interviewed him about the renovation of his 1920s Los Angeles bungalow. Well aware that "no matter how splendidly you've decorated the rest of your house, guests always end up in the kitchen," Surmelis took three weeks and $20,000 to transform his eyesore of a kitchen ("a jumble of scruffy cupboards, wood paneling, a broken stove and grimy old linoleum," shown here gutted) into a modern-meets-vintage splendor. All it took was a little rearranging, new IKEA cabinets, an antique hutch, Carrara marble counters, and some cork flooring . . . oh yeah, and the fact that he's a design expert might have come in handy. To see the transformation,

Before and After: Chair Repair

casasugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:45:09 -0700

Oakland, CA-based furniture maker Ashley Eriksmoen recently found two abandoned chairs on the street. Given her interest in greening furniture design and making her work more eco-oriented, she saw it as a perfect opportunity to repurpose the broken chairs into something beautiful, while also saving them from the landfill. To see the final results,

Before and After: Banksy v. the Gray Ghost

casasugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 08:30:01 -0700

If you read my roundup of alternative graffiti, you know about satiric, prolific, and pseudo-anonymous British graffiti artist Banksy, and also about Fred Radtke, the Gray Ghost, who has been painting over graffiti throughout New Orleans with gray paint since 1997. Although I lumped them both into one category of "alternative graffiti," the motivation behind it for the two is not the same. For Bansky, the medium is a venue for making political, cultural, and ethical statements, while Radtke considers his graywashing more of a public service, referred to as "Operation Clean Sweep." Not only do they differ in the end to their means, but Banksy actually recently took it upon himself to battle the Gray Ghost on his home turf. Above is an image of a wall in New Orleans, which was painted over in gray by Radtke, as it had been marked with graffiti. Banksy's caption reads:

I came to New Orleans to do battle with the Gray Ghost, a notorious vigilante who's been systematically painting over any graffiti he can find with the same shade of grey paint since 1997. Consequently he's done more damage to the culture of the city than any section five hurricane could ever hope to achieve.

To see Banksy's response to the Gray Ghost, stenciled on the same brick wall,

Before and After: Pinupsweetheart's Gorgeous Boudoir Walls

casasugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:30:51 -0700

TeamSugar member Pinupsweetheart recently wrote to tell me about her awesome DIY project for livening up her walls. She writes, "I have wanted to find an inexpensive way to decorate my boring white walls of my apartment ever since I moved in. Of course, my lease does not allow me to paint. I wanted to get removable wall decals, but they are so expensive! So I found step-by-step instructions on how to make your own wall decals using contact paper. I gave it a shot and it worked."

To see how well it worked, and to find out how to make your own,