CasaSugar -- Home sweet home.

Cool Idea: A Shutter as a Memory Board

casasugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:00:55 -0700

The great thing about memory boards is that they don't require any magnets or pushpins to hang your mementos and notes as cork boards and refrigerators doors do. But, none of these options are very attractive or interesting looking. An alternative is to hang an old shutter from a flea market or your own house horizontally on the wall, and display your photographs, memos, and souvenirs by setting them between its slats. Some flimsy papers may require a bit of double-stick tape on their backsides, but most items will stay up on their own. And then you can say goodbye to those unsightly magnets from your local delivery pizza place.
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Cool Idea: Using Flags as Drapes

casasugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:00:04 -0700

Sometimes I wonder if there's anything Danny Seo does that doesn't involve a stroke of genius. He's so unbelievably creative; he never ceases to impress me. Here, in his guest bedroom, he's used durable, machine-washable nylon flags as drapes, which he hung with café curtain rings, which have clips. I love how the light pours in through the patterns and letters on the flags. Some of you might think it's a bit unpatriotic to hang national flags in this manner, but I think nautical flags are perfectly acceptable. I think it infuses a little personality or eccentricity into a traditional, masculine style.
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Cool Idea: Aprons Outside the Kitchen

casasugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

While I'm not a fan of retro ideas about housework falling to women, I have happily embraced one remnant from days of household cleaning past: the apron. While most everyone associates aprons with kitchen work and baking projects, I've found them to be incredibly helpful when cleaning the house. I used to change clothes before tackling a big housecleaning job, but now I just tie on a cute apron, like this Flirty Everyday Housewife Apron ($29) from Etsy seller Momomadeit.

To see another place around the home where I find aprons an essential accessory, as well as many more cute aprons from Etsy sellers,

Cool Idea: Ceiling Medallion Light

casasugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:00:48 -0700

Switzerland-based product design consultancy Life Goods designed the Ceiling Light, which mimics the shape of a traditional ceiling medallion. I've always loved ornate ceiling medallions, so it's refreshing to see the design take on a different function. The design doesn't seem to be in production, but I'll be the first to get my hands on the clever luminary if it ever is. There aren't too many good-looking ceiling lights out there, and there are thousands of rental apartments ridden with eyesore ceiling lights, so I'd love to see this sold at an affordable price point. It's also just a great alternative to a chandelier; it may not dangle down from the ceiling with crystal stones but it's still a glamorous piece. What do you think?

Cool Idea: Light Bulb Candle Holders

casasugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:00:14 -0700

The New York Times article "Thinking Like a Student" takes a look at the thrifty, creative home-design moves college students, particularly architecture students, are making during these difficult economic times to make their homes a better place, aesthetically and functionally.

Along with the article is a wonderful slideshow showcasing many of these "on the cheap" tricks. One of my favorites was a set of candle holders fashioned from recycled light bulbs by Lauren Chapman, a student at Yale School of Architecture. By now we've hopefully all made the switch to CFLs, but that doesn't mean we should just toss those standard old bulbs in the trash.

To find out more about this project,

Cool Idea: Solar LED House Numbers

casasugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:15:25 -0700

Considering how plugged in and geeked out our homes are these days, sometimes it baffles me that the simplest, often most crucial things aren't well-lit. Personally, I'm a big fan of motion-sensor lighting, so when you're walking toward your front (or back) door you won't trip and wind up falling flat on your back. But motion-sensor lighting doesn't help passersby who are trying to locate your crib. That's why I'm smitten with the Matter Inc. Solar LED House Numbers ($19.99). The solid aluminum fixture absorbs the sun's energy during the day to power two high output white LEDs for eight to 10 hours during the night, keeping your house numbers well-lit without draining the grid or your wallet. The laser-cut numbers are completely weather-resistant, too, which is a plus. Although I personally don't mind the modern, sans-serif shape of the numbers, I wish they were offered in a traditional serif to appeal to more homeowners. What do you think?

Cool Idea: an Art Easel as a TV Stand

casasugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:00:11 -0700

When Danny Seo couldn't come up with a use for the paint-splattered easel left behind in his new home, formerly owned and built by an artist, he decided to mount his Energy Star-rated flat screen TV on it. Mounting televisions above the fireplace is considered sacrilegious to him, and he had no oil painting that would work on the easel, so it was really the perfect solution. And, I think it adds personality — not that Danny Seo needs any. Easels come in all shapes and forms, from traditional wooden ones used by artists to decorative metal ones. You'll likely need to reinforce the television and the stand with some screws, so you should consider that when purchasing one for yourself (i.e. make sure you have something to screw into). But, of course, if you have a spare easel lying around, upcycling really is the best option.
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Cool Idea: Lighten Up Dark Furniture Without Paint

casasugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:45:28 -0700

Recently, I've been really impressed by More Ways to Waste Time's inspiring dining room re-vamp. There was one seemingly small change to an heirloom piece of furniture that really caught my attention. Since the oak sideboard in the living room is a family heirloom, she couldn't paint it, but she did want to make the sideboard feel less imposing.

How did she lighten the sideboard? First, she covered the back of the shelves with Orla Kiely's Blossom wallpaper (which she taped to the sideboard, to avoid damage). Then with a collection of light-colored ceramics and light prints, she nicely updates and modernizes this antique piece.

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Cool Idea: The Float Bed

casasugar — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:15:50 -0700

Designed in 2004 by Max Longin, a German designer and mathematician, the Float Bed was inspired by the idea of suspension. This unusual design also comes in unusual packaging. The bed can be easily packed away and moved, since the packaging is part of the frame itself.

To see what the bed looks like when it's assembled,

Cool Idea: I.V. Self-Watering Plant Pot

casasugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:00:47 -0700

I once showed you how to make a self-watering planter from a recycled soda bottle, and while the DIY was pretty easy and inventive, I will admit it wasn't the most handsome pot I've ever seen. I'm not someone who thinks we should need to make sacrifices when it comes to good design, so I kept my eyes peeled and was silently hoping for a sexier alternative. Then came the Vitamin I.V. Self-Watering Planter ($375), an ingenious pot that comes with a refillable I.V. bag that regulates the flow of water to your plant with its drip feed. The lightweight fiberglass pot has a sleek, modern conical shape that's a far cry from the do-it-yourself look of that surgeried soda bottle. Unfortunately, I.V. is quite large (as is its price) at 12.5 x 21.25 inches, and is really meant to hold a tree, so now I'm not-so-silently hoping Vitamin will release a mini version for more petite plants.

Cool Idea: Instant Photo Frame

casasugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:00:51 -0700

Sherwood Forlee is the New York-based design engineer who created the HomeHero Fire Extinguisher, the winner of the 2007 IDSA Gold Award and a much blogged about home-safety item. But, Forlee's forté isn't only in saving lives, he also rescues photos. With framing costs high and limited space in our homes, many of our photos get thrown by the way side, never seeing the light of frame. With his Instant Photo Frame though, Forlee has made it possible to frame every photograph we take. By downloading this frame for free, cutting out its interior, and placing it in front of your camera before you take your photo, you'll have an instant (and free) frame for every photo you snap. To see how it works,

Cool Idea: Drawer Planters

casasugar — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:30:55 -0700

I talk often about various forms of recycling and upcycling, and I've seen plenty of ingenious ideas for reusing what might seem useless. But sometimes you needn't change a thing about a household item to give it a new purpose. Sometimes all it takes is a little dirt. That's surely the case with these old drawers that were effortlessly transformed into planters with some soil and seeds. If you want to try this on your own, though, I'd recommend drilling holes in the drawer bases for drainage. And to think: I spent all that time building my own garden box! Ohh, hindsight.
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Cool Idea: Park(ing) Day Is Dog-Friendly

casasugar — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:00:44 -0700

To get you excited for this Friday's Park(ing) Day park, I thought I'd bring you some cute photos from Park(ing) Day in St. Louis. Of course, I think what really takes this park over the top is the adorable cattle dog. Good thing the CasaSugar Sweet Spot Park will look even sweeter thanks to the presence of the Oz-Dog. Are you going to visit any Park(ing) Day parks in your town? To see if your town is throwing a Park(ing) Day event, check here.

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Cool Idea: Stacking Fridge Keeps Shared House Peace

casasugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:00:42 -0700

When I lived with housemates, the main points of contention in our shared living situation involved the kitchen. There were the piles of dirty dishes, and then there was the messy, rotten food-filled fridge. I like the idea of this stacking fridge from Electrolux, which allows people living in multiple-housemate situations to keep their personal food in each separate compartment. This would've saved me a lot of time cleaning out my housemates' way-beyond-expiration-date foodstuffs, had it been around five years ago. The fridge seems to still be in the concept stage, and I haven't turned up any information on energy efficiency yet (my guess is it's going to be an energy hog), so I can't give this design my endorsement until then. Do you live in a housemate situation? If so, would you be interested in a fridge like this, or do you think it might cause even more cleaning issues in your home?
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Cool Idea: Recycled Chiquita Banana Box Chandelier

casasugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:00:08 -0700

During her time at the Utrecht School of the Arts in the Netherlands, artist Anneke Jakobs salvaged Chiquita Banana boxes and cut out their cheerful banana shapes and iconic logos. She then cleverly arranged them into chandelier form, fastening the cardboard together with cotter pins. Jakobs has made a PDF manual for re-creating her chandelier available on her website, and interested buyers can also email her for pricing. "At the end," she says, "it's everyone's choice to spend their time or their money on something."
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Cool Idea: CD Holder Dish Rack

casasugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:00:52 -0700

I love this solution for a cheap, sleek, metal dishrack: Just put together two Ikea Vink CD holders ($2.99 each), and voila! You're all ready to drip dry.
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Cool Idea: Painted Stripes Headboard

casasugar — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 05:30:18 -0700

I've written about painted headboards before (and even DIY'd my own), so it's really nothing new. But, I am loving how design firm Shelton, Mindel & Associates made the entire wall behind this sleeping space a focal point with bold stripes, and within that created a focal point above the headboard by painting stripes in a slightly lighter shade than the rest. This look is really easy and affordable to achieve in your own home. And, if you don't have a real headboard of your own as this room does, the rectangle of lighter stripes can serve as a headboard alternative. What do you think?
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Cool Idea: String Theories

casasugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:30:15 -0700

I'm always keeping an eye out for unexpected centerpieces for your next party. This pretty alternative to flowers, which was created by New York event designer David Stark, was fashioned by first shaping wire into floral shapes. Then, biodegradable sisal twine was carefully wound around the wire forms. The unexpected effect is equal parts modern art and kindergarten craft project — definitely an effect I love. I think this would look great on tables at an Autumn wedding, and it looks so easy to make that if you were going to be DIYing your wedding, you could involve a number of friends and relatives in the process of making these.
If you're interested in seeing more of Stark's ideas for centerpieces, check out the slideshow at The New York Times.

Marilyn K. Yee for The New York Times

Cool Idea: Play in Public

casasugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:00:07 -0700

We may not remember rocking away in bouncy seats as infants, but I'm sure we all remember playing on swing sets as kids. In either case, was it ever not fun? I think not. So, why are Trix just for kids? And why should play be relegated just to playgrounds and backyards? I think adults should get a piece of the fun and games, and play should be accepted in public, and apparently so does British industrial design student Bruno Taylor.The renegade playground builder has decided that it's about time we bring play back into public space. He has created a project which incorporates incidental play in the public realm, including a public bench that bounces, for all to use, and the installation of swings into existing bus stops. Is that rad or what? To see a video of Taylor's swing being installed guerrilla-style into a bus stop,

Cool Idea: Steps Side Table

casasugar — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:41:41 -0700

In Rimrock Ranch, a home near Palm Springs designed by architect Lloyd Russell, which was recently featured in the LA Times, spare modern architecture lends an urban style to the cowboy roots of the desert. Here, the steps to a kitchen set between two suites have a dual purpose. The wood planks were extended to serve as a side table for the rustic couch beside the staircase, relieving the need for additional furnishings. Rather than cluttering up the room, this clever idea keeps things minimal, and the attention on the bold desert display of antlers on the wall. Of course, it's convenient that there happens to be a couch next to the stairs, but would you like these stairs in your home if it made sense architecturally?
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Cool Idea: Manetone Pantone Painting

casasugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:30:25 -0700

Graphic designer Tim Fraser Brown created a reproduction of Édouard Manet's "A Bar at the Folies-Bergère" entirely out of old Pantone chips. He painstakingly color matched over 5,000 chips onto a blank canvas over the course of four nights. The result is a bit Impressionism meets Pointillism, taking PMS to a new level of literalism. I love how all the details of the original painting, like the beer thought to cater to a British clientele, much debated by art cronies, are blurred. And, it's been said that Manet's painting is modern paraphrasing of "Las Meninas" by Diego Velázquez. I guess, in a way, "Manetone Pantone" is modern paraphrasing of "A Bar at the Folies-Bergère." It's certainly a heck of a lot cooler than my paint-swatch weaving . . .
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Cool Idea: Chrono Shredder

casasugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:30:00 -0700

German designer Susanna Hertrich's Chrono Shredder is "a hybrid between calendar, clock, and waste-producing automaton," that has no on/off functionality. It runs unstoppable for 365 days until it has continuously shredded all of its calendar pages, which are kept on a paper roll. The paper is fed through a hacked paper shredder, which is programmed to use exactly 24 hours to shred one "day." The device reminds us not only of the day, but of the passing of time. So, on Dec. 31, you'll have a big pile of shredded paper that is not simply waste, but actual evidence that time has passed. Hertrich created Chrono Shredder to target would-be future hibernation obsessives, to remind them that while they sleep, something tangible is happening. The design is not actually in production. Would you like it to be?
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Cool Idea: A Colander As a Vase

casasugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:00:44 -0700

I recently polled you on your love for Todd Oldham's ice cream cone carnation floral arrangement, and you were pretty split on it. I on the other hand was not a fan; although in general, I feel that the world-renowned designer can do no wrong. Today is no exception to that notion, though. Oldham has created another arrangement for FTD, the Todd Oldham Green Salad ($79.99), this time using a colander as a vase. I adore this innovative use of a colander, not only for its good looks but because it is something everyone can achieve. Of course, it helps to have a vibrant, kelly green colander to perk things up, but I love it regardless of color. It's also a great housewarming gift, as the colander can be used in the kitchen once the arrangement falls by the wayside. Love it?

Cool Idea: Hanging Wedding Flowers

casasugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:45:03 -0700

Miss Cherry Pie recently posted photos of her hanging wedding flowers. She's still perfecting the idea, but I think they look great already. She writes that she "spent some time this weekend with my shepherd’s hooks and cache of jars working out how to attach one to the other. First, I picked out 20 jars of a similar smallish size, and set them aside. Then, I went a-crafting. I took a trip down to Michael’s to pick up some wraphia (aka raffia), a natural-looking, grassy ribbon that’s strong enough to use as a hanger."

Then, she tied the wraphia around the mouth of each jar, fashioning a handle out of it, and hung them from the shepherd's hook. This is such a lovely, simple idea for displaying large flowers. It's a beautiful, easy arrangement for any couple planning a DIY wedding.

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Cool Idea: A Converted Train Car

casasugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:00:29 -0700

I never thought I'd want to live in an old boxcar, until I saw this cheerful cafe built into a converted train on Treehugger. Located in Deptford, London, the pop-up shop is selling sustainably farmed coffee while the nearby train station, originally built in 1836, is being renovated.

I'm surprised how sunny and spacious the space is. It makes me want to park an old train car outside my house and use it as a guest quarters. With so many old railway cars around, I wonder why more people don't do this. What do you think of the idea?

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Cool Idea: Grown-Up Record Collection

casasugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:30:00 -0700

Designer Kenneth Brown offers this smart idea for integrating vinyl record collections into a home. Instead of bulky record shelves (which is what I currently live with), he designed pull-out, partially exposed drawers to house a family's 2,000+ records. I love the accessibility of this storage solution, and the varying shades and patterns of the record spines offer a built-in design accent.

Do you have a savvy solution for storing albums?

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Cool Idea: Mounting Mismatched China

casasugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:00:00 -0700

Flea markets and thrift stores can be a treasure trove of mismatched china, which could lead to trouble depending on your level of impulse control. One too many "Oh, this little dish is too cute to pass up!" and next thing you know, you've got boxes of quirky plates without coordinating mates.

That's why I was mesmerized by this wall I snapped at a Northern California diner. The quirky patterns look so serene, mounted on the seafoam-green wall. What do you think of this idea? I loved it so much I never wanted to leave. The diner did something similar with mismatched mugs on a shelf. Curious about this curiosity? Then

Cool Idea: Drought-Resistant Landscaping With a Twist

casasugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:45:00 -0700

If you live in a drought-prone area, it's smart to landscape with succulents and cacti, which require very little water. That's what this household did. By covering the soil with mulch, this garden further decreases its need for watering. But what's that plant in the left-hand corner of the picture?
Yes, there are some vegetables mixed into this succulent landscape. More specifically, it looks like some Summer squash, perhaps zucchini, is sharing the front yard with succulents and cacti. I love this mix of plants; it's something I wouldn't have thought of trying, and I think the plants look great together.

Cool Idea: Fluorescent Fixer

casasugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:00:59 -0700

I've urged you to switch over to CFLs enough, so I'm not gonna go there. But I will admit that I agree the soft-serve-like shape of CFL bulbs is less than desirable — unless you have an ice cream cone pendant light to go with. But, what if CFLs looked like the standard bulbs you've come to know and love? Would that make you switch? I hope so. The Fluorescent Fixer does just that, attaching to CFLs to conceal their unsightly shape, and diffusing the light, which reduces glare at the same time. The light cover sells in sets of three for $9.99 at Ace Hardware, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Walgreens, among others, or directly from the manufacturer, Adaptive Lighting Solutions.

Midday Muse: A Patterned Floor

casasugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:00:33 -0700

This gorgeous floor, which was hand painted by Catherine, won the Design*Sponge prize for best use of pattern in a home. I can definitely see why. I know a lot of friends who have concrete floors in their homes, but I've never seen any of them painted with patterns. Now, I'm going to have to bend their ears about this cool idea.

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Su Casa: Thinking Outside the Furniture Box

casasugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 08:30:10 -0700

Su Casa member Divagwendolyn recently posted pictures of a friend's creative use of an unusual furniture item. Here's the piece in use in her friend's home.

Can you guess what this sleek-looking shelf has been constructed from? To find out,

Cool Idea: Graphite Sculptures

casasugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:30:23 -0700

ASB Workshop's Graphite Objects, created by San Francisco-based artist Agelio Batle, are olive branches, asparagus, calla lilies, raven heads, shells, quills, and other delicate shapes carved from graphite. The art pieces double as writing utensils when you don't have a pencil handy. The small sculptures transform the ordinary into the extraordinary and the art collector into the artist, whilst serving as an elegant artifact in your home. It's no wonder the objects are lined with remarkable, intricate details; the artist studied biology in college. Set one on top of a stack of books, use it as a paperweight, or arrange it in a vignette with other souvenirs and beautiful things. Available at Bluehouse ($34-$38) or contact the studio to purchase.

Cool Idea: Useful Moldings

casasugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:30:52 -0700

French industrial designer Mathieu Lehanneur created Useful Mouldings, modular units made of resin-reinforced plaster meant to be fixed to the wall, which double as ornamentation and a shelf, CD organizer, odds-and-ends holder, or a bench. The design combines elements of both design and architecture, merging pieces of furniture with the structure that supports them (kind of like a built-in), making the object disappear into their environment. Useful Mouldings gives something that's traditionally been an ostentatious ornamentation a function beyond aesthetics; that's something I'd like to see more often in the design world. Lehanneur's designs are certainly modern, but there's no reason why the same product couldn't be designed with traditional taste.
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Cool Idea: Hammock Hang-Up

casasugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:30:42 -0700

A recent New York Times article, "A Spare Stage for the Spectacle of Life," took readers into the Long Island home of artist Karin Waisman and architect Carlos Brillembourg, which is quite narrow yet still full of light and space for the couple and their daughter, Antonia. While I would certainly call the property a Coveted Crib, it's not the house itself that grabbed me.Perusing an interactive photo blueprint for the home, I noticed that the couple had used five hammocks as wall décor in their dining room. The space is notably minimal (white walls and chairs, oak floors and table), so evenly spaced on the wall and picking up the colors of a tray of veggies on the table, the hammocks are quite visually arresting. They're fitting, too; Brillembourg hails from Venezuela and Waisman from Argentina, and hammocks are ubiquitous in South America. I've been attracted to the colorful multi-stripe textiles used in traditional hammocks, so using them purely for decorative purposes was a successful move. Of course, if they'd like to step outdoors and enjoy the Southampton Summer weather, the family of three can each grab one, and still have two for the road . . .

Cool Idea: Books As Décor

casasugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:00:16 -0700

This weekend, when I stopped by the Berkeley Anthropologie, I was pleasantly surprised by the window display. Using old books (I'm hoping that these were books that would've been recycled, not ones that people still wanted to read), those clever Anthropologie folks folded individual pages, and then strung the books through their binding to hang them. They remind me a bit of paper chandeliers.

To get a closer look,

Cool Idea: Color-Coordinating Your Plants

casasugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:30:31 -0700

When I volunteered at the SF Victory Garden, I was inspired by this small garden bed, which provided a fun twist on an edible garden. Using scarlet runner beans and rhubarb chard in the bed, the gardeners matched the colors of the two vegetables; the red of the chard stalks matches the red of the blooming bean flowers. While color-coordinating flowers is nothing new, using vegetables as ornament is a very neat idea. The matching colors are eye-catching and pretty, but the fact that these plants are also edible makes them doubly appealing.

For some ideas on coordinating veggie colors,

Cool Idea: Bicycle Wheel Pot Rack

casasugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

You've probably heard the cliché "When life gives you lemons . . ." applied to all sorts of situations. But, I'd make an honest bet that a pot rack wasn't involved in one of them. So here we are. Handmade Detroit's boyfriend was in a bike accident that left his bike wheel too bent out of shape to function. Instead of sending the sad, sour wheel to a landfill he repurposed it by hanging it from the ceiling of his kitchen, using it as a pot rack. I love the DIY attitude of it and think it's perfect for a bicycle dude's home. It adds a refreshing, subtle touch of personality to something that's not traditionally very interesting.
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Cool Idea: Closet Case

casasugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:00:20 -0700

If you were thorough with your Spring cleaning this year, you might have found yourself with a closet to spare. For some of us, storage space is at a premium, but others might just be short on work space. If you fit this profile, consider turning a spare closet into an office.
You can store your books and files on high shelves and then install a plywood shelf across the closet to serve as your desk. The greatest thing about this trick is that when guests arrive, you can easily shut your closet door to hide all that paperwork that inevitably piles up. If you already have a chair in the room which can serve as your desk chair, you're all set. And if not, you can store a folding chair under the desk to pull out when needed.
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Cool Idea: Petal-Filled Vase

casasugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:00:20 -0700

I'm not a flower snob. Pick a couple of wildflowers from alongside the Interstate and toss them in a Starbucks Frappuccino cup, and I'll be just as happy as if you'd charged a floral masterpiece to your Black card. But I do appreciate a little innovation when it comes to flower arrangements. And sometimes, it's not thinking outside the box that brings about innovation, but rather, inside the vase. The Kartell Pantagruel Vase by Phillipe Starck ($198) was re-imagined here, filled to the brim with pink hydrangea, highlighting its feminine curves. This new genre of bouquet can be achieved with any flowering plant, dried or fresh, and works best with a clear glass vase with a nice shape. Try it with grasses for a more masculine arrangement.
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Cool Idea: Frankensteined China, Two Ways

casasugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:00:56 -0700

Belarusian artist Vika Mitrichenka makes gorgeous tea sets by casting broken pieces of china together, which were picked up by Dutch Design Shop Frozen Fountain, as well as the Stedelijk Museum. At $5,742 for a limited edition set of serving tray, tea pot, dish, sugar and cream bowls, and cup and saucer, you'd better have a pretty tame tea party if you want to use them, but I think it's best to think of Mitrichenka's work as fine art sculptures. To hear who else frankensteins china,

Cool Idea: Metal Interiors

casasugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:15:43 -0700

Are you into adding some heavy metal to your house? I'm not suggesting you start listening to Black Sabbath, of course, but that you experiment with some unusual materials. Take this ribbed metal wall, which I found in Australian architect Cathy Spratt's portfolio. She used metal walls for this beach house bathroom, which lends a vacation-oriented feel to the room. This is such an unexpected and interesting design element, which I think would work perfectly in a beach house or summer home. I'd love to experiment with metal walls. If you're interested you can find some metal wall and ceiling products here. Do you love this look as well?

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Cool Idea: Tubelor Trashcan

casasugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:00:08 -0700

If my Crave Worthy posts aren't evidence enough, it's not hard to find beautiful home furnishings. But, good design with an unprecedented function that's also aesthetically pleasing isn't exactly at every street corner. The Ideaco Design Tubelor Trashcan ($41) does fall into this category, though. The modern, candy-colored cans conceal ugly trash bags in their inner waste basket by covering them with a pretty tube — like a hat on a bad hair day. It's no wonder the design won the iF Product Design Award (Germany) for 2008; they're not only handsome but functional. I know the sight of trash bags in a trash can isn't the most severe eyesore, but aren't you glad that that boo-boo has been healed?

Cool Idea: Hang It With Ribbons

casasugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:45:03 -0700

My all-time favorite ice cream shop, Ici, announces their rotating handmade flavors on cute framed signs. While I love everything about the signs, from the font to the bold, black frames, my absolute favorite part of these ice cream signs is the pretty red ribbon with which they're hung.

If you have crown molding in your house, you also probably have a line of molding below it, which is known as a picture rail or picture molding. Using picture frame hooks and some ribbon, you can re-create this very cool look. Are you going to try it at your home?

Cool Idea: Stacked Books Table Leg

casasugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:00:29 -0700

I recently attended a charity event at the Ted Baker store here in San Francisco. Given that Ted Baker is a purveyor of quirky British design, I wasn't surprised to find that the store itself was chock full of inspiration and original interior design ideas. One of these was a neon-green table with one leg built from a stack of books. Genius! Not only does the table just look cool, but it offers a fresh way to repurpose dusty old books. To add another dimension of authenticity to the store, the books used were British in nature, such as Britain's Offshore Islands, Great Britain, and Old English Customs. The weight of the metal table on the books and the fact that it had a sliver of metal leg at the top kept the leg from wobbling, but this might not be the case if you used other materials or a different table design. I did a little research and found a DIY for making table legs out of books, which involves drilling a hole through the books to fit a rod through; it's cool too but not as successful visually. The orange table beside it, which I did not get a photo of, had one leg that only went three-fourths of the way and sat on a slightly deflated basketball, which had been filled with cement or sand or something equally weighty for stability. Bloody marvelous.

Cool Idea: Freecycle

casasugar — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0700

The Freecycle Network is a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement and online community, launched in 2003, made up of 4,528 groups with millions of members across the globe giving and receiving free stuff. The online tool connects people on a local level, via local groups and a local volunteer, so that neighbors can pass along their possessions. As a result of this international sharing, over 300 tons a day of good stuff is kept out of landfills. Membership to Freecycle is free; everything posted must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages; and navigating the groups (Yahoo! Groups) is quite easy. To give you an idea of how extensive this network is, San Francisco proper alone has 10,666 active members. Have you used Freecycle? Would you? What items in your home would you give away for free?

Cool Idea: My Sky My Water My Garden

casasugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:30:29 -0700

London-based designer Tithi Kutchamuch design was too lazy to lean her outdoor chairs against a wall in case of rain when her mom asked. Instead, she designed her My Sky My Water My Garden (inquire for price), a garden table that collects water in its central base, which can be used as a pot for plants and flowers, potentially saving 178-510 liters of water a year. The design functions as a table, a cache-pot, and a watering can all in one. As she puts it, it's an "effortless eco-friendly object." Kutchamuch also designed a bird feeder, which collects water from its roof and channels it into a bird bath underneath it. In a world where solar panels are still unattainable for most, it's nice to see eco innovation in the simplest things.

Cool Idea: Ample Sample

casasugar — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:30:18 -0700

Ample Sample challenges architects, interior designers, and home decorators alike to "Rethink. Reuse. Upcycle," and repurpose the carpet samples that they test for their homes and projects (and which are otherwise "destined for the dumpster") to make a design product from the carpet specimen. Creatives transform their carpet samples into design ideas, making a fixture, furnishing, or personal accessory meant for much more than a soft place to step your feet. Winning designs of annual Ample Sample contests are judged on criteria of aesthetics, purpose, ease of creation, creativity, durability, number/volume of carpet samples used, and promoted at NeoCon World’s Trade Fair 2008. I love how the contest brings attention to something oft overlooked and ignored as environmental waste. What other household items can you try to repurpose? Plastic bags? Scrabble letters? Light bulbs?
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Cool Idea: Eco Chic Gifts

casasugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:13:27 -0700

Growing up I had a friend who was the queen of re-gifting. She usually passed on my gifts to her to our mutual friends when their b-days came around, but one year she re-gifted a board game I'd bought her to me on my birthday! It got to the point where she might as well have left all of her presents in their wrapping paper and change the gift card. While I certainly don't recommend this shopping technique, it does do a good job of curbing consumerism and waste. TeamSugar member Mazdagirluk thinks along the same lines; she recently wrote, "For my bday this year, I have asked for no "new" items. Only items friends have but don't use anymore, or just a smile. I am interested to see what people share!" There are other ways to give (and request) eco chic gifts though, without emptying out your own closet. To hear them,

Cool Idea: ReadyMade Magazine's DIY Hammock

casasugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:15:04 -0700

I picked up the latest issue of ReadyMade over the weekend, and was delighted to find it brimming over with fun, easy projects for Summer living. One project I started nearly immediately was making their hammock project, which was explained in the article "Re-Kindle." Basically, all you need for this project is an old sheet, a sewing machine, and some rope. I used a duvet cover I'd made a few years ago, and which had been gathering dust in the linen closet. The project only took about half an hour from start to finish (threading the rope through and remembering my rock-climbing figure eight and water knots took the majority of that time).

If you want to make one for your own yard, pick up a copy of ReadyMade at your local bookstore. You can also check back tomorrow, when I'll share my own version of building this hammock. And yep, that's my hammock in the photo. It's surprisingly comfortable and strong, given that it's just a few layers of cotton. Are you going to make one for yourself?
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Cool Idea: Le Petit Paris

casasugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:00:00 -0700

Gerard Brion took up the challenge of building a miniature model of Paris 15 years ago. With 18,000 hours of painstaking work logged, he has crafted a miniature city, known as Le Petit Paris, in his garden in Vaissaic in the South of France out of salvaged items like old concrete blocks, baby food jars and soup tins. 150,000 visitors a year experience over 40 Paris monuments, such as the Champs Elysées, Montmartre, the Seine River, and the Eiffel Tower on a 1:130 scale set in a French-style garden planted with 400 bonzais. Year-round, the miniature city keeps up with the times, too: a miniature military-parade along the Champs Elysées on Bastille Day; Easter Eggs in the Bois de Boulogne in April; a true French Cancan show in Little Moulin Rouge featuring animated dolls; and demonstrations and traffic-jams along the little Paris boulevards keeping with typical French social unrest. After Princess Diana's car crash, Brion even smashed a miniature Mercedes car with a hammer and exhibited it under the Alma Bridge. In 2004, Brion opened the Little Louvre Museum, exhibiting 100 pieces of his own work and personal collection, including paintings, drawings, models. The small capital, open to the public on weekends and holidays, takes an hour to visit. How about that for backyard décor? Only in France . . .
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