CasaSugar -- Home sweet home.

Coveted Crib: The Crater Lake House

casasugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:00:32 -0800

When the owners of this New Zealand home asked architecture firm Pacific Environments to renovate it, the firm created a stunning, minimalist vision for the 40-year-old house. Taking advantage of shipping rigging, stainless steel tubing, metallic finishes, and diagonal lines, the house has been transformed from its prior incarnation. To get the tour, check out the slideshow. Source

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: 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: 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: Cramped and Dated to Open and Modern

casasugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:45:38 -0700

This designer/contractor-owned home, which was featured in This Old House, was blemished with a small, dated kitchen that was closed off except for a doorway and a counter window. It also lacked good counter space. The owners decided to knock down the dividing wall, update the amenities with simple, streamlined selections, and infuse the space with bright color. The resulting space is open, vibrant, and modern — and a far cry from its icky roots. To see the kitchen after its renovation,

Before and After: Matt's Hurricane Katrina Makeover

casasugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:00:25 -0700

Yesterday, I asked who you thought should win Design Star. You can still vote online through Wednesday. To make the most informed decision, I figured I'd show you some photos from each designer's makeover (check out Jen's makeover here). Both designers worked with a New Orleans family whose home had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Matt's family, the Oleagas, wanted a comfortable, minimal, and modern space.

To see what the home looked like after Matt redesigned the space,

Before and After: Jennifer's Hurricane Katrina Makeover

casasugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:00:55 -0700

Yesterday, I asked you who you thought should win Design Star. You can still vote online through Wednesday. To make the most informed decision, I figured I'd show you some photos from each designer's makeover. Both designers worked with a New Orleans family whose home had been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Jen's family, the Gowlands, needed a space that accommodated both their love of cooking and their big family.

Before Jen showed up, the family had very limited furniture and a raw, unfinished space, as they concentrated on rebuilding their home.

To see what the home looked like after Jen flexed her design muscles,

Midday Muse: Incongruous Additions

casasugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:00:24 -0700

This 5th Ave. Apple Store-esque extension was added to a humdrum McMansion, giving it not only additional space but loads of light. In this case, I think the addition was a success, and added value, especially because it's in the rear of the house and doesn't appear to be visible from the street. But, often I see modern additions going up on older, period homes that don't take into account the history of the space, and I cringe a little. If you own a historic Victorian or even 20th-century Colonial, why not hire an architect who can build something to coordinate? If a modern home is really what you want, why not sell your country cottage and buy one instead? I know things are never as straightforward as that, and there are a lot of factors involved when you're considering buying, selling, and renovating. But sometimes I worry that we'll look at our landscape in 50 years and realize that Mr. Potato Head or Frankenstein may have actually been city planners. Do you agree, or is my thinking just hopelessly traditional?
Source

Before and After: An Artful Staircase

casasugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:30:51 -0700

Country Living's website recently featured a slideshow of a less-than-covetable staircase in a reader's home. From the picture, it's obvious that the space needed a major change in look — it simply looks dated and worn out, thanks in large part to the carpeting and faux wood paneling. The homeowners wanted to bring light, life, and funky style to the space. To see what they did,

Su Casa: A Coveted Closet Renovation

casasugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:00:03 -0700

What girl doesn't long for a big walk-in closet? Well, Haze decided to make that longing a reality when she and her husband remodeled the child's room, located directly off of their master bedroom, and turned it into a walk-in closet. This is definitely much more than a small change, and I admire Haze's hard work and impressive results!

She writes,

I don't have the "before" photos but you'll have to trust me when I tell you that it was a mess. There was a vintage 1970s drop ceiling, paneling, and a cheap-o brass light fixture hanging from the ceiling. Sometime, before my husband and I moved in together, he had decided to "redo" the room on his own and started ripping the paneling off of the walls. The original plaster underneath was all but completely destroyed and it was down to the lathe in many places. We also needed to replace and rerun the the vintage 1930s wires to the outlets in the room.

To find out how she built it,

In the News: A Home on the Tracks

casasugar — Thu, 15 May 2008 04:30:34 -0700

In the New York Times' Great Homes and Destinations, the feature "In England, at Home in a Railroad Station" caught my eye. The piece describes the remodeling process taken on by an American/British dual citizen, who purchased a former railroad station in dilapidated form and made it family-ready. Steve Sokalsky tried to maintain the sense of history in Lenwade Station, which dates back to before 1882, when transforming it into his two-bedroom, one-bath home. But he also integrated high technology, such as "its own computer server so the family can use an online system to access the heating, lighting, TV, broadband, and closed-circuit television service," and a wireless keyboard controlling a built-in TV, DVD player, or computer monitor screen that can float in the bathtub. Despite these modernizations, looking at the exterior, you can almost still hear the conductor's whistle and the chug of a train passing through. Sokalsky explained, "Our plan now is to extend the house, but all the work we do will be very much in keeping with the old building. It is very important to us that from the outside at least this property still looks very much like a station.”
Jonathan Player for the New York Times

Before and After: From Jumbled to Wonderful

casasugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 09:15:37 -0700

TeamSugar member HarmonyFrance set out a few months ago to make a complete change to her living space. She was tired of her disorganized, messy, and jumbled home. Well, it's been a long journey, but she's made some incredible progress. Take, for example her "landing strip," which used to be covered with mail, keys, and assorted detritus in a big messy pile.

Here's what it used to look like:

To see what it looks like after some diligent work, just

Before and After: A Master Bedroom Makeover

casasugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 07:00:19 -0700

This image shows the master bedroom of the Akron, OH home owned by the couple who was highlighted in my recent In the News, prior to their 12-year-long renovation on a 1913 Tudor house. Before they purchased the property, passersby had assumed that it was deserted; but in fact, an elderly woman had been living there, out of sorts, along with several stray animals, and 55 aluminum baking pans had been placed on the floor to catch the rain leaking from the ceiling. To see how their hard work and determination transformed this dilapidated bedroom into an elegant one,

In the News: A Debtless DIY

casasugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:15:00 -0700

The New York Times' "Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Solvent" is a heartwarming story of an Akron, Ohio couple, David and Gina Giffels, who exquisitely renovated a condemned 1913 Tudor house with six fireplaces, a solarium and a billiards room, which they'd purchased for $65,000, bit by bit over 12 years (and counting) without the use of credit cards. Upon closure, the house was in awful condition; it had been inhabited by a slew of neighborhood creatures, and "the roof over the master bedroom leaked so badly that the previous owner had placed 55 aluminum baking pans on the floor to catch the rain." Living on columnist and teacher's salaries, the Giffels never had much to contribute to renovation costs, or construction experience. But, with a lot of devotion, and the ability to endure the stress of it all (and two miscarriages), they have gradually resurrected a piece of history and built a home for their two children, Evan and Lia (12 and 9) — with little help from contractors and a mortgage under $100,000.
Source

Before and After: A Kitchen Goes From Drab to Delicious

casasugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:15:11 -0700

Interior stylist Janet Grey was in for some hard work when she was commissioned to redesign this dull and drab kitchen.

To see the transformation, just

Before and After: Bathroom Beautiful

casasugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:30:13 -0700

This bathroom, whose renovation was recently featured on This Old House, was marred by a dated '80s design, leaky plumbing, tiny windows, and bad tilework.

To see its transformation, just

Before and After: Giving a Kitchen Breathing Room

casasugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:00:33 -0700

Here's a cute little blue-tiled kitchen that seems functional enough, but isn't anything too spectacular.

To see what it looked like after renovations, just

Su Casa: Renovating With Color

casasugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:15:22 -0800

Su Casa member FactCheckinCuz recently made some amazing changes in her Toronto apartment — a lot of which were due to her expert use of color. Check out the slideshow to see some of the dramatic before and after photos.

In the News: Front Door Tradition, Back Door Innovation

casasugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:00:10 -0800

Hard as it may be to believe, these two pictures are actually of the same house. This 1890s Federalist home, located in Manhattan, has a traditional facade when you face it from the street, while its backyard view reveals a sleek, modern renovation. Owned by Ellen Weiman and Dubi Silverstein, the couple honored the Landmarks Commission's wishes by remaining faithful to the building's original facade in front, but then let their hair down with the building's back facade and its interior, which is closer to a loft inside. To see more lovely photos of the home's interior (chock full of midcentury furniture) read the whole article at the New York Times.

Source

What's Your New Year's Resolution for Your Home?

casasugar — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:22:00 -0800

I have a laundry list of chores and renovations to get done and furnishings to buy to perk up my home this year. A part of me thinks I always will, but some have higher priority than others. For example, my kitchen is aching for a new paint job, and I'm on a never-ending hunt for the perfect console table. Tell me in the comments: What's your New Year's resolution for your home?

Source

Before and After: A Squeezed-In Staircase

casasugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:00:03 -0800

Designers Gabriella Gustafson & Mattias Ståhlbom from TAF were commissioned by a family in Stockholm, Sweden, to create a staircase in this cramped space.

To see the designers' surprising solution, just

Houseboat Beautiful

casasugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 03:42:15 -0800

Over four years, Todd Biernacki and his wife Krissy renovated their small houseboat on Seattle's Lake Union to make room for their growing family. While the family saved money by using salvaged and recycled materials and doing the majority of the work themselves, they also splurged on items such as huge windows and skylights, which in turn would help save money down the road by cutting down on electricity use, thanks to the natural sunlight they'd provide. Overall, the addition cost them $250,000.

To find out details about this renovation as well as to see a gallery of photos, just

DIY: Painting Your Kitchen Cabinets

casasugar — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 12:50:01 -0700

Day-lab DIY posted before and after photos of the process of painting her kitchen cabinets, along with simple instructions for her readers to do the same. She went for '40s style inspired green cabinets with a white trim. The photos are so inspiring, especially for those of us burdened with dingy '60s cabinets, and not intimidating in the least. So, I thought I'd pass this project along.

Oil-based paint is the suggested paint of choice because it provides a lasting coat that won't peel off over time. If you're on a budget you can go for acrylic latex paint, but at least get a semi-gloss.

Here are the steps:

Remove the cabinet doors completely.
Remove the hardware.
Sand the cabinets until no glossy sheen is left.
Clean well with tack cloth.
Prime with a latex primer (i.e. Klitz).
Paint three coats of latex paint onto the cabinet surfaces and trims (i.e. green and white), or 2 coats of oil-based paint.
After the final coats dry, apply three clear protective coats of Polycrylic (if you used latex).

For more photos, tips and details on fixing your ugly cabinets,