CasaSugar -- Home sweet home.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:00:15 -0800

This ornate pair of cypress wood Chinese Window Panels ($3,750) originally had an architectural (yet decorative) purpose in 19th century China. But, their greek key pattern, which is very popular these days, certainly gives the screen a sort of à la mode flair. I'd love to see them used in a home's interior, rather than its structure, and I'm wondering what ideas you have for them. I'm thinking they'd look quite unique used as a great headboard, coffee-table top, mirror frame, or even a hanging pot rack. The possibilities are endless. What are your thoughts? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 08:30:13 -0700

This adorable Jeu de Quilles (Bowling) Set ($575), designed to look like toy soldiers, is from 1940s France. With only nine pins left, it's probably a bit difficult to play a genuine bowling game. So, I'd like you to think outside of the alley and tell me how you'd use the set in your home as décor or a furnishing. If you're handy or know a good carpenter, you could certainly transform them into a playful and interesting furniture piece, by perhaps using the pins as legs for a table or arms for a shelf. Or, you might even hang them from the ceiling as a chandelier. I'd love to use them as small fence posts, or pedestals for outdoor candles. Tell me how you'd use them in your home by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:30:04 -0700

This set of four, brass-studded, Leather Bound Trunks ($15,000) likely once served as travel storage for a sophisticated lady on a worldly voyage like Angelina Jolie in Changeling. But, as these How Would Yous tend to go, I'm not interested in offering up suitcases to you. I want to know how you'd use these elegant antique suitcases in your home as décor. Would you use one as a coffee table? Stack them beside a reading chair as a side table? Turn them into planters? Hang them on the wall? Turn them into pet beds? Paint them? Fill them with old love letters? I know you can come up with a creative use for these ancient beauties. Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 08:15:57 -0700

This Solid Aluminum Work Desk ($1,450) was used by the US military in the 1950s. But I doubt many of you are interested in furnishing military offices. An unusual furnishing, the surface facing the desk has a row of four hooks and 20 clips, and several small cubby holes to store odds and ends, which I would assume were used in some sort of ultra-efficient military organization system. It also has three drawers with shiny red handles. Personally, I don't think I'd get much work done staring at a big shiny aluminum wall (I prefer a window, thank you), but I do like the industrial look of it. This desk might come in handy in other areas of the home, though. I'd love to use it in the kitchen as a cutting board surface, storing utensils in the drawers, and clipping recipes to the backsplash and hanging my tea towels on the hooks. Or, I might use it to add personality and function to my hallway, hanging my hats on the hooks, clipping reminder notes for myself there, setting my shoes on the lower shelf, and stashing bills in the drawers. How about you? How would you use this desk in your home? Would you use it in the office? In the kitchen? Foyer? Would you paint it or leave it as is? Would you leave the casters on? Would use it in your garden work shed or some other area? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:30:00 -0700

This Wrought Iron Gate ($650) from Italy in the 1900s has clearly seen better days, and might detract from your home's curb appeal if you set it in front of your lawn. But despite its wear and tear, its slightly bent out of shape fleur-de-lys spires, missing pieces, and rusted exterior give it a visually interesting and much-loved architectural quality. So, for this challenge, I'd like you to tell me how you'd use it in (or outside of) your home, other than as a gate. Would you hang it up as wall décor? Would you lean it against a wall as a sculpture? Would you turn it into a dining table, using an iron base and a glass top? Would you paint it? Would you use it as a headboard? Hang lights from it as a chandelier? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 06:15:15 -0700

Would you like a little horsing around with your gin and tonic? This Fredrick Weinberg Horse Shaped Drink Trolley ($950) will definitely add some eccentricity to your home bar.

For this challenge, I'd like you to tell me how you'd use this cart in your home. Would you up its kitsch factor with more equine-themed accents? Would you repaint it? What room would it look best in? Would it work for a children's playroom? What would you store on it? Tell me in the comments below!
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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 08:30:00 -0700

These Giant Orgy Letters ($1,800), which are actually Goodyear Tire sign letters from the 1940s, might give your mother a heart attack if you displayed them as-is in (or outside) your home. But, let's not do that, okay? For this challenge, I'd like you to tell me how you'd use the (ahem) excessively indulgent letters as décor without inflicting cardiac arrest on your relatives and neighbors. Would you rearrange them? Paint them? Separate them? Would you hang them? Lay them down? Mix in other letters? Turn them into furniture so they're less legible? Keep them indoors or outside? Or is there just no way José that you'd ever own them? You know typography is trendy these days . . .

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:30:34 -0700

This Swedish Pier Mirror ($3,900) would bring a touch of shabby chic to any interior. Decorated with a frieze of molded swags of fruit and foliage, this mirror might look lovely in your entry in its current condition.

But let's not be boring, shall we? For this challenge, I'd like you to tell me how you'd liven up this piece. What would you use? Paint? Wallpaper? Mosaic tiles? Gold leaf? What type of objects or art would complement it? In which room do you imagine it hanging? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:09:35 -0700

This Silver Leaf Decorative Object (contact dealer for price) is eye-catching even in this photo, with its drab gray background. Made in the 1950s, it stands three feet tall and two feet wide, so it's bigger than you might expect.
So for this challenge, I'd like you to tell me how you'd use this unique sculptural object. Would you use it as art? Hang anything from it? What room do you imagine it taking center stage in? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 05:30:45 -0700

This folky, colorful game board — for God-knows-what game — was originally used in 19th century America and will cost you a whopping $2,250. If I wanted to play a board game, I'd go for a round of Scrabble, honestly. But obviously, the appeal of this piece for many is its antiquity. The colors are beautiful, though, and it seems to be in great condition.
So, for this challenge, I'd like you to tell me how you'd use this antique game board in your home. Would you turn it into a table? Use it as a tray? A shelf? Simply use it as décor? Turn it into a headboard? A cabinet door? Have its pattern printed onto tiles? Tell me by commenting below! Bonus points for anyone who can figure out what game the board is for.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:00:11 -0700

These 48-drawer Swimming Pool Basket Lockers ($600) were once the keepers of some groovy retro swimsuits and certainly not produced for home storage. But they've got a great industrial-style look to them that I think is worthy of personal use. In the past, the dealer's customers used the lockers to store vegetables, sewing supplies, porno (!), and socks. Unless you're the Brady Bunch, you probably have no need to store 48 wet swimsuits. So for the next round of this challenge, I'd like you take a look at this locker and tell me how you'd use it in your home. What would you store in it? Clothes? Veggies? Swimwear? Would you use it for a purpose other than storage (perhaps to conceal a secret door)? Would you leave the painted steel bluish gray or paint it? Would you paint it yourself or have it powdercoated? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 08:30:13 -0700

For the next round of this challenge, I'd like you to take a look at this French Mountain Region Sculptural Dog Chair ($7500). Hand carved in 1910, this piece of furniture is unusual, to say the least. It's made from walnut, and by the looks of it seems quite substantial. I think this odd chair could really make an impact in the right interior.

So, my question for you is how would you use this canine chair in your home? What room would serve it best? What other accents or furniture pieces would help it to blend into a room? Or would you want it to stand front and center? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:00:43 -0700

For the next round of this challenge, I'd like you to take a look at this Pair of Sheep Sculptures (sold). These 1960s Dollys were made with real angora in the manner of one of the art world's most original designer-sculptors, Claude Lalanne. LaLanne and his wife Francois-Xavier are a sculpting and industrial designing pair known for their Surrealist and Realist objets d'art, like these life-size furry creatures that Coco Chanel kept in her living room. The French couple have been collaborating for 50 years, but have recently become hotter than ever in the States, with their pieces selling for big bucks at auction houses like Sotheby's, an English language book on their work published and a major New York exhibition of their work last year. So, my question for you is how would you use these LaLanne imitation sculptures in your home? Would you leave them as is as art pieces? Would you put hats on them in your front window to give passersby a smirk? Would you even buy them if you could afford to? Would you use them as a coat rack at parties? Hang your beret on their muzzles? Use one as a doorstop? Keep the in a kids' room? Tell me how you envision these sheep in your home by commenting below!
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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 08:19:02 -0700

. . . create an outdoor room? These two images show homes that have successfully re-created the feeling of indoors, outdoors. How would you do so in your home? What furnishings and accents would you use? What indoor items that you own could you bring outdoors? What would you buy? What colors would you use?
Tell me by commenting below!
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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 08:36:18 -0700

For the next round of this challenge, I'd like you to look at this Canopy Bed Attributed to Phyllis Morris ($15,000). It was built in the 1970s and has been painted a matte white. Now, this thing just screams "tacky" to me (unfortunately high price tags do not equal high style). So, my challenge to you is to class this bed up. How could you make it more elegant? Would you paint it? Get rid of the canopy? What type of linens would you dress it in? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 25 May 2008 08:38:05 -0700

For the next round of this challenge, I'd like you to look at this Museum Replica of a Masosaur ($7,500). It was built in the 1970s in the US and dequisitioned from San Francisco's Academy of Science. It's the identical model of a masosaur in New York's Natural History Museum, and both are cast from the only intact skeleton ever found. How could you fit this six-foot-long statue into your home? Would you hang it? Would you gift it to your favorite paleontologist? Where would it work best? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 18 May 2008 08:27:43 -0700

For the next round of this challenge, I'd like you to look at this Decorative Crystal Glass Ware ($550) from the Czech Republic. Now, imagine that you've been asked to integrate this glass ware into the decorating scheme of a good friend's bridal shower. How could you use this crystal glass ware at a shower? Yes, they'd be great as vases, but how would you make them stand out? What else could you use them for? How might you change them to really amaze the guests and bride-to-be? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:00:04 -0700

There's something so sweet about this early 19th century Spanish Colonial Cage Santo ($7500). It features the original boat shaped cage base, inset glass eyes, articulated arms that are jointed at the shoulders and elbow, tiny hair eyelashes, and a silver crown, and stands almost two feet tall.

How could you integrate this Spanish Colonial Cage Santo into your home? Where would you put it? How would you cover up the cage? Or would you? Would you use it to display something? Or is this Santo too religious for you to display? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 04 May 2008 08:21:41 -0700

The original use of this set of Over-sized Vintage Painted Cages ($200) from the 1960s is unknown. But, they have a cheerful, carnival quality that could brighten up many homes. The possibilities for their use is endless; I'm seeing them hung as pendant shades in a long, narrow hallway, grouped to create a large chandelier, or perhaps strung from the trees as garden party décor. But, this post isn't about me is it? I want to know how you would use them in your home. Would you give them a function? Use them as lighting? Actually use them as birdcages? Or simply use them as décor? How would you temper their color, and keep them from overwhelming the eye? Or would you paint them to match your color scheme? Tell me by commenting below!

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 08:07:34 -0700

Perhaps it's my love of Creole townhouses that has made me a sucker for scroll work, but I simply can't help myself when confronted with any wrought-iron intricacies. This Plant Stand ($4,500) from mid-19th century France is no exception; its shabby chic, white, wrought-iron scroll work and elegant basketweave details have completely swept me off my feet. Of course the two-tiered plant stand is parfait for Good to Grow month, but I'd love to give it more attention in my home somehow, make it a focal point.

For this latest How Would You, I'd like you to think about how you would fill this belle of the ball. How would you make this eye-catcher a focal point in your home? Would you use it as a plant stand in an unusual place? Hang it from the ceiling? Turn it into a chandelier? Top it with glass as a coffee table? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd plant this antique stand.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:35:13 -0700

What do you think of this 1940s marquetry cabinet ($9,000)? Made from exotic woods, this Swedish Symbolist 1940s cabinet features exquisitely detailed vernacular imagery in marquetry of various exotic woods. It reminds me of a midcentury fairy tale, told with wood tones instead of pen and paper.

For this latest How Would You, I'd like you to think about how you would integrate this fanciful cabinet into your home. What room would it be appropriate in? What would your housemates or significant other think about it? What would you fill it with. Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd use this beauty.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:39:00 -0700

Blame it on my affection for Shakespeare plays and Greek myths, but I'm a sucker for satyrs. This Bronze Italian Planter ($5,800) features three cloven-hoofed satyrs supporting the intricately detailed bowl. I think it would look super amazing in a formal garden, but the question is, what would you fill it with?

For this latest How Would You, I'd like you to think about how you would fill this bronze planter. Would you fill it with purple violas? Pink asters? Maybe some long, trailing plants? Or maybe you will fill it with something absolutely unexpected. Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd plant this bronze beauty.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:00:48 -0700

These Grand Tour Sienna Marble Tubs ($8,500) from Bond and Bowery are from 19th century Italy, and each one, measuring 14"W X 6"D X 6"H, is modeled after a Roman tub. They are, in essence, just pieces of art, but I can think of plenty of uses for them in my home off the top of my head.
For the latest How Would You I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find some creative ways to repurpose this pair of antique marble tubs. How would you use it in your home? In what room? For what purpose? Would you use them for storage? For décor? Add anything to them? Paint or refinish them? Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd fit these objets d'art into your home.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 05:26:55 -0700

Happy Easter! Did someone in your family or circle of friends receive a cute basket from the Easter Bunny today? If so, I bet all of you eco-savvy Casa readers aren't going to just throw that basket out. Instead, think about how you could reuse it!

For this latest How Would You post, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find some creative ways to repurpose a woven Easter basket. How would you use it in your home? In what room? For what purpose? Would you use it for holding bath products? For craft projects? For jewelry? Add anything to it? Repaint or refinish? Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd fit a woven Easter basket in your home.

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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 08:00:39 -0700

This French Apothecary Shop Chest ($8,800) is the kind of cool storage unit I dream about. Dating from the 1880s and containing 50 drawers, I get excited just thinking about all of the baubles you could fill it with.

So, for this latest How Would You post, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find some creative ways to repurpose this chest. How would you use it in your home? In what room? For what purpose? Would you use it for filing? For craft projects? For jewelry? Add anything to it? Repaint or refinish? Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd fit this French apothecary shop chest in your home.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 05:57:54 -0700

Dating back to the 1920s, this Pair of Bindery Carts ($1,750) from Bond and Bowery are a rare and interesting find. These super-strong carts were once used to ferry books and paper around binderies. But, as you may have suspected, I am not in the business of sourcing furniture for publishers.

So, for this latest How Would You post, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find some creative ways to repurpose this unusual, but handsome, pair of objects. How would you use them in your home? In what room? For what purpose? Would you leave them right side up or turn them on their sides? Remove the wheels? Deconstruct them all together? Add anything to them? What would you put on them? Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd fit these cool carts in your home.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 05:09:46 -0800

Imported from Paris, this 1950s Glaces Cart ($3,800) is a fun and unusual find. Whether you have a thing for ice cream street vendors or just crave unusual element in your home or garden, this cart will fit the bill.

So, for this latest How Would You post, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find some creative ways to repurpose this admittedly unusual object. Could you fit it in your home? How about your garden? Maybe you could send your kids out to start their first business? Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd fit this ice cream cart into your home or garden.
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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:31:27 -0800

These Argentina Seltzer Bottles (inquire for price) come in cool jewel tones and are just waiting to be put to good use.

If you'll remember from the last few How Would You posts, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find some creative ways to repurpose these cool bottles. How would you decorate with them to give them new life? Would you put anything in them? Where in your house would they work the best? Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd decorate with these seltzer bottles in your home.

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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 05:13:03 -0800

This 1820s Northern Sweden Settee ($6,435) has great bones and a charmingly worn patina. It's a little stark though.

If you'll remember from the last few How Would You posts, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find some creative ways to spruce up this worn-out antique settee. How would you dress it up to give it a new life? What would you do with the wooden frame? Are there any textiles or pillows that would make this demure wallflower pop onto center stage? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put it or how you'd make this settee work in your home.

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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:45:00 -0800

This 1960s-era music stand (contact dealer for price) is attributed to famed designer George Nakashima. I love how malleable it looks already.

If you'll remember from the last few How Would You posts, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find alternate uses for traditional home accents and furniture pieces. How would you adapt this gorgeous wooden music stand so it's used in an unusual way? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put or how you'd uniquely use this stand in your home.
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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:00:22 -0800

Since I've got skateboard-inspired furniture on my mind, I figured I'd ask you to turn a basic skateboard into furniture or décor in your home. Your furniture vision can include as many skateboards as you like, so long as they're the main attraction. For inspiration, check out this skateboard turned art (fifth photo down), and see PBteen's collection of skateboard wheel finials, as well as the skateboard row of hooks and the shelf below.

Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put or how you'd uniquely use a skateboard (or skateboards) as furniture or décor in your home.

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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:20:13 -0800

I am a big fan of fountains, Moroccan style, and tilework, so how could I resist showing you this fountain? This Moroccan wall fountain ($1250) would look stunning in an outdoor setting. However, I'm not interested in its use as a garden or courtyard element. If you'll remember from the last few How Would You posts, that's not how this Casa post works. Instead, I'm asking you to think outside the home-decorating box and find alternate uses for traditional home accents and furniture pieces.

How would you adapt this wall fountain so it's used in an unusual way? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put or how you'd uniquely use this fountain your home.
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Recap: How Would You...

casasugar — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:00:05 -0800

In a recent How Would You post, I asked you to rework these hand-carved spoons so they serve a different decorating or practical function in your home. You came up with a handful of creative suggestions to give these beautiful spoons a new purpose, that would work well with other decorative spoons you have laying around your house.

Historygal3 has a similar set in her home from Mali. She says, "They're on display on my bookcase with a handcarved bowl I also bought in Africa."
Emo_stacer was joking when she said, "Put them into a nautical theme and have them take the place of the crossed oars." But actually, I think it's a great idea!
Sweetpeabrina says, "I would mount these on the wall in my kitchen and use them to hang kitchen utensils from."
Aimeeb suggested using them as cabinet hardware.
Wakeupandora suggested hanging dish towels and oven mitts from them.
HWJ suggested creating a "a Calder-esque mobile" with them.
Biochemlovely wrote, "I would attach them together at the end of the thin parts, and use them as frames for photographs."
And last but not least, PrincessTracy wrote, "I would arrange them (with some other items of color to brighten it up) in a glass top display table."

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:49:55 -0800

According to a recent New York Times article, cowhide rugs, which "brought an appealing touch of the natural world into too many modern homes this year," have gone from trendy to passé due to the "democratization of design." However, I'm not interested in their use as a floor covering. If you'll remember, the last few How Would You posts, that's not how this Casa post works. Instead, I'm asking you to think outside the home-decorating box and find alternate uses for traditional home accents and furniture pieces.

How would you use a cowhide rug so the Times can't call it square? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put or how you'd uniquely use this rug in your home.
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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 11:07:18 -0800

These spoons (price unlisted), designed by Kirsten Hecktermann, are carved from local managed hardwoods from East Africa by wood carvers in Kirsten's father's workshop in Kilifi. I love their unique shape and the story behind them. But, they're so beautiful, so I wouldn't dare to toss them in a draw with my spatulas. If you'll remember, the last few How Would You posts, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find alternate uses for traditional home accents and furniture pieces.

How would you rework these hand-carved spoons so they serve a different decorating or practical function in your home? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put these beauties.

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 08:00:34 -0800

This circa-1775 Irish silver cake ring ($7500) was crafted by John Craig, and is obviously more money than most people would ever spend on a cake ring (or most household accessories). However, we're not interested in using this item as a cake ring. If you'll remember, the last few How Would You posts, that's not how this Casa post works. Instead, I'm asking you to think outside the home-decorating box and find alternate uses for traditional home accents and furniture pieces.

How would you rework this antique cake server so it serves a different decorating or practical function in your home? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put this ornate piece.

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How Would You . . .

casasugar — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 15:03:02 -0800

This stunning eighteenth-century Spanish double door ($12,80, available on 1st Dibs, is meant for, yes, a doorway. But if you'll remember the last How Would You, that's not how this Casa post works. Instead, I'm asking you to think outside the home-decorating box and find alternate uses for traditional home accents and furniture pieces.

How would you rework this antique Spanish door so it serves a different decorating or practical function in your home? Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put this gorgeous door in your home.

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Your Clever Uses Revealed!

casasugar — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 07:00:34 -0800

Last week I asked you to rework these cast-iron greyhound andirons so they served a different decorating or practical function in your home. Andirons are horizontal iron bars upon which logs are laid for burning in an open fireplace. However, I wanted to know how you could see these employed in an alternate use in your home.

I was so impressed with your creative ideas!

krEnElk thought "they'd make really cool table legs, either for like a coffee table or a sidebar!"
msdyanelk, who was not a fan, said, "I'd actually rework these by throwing them in the nearest trash dumpster!"
ginafly said she'd "paint them with Rustoleum in some funky color and try to incorporate them into a garden."
plus_2_kid would employ them as "really really big bookends."

To see more creative uses, just

How Would You . . .

casasugar — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 08:21:37 -0800

I love to use traditional home accents in nontraditional places, as do many interior designers. Based on that concept, I'm introducing a new Casa feature called How Would You . . . that asks you to think outside the home-decorating box and find alternate uses for traditional home accents and furniture pieces.

How would rework these cast-iron greyhound andirons so they served a different decorating or practical function in your home? Andirons are horizontal iron bars upon which logs are laid for burning in an open fireplace. However, I'd like to know how you could see these employed in an alternate use in your home.

Leave a comment below and let me know where you'd put these art deco-era andirons into your home.
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