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What You're Wanting, Revealed: An Outdoor Dining Room For Adrian's Castle

casasugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:00:54 -0800

For the latest what you're wanting, I asked you how you'd furnish, accessorize, and style an outdoor dining room for Adrian Brody and Spanish girlfriend Elsa Pataky's stone castle-like house in upstate New York. The house is stunning, so I'm sure a basic picnic in the grass would still be glamorous, but AudreyStar really took the challenge and ran with it. So she wins the Sugar swag of her choice as a reward! Not only did she choose colors and materials that created a cohesive space, but she thought about all of the details of what a great outdoor space should have, including everything from lounge seating to festive napkin rings. To see her look,

Midday Muse: Cue Your Color

casasugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:00:02 -0700

On beautiful Summer days, it's always convenient to have a furnished outdoor lounge area for entertaining, or just taking an escape of your own. If you have such a space, and you're anything like yours truly, you feel the urge to decorate the space just as you would the interior of your home. But, a part of me feels like the last thing I should be doing during my carefree endless Summer is worrying about coordinating colors and themes, etc. So, my suggestion to y'all is to take a cue from what's already there. I love how the owners of this home decided to coordinate their lounge space with the light-blue color of their home's exterior walls. With a simple blue, purple, and white striped rug, a set of white furniture, and some cool blue napkins, the space looks composed yet effortless.
Source

Su Casa: A Beach Backyard to Die For

casasugar — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Su Casa member Scolls1583 recently snapped some photos at a friend's beach house party in Boston, and was so impressed she decided to share! She says that the host basically built his backyard area "from the ground up . . . put in a pool, built a bar, and decorated with great furniture." I'm certainly wowed by this home; it looks like the perfect place to entertain during an endless Summer. Aside from the obvious coveted Summer features (pool and beach), he's set up plenty of comfortable seating for all of his guests, what looks like a firepit or grill (in foreground), a volleyball net (not shown), and a beer pong table. Can anyone say PARTY?! If you're interested in posting pictures of superb pads like this, make sure to join my Su Casa group!

How-To: Be the Hostess With the Eco Mostess

casasugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:00:38 -0700

Want to learn how to make your Summer soirees a little more eco friendly? Elizabeth Rogers, the best-selling author of The Green Book, recently gave me some tips for throwing parties that won't negatively impact the planet. So many times when we're busy organizing a backyard bash or a big dinner party, we forget the impact that all of our disposable cups and plastic party favors can have on the environment. But not to fear! Just because you're keeping the earth in mind doesn't mean that your party has to be any less fun. In fact, it can be even more so — and these tips are even budget friendly! Elizabeth recommends that, "While preparing for your party, stop by a local swap meet or thrift store for fun vintage items you can reuse all summer long."

Want to hear Elizabeth's smart entertaining tips? Then

DIY: A Terra-Cotta Fountain

casasugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:30:51 -0700

It's safe to say that I'm a little obsessed with water features in gardens. Whether it's a koi pond or a granite fountain, I'm all for it. So, when I found this Martha Stewart post on making a backyard fountain out of economical materials, I knew that it would be a hit with Casa readers. You can even make it more eco chic by using gray water for the water in your fountain.

What You'll Need

Three terra-cotta pots that can stack top to bottom, as seen in the photo and diagram, for the inside body of your fountain
Two supporting pots
Foam sealant (even better, use a green foam sealant)
One-inch diameter plastic tubing, a little shorter than the height of your pots (you can trim it after you've built the fountain)
Water pump
A power cord that will connect to the pump
Flow-control valve
Terra-cotta feet for the bottom pot

To find out how to make it,

Get the Look: Jennifer Carpenter's Tipi

casasugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 05:30:35 -0700

In the current issue of O at Home, actress Jennifer Carpenter shares photos of her Laurel Canyon home, which was redecorated by Jennifer's friend Ariel Ashe, an interior designer with the firm Ashe + Leandro.

While I loved the entire home design, my eyes kept coming back to this cool tipi in Jennifer's backyard. In the article, Jennifer admits, "That was my idea. I always wanted a yurt."

When I was growing up, my family used a traditional tipi as an alternative structure for camping on our land, and I can vouch for their comfort. Although a traditional tipi would look too hippie in Jennifer's colorful, modern space, the updated tipi, which uses the Hable Construction Big Beads outdoor fabric in Java, is absolutely perfect.

To hear Ariel's tips for relaxed, easy living,

Eco Chic: Doreen Westhphal's Plantable Lounge Chair

casasugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:45:56 -0700

I would love to plant this chair in a rather drab section of a patio or garden, as it would really contribute a conversation piece to your outdoor entertaining. Called — yes, it's true — "Let´s Grow Some Balls!", this chair combines a lounge chair with a plant container, and the entire thing is made of recycled plastic. Pretty cool, huh? Designer Doreen Westphal presented the chair at the Object in April of this year at the Salone Internazionale de Mobile as part of the Tuttobene exhibition.
For another look at the chair,

Before and After: Haze's Highly Covetable Patio

casasugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 07:00:49 -0700

Su Casa member Haze, who's proven herself again and again to be a most creative and talented lady, has wowed me yet again with the patio that she and her husband DC renovated. This photo shows what they started with. To see the fabulous results, read more!

If Money Weren't an Issue . . .

casasugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 07:00:33 -0700

. . . Would you buy this Sonoma Fireplace ($7,500) for outdoor entertaining?

If Money Weren't an Issue . . .

Definitely. That would look amazing in my backyard.

Maybe, if I had somewhere to put it!

No way, it's not my style.

Other, I'll tell you in the comments.

Love It or Hate It? Palmetto Honey All-Weather Wicker Egg Chair

casasugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 07:00:13 -0700

I'm on the fence on this one, readers. It's kind of cool, but it's also bizarrely spacepod-like, down to the porthole "windows" on the sides. The Palmetto Honey All-Weather Wicker Egg Chair ($1,299) is water-repellent, weather-resistant, and made from a durable-aluminum frame covered in wicker. Can you see its charm, or is it just too odd for you?

Love It or Hate It? Palmetto Honey All-Weather Wicker Egg Chair

Love It

Hate it

Undecided

In the News: An Inspiring Outdoor Space

casasugar — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:15:28 -0700

Since Summer is soon on its way, it's natural to think about creating functional, beautiful outdoor spaces where you can entertain and relax. In a recent LA Times article by Debra Prinzing, a family does just this, using repurposed, recycled, and found objects. Greta and Mike Jarvis, along with their daughter Annika, were tired of the awkward, unused backyard at their Manhattan Beach home, so Greta, an adept flea marketer, decided to transform their 30-x-40-foot backyard into something more family friendly. They started by getting rid of a small, underused grassy area, as well as their unused hot tub. By expanding the doors that led to the backyard, they also made the space more accessible.

To see what materials they used,

Nice and New: Ikea Ange Chair

casasugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 05:30:07 -0700

Ikea's new Ange Chair ($129) may look like it's made of rattan, but it's actually made of twisted paper. And lest you doubt the strength of paper, I should note that I used to have a bench made from twisted paper, and it was pretty darn strong (at least, it held up under the weight of a couple of ladies lounging on it on a Spring afternoon). I think a few of these would look great on a patio or deck. The twisted paper is covered with a clear acrylic lacquer, so it should be somewhat weather resistant, though I wouldn't push my luck: If it looks like Spring showers, bring this baby inside.

Crave Worthy: Botanist Flora Cocktail Table

casasugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:00:29 -0700

Designed by Dario Antonioni and Brandon Lynne, the Botanist Flora Cocktail Table ($1,899) is a sleek choice for a number of design settings — including a chic poolside party. I'm particularly fond of how the floral designs balance the minimalist, modern lines of the table. Also good to know: the aluminum frame of this table, which is reinforced with a welded structural base means that the piece is both light and durable, so much so that it can be used as a bench, too. If you love this style but can't quite swing the price tag on this piece, check out these acrylic floral side tables.

How To: Make a Last-Minute Outdoor Fireplace

casasugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:15:33 -0800

One fun aspect to Winter house parties is adding an outdoor element to the festivities. For instance, at a party we threw last weekend, we realized that most of the guests would probably want to spend some time outside. Given that the temperatures were dipping into the high 30s, though, we knew they'd also want to have some source of heat. Lacking a chiminea and unwilling to purchase one without thoroughly researching it first, we decided to DIY a last-minute solution.

To find out how we did it, just

Crave Worthy: Beach Burner Recycled Steel Fire Pit

casasugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:37:32 -0700

Elegant fire pits are essential for outdoor entertaining at the end of summer, so I simply had to share this Beach Burner Recycled Steel Fire Pit ($449) from Etsy seller John T. Unger.

Each of Unger's one-of-a-kind bowls is made from 100 percent recycled materials, and the 24-inch basins are both sturdy and portable, so you could take yours to the beach or just move it around the backyard. And, as the Etsy page notes, the flame cut-outs would make great rests for marshmallow sticks.

via Hostess With the Mostess

Love It or Hate It? Outdoor Incense from Sprout Home

casasugar — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:00:00 -0700

I love Sprout Home, but these Outdoor Incense Sticks ($18.50 for 10) are puzzling to me. The 16 scents are designed for outdoor entertaining, but I feel like it takes away from one of the major benefits of being outside, which is enjoying the fresh air. What do you think?

Love It or Hate It? Outdoor Incense from Sprout Home

Love It

Hate It

Undecided

Good, Better, Best: Elegant Fire Pits

casasugar — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:25:11 -0700

It's already August, but that doesn't mean you have to stop entertaining in the backyard. All you need to transition from hot Summer days to cooling-off nights is a good outdoor fire pit. These have become incredibly popular in recent years, but some of them are a bit too tacky and down-home looking for my taste. Here, I've rounded up three sleek and elegant fire pits to fit any budget.

Good: The Frontgate 40" Copper Fire Pit ($299) keeps things simple and traditional, with a broad shallow bowl for firewood and a wrought-iron stand.

For two even better options,

Casa's Must Haves for August

casasugar — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:26 -0700

It's a busy month for travelers, but ever since I was a kid, August has also been one of my favorite months to spend at home. There's just something about the days getting shorter that makes me want to lounge about and make the most of the remaining warm days. So for my must haves this month, I'm eyeing home finds that will let me enjoy a few more outdoor evenings and get excited to move back inside.

I've just discovered — and become smitten with — this Bola Floating Water Torch ($5. These would be a perfect way to add some extra light to a late Summer BBQ.
For a similar look indoors, I'm loving the Tom Dixon Copper Shade Pendant ($450) that just arrived at Design Within Reach.
I've got a stack of Summer reading I still need to get through, and this Pottery Barn Chesapeake Hammock ($89 to $99) will be the perfect place to finish it.
I wasn't kidding when I said I had a coral fixation, and the Alessio Emma Silvestris Mediterraneo Fruit Basket ($65) is particularly hard to resist.
Finally, I won't mind the cooling weather if I can crawl into the divine new Missoni Home Collection Irvin Bed Linen Set ($48 to $435), which includes everything from pillows to duvet covers.

Love It or Hate It? Pig Parts Ham Stand

casasugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:00:12 -0700

I don't usually endorse food serving implements that remind me where my meat comes from, but for some reason, I love this Pig Parts ham stand ($24). It would be a quirky and cute addition to an outdoor party, and it looks practical too. What do you think?

Love It or Hate It? Pig Parts Ham Stand

Love It

Hate It

Undecided

String Lights: Illuminate Your Summer

casasugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:58:38 -0700

White holiday lights, when used tastefully, can be a good outdoor adornment year-round. But string lights are such a bargain, why not buy yourself a special set for Summer?

These outdoor accessories add an elegant effect to al fresco dining, and depending on the style you choose, string lights can give your patio an entirely new vibe, from Euro cafe style to down-home charm. Here are five of my favorite string lights for Summer.

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Good, Better, Best: Portable Grills

casasugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:30:43 -0700

Warm weather really makes me want to get out of the kitchen, so thank goodness for portable grills that let me take my kitchen with me. When it comes to barbecuing outdoors, your choices range from cheap and disposable to expensive and luxurious, and all three of these grills cook up very tasty meat.

Good: When my friends and I gathered recently for a picnic in the park, one Weber grill devotee admitted that the sausages cooked on this Grill-N-Go Disposable Charcoal Grill ($8.99) tasted just as good as his. Plus, this version is lightweight and cleans up in a snap.

For two even better portable grills,

Good, Better, Best: Outdoor Party Coolers

casasugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:00:02 -0700

Whether you're lounging solo by the pool or hosting a massive backyard bash, warm beer is not going to be well received. These outdoor party coolers will keep massive quantities of beverages very cold, and they're way more stylish than your typical foam-core Igloo. Here are three choices to suit three different budgets.

Good: You'll have the essentials covered with this insulated Coleman Stainless Steel Party Cooler ($169.99), which sits pretty on a chic stand and doubles as a drink dispenser.

For two even better versions,