CasaSugar -- Home sweet home.

Open House: Seasonal Storage

casasugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:00:35 -0700

It may be officially Fall, but depending on where you live in the country, you may still be spending your time outdoors enjoying the warmth of Summer weather. The temperature is about to drop though, and you'll soon be sporting all of your 2008 Fall apparel and heading indoors for your extracurricular activities. I'm curious though: What you do with your Summer gear when things get chilly? Do you pack up your short shorts and send them to the attic? Do you put your surf board and your tennis racket in storage? Do you pull your heavy sweaters out of a cedar closet? Or, do all of your seasonal possessions have a place in your home year-round? Tell me by commenting below!
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Do You Use Fly Tape?

casasugar — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:30:56 -0700

While absolutely unsightly, sometimes fly tape is necessary, especially in spots like porches and decks. Do you use it in your home?
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Do You Use Fly Tape?

Yes, it's a necessary evil.

Yes, but only as a last resort.

No way, it's too ugly and unsanitary!

Other, I'll tell you in the comments.

And the Winner Is . . .

casasugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:30:43 -0700

Want to know which lucky lady is the second of two winners in my Summer Style Contest? Then

Steal of the Day: CB2's Buena Park Chair

casasugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:45:25 -0700

Major steal alert: The CB2 Buena Park Chair has been massively marked down. Originally $169, this adorably modern version of a Luxembourg gardens chair is now only $39.95. I don't know how it can be this cheap, but I'm not about to start arguing about it. Instead, I'm going to order a couple of these posthaste, before you Casa readers snap up the rest of the stock. The Buena Park Chair comes with a weather-resistant polyester cushion, and its powder-coated black metal frame is rustproof. Perfect for your endless Summer reading, or for watching the leaves turn on Fall days.

Casa Verde: Save Energy While You Vacation

casasugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:00:00 -0700

Of course, you know that if you're going on vacation during this endless Summer, you don't need to use as much energy at home while you're away as you would normally. But, I thought I'd give you a few reminders about how to cut back your energy use while you're off soaking up the sun.

Most people like to leave some lights on to be safe, so you appear to be home even when you're not. If you live in a city or neighborhood where that's necessary, just put a couple of your lights (facing the street) on timers to go on at night so your house doesn't appear vacant, but isn't hogging energy all day long.
Aside from your refrigerator and freezer, you can turn off and unplug all of your major and smaller appliances. But, if you'll be gone for an extended period, consider emptying your fridge and freezer all together and unplugging them as well.

There's more where these came from, so

Casa Quickie: Cool Summer Sleeping

casasugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:00:37 -0700

Finding it hard to sleep on these hot August nights? To keep cool in a house without air conditioning, try this trick. Pop your pillow in a plastic bag, then stick it in your freezer. (A chest freezer offers the most room, and keeps your pillow from getting squished.) Then right before you go to bed, pull it out. You'll have a cool night of Summer sleep. Source

Do You Sleep Outside?

casasugar — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:30:00 -0700

When I was little, my whole family would sleep out on the deck on hot Summer nights. Not only was it fun, but it also kept us from overheating inside the house. As an adult, I've tried to recreate this family tradition by camping out in the backyard, and even spending a night or two in the hammock. Do you ever sleep outside on hot Summer nights? Source

Do You Sleep Outside?

Absolutely!

I've tried it once or twice.

Nope, never done it.

Other, I'll tell you in the comments.

Roundup: Summer Pillows

casasugar — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:30:55 -0700

To get some easy Summer-inspired style, turn up the volume with accent pillows. By choosing a brighter color than you usually would, you'll have instant Summer style. I've rounded up some bright and beachy Summer pillows to get you started.

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Show Me Your Summer Garden and Su Casa!

casasugar — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:00:25 -0700

How's your Summer garden growing? Is it as bountiful as mine? OK, I have a confession to make. This isn't actually my garden; it belongs to my brother and sister-in-law. I've been enjoying the fruits of their labor as I hang out at their farm, getting ready for my wedding.

Do you have anything popping up in your garden? Is your Summer home looking fresh? Show off all of your home views, both interior and exterior, in my group on TeamSugar called Su Casa, where readers can share snapshots and stories related to home decorating, crafts, organizing, and gardening.

A Su Casa post could be anything from a photo of a loved one's home to a tiny nook you're tickled by. Think of it as a Look Book for home style. If I see something I like in Su Casa, I might feature it on CasaSugar, so don't be surprised if you get an email from me!

To learn how to join and post in the group,

In The News: Where the Sidewalk Ends

casasugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:30:02 -0700

If you've ever lived in a large city, such as New York or Los Angeles, you know that space is at a premium, especially outdoor space. Yards are virtually unheard of, so what's a gal to do when she wants to dine al fresco? Why, take it outside — out to the sidewalk, that is. In a recent New York Times article, "The Dining Room Takes to the Streets," writer Penelope Green looks at a group of rather atypical rebels who assert their elbow room by dining on the sidewalks outside their homes or even in nooks atop the Brooklyn Bridge.

It turns out that hauling your dining table and chairs onto a sidewalk is actually perfectly legal. Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner of the Department of Transportation, says, “Public space is the glue that holds our city together and makes it worth living in . . . I always say the streets are the living rooms, so I guess that makes the sidewalks the front porches. We’re trying to remove the barriers to enjoying that space. The D.O.T.’s priority is safety. If someone wants to use the sidewalk for a casual dinner, they just have to be considerate of the neighbors.”

Andrew Henderson for the New York Times

Home Away From Home: A Sand Hotel in Weymouth

casasugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:30:52 -0700

The world's first sand hotel was recently constructed on Weymouth Beach in Weymouth, England. This gritty hotel features twin and double bedrooms, but don't count on reservations — rooms are strictly booked on a first-come, first-served basis. You can book a stay for a mere 10 pounds a night, and cash is the only accepted method of payment. The hotel was built with about 1,000 tons of sand over a period of eight days, with volunteers putting in 14-hour days to get the job done.

Would you stay in this open-air "hotel" if you were in Weymouth?
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Do You Have a Full House This Month?

casasugar — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 05:30:06 -0700

Between vacations, business trips, and wedding season, July is a busy time for many people. As much fun as it is to hop from the beach to the mountains to the weekend house and back, it can be tiring. So tell me, do you have a full house this month? Is your house crammed with guests or empty because everyone is traveling? Source

Do You Have a Full House This Month?

Yes, we're all home.

Yes, and I live alone!

We have some trips this month but are mostly all home.

Nope, we're overbooked!

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Midday Muse: It's All About the Candles

casasugar — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:00:03 -0700

This classic Swedish Summer house evokes a relaxed pastoralism synonymous with easy, rural Summer living. Yet it's also unmistakably stylish. Out of this entire photograph, though, what really catches my eye is the candelabra above the dining room table. The antlers that hang down seem to be reaching towards the deer candle below it on the table, creating a pleasing pairing. I particularly love the idea of forgoing the use of an electric chandelier for a candle-powered fixture. It's so romantic and Summer appropriate.

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DIY: Homemade Hammock

casasugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:00:51 -0700

Yesterday I told you about how I sewed a hammock for my backyard by riffing on instructions from the Getaway issue of ReadyMade magazine. If you want to get the exact instructions from the magazine, head down to your local bookstore and pick up a copy. In fact, I urge you to do so, as there are a ton of other cool Summer projects that will keep you occupied and crafting this month.

Want to get comfy in your own hammock? Then

Etsy Find: Summer Patchwork Quilt

casasugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:00:26 -0700

For me, there's nothing as romantic as a Summer evening picnic laid out on a handmade patchwork quilt. This quilt ($225), named "Poetry in the Summer," from Etsy seller Littlerosequilts, will fit the bill nicely. The name comes from the fact that most of the squares in the quilt are April Cornell's "Poetry" from Moda fabric line, with a few other types added for variety. For added romance, the quilt has ruffled edges and French binding, and at just over four feet square, there's just enough room to fit you and your potential (or actual) sweetheart and your picnic dinner. As far as I'm concerned, that cozy dimension is perfect for inviting some summertime smooching. What could be more romantic than that?

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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Nice and New: Cynthia Rowley For Target Steel Beverage Tub

casasugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:45:48 -0700

This past weekend's hot weather had me craving lemonade and frosty beer. The next time I throw a party, I'll throw ice and bottles into this Cynthia Rowley for Target Steel Beverage Tub ($12.99). Who can resist the funky fresh mix of Macintosh apple red and '80s throwback hot pink? A powdercoated finish makes this pretty tub weather resistant, and its handles enable it to be easily transported beach- or lakeside. But get yours online, because these cute tubs aren't available in stores.

In the News: Keeping Cool Without AC

casasugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 04:30:03 -0700

The magazine Scientific American recently answered a reader's question about how to turn down the heat without turning on your air conditioner, and I thought it was definitely information worth sharing. You can read the whole article here, but I've summarized most of the major points below.

The key to keeping cool is maintaining air flow over the skin's surface (also known as a breeze). Thus, "Instead of turning on that AC, see which direction the breeze is blowing outside (no matter how minimal it may be), and then open a few windows strategically to try to get it flowing through the house from end-to-end or side-to-side."
Use fans if the breeze isn't doing the job.
Even better, create a wind tunnel effect by positioning one fan near a window, to pull air in, and another by the other end of your house to suck hot air out.
If your house gets a lot of sunlight, keep the curtains and/or blinds closed to cut down on the heat gain that can happen with sunlight beating down on your interior space.
Turn off lights, too! While CFLs give off much less heat than incandescent bulbs, they still produce some heat.

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Do You Have a Swamp Cooler?

casasugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:30:41 -0700

A few years ago, I watched a contractor install a swamp cooler (also known as an evaporative cooler) on an elderly woman's roof. Her home, which had previously been uncomfortably, even dangerously hot, was given immediate relief when the evaporative cooler was turned on. Evaporative coolers work by drawing exterior air into special pads soaked with water. The air is cooled by evaporation, and then circulated throughout a room or home. Evaporative coolers, which work best in hot, dry climates, are significantly less expensive and more energy efficient to run than air conditioning units. Do you have one in your home? Source

Do You Have a Swamp Cooler?

Yes, and I love it.

I used to, but I don't anymore.

No.

I don't even know what this is! Tell me more!

How Are You Kicking Off Summer?

casasugar — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:25:11 -0700

Welcome to the first day of Summer! Are you spending your day at home? If so, what are you doing? Source

How Are You Kicking Off Summer?

I'm lounging around the yard.

I'm swimming in my pool.

I'm doing some gardening.

Home improvements for me!

Other, I'll tell you in the comments.

Where Do You Spend Time in the Summer?

casasugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:00:37 -0700

It's hard to keep me inside the house in the Summer. I'd rather throw a blanket on the grass in the backyard or host dinner on the deck. Where do you spend time around your home in the Summer? Source