FabSugar

Trend Alert: Woodsy Accessories

FabSugar — Mon, 14 May 2007 08:03:33 PDT

These woodsy accessories are right up any eco fashion lover's alley. It's funny how when mixed with gold or pretty shiny things wood can take on a whole new face - a face of luxury actually. Luxury that does a planet good. Now that is fashion at its best.

Devi Kroell Crystal Wooden Clutch, $1,390.

To see more,

read more Viktoria Hayman gold wood chain bracelet, $63.
Tracy Reese Gaucho, $370.

Get the Look: Brooke Shields's Modern-Traditional Living Room Mix

Elka Karl — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:00:36 PST

The lovely Brooke Shields just granted Architectural Digest an exclusive look at her Manhattan town house, and I'm in love with each room that's featured. While a portion of the article is on the site, be sure to pick up a copy of the March issue of Architectural Digest to read the entire fascinating exclusive. Shields worked with decorator David Flint Wood on her four-story Greenwich Village town house, mixing modern art and accents with beautiful antique furniture. My favorite photo is from Shields's living room, seen here.

One of the major focal points of the living room is the pair of Louis XVI-style armchairs. A great resource for antiques like this is 1stDibs.com, and I found a near match in these 19th century French Louis XVI-style chairs ($5,900).
Newly upholstered in a neutral linen, they'd become the centerpiece of any room in which they were placed.

Perhaps my favorite element of this room - although it's definitely hard to choose just one piece - is the original Keith Haring painting that was a gift to Brooke from Haring himself. While we can't all be so lucky, we can buy a similar print from Art.com. Untitled ($150), a print featuring three of Keith Haring's works, comes framed and ready to hang.

For the rest of the look - including the French Empire commode, the Lucite-base coffee table, and gilded gold frames - check out the widget below.

Vintage Gilded Gold Frame No 2 by lakesidecottage on Etsy	1STDIBS.COM - Mecox - Vintage Geometric Lucite Base Coffee Table
artnet Galleries: A bout de souffle, Paris, 1959 by Raymond Cauchetier from Polka Galerie	Large vintage detailed gold frame wood by jollytimeone on Etsy
artnet Galleries: Gabriella, 1995 by Michael Gesinger from Photography West Gallery	Lenox "Tuscany Classics" Martini Shaker Set $54 - Macy's
Decorative Bust $149 - Pottery Barn	1STDIBS.COM - Urban Archaeology - Neo-Classical White Marble Mantel
Morten Table Lamp $149 - west elm	Ethan Allen Pink roses with berries $149 - Ethan Allen
Kilimanjaro jute rug $284 - Kohl's	Red and White Decorative Pillows Geometric by PillowThrowDecor
1STDIBS.COM - Olivier Fleury Inc. - French Empire Fruitwood Commode or Chest of Drawers	1STDIBS.COM - Robuck & Co. Antiques, LTD. - A Piemontese Louis XVI Period Carved Walnut M/T Console Table

This $68,000 Speaker is Made of Diamonds and Magic

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:24:33 PST

CES is a place to find expensive gadgets and fine leather tech goods, but you may also stumble upon speakers made of diamonds and simulated wood grain products.

These $68,000 speakers were inspired by a flower in a wine bottle (you can see it now, can't you?), and were carefully crafted only after 3D mock-ups were perfected in a studio. Metal, leather, gold accents, and Russian diamonds cover the entirety of the speaker and accompanying subwoofer, while a brushed aluminum with floral accents keeps it standing upright.

You'll have to wait in line to get one of your own though, as the manufacturer, All Jack, hasn't released an availability date.

Madonna Pays Homage to Her Mother With New Truth or Dare Fragrance

Jaime Richards — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:08:00 PDT

It's official: Madonna is launching her first perfume. Dubbed Truth or Dare ($39 to $68) by Madonna, the scent pays homage to her 1992 documentary, Madonna: Truth or Dare, but it also pays homage to her mom, who passed away when Madonna was just 5.

"My oldest memory of my mother is her perfume. I carry it with me everywhere. She always smelled like gardenias and tuberose, an intoxicating mixture [that was] feminine and mysterious. I wanted to re-create this scent, but with something fresh and new about it as well. Something honest and yet daring - hence the name Truth or Dare," Madonna told WWD. To see more, keep reading.

Gift Guide: Desk Accents For Favorite Girlfriends

Elka Karl — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:53:04 PDT

Whether your best friend is still in college or graduated years ago, everyone knows that a few charming accents will help bring a smile to her face as she tackles that chemistry assignment, tax return, or those endless work emails. Here are some of my favorite finds for adding style and charm to your home office space.

To get everything organized, gift your friend with a tray where she can assemble pens, pencil cups, paper clips, and other desk needs. The Melamine Hummingbard Botanic Tray ($16, bottom row, left) adds a lot of loveliness for a low price point and is perfect for any lady you love who favors romantic style.

If your gal pal is in the writing profession, she'll appreciate this charming Chronicle Books Wood Journal ($5, bottom row, right), which she can write in using the striped Acmestudio Sing Sing Pen ($39, middle row, middle left). This clever little pen is the world's thinnest four-function pen and is made of hand applied lacquer on brass with German made components. When your girlfriend totes her laptop from her desk to the cafe, she can embrace retro technology trends with the Thomas Paul Luddite Laptop Case ($68, middle row, right), made of hand silkscreened denim.

And while almost all of my choices are quite affordable, I did have to include one major and beautiful splurge. The Rablabs Crystal Frame ($365, bottom row, middle left) is simply gorgeous. It would be perfect for displaying a treasured portrait of a friend, family member, or child.

To shop the rest of the items from my gift guide, just click on each image.

Weekly Faves: 5 Inspiring Spaces

CasaSugar — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:00:29 PDT

This week, I'm gravitating toward dominantly white rooms that still manage to feel warm by incorporating natural elements like wood, copper, and jute. The look is modern and airy, but the earthy elements keep it from feeling sterile. I especially love the idea of switching out colorful, bold accessories, which work so well in Spring and Summer, for neutral, textured accents that feel cozy for cooler seasons.

Source

House Tour: Making an Old House New Again

Shelterpop — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:07:44 PDT

I'm excited to present a post from one of my favorite sites, ShelterPop!

Designer RJ Thornburg transforms a former pig farm into a modern retreat.

Old houses are full of charm and character, but that doesn't mean its interiors have to feel as antique. It can be surprisingly fresh to complement the classic bones of an old house with modern, retro, casual, or traditional decorating.

RJ Thornburg, an interior designer at Bahdeebahdu, and his partner, lighting designer, Warren Muller, did just that with their 1865 country home in the Poconos. Aiming for high style on a low budget, they balanced dark and neutral tones, brought in hints of color, and used artwork to deliver modern decor. The mission was to make the home feel contemporary - without losing any of its charm.

In a space that fits a lot of furniture, fabrics, and finishes, like their living room (shown above), balance is key in keeping it from looking cluttered and stuffy. Thornburg retained the raw exposed beams to balance the more urban look of dark ebony floors and an animal-hide rug.

"We also paired old rattan chairs with oversized and more delicate silk damask pillows, and the simple modern square shape of the fireplace is matched with a traditional hearth guard," he explained. Warren designed the modern light sculpture above the fireplace, which was made from a piece of old farm equipment.

Hallways are generally transitional spaces, but in this house they are interesting places to visit (see above). In the downstairs entryway (left), they paired an antique console with a substantial sculptural element, which creates a very traditional look. However, the vignette is modernized with modern artwork, which is bright, raw, and unexpected.

Upstairs (right), Thornburg left the hall unfinished with unstained floors and beadboard on the ceiling, which they purchased from a big-box home store. Again, the country look is accented with a more urban look; the hall is punctuated with a modern light sculpture.

Keep reading for the rest of the house tour!

Su Casa: A Master Bedroom Makeover

Casa Community — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:40:00 PDT

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member YBandD from the Su Casa group:

Last time there were adventures in Zero VOC paint, and this time it's adventures in spray paint; I know, classy huh!

The new bedroom at the beach rental is finally coming along. I officially still hate moving, however, I am loving my sweet new office slash sunroom slash all-around chill-out space with “peekaboo” views of the ocean (peekaboo meaning there are a few houses pretty much blocking my entire view of the ocean except for that small sliver of blue). But, I really can’t complain, now can I?

Once I got all my furniture in, I quickly assessed the new space. The main difference is this room has a lot more windows to deal with than my previous room, plus sliding glass doors separating the bedroom from the office. The window above the bed is also not centered on anything in the room, making it difficult to achieve any semblance of balance.

The new gray coat of paint looks oh so cozy with the furniture in. I decided to drape the glass doors at the opening between the office and the bedroom. The drapery softens the opening and is also functional, so that I can keep all the blinds raised in the sunroom on a permanent basis. I also draped the off-center window at the bed head wall with one panel to play up on the asymmetry. After a quick trip to Target, I found these modern, almost Chinese lattice-framed mirrors. The mirrors would reflect light, which actually could start to balance with the light coming in from the window. However, they were a faux sponge painted bronze color, which is not exactly what I had in mind. Insert adventures in spray paint, Take One, here.

Continue reading to hear more about how Kelly updated her bedroom!

Modern Kids' Toy or Clever Adult Décor Accent?

Elka Karl — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:20:31 PDT

CB2's Neville House ($60) is beyond adorable. This miniature modern house is constructed from a mix of veneers and solid wood, and features the house of your dreams - only on a small scale. At just under eight inches tall, it may be the perfect way for those Mad Men-obsessed midcentury modern lovers among us to get our modern design fix without the mortgage. With an open lofted floorplan, floor to ceiling windows, '50s-style fireplace, and full deck, I'd move into this house in a minute. Can you see yourself using this tiny mod home as a décor accent at your casa? While I can appreciate it, I'd rather have the real thing. I can, however, imagine it in a sophisticated kids' bedroom as part of a play set. How would you use it?

Get the Look: Rustic Meets Modern by Maurice Padovani

Julia Walsh — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:35:00 PDT

This living room by French designer Maurice Padovani may have gorgeous architecture and beautiful natural light at its beck and call, but its rustic-meets-modern furniture and décor are really what create the swoon factor. To be honest, any room featuring Ingo Maurer's Zettlez Chandelier ($1,220) will very likely win my vote in the design ballot; it has been a favorite of mine for years. The pricey Jielde task lamp is also a coveted piece.

What's so fantastic about this room is the restrained mix of rustic pieces like the salvaged wood coffee tables and the leather butterfly chair with the decidedly modern, comfortable designs like the low-lying sofa and Eames chair. The design plan is simple really, but with a few very beautiful, timeless pieces, you don't need to bother cluttering things up with vignettes and cutesy accents.

What do you think of this room? Is it your style?