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Have You Ever Stained Your Hardwood Floors?

CasaSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:15:16 -0700

Staining your floors can be a very time-consuming task if you have a large space. But it's also a very rewarding one. Worn floors do have a certain je ne sais quoi, but unless your décor is shabby chic or cottage-y, they can look a bit informal. A rich wood stain will really transform a room. Have you ever stained your floors yourself?

Source: Flickr User Philo Nordlund

Casa Quickie: Shine Like the Top of the Chrysler Building

CasaSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:00:07 -0700

In the classic musical Annie there's a great line imitating Miss Hannigan during the "Hard-Knock Life" number that I always think of when I'm mopping the house:"You'll stay up until this floor shines like the top of the Chrysler Building." The image of how that landmark sparkles in the skyline is actually a great motivator for me. But, sadly, the plot, which involves the hard labor of orphans, isn't the nicest thing. But, it turns out that there is a trick to making your floors sparkle just so, and it has nothing to do with child labor or actually mopping.

To find out the trick, read more.
After you've swept your floors with a broom, put a piece of wax paper underneath a mop and run it across your floor. The dust that remains on the floor will stick to the paper, and the wax will give it a brilliant glow. Of course, you should actually mop your floors with soap and water every once in a while, but this is a quick fix.
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Desire/Acquire: Wooden Tripod Floor Lamp

CasaSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:31:32 -0700

The Ralph Lauren Architect Floor Lamp ($600) is a chic, classic, and polished design that's ideal for the traditional homes of those cable-knit-sweater-wearing women. I find it très élégant with its rich red mahogany, and I love how it references the three-legged design of a surveyor's tripod. And, while I'm sure it's a very sturdy and high quality, I couldn't bring myself to spend 600 smackers on a floor lamp that's not a statement piece (this guy's more of a filler). Luckily, I found a more affordable alternative. To see it, read more.

The Wisteria Wooden Tripod Floor Lamp ($249) will cost you less than half the price of the former lamp, and it's equally chic. It's natural teak wood base gives it more of a casual vibe than the mahogany, but I tend to see few really formal homes these days, anyway. This lamp adjusts from a 35.5-inch height to a 58-inch height so it can alternate between a table and floor lamp. Beat that, Ralph Lauren!

Good, Better, Best: Tripod Floor Lamps

CasaSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:30:24 -0800

I've always been, admittedly, a little turned off by floor lamps. I think the overwhelming number of tacky torchiere lamps in college dorm rooms bruised me for life. But I do love the height that a floor lamp gives a room. In a space with bare walls, or lacking curtains, a floor lamp can immediately draw your eye away from a low-lying sofa or armchair and give visual balance to a room. So I'm delighted by the proliferation of handsome tripod floor lamps in the shelter world these days. There's something about them that's quite regal yet unassuming, and they meld seamlessly with any style of décor. To see my picks of the Good, Better, and Best tripod floor lamps around, read more

Good:
The Target Tripod Floor Lamp with Drum Shade ($159.99) is simple, affordable, and sturdy, but its gold-yellow shade is a turn-off.

Best: The CB2 Tripod Floor Lamp's ($199.99) over-sized linen shade, available in natural or taupe, is high on drama, but its slender legs leave a small footprint.

Best:
The Philippe Starck Rosy Angelis ($636) has a feminine, skirty shade and legs that go for miles.

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Do You Have a Floor Runner?

CasaSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:00:00 -0700

A floor runner is never the first item on a home decor shopping list, but it can be a smart addition. If you have the right space for it, that extra sliver of texture can instantly warm up a room, and the dose of pattern can add a bit of visual interest or tie colors together. Do you have one?
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Yep, Down There: Strengthening Your Pelvic Floor

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:45:00 -0800

No one ever brags about how hard they worked their pelvic floor. It just sounds a wee bit smutty. These often neglected, little muscles that support your torso from the base of your pelvis need to be demystified so you can strengthen them correctly; since they are considered an important component of your core.

If you practice yoga you might refer to the pelvic floor (PF) as the mula bandha. Most ladies work their PF by doing kegels, but that just works a portion of the muscles and doesn't necessarily help pull the PF up. The muscles of the pelvic floor fill in the space between your pubic bone (front of your pelvis), your coccyx (tail bone), and your sits bones (ischial tuberosites in anatomy lingo). The overall shape is similar to a kite and contains many different muscles. To activate the pelvic floor you want to imagine those above mentioned bones coming closer to one another as the muscles attached to them activate and pull up. It helps to think of the PF as similar to your diaphragm that moves up and down as you inhale and exhale.

To learn a a simple exercise to just read more

Here is a subtle and simple exercise that you can do right now. It is so subtle that no one will know you are exercising your nether regions. On a four-count exhale, pull the PF up and in toward the center line of your body. Then release slowly on a four-count inhale. Allow your pelvic floor to completely relax in between repetitions. Repeat five to ten times and throughout the day.

Fit's Tip: This exercise isn't just for postpartum mamas. Nope - it is great for everybody since it helps create a stable base for motion. Aside from providing support while running and lifting weights, a toned pelvic floor provides beneficial side effects in the bedroom, too! I actually had husbands of my Pilates clients thank me for teaching their wives this exercise.

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Before and After: Linoleum Floors Be Gone!

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:00:57 -0800

I hate linoleum. Even "nice" linoleum never looks good. I just don't understand why it exists, when ceramic/porcelain tile and hardwood get the job done just as well. My home is plagued with some yucky linoleum, but I'm not equipped to replace it at the moment, so I decided to cure the ugliness with a DIY solution I dreamed up. I found some dark woodgrain patterned contact paper and adhered it to the tiles to mimic the look of hardwood floors. Contact paper is really easy to keep clean - it can be wiped clean quickly with a sponge or a damp mop - and it seems to be really durable as well. The project cost me about $25 - around $4/roll - and took one evening to complete. It took some patience but was well worth it in the end. To see the final product, read more.

Are you troubled with the linoleum curse? I highly recommend this solution. Stay tuned for instructions on this DIY!

Recipe For Clean: Wood Floor Polish

CasaSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:00:31 -0700

When getting our homes so fresh and so clean, don't forget your floors! If you've assembled your home cleaning kit you'll have most of the ingredients for this Recipe For Clean. Use it to get your wooden floors gleaming.

Supplies

1/8 cup paraffin wax
1 quart mineral oil
10 drops essential oil or lemon oil
double boiler
rag

To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more.

Melt paraffin wax in a double boiler.
Add mineral oil and essential oil.
Apply to floor with a rag.
Let dry, then polish.

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Crave Worthy: Pottery Barn Canton Floor Lamp

CasaSugar — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 05:30:37 -0700

One glance at the Pottery Barn Canton Floor Lamp ($599), which stands more than five feet high with an oversize shade, and you know you're in the presence of greatness. With a transparent glass base and a linen shade, it's the counterpart to tall, dark, and handsome; the Simon Baker to your Clive Owen. If good looks aren't enough to sweep you off your feet, you'll be happy to know that Canton offers a little personalization as well. Fill the lamp's base with branches, faux botanicals, or teddy bears for that matter to get the woodsy, floral, or playtime look you're going for.

Found It! Bella's New Moon Ornate Floor Mirror

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:00:18 -0700

In behind-the-scenes photos from the upcoming and highly buzzed New Moon, Bella Swan's bedroom boasts a fancy ornate wooden floor mirror, in addition to beautiful flocked bedding. Another photo from the set suggests that it may actually be a mirror that attaches to a dresser. But for the sake of the illusion, I hunted down a similar ornate wooden floor mirror for you. Want to see where you can buy it? Then read more.

The Isabella White Cheval Floor Mirror ($749) is nearly an exact replica with a turned wood base and filigree at the top. If you'd prefer something more affordable, the PBteen Lilac Floor Mirror ($199) is similar in style, although it is rounded.

Photo courtesy of David Strick/Los Angeles Times