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Decorating Ideas to Steal From The Good Wife

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:00:00 -0700

I've been enjoying Julianna Margulies's new series The Good Wife. Margulies stars as Alicia Florrick, a wife and mother who heads back to the work force after her husband (played by Chris Noth), the Cook County state attorney, is jailed for a sex and political corruption scandal. Alicia's new home, which she shares with her two children, shows a great mix of classic style that's updated with some more modern touches. Check out my favorite ideas from the kitchen and dining room.

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Have You Cleaned Out Your Fridge This Month?

CasaSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:54 -0700

It seems as if there are two different schools of fridge cleaning. There are those of us who wait forever to get the job done, and then complete an hours-long cleaning and tossing project, and those of us who spot clean every week or so to keep the fridge fresh-smelling and looking good. Make sure to check out YumSugar's fridge cleaning how-to, and in the meantime, tell me what your style is.

How Often Do You Change Your Dish Sponge?

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:05 -0700

Although doing dishes isn't one of my top kitchen pet peeves, hand-washing dishes with an old sponge is. The thought of spreading bacteria and grime, rather than actually cleaning an utensil or plate, makes my skin crawl more than a full moon on Halloween. Although most people simply replace their dish sponge when it starts smelling, I swap mine out much more frequently than that - probably every two to three weeks. I know it's not the greenest move in the world, but I can't help it! How often do you swap out dish sponges?

Before and After: So Long, Dated Wallpaper

CasaSugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:00:55 -0700

Su Casa member Kimpossible finally got around to updating her kitchen, or at least starting the process, after three years on the back burner. She began with the easiest, and often the most effective change, paint! As you can see, her wallpaper was dated and really didn't do much for the room. So, a warm coat of chocolate brown paint came to the rescue, and made a drastic difference. She also added some counter stools to match, a shelf for spices, and a window valance. Want to see the after photo? Then read more.

It looks much more sophisticated now. It's amazing what a little color can do!

Have you made any updates to your home lately? Be sure to add them to our Su Casa group!

Room Therapy: Has Anyone Used Rust-Oleum on Their Counters?

CasaSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:00:19 -0700

Dear Casa,

I just recently moved into a house and am excited about making it "my own." The problem is I'm broke. The house is old and I've already made peace with the fact that I'm going to have to live with some things (such as the horrendous '70s-era orange countertops in the kitchen) for the next few years until I can afford to replace them. But then today, while researching inexpensive options for refinishing my tacky gold light fixtures, I stumbled across this, a paint made just for countertops! Can it be?!

The product claims to be simple and effective (and the video-demo shows this to be true, ha) but it sounds suspiciously too good to be true. I do not want to get my hopes up if this product is really just crap. I was wondering if you knew anyone that had used this product with success or if I'm headed towards a horror story?

Thanks!

Rainey

To see my suggestions, and to leave comments, read more.

Hi Rainey,

I haven't personally tried this product, but I found this blog post from a homeowner who used this product on her counters. The results, at least from this picture, look great, and she says she's very happy with the results.

However, on the blog Tattered Hydrangeas, multiple readers commented that the paint doesn't hold up well at all. Perhaps if you used a sealant on it, it would be more wear-resistant. However, these users seem to think that one should proceed with caution.

Has anyone else used this product? Have you tried to paint your countertops with other products? What were your results? Leave your thoughts about the experience in the comments.

Good luck!
Casa

Before and After: Lauren's Retro-Modern Kitchen

CasaSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:00:03 -0700

Craftster member Lauren is an amazing crafter, but she's been taking a hiatus from personal craft projects to work on a much bigger one: making over her new house.

Lauren writes, "We bought our house in mid-August and have been going to town on every inch of it. It is a 1931 cottage style 1 1/2 story house that we fell in love with on the very first round of showings. We have mostly completed the house in just one month, but the kitchen was the first to be finished to completion."

To see the great improvement Lauren made on her kitchen, read more.

Lauren, who says she loves retro kitchen decor, has done a great job integrating '50s-style items with a more modern look. I love her use of pattern and color, from the curtains to the wallpaper and cupboard inlays. The cupboards look super fresh thanks to the new coats of paint, and I love the scalloped edging over the sink. Her use of accents is spot-on, too. What a nice update!

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Etsy Finds: Terrific Tea Towels

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:00:44 -0700

I'm a huge fan of tea towels. They're so versatile that I use them for everything from drying dishes to covering a batch of cookies to napkin substitutes. I like them even more when they come with a cute design, like all of these great towels I've found on Etsy.

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Do You Have a Kitchen Island?

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:00:19 -0700

Kitchen islands can provide additional workspace and seating to your kitchen. They're also a great place for family and friends to congregate. While my kitchen is too small to accommodate an island, I totally crave one.

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Do You Have Colored Cabinetry?

CasaSugar — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:00:35 -0700

These vibrant green cabinets are not something I'd choose for my own home, but seeing this bold color choice has got me to thinking about how rare colored cabinets in general are. White and wood stains are pretty much the standard when it comes to kitchen cabinetry, although there are some common exceptions like the Ikea Akrum Cabinet. But I rarely see even a more subtle color like light blue. Do you have colored cabinets? If so, tell me what color in the comments below!

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Room Therapy: Easy Fixes For an Outdated Kitchen

CasaSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 08:00:16 -0700

Hi CasaSugar Readers,

My husband and I are purchasing our first home, and I would love suggestions on how to "refresh" the kitchen and bathroom. In the end, we're going to only have probably $2,000 (max) to spend on both spaces.
In the kitchen, I'm thinking of painting the cabinets, and the countertops (has anyone done countertops painting?). What do you guys think of that idea? Does anyone have a better idea than that? I'm rather desperate. And it's going to be a few years or so, since hub and I have to save up to complete the reno, so I really want it to be a nice, decent and comfortable place for me to cook, since I love to cook.

P.S. I like muted and neutral colors usually. My appliances most likely will be white.

Thanks in advance!
Nevaeh1978

Do you have any great ideas for Nevaeh? Leave them after the jump!