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Transcript of East Bay September 2009
EAST BAY
Phot
o: W
alke
r Zan
ger
Attainable Custom Furniture Flooring Made EasySEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009
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S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 O O 9
[ C O N T E N T S ]
10 Refacing Your Home “On The Cheap”Tips and tricks to beautify on a budget.By Gabrielle Saveri
14 Customize Your Windows and SaveGet beautiful shades, blinds and shutters and receive a hugetax credit.By R.L. Xander
16 The Cost of CustomPeople say custom furnishings are expensive. That’s a myth.By Melinda Peacock
18 Get GroundedBring your style home with endless flooring options.By Barbara E. Hernandez
20 Adding Space Without Adding OnWallbeds gives you back the room. By Patricia Hayse Haller
14
WA R M I N T E R I O R S
6 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
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ON THE COVERFireplace is Accacio 12" x 24", floor is Xilo Beige 24" x 24" andBroadway Bronzetta 6" x 24".Photo: Walker Zanger (www.walkerzanger.com).
22 Clearly InnovativeGlass windscreens and stair banisters enhance your home.By Xu Bei Shi
24 Garage RemodelsInnovative organizing solutions for every garage.By Lisa Winer
EVENTS26 Get a Head-start on Your Home Improvement List
Everything you need, all in one home show.By Billy London
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As the decade winds down, black, white and grey take center stage.By Zara Stender, CID, CGBP
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THmag.com8 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
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THIS MONTH ONLooking for a contractor? Need new floors? Dreaming about new furniture?Find targeted company listings and comprehensive articles from the best and brightest businesses in your neighborhood.
Endless OutdoorOpportunitiesCreate your ownstaycation charm.www.todayshomebayarea.com/gianninigardenornamentsExternal Affairs
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Redwood Fencing 101Everything you’ll need to know before buyingyour next fence.www.todayshomebayarea.com/borgredwoodfences
Drought recommendationsfrom the California LandscapeContractors Associationwww.todayshomebayarea.com/clca
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THmag.com10 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
[ W A R M I N T E R I O R S ]
IF YOU’RE CUTTING COSTS RIGHT NOW LIKEmost people, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a greattime to give your home or interior living space
an update. In fact, now might be a better time thanever to start those little home improvement projectsyou’ve always dreamed of.
“It’s a great time to build,” says Keith Dunlop,Manager of Special and Projects for Mill Valley-based Caletti Jungsten Construction. Dunlopspecializes in construction for clients who want to design small projects but who don’t want toremodel a whole house. His business right now isbooming. “We are utterly astounded by the numberof clients we have brought in specializing in thisarea,” he adds. “We can draw a line straight to the clients who don’t have millions.”
Part of the reason for the surge in smallprojects is that remodellers are sharpening theirpencils and keeping their margins as low aspossible in these difficult economic times. “So, it pays to negotiate,” says Dunlop. “Subcontractorsare all negotiable right now. There has not been a better time to build in the last ten years.”
According to Dunlop, there are a number ofthings people can do to update their interior livingspaces without spending a lot of money. “If youreally want to make the biggest impact with theleast amount of money, says Dunlop, “think aboutfinishes.” There is currently a multitude interiorwall finishes available on the market ranging fromeco-finishes, soft pastels and textural products, to specialty Calvin Klein colors and hand-mixedpaints. You can change the color of your walls, orthe finishes on your floors to create a whole newvibe in your home.
Refacing Your Home“On The Cheap”Refacing Your Home
“On The Cheap”BY GABRIELLE SAVERI
Dunlop suggests hiring a designer or decoratorto work up an interesting color scheme, and thenpainting your home to give it a new look. “I haveone client in Mill Valley where we refinished thefloors and are painting the interior. The house isgoing to look like a million dollars.” According toDunlop, the interior painting cost about $12,000,and the floor finishes around $9,800. “For under$20,000 it’s going to look like a brand new house.”
Another option includes just choosing oneroom and focusing on that. “Instead of spending a lot of money on a whole house, we can work upone room,” says Dunlop. “It’s all about makingthat room a sanctuary—making it so that you wantto go home from work and spend time in thatroom,” he explains.
For example, says Dunlop, if you love your denand music, think about putting in bamboo floors orcork while working up a new design. Or you canhire a carpenter to build some new cabinetry inFSC-certified wood to store your favorite books,DVDs or art objects. You can even go over to localmills in your area and personally pick out therecycled or salvaged wood for your new cabinets.Or another inexpensive improvement is to hiresomeone to build you a home theater. It can costas little as $10,000 if you choose the accessoriesyourself. Dunlop recently designed an award-winning home theater in Tiburon and says they are especially popular right now.
A couple of great ideas for finishing touches onyour home theater are flat-panel wall mounts foryour flat-screen TVs and universal remote controls.Both are a great ways to add wow factor when your friends and family come to visit without >>
Tips and
Photo courtesy El Dorado Stone (www
.eldoradostone.com
)
TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 11
[ W A R M I N T E R I O R S ]
tricks to beautify on a budget.
THmag.com12 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
[ W A R M I N T E R I O R S ]
Caletti Jungsten Construction,www.calettijungsten.com495 Miller Avenue, Mill Valley(415) 381-3162
Conscious Livingwww.con-living.com(415) 246-3605
spending a fortune. OmniMount has added theirnew MotionPicture series of motorized cantilevermounts that will hold just about any flat-panelmonitor up to 55 inches and 110 lbs! Wallmounts are great for rooms that have a lot oflight. Glare on your screen can easily be removedwith a touch of the included remote. Your TV caninstantly be moved 15 degrees up, or up to 20degrees left and right.
To keep your home theater under control,Universal Remote Control offers their Digital R50universal remote. This remote can control up to18 components, and features an incredibly easyto use setup wizard. Its large color LCD screenallows you to easily program all of your hometheater equipment without the aid of the Internetor a PC.
The important thing, says Dunlop, is to not“spread the money too thin by thinking aboutyour whole house.” Make a room special. “Then,next year, when you have more resources, youcan do another room. One day you’ll look backand realize you’ve remodeled your whole home.”
Eve Simon, a Mill-Valley-based feng-shuiconsultant and lifestyle designer who specializesin reflecting personality through interior design,agrees. Simon believes a home should reflectone’s personality and uniqueness and not just bea generic duplicate of a magazine article or newstrend. Says Simon: “When I go into a house, Ifind out what kind of people are living there,what their lifestyle is, and what the blockagesare in their life. What is in their way is usuallyreflected in their home.”
Simon says that changing the color schemein a house is a very easy and inexpensive fix. “If you want to have more passion in yourbedroom, you shouldn’t sleep in a blue bedroom.You should sleep in a room that has red ororange, to add some fire to it,” she explains.Simon also likes to suggest to her clientsorganizing and rearranging furniture, objects and even rooms. “Sometimes a room is set up asa bedroom, but it would work much better as anoffice,” she adds.
As a designer, Simon tries to use theaccessories that are already in a home to makean impact. “I tell my clients that they don’t needto buy anything new. I just work with what is by arranging the place and accessories.” Simonsays lifestyle does not have to be expensive.“What’s reflected in your house is reflected in your life. It’s about consciousness. You don’t need to throw things away if you have aconscious lifestyle. You don’t need to recreateyourself all the time.”
If you’re looking to do more structural workon the cheap, Jessica Rothschild, a principal atSan Francisco-based Rothschild SchwartzArchitects, suggests adding a window or skylightto your home. “Often adding a window is not asmuch money as people would think,” sheexplains,” and you get a big bang for your buck.”Skylights create the same effect. The cost foreither is about $2-3,000.
Another money-saving option is landscapingthe garden. “Investing in your garden as soon asyou acquire your property is a good idea,because by the time you sell your property, yourlandscaping will mature, and that’s a really goodvalue,” Rothschild explains. A seismic retrofit isalso another relatively inexpensive thing to do toupdate your property—and it only costs $5-10,000 for the job. “You don’t get any visual oraesthetic payback but you get peace of mind,”she adds.
Marc Melvin, of San Francisco-based MarcMelvin Design, says the best way to update yourhome without spending too much is to focus onan area of your house that needs organization orimprovement and then to add the smaller thingsthat make a difference.
“We’re doing a remodel for a major CFO herein the city,” he explains. “They already have ahome. This was their first remodel,” he explains.“In the bathroom, the owner wanted a beautifulmosaic floor that would normally cost thousandsand thousands of dollars. In the end, we designedan area for the vanity and for the shower andtoilet. We imbedded a mosaic tile pattern in thefloor to look like a carpet—we didn’t do thewhole floor. Then she bought beautiful handlesthat tied into the mosaic. All the little things atthe end became a joy, and it told a story. It wasall the little things remembered about travelingand said she didn’t have in her other home.”
According to Melvin, just adding some smalltouches and the right hardware in a home canmake a big difference. “You make a savings bynot doing something all the way. You can spreadit out and do it in a way that tells a whole storywithout having one big, huge impact.”
Whether you’re hiring a designer, contractoror architect, it’s all about money saving these days.So, if you have any money to spend, this couldbe a good time to invest in your home. “In thisday and age, it’s all about money engineering,”says Melvin. “It makes you have to push yourselfas a designer. And it forces the client anddesigner working together as a team to figure outwhat the priorities are and where you want tospend your money at the end of the day.” THM
Rothschild Schwartz Architectswww.rothschildschwartz.com(415) 401-0077
Marc Melvin Designwww.marcmelvindesign.com586 Utah Street, San Francisco(415) 431-9100
OmniMountwww.omnimount.com
Universal Remote Control www.universalremote.com
TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 13
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IT’S NOT OFTEN THAT YOU CAN IMPROVE the comfort of your homeand save a bunch of money at the same time. According to Shem Isaacof Exciting Windows!, customers who purchase a ComforTrack shade,
which is an insulating cellular shade with a sidetrack system, are eligiblefor a 30 percent federal tax credit, up to $1,500. The tax credit, previouslyavailable only for solar panels, can be used for this window covering forthe first time.
The shade, which Isaac said was popular even before the introductionof the tax credit this year, creates an insulating barrier that reduces heatloss during winter and heat gain during summer. “That makes it a lessexpensive quality product, about the same as a quality blind,” Isaac said.
In addition, his five-year-old business is offering a 10 percentpromotional discount to get the word out on these shades that provide three levels of saving:
• the price is discounted;• utility bills are reduced; and• there’s a federal tax credit
The ComforTrack shade has a patented design; the sidetrack creates a barrier that prevents air leakage, making it a superior insulator. It is alsoGreenGuard-certified.
The shade is Isaac’s second most popular product, he said. Shutterscontinue to rule the field. “Shutters are timeless and beautiful,” he said.They offer four benefits: insulation, light control, privacy and beauty.“Nothing captures all four like a shutter,” he said, “and they are always in fashion and easy to operate.” Shutters are the only window covering that is considered to improve a home’s resale value.
Isaac said non-wood insulating shutters are his best sellers, and beingGreenguard certified, they also qualify for a 10 percent discount. They are available in seven different shades of white and four wood tones, which he says look so much like real wood that most people won’t noticethe difference.
THmag.com14 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
Get beautiful shades, blindsand shutters and receive
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[ W A R M I N T E R I O R S ]
TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 15
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[ W A R M I N T E R I O R S ]
Also popular are Roman shades and draperies, which Isaac saidare made to order, often in Bay Area workrooms. “Some of thesewomen have been sewing draperies for decades,” he said. “The workthese artists do is phenomenal, and the workmanship—you just can’tfind it most places.” He said when he walks into a workroom with anorder, he will sketch it out for the seamstress. Often, the seamstressmight have additional ideas that Isaac can bring back to his client.“We can come up with unique personalized window treatments,” he noted.
No matter what window covering is chosen, the process remains the same: after the potential customer calls for an appointment, Isaac visits the home with a lot of samples. The consultation is free and, Isaac says, without pressure. “I measure the windows anddiscuss options. Usually I can give them a quote right then andthere,” he said.
He has no need for a showroom, thereby eliminating a lot of costly overhead and keeping his prices competitive. Installation isdone by his trained staff. “You can’t get that craftsmanship bysubbing to service and the number of referrals from satisfiedcustomers. That makes him both a busy and a happy man.
For more information, visit Exciting Windows! online at www.exciting-windows.com.For a free appointment, call (866) 680-9440. THM
THmag.com
IF YOU WANT A CUSTOM INTERIOR DESIGN LOOK but youdon’t want to pay a hefty price tag, go to Azzulina. Located inthe Danville Livery, Azzulina provides interior design services
and carries unique handcrafted fine furniture, custom upholstery,lighting, wrought-iron furniture, and accessories. The owner, Susan Saul, designed most of the pieces.
Originally Susan sourced furniture from around the world.However, after a few years she concluded that most of it looked the same and the “uniqueness” factor was missing. So she put her art degree in design to work by creating her own furniture line.“People say custom is expensive,” says Susan. “It’s a myth. Youcan have it your way, just like a tailor-made suit. By designing andconstructing the pieces ourselves we can make beautiful pieces at half the price.”
In Susan’s opinion, some of the most beautiful pieces theybuild are their home entertainment centers. “We integrate iron withthe wood, which is rarely done,” says Susan. “Also, the finishes are divine—old-world finishes slowly hand rubbed to create a deep,rich look with special touches like scraping, worm holes, gold leaf,or antiquing.” The furniture is made by a select group of carpentersand carvers in LA, and then finished at Azzulina’s manufacturingfacility in Livermore.
BY MELINDA PEACOCK
THE COST OF CUSTOM
[ W A R M I N T E R I O R S ]
16 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
310 Sycamore Valley Road West • Danville
(925) 820-5900www.azzulina.com
One of Azzulina’s specialty items are handpainted glass chandeliers. Initially a Danishartist, the only person in the world whopainted on glass lighting fixtures, did these.When the artist retired, Susan worked fortwo years practicing with slumped glass,paint colors, designs, and forged ironhangings to replicate the look at a fractionof the original cost. Now customers canchoose a chandelier, pendants, table lamps,floor lamps, or sconces. Then they select fromfifty different designs and a variety of sizes. Finally,Susan visits the customer’s home so that she cancustom blend sample color options that match the home’s colorscheme. The result is a uniquely designed and stunning focal point.
Choices abound. Like the variety available in the hand-paintedchandeliers, every furniture piece comes in multiple sizes, and thereare over 2000 fabrics and 300 leather samples on site to choosefrom. And since each piece is custom, if the client wants armsadded, shorter legs, more depth to the seat, or any other change, it can be done.
Often custom furniture can take up to six months to arrive.Azzulina’s upholstered items can be delivered to your home in about two weeks. Wood and iron pieces are completed in under six weeks.Custom no longer has to cost an arm and a leg. AtAzzulina you can have unique, well-crafted custom furniture with a lifetime warranty and 100% satisfaction. Oh, and did I mentionthe great prices? THM
People say custom furnishings are expensive. That’s a myth.
TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 17
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Before After
THmag.com
BY BARBARA E. HERNANDEZ
AN INITIAL STEP ON SMOOTH STONE TILE, one’s shoesinking into deep pile carpet or feeling the light give of a mahogany plank underfoot is often the first experience
one has upon entering a home.At Carpet One, owner Robb DeSimone has spent 25 years
deciding on what will make the best impression—helping clientschoose the best tile, hardwood or carpet in any abode. His wife,Laurie DeSimone, a veteran of the mortgage industry, also helps in the showroom using her 22 years of experience supporting her husband’s business.
Along with floors, Carpet One has also branched into tile andgranite countertops, a natural progression since they already usethose materials in their flooring.
“We do tile countertops and bathroom and shower surrounds,”Laurie DeSimone said. “Glass tiles are becoming a lot more popular.”
The one-inch glass tiles, used to create delicately designedbacksplashes or color enhancement, are very popular but need a deft hand. “They definitely need a subcontractor who knows whatthey are doing,” DeSimone said. “There’s an art to it because if onlyone is set wrong, it all needs to be completely redone.” Carpet Onewill work all over the Bay Area, but most of its business comesfrom Alameda and Contra Costa counties—mainly Livermore,Dublin and Pleasanton to Brentwood or Discovery Bay.
The economy has changed its usual customer. Now with so many homes on the market because of bank foreclosures orrentals, their client base has shifted to property owners as much as homeowners highlighting their multimillion dollar dream home.Property owners want durable, lower-cost materials, usuallysacrificing beauty for practicality. That idea is diametricallyopposed to the way most homeowners buy floor coverings—they want beauty first.
Carpet One’s latest business has been installing hard surfaceflooring in hardwood laminate, luxury vinyl tile, porcelain orceramic tile. Along with the hard surface flooring, DeSimone alsosaid the store has received a lot of interest in its green products—a line of cork and bamboo flooring. Although cork was once seenas too fragile for flooring, a quick coating has made the material as durable as and hardwood.
For families tough on floors, DeSimone recommends the corkor handscraped distressed hardwood. The distressed hardwood, as the name implies, is forgiving of scratches or dents because itblends into the beauty of the floor. Carpet One also has a line ofthrow rugs and she said she has seen a steady rise in thick shag,“so people can lie on the floor and be comfortable,” she said.
[ W A R M I N T E R I O R S ]
Get Grounded Bring your style home withendless flooring options.
18 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
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TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 19
Prior to any job, Carpet One will go on site to doan estimate on installation. Sometimes, the situationneeds a general contractor to assist with structuralissues and while Carpet One can help facilitate that,its main focus is flooring. “Anything to do with thestructure of the home, we need to get a generalcontractor down there,” she said.
Carpet One has a “Beautiful Guarantee” on itsprivate label floor coverings, meaning “if you don’tlove the way your new floor looks, we will replace it for free.”
The guarantee usually runs from 60 to 120 dayson all its private label coverings, including carpet,laminate or hardwood. “Our customers shouldn’thave to settle,” DeSimone said. “We want you to behappy. When someone asks about your experience,our name is attached to it. We want the customer to be 100 percent satisfied.”
For more information on Carpet One in Livermore, call (925) 455-9210or visit www.carpetoneoflivermore.com. THM
Solid Silks Velvet LinenTaffeta & Embroidered Silks
At the Drapery Boutique we are passionate about providingthe finest quality “Ready-to-Hang Draperies” to our
customers at the best price available. Our exquisite collection is available in colors and styles that will
accent your home décor. We also provide complete custom window treatments in our signature fabrics.
Visit our showroom and design center for a free personal consultation.
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866.413.7273Shop online at thedrapeboutique.com
THmag.com20 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
[ W A R M I N T E R I O R S ]
Adding SpaceWithout
Adding On
Wallbeds give you back the room.
BY PATRICIA HAYSE HALLER MOST OF US CRAVE JUST A LITTLE EXTRA SPACE. We dream of a playroom for the kids; a hobby or sewing room where we can get creative; or an exercise room for private workouts. A
great way to fill that craving—without buying or building a bigger house—is with a wallbed.
“The beauty of a wallbed is that it doesn’t take up any more spacethan a regular bed when it’s down,” says Liz Roller, owner of Wallbeds“n” More. “But when it’s up, you gain all that space for other activities.”
Wallbeds come in a variety of stylesand finishes, but they all disappear intoa 17" deep cabinet when you don’tneed them. Wallbeds “n” More offersthe largest displays of wallbeds inNorthern California, with options forevery budget, from a “U Do It” bed thatyou finish yourself to complete customroom sets with bed, cabinets, shelvesand desks. All are made in California of real oak, birch or alder veneeredplywood, with no particle board ormelamine. And all are backed up by a lifetime warrantee on the mechanism,and Wallbeds “n” More will deliver and install your new wallbed for you.
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The wallbeds are so easy to use that Lizinstalled one in her 9-year-old son’s bedroom. At night, he pulls it down to sleep, and in themorning he tucks the covers in, puts the bed up,and his bedroom becomes a playroom, with plentyof floorspace to build elaborate Lego creations.She has another wallbed in her guest room thatonly comes down when she has visitors. “Theother 90 percent of the time, the bed is up andwe have a bonus room that makes our whole house feel bigger,” she says.
Interest in wallbeds is growing and so isWallbeds “n” More, which now has five locationsin Northern California—San Ramon, Stockton,Burlingame, Roseville and Campbell—and willopen three Southern California showrooms in
September. “I think a lot of people are trying to live agreener lifestyle, and the recession opened all our eyes,”says Liz. “People realize they don’t need a bigger house.They just need to make the house they have work forthem. A wallbed helps them do that.”
To find out how Wallbeds “N” More can help you gain a room, call Liz at (925) 570-5663 or visit wallbedsnmore.com. THM
TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 21
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THmag.com22 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
FOR YEARS—DECADES ACTUALLY—CALIFORNIA SHOWER DOOR
Corporation (CSDC) has been the greater Bay Area’s go-to-company for custom-made, precision designed
and installed frameless shower doors. Their chosen niche, working with tempered glass, is an
unforgiving one. Being even one eighth of an inch off on aproject means junking the expensive glass and starting over.Thomas J. Nolan, the hands-on CEO of CSDC, makes his bones getting it right the first time. They never start over.
But in the past 18 months, the company known for creating exactly what customers want with their patented“Majestic” 100 percent steam and water tight showerenclosures, has been starting some new endeavors.
CSDC is still working with big sheets of glass, that’s in their blood—Thomas has worked at CSDC since 1981 when he was a student at St. Ignatius College Preparatory—and what challenges his 24 employees who work on jobs fromHealdsburg to Sacramento to Carmel. Now,however, they’re building windscreens andcrafting glass banisters for stairways even asthey develop a business in custom mirrorsfor fitness centers, spas and residences.
Nolan admits he was apprehensiveabout moving into new areas. The morethan 70-year-old CSDC started the trend of using thick, frameless glass to createcustom-made swinging shower doors in the mid-80s. “I felt we were really, really,really good at what we did,” he says. But as high-end residential contractors heworked with kept asking him to turn hisglass working skills to windscreens andstairways, he acquiesced to preserve andstrengthens long-term relationships.
“The skills from making custom showerenclosures translated nicely,” he says.“We’re used to working with little or notolerance. Now, it’s exciting for us becausewe have a bright, creative crew.”
They’ve installed windscreens onrooftops in San Francisco’s Pacific Heightsneighborhoods, allowing homeowners to take advantage of Golden Gate Bridge
BY XU BEI SHI
views without being blown away.They’ve also installed glass windscreenson multistory Victorians, turning anunused deck into an outdoor extensionof the home. Most of the windscreensare clear glass but some clients preferglass that can provide privacy.
“It’s highly customized work,” saysNolan. Even though most of thescreens are built of glass in rectanglesor squares linked by wood or metalfixtures, “there’s no out-of-the-booksystem, so each is individuallycreated.”
The CSDC crews, who have ownedthe company since 2003, took to stairway work just as
Glass windscreens and stair banisters enhance your home.
Clearly Innovative
TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 23
800.675.6225 • calshowerdoor.com1795 Yosemite Avenue • San Francisco
Finished, Framed & Frameless Enclosures
CUSTOMIZABLE HIGH QUALITY
PRACTICAL FUNCTIONALITY SINCE 1935
create a shower for your lifeenthusiastically as they
did to windscreens eventhough it involves workingwith glass cut in morecomplex shapes, such as parallelograms. Aftermeasuring, they maketemplates before cutting the glass. They know totake the time to make itright. “It’s tricky because of the irregular shapes ofthe glass.” Making it eventrickier are the angles in the staircase.
As for CSDC’s workwith mirrors, it againinvolves their skills atprecisely cutting and fittingglass. But what happens if a mirror breaks?
The first time anyonebreaks a mirror, and theybreak more easily than the
laminated and tempered safety glass used in other project,they may get spooked, Nolan says. Then they realize that twoor three mirrors break a week. “So we don’t worry about theseven-year curse. It doesn’t apply when you work with mirrors.”
Contact California Shower Door Corporation by calling (800) 675-6225, visiting their showroom at 1795 YosemiteAvenue, San Francisco, CA or by going to their website at www.calshowerdoor.com. THM
THmag.com24 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
BY LISA WINER
WERE YOU AWARE THAT YOU MAY HAVE ANOTHER ROOM
in your house just waiting to be discovered?With a fairly simple renovation from Premier
Garage, the garage is not just a garage anymore—it can be a place for play, work, exercise, hobbies, and entertainment,among other uses.
Turning a garage into an extension of the home is“money well spent,” says Nick Granato, of Premier Garage.Once everything is put away neatly with Premier Garage’sinnovative organizing solutions, the garage becomes afunctional, attractive area of the home.
The garage is often one of the largest, if not the largest,room in the house, says Nick. Outfitting the room withcabinets, floor coating, and ceiling and wall organizerstypically costs much less than a kitchen or even a bathroom remodel.
Also, for most homeowners, the garage “is the entranceinto their home,” says Nick. “They might be embarrassed to have garage door open. But once they remodel, they are proud to show off their garage and keep the garage door open.”
Listening To The CustomerThe staff at Premier Garage takes care to design the garageremodel with the customer’s specifications. During the freeon-site consultation, the staff asks many questions aboutwhat the customer will be storing and doing in the garage.Will he or she need a work bench, counter area, drawers?
Next, a thorough review is done of the floor, walls, and ceiling. All the information gathered is entered in to a computer design program made especially for PremierGarage. The design is created on site for the customer’sreview. “We try to get the customer involved in the designprocess,” says Nick.
Any changes the customer specifies are made on siteduring that visit. “Our goal is that at the end of each visit,the customer is provided with a complete, printed copy of the design, a rendering of the improved garage, and aproposal with all the costs for doing the garage makeover,”says Nick. The visit typically takes an hour and a half.
Cabinets generally take one day to install. PremierGarage’s specially designed hybrid polymer composite floorcoating takes three days to install, including cure time.
Garage RemodelsInnovative organizing solutions for every garage.
TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 25
All of Premier Garage’s installers are full-time employees; the companyuses no subcontractors for the products and services it offers.
Lifestyle ImprovementOnce well organized, the improved garage becomes a place to storegarden tools, holiday decorations, camping gear, sports equipment,bicycles. Cabinets can be outfitted specifically to house winter andsports clothing with an extra spot to store shoes. A pantry spacecan store bulk paper towels and toilet paper.
The garage can become a mud area, where kids can leave theirshoes and jackets, and enter the home without tracking in any dirt.The garage can also serve as a place to keep kids and teenagersclose to home with ping pong or pool tables and videogames—an area of their own to play and be active.
Due to their experience, Premier Garage can “pretty much help anybody come up with an affordable solution for designingtheir garage,” says Nick. Auto enthusiast, gardening hobbyist, party giver—what are you waiting for? A new home for youractivities is only a phone call away.
For more information or a free consultation and design, give PremierGarage a call at 866-497-2880 or visit PremierGarage.com. THM
s h o w c a s e
Spring FreshCleaning
ROEBER’S INCORPORATED has led
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BORG REDWOOD FENCES is
dedicated to servicing the Tri-Valley,
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BORG REDWOOD FENCES 800.750.7175 www.springfreshcleaninginc.com
Black DiamondPaving Stone & Waterscape Specialists
BLACK DIAMOND LANDSCAPE &
DESIGN in addition to our landscaping
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BLACK DIAMOND LANDSCAPE & DESIGN 800.942.1955www.blackdiamondlanscape.com
Promote your business in the TODAY’S HOME showcase Call (888) 274-1140
THmag.com26 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
[ E V E N T S ]
FALL HAS OFFICIALLY ARRIVED, and to help you prepare for this excitingseason of home improvements, the 23rd Annual Alameda County FallHome & Garden Show kicks off October 2-4 at the Alameda County
Fairgrounds and the 14th Annual Contra Costa Fall Home & Garden Show will follow October 23-25 at Concord’s Sleep Train Pavilion. These events can help you let your ideas flourish as you save gas, time, and money by visitinghundreds of vendors gathered all in one place.
Past shows have drawn thousands of people and most will return this year to seek advice from the pros. “The professionals and companies in ourshows are experts in their fields, and they immediately become a part of our‘show family,’” says Alameda County show manager Kari Damron. “We work as a team to bring home owners a feeling that they are in the right place—it’s never been about making money or doing business, but sharing ourexpertise and helping attendees make informed decisions.”
Attendees also partake in product demonstrations, landscape exhibits,arts, crafts, gifts, gourmet edibles, and Exhibitor Bingo— a bingo-scavengerhunt hybrid that promises prizes for all who participate. Expect to find notablecompanies such as All California Mortgage, American Design & Build, BayHome & Window, Brecht Construction, California Pre-Cut Homes and GarageDoor Center.
Experts will be on-site to offer unique decorating ideas, energy-savingsolutions and to inspire you to tackle your home improvement to-do list. Don’tmiss this golden opportunity to start creating the home of your dreams today!
For more information, visit www.capitalshowcase.com. To participate as an exhibitor call (800) 222-9351. Capital Showcase also produces home and garden shows in Ventura. THM
BY BILLY LONDON
The 23rd Annual Alameda CountyFall Home & Garden Show
Alameda County FairgroundsFriday, October 2 • 12 PM-6 PM
Saturday, October 3 • 10 AM-7 PM
Sunday, October 4 • 10 AM-6 PM.
$6 general admission (kids 12 and under are free)
The 14th Annual Contra Costa Fall Home & Garden Show
Concord Sleep Train Pavilion Friday, October 23 • 12 PM – 6 PM
Saturday, October 24 • 10 AM – 7 PM
Sunday, October 25 • 10 AM- 6 PM
$6 general admission (kids 12 and under are free)
Everything youneed, all inone home show.
Get a head-start on your home improvement list
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APPLIANCES
Direct Appliance 925-560-0500www.directappliancedublin.com
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Carpet One of Livermore925-455-9210www.carpetoneoflivermore.com
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Spring Fresh Cleaning800-750-7175www.springfreahcleaninginc.com
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Lara’s Concrete925-458-6304
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Creative Resurfacing866-956-4490www.creativeresurfacinginc.com
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Acanthus925-866-1144www.acanthusonline.com
DRAPERIES
Exclusive Fabrics & Furnishings866-413-7273www.thedrapeboutique.com
GARAGE STORAGE
Premier Garage866-497-2880www.premiergarage.com
GARDEN ORNAMENTS
Giannini Garden Ornaments Inc.650-873-4493www.gianninigarden.com
HARDWOOD FLOORING
Le’s Golden Floor Company925-443-0519
HEATING & AIR
Roeber’s510-537-0556www.roebers.com
HOME FURNISHINGS
Azzulina925-820-5900www.azzulina.com
HOME THEATER
20/20 dB510-432-0180www.2020db.net
LANDSCAPE CURBINGCreative Curbs925-628-3181www.carlscurbs.com
PAINT CENTERProfessional Paint Cener925-933-3315
PAVING STONESBlack Diamond Landscape & Designs800-942-1955www.blackdiamondlandscape.com
POOL RESURFACING
California’s Gunite925-960-9500www.californiasgunite.com
REDWOOD FENCING
Borg Redwood Fences925-426-9620www.borgfence.com
REMODELING CONSTRUCTIONSunshine Construction, Inc.925-472-8760www.sunshine-construction-inc.com
KITCHEN & BATH REMODELINGValley Oak Designs925-705-4611
SHOWER DOORS & ENCLOSURESCalifornia Shower Door Corp.800-675-6225www.calshowerdoor.com
SWIMMING POOLSHacienda Pools209-839-1995www.haciendapools.com
TILE AND STONEWestern Tile Design Center925-671-0145www.westerntiledesign.com
WALLBEDSWallbeds ”n” More925-570-5663www.wallbedsnmore.com
WATER HEATERSPhillips Water Heater Service925-584-9846
WINDOW COVERINGSExciting Windows!866-680-9440www.Exciting-Windows.com
WINDOW TINTINGSolar Control Glass Tinting Co.800-999-3828www.solarcontrolcompany.com
WINDOWS AND DOORSArgonaut Window & Door408-376-4018www.argowin.com
RESOURCE GUIDE
List your business, call 925-659-6200
THmag.com28 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
NEUTRALS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF ANY INTERIOR SCHEMEbut as 2009 moves into 2010, the traditional “greying off” ofcolor moves front and center in a new way.
W H I T EWhite is essential for the relationships of other colors to be understood.It’s like the vanilla in a chocolate cake. It is often the choice of people in a transitional period of their lives such as moving, divorce, careerchange or other events. White represents cleansing and renewal.
The Color Marketing Group, [CMG], the international trend and colorforecasting organization, has identified white as an important color for2010. It shows up as the underlying force for the final year of the decade and the beginning of the next.
B L A C K Black always seems to represent power and prestige. It is upscale andauthoritative, especially for women. Accessories in black add elegance to any interior plan. It is most appropriately used as an anchoring andaccent color.
The combination of black, white and gold is considered to be themost upscale color grouping.
G R E YIt has been noted that colors tend to become greyer at the end of every decade.
Grey lends an upscale quality to any environment but use cautionas it can be lifeless, cold, and depressing in large amounts. The newtrend with grey is to infuse it with other hues. It readily takes on thepersonality of the surrounding palette.
Interiors with a predominance of grey are always sophisticated and graceful.
Black, white and grey when tastefully used, add classic eleganceand sense of stability to any room setting.
Zara Stender, CID, IDS, CMG is an interior designer for Thomasville Industries,www.thomasville.com. For a list of Certified Interior Designers in your area or to viewthe CID Pages (a visual directory of CID’s), visit www.ccidc.org/cidpages. THM
Black, white and grey are infused with soft teal in this bedroom by Zara Stender for Thomasville, Nocturne Collection.
As the decade winds down, black, white and grey take center stage.
[ C C I D C ]
Color Infused NeutralsBY ZARA STENDER CID, CGBP
�
(925) 458-6304
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Contractor’s Licencse #599673
Specializing inPatios, Driveways, Concrete Grinding &Maintenance, Re-Seal Existing Concrete New Concrete, Pool Decks, RetainingWalls, Foundations, Drains and more...
TODAYSHOMEBayArea.com East Bay THM September/October 2009 29
NEVER MISS AN ISSUE!Pick up your next issue at any of these locations.
IF UNAVAILABLE AT ANY LOCATION, PLEASE CALL US AT (925) 659-6200 AND WE WILL MAIL YOU AN ISSUE.
ConcordAll Custom Woodworks Pacific Coast Carpet D & S Custom CabinetsDunn Edwards Paints Bedrosians Tile & Marble Cabinet CoatsTip Top Kitchen & Bath Western Tile Design Center Sun Valley CarpetsLewis & Lewis Carpets Ashby Lumber Co. GM Marble & GraniteAbbey Contra Costa Floors Superior Stone & Cabinets Ordaz Cultured MarbleThe Floor Store Rosewood House One Stop Kitchen & BathMoulding Masters MMM Carpets Carpet DimensionJ & J Cabinetry Bebo Interiors Inc Grand StoneContra Costa Door Professional Flooring & Design
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PleasantonS & G Carpets and more Keller Williams Realty Intero Real Estate ServicesKitchen Design Center Fast Frame of Pleasanton U.S. BankPatioworld Sleep Train Mattress Center Pool Time BuilderDiablo Valley Bank Cattelan’s Antiques Furnishing ConceptsMt. Diablo National Bank Prudential California Realty Kelly-Moore PaintsOlde Town Antiques Stained Glass Overlay Consignment PlusPleasanton Pool Center Feifers Design Bank of AmericaLa-z-Boy Furniture Galleries Prudential California Realty Quality Windows & DoorsFinishing Touches Interiors Coldwell Banker Realty Sleep Source
San RamonAcanthus Jeff's Kitchens FastFrameCanyon Collections Dublin Kitchens & Dinettes San Ramon LightingFrellen’s Casual & Outdoor
Walnut CreekAce Hardware Prudential California Realty Leslies Swimming Pool SuppliesKitchens Unlimited Barbeques Galore Lewis & Lewis CarpetsTerra Teak & Garden Walnut Creek Lighting Company Piedmont LumberColdwell Banker Realty Tile & Stone Concepts FastFrameConsignment Plus Adib's Persian Rug Company The Village CupboardJoshua’s Rugs Sleep Train Mattress Center Keller Williams RealtyChanges Alain Pinel Real Estate Mattress DiscountersArtistic Stone Sherwin Williams Paint Altera Design & RemodelingRelax the Back Bellini Juvenile Furniture
THmag.com30 September/October 2009 THM East Bay
[ C L C A ]
SUSTAINABILITY IN WATER FEATURES means not only decreasingthe amount of energy used, but also includes minimizing theneed to replace water. The following elements can help you reduce
your water feature’s water usage and make it more energy efficient.
The farther and harder the water falls, the more it evaporates.
Big waterfalls may seem appealing, but in individual yard settingsthey can overwhelm the environment. When falling the water isthinner, some of it turning to mist, and has more surface areaexposed to direct sunlight. The result is water loss due to drift and evaporation. If you are considering creating a new waterfall,scaling down can help you maximize your water savings while stillenjoying the benefits of a smaller waterfall.
Plant some cover. Experts advise covering at least 40 percent of a pond’s surface area with aquatic plans. Too much temperaturevariation between day and night encourages algae growth. Theplants also aid the ecosystem, working with Mother Nation to keep the pond healthy and clean, which enhances its longevity and enjoyment.
Add some shade. You don’t need to completely block out the sun,of course, but shading the water — especially during the hottesttimes of the day-can greatly cut down on the evaporation.
Keep the water clean. Clean water is a key to maximizing yoursatisfaction, energy efficiency and the overall longevity of your water feature.
Great ideas for your yard, and the environment.
Making Your Water Feature More Sustainable
Enhancing sustainability with captured rainwater. Rainwaterharvesting is growing in popularity as s supplement to using citywater for water features and landscape irrigation. Essentially, arainwater catchment system consists of storage tanks (often buriedunderground) fed by pipes leading down from gutters. Even in areasof lower annual precipitation, there are times each year when therains comes down in buckets, then quickly washes away and dries up when the storms pass. A catchment system capitalizes on thosetimes, which are often enough in many cases to replenish the supplyfor long-term use. A benefit of using rainwater is that is has not beentreated with chemicals. Rainwater doesn’t have chlorides and hasless salt than is usually found in the local water supply. This resultsin better water for the plants.
Choose an energy efficient pump. There are lots of new energyefficient pumps that can bring down the cost of your pond. Ingeneral, external pond pumps are many times more energy efficientthan submersible pumps. In many past cases, pool pumps have beenused for water features which are much more expensive to run.
If you need help, hire a licensed contractor: If you are considering an upgrade and need a contractor be sure to hire a licensed contractor. If the price of your job is $500 or more (including costs of labor and materials), state law requires that the person or company doing the job be licensed by the Contractors StateLicense Board. One of the best ways to choose a contractor is to use theContractor Search feature on the CLCA website at www.clca.org. THM
BY MICHAEL RILEY
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must be met. No cash/credit back. Not valid on prior purchases. Void where prohibited. Lic.#894280
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