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BayLiving

PUBLISHER WALLY HICKS III BAY AREA DIRECTOR DEBBIE TARNOFF MARKETING SPECIALIST JENNIFER BURKE PRODUCTION MANAGERS DAWN DOWLATSHAHI, DAVID MARCHAND WRITER/COPY EDITOR CAITLIN FEENER PUBLISHER’S REPRESENTATIVES MARKET LINK ADVERTISING MAILING ADDRESS Affluent Target Marketing, Inc. P.O. Box 18507 Anaheim Hills, California 92817-8507 (714) 446-6280 (888) 612-7400 www.baylivingmagazine.com For comments to the publisher: wally@keyaccess.com The opinions expressed in the editorials are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bay Living. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, we cannot supervise the way in which information found in Bay Living is used. Bay Living is produced bi-monthly by Affluent Target Marketing, Inc., P.O. Box 18507, Anaheim Hills, California 92817-8507. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. All submitted materials, including images, logos, and text, for advertisements and editorials are assumed to be the property of the provider, and Affluent Living Publications can take no responsibility for unintentional copyright infringement.

Affluent Target Marketing, Inc. has the right to refuse advertising.

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BAY LIVING Contents

A ResOuRCe guIde seRvIng sILICOn vALLey, THe PenInsuLA & sAn fRAnCIsCO • vOL XXXvI • nO. 2 • Odd APRIL/MAy 2015 B AY L I V I N G M A G A Z I N E . C O M

16 - 26 Home Fashion

40 - 50 Products & Services

More Than Just A Sofa Bed–The Comfort Sleeper™ Is A Marvel Of Modern Engineering What Defines Your Space?

Create A Bold First Impression Simplify Your Life By Organizing Your Home Antique Khotan Rugs–Historical Elegance For Your Home Get Your Home Ready For Spring– Five Spring Spruce–Ups For A Warmer Season Furniture That Delivers Style, Comfort And Support The Classic Beauty Of Carpet And Hardwood Floors Why Reupholster?

Do You Want Your Woodwork To Look Beautiful Again?

Save Energy, Space, And Water–Improve Your Life By Going Tankless Elegant Aquariums–Living Art For Your Home Don’t Be Left In The Dark When The Power Goes Out Restore And Transform Your Stone And Tile Without Having To Replace It Keeping It Cool–Is Your Wine Being Stored Properly?

Finally–Quiet Residential Heating And Cooling Home Elevators–Accessibility, Luxury And Conveinence Open Up Your View With Retractable Screen Doors Garage Makeover: Easy Said; Easy Done!

51 - 62 Exteriors & Landscaping 28 Home Theater & Automation Keep The Equipment Out Of Sight For A Seamlessly Elegant Home

30 - 35 Kitchen & Bath A Glance Inside A Kitchen Remodel Bath Furnishings Inspired By Nature’s Beauty More Than Just Undercounter Refrigeration Custom Built Glass Shower Enclosures–Form And Function Vessel Hammock Bathtub Takes Stylish Relaxation To A New Level

36 - 38 Remodeling Looking For Some Inspiration? Masonry Offers Unlimited Design Possibilities How To Get The Most Out Of Your Home Remodel Experience

Exceed All Expectations With A Properly Installed Synthetic Lawn Spring Is The Time To Beautify Your Home Add An Attractive Visual Touch With Custom Iron Doors Protecting And Shading Your Home Can Make A Measurable Difference Custom Outdoor Cabinetry–Elegant And Functional Extend Your Living Space WIth A Properly Maintained Deck Enjoy Your Yard, Save Water, And Money With A New Outdoor Environment Professional Barbeque Cleaning Evict Termites Without Leaving Your Home

64 - 65 Health Beauty and Fitness Reshape Your Body In 20 Minutes!

Featured on the cover are WETSTYLE’s premium-quality, handcrafted, bold, and original bath furnishings. With bathtubs, sinks, shower receptors, furniture, and accessories, WETSTYLE offers a complete product line for your bathrooms.

WETSYLE products are featured locally at Belmont Hardware’s showrooms. Belmont Hardware is family owned and has been a favored source of homeowners, architects, interior designers, and custom home- builders for over 80 years. WETSTYLE is featured at Belmont Hardware's San Jose and San Francisco showrooms. For more information about all seven of Belmont Hardware’s locations, you can visit www.belmonthardware.com. You can see their article on page 31.

homefashion

More Than JusT a sofa Bed— The Comfort sleeper™ Is a Marvel of Modern engineering

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sofa Closed

sofa open

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hen you think about a sofa bed, you most likely conjure up an image of an average looking fold out couch that doesn’t offer much in the comfort department. Yet, when the time comes for friends and family to stay over, there is nothing better than having that convenient sleeper in the house—even if it’s tucked away in your home office.

Now, you can say goodbye to that lackluster image of a traditional sofa bed forever, and meet the ultimate innovation that is literally redefining every notion you ever had about a traditional sleeper.

American Leather’s Comfort Sleeper™ takes things to an entirely new level of luxury. When your guests come over, you won’t just be offering them a space to sleep— you will be providing them with first-rate bed accommodations, in an instant.

With The Comfort Sleeper, American Leather has managed to capture the consumers’ imagination, not only in quality, but also size and design.

Quality. Made in the U.S.A., each Comfort Sleeper is crafted from the highest quality materials and fully customizable. Available with three different mattress options, you can choose from a worldrenowned Tempur-Pedic®, a luxuriously soft gel mattress, or a slightly firmer Premier mattress. The Comfort Sleeper is also protected by a cloth under-shield. When guests arrive, your Comfort Sleeper mattress will fold out without any dust bunnies clinging to the mechanism. There are no bars, no springs, and no sagging—they will never experience a cleaner sleep.

Size. More sleep space requires less floor space. All Comfort Sleeper mattresses offer a full 80-inches of sleeping surface, yet they take up less total floor area than conventional sleepers (whose mattresses tend to only be 70–75-inches in length). This is because the patented Comfort Sleeper system extends from within the back of the sofa. Also, staying true to size, when you purchase a queen Comfort Sleeper, you actually receive a 60 x 80 queen size. Many sleepers include a mattress that measures 54 x 72, and claim it’s queen-sized.

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homefashion When the bed is extended, the overall projection into the room is only 85-inches. This is a small footprint relative to other sleepers, which tend to project over 90-inches, along with a smaller overall sleeping surface.

Design. Small spaces and narrow hallways are not a problem with The Comfort Sleeper. They have been crafted to fit the smallest condo to the most spacious home. Experienced delivery crews can easily disassemble your sleeper to get it through tight entries. Perfect for converting any room into a guest room, queen-sized Comfort Sleepers come as small as 69-inches wide. The unique design also fits through narrow doorways.

You can choose from leather or many performance fabrics for your unique Comfort Sleeper—you’ll never have to compromise on style with a variety of coverings to choose from. The versatility of The Comfort Sleeper allows it to become a staple in your home décor. Instead of hiding the sleeper away in a small room that rarely gets any use, you will want to have it in the living room. Configured into sectionals or paired with matching stationary furniture (non-sleepers), such as love seats or chairs, the function of the Comfort Sleeper is perfect for any space. Your whole family will get cozy on the sectional during movie night.

Choose from leather or fabric options. Premium top-grain leathers are among the finest available and are full aniline-dyed for beauty and softness.

Stain-resistant and easyto-clean leathers are also available. Fabrics include ultra-double microfibers, velvets, bouclés, on-trend prints, and Crypton®.

If you need The Comfort Sleeper in a pinch, the lead times for custom ordered American Leather furniture are about half the industry average. You can ensure that your new piece will arrive in time for the guests. And if you need it even sooner, rush capacity is available. American Leather builds furniture that provides years of trouble-free service. If something goes wrong, your Comfort Sleeper mechanism is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for three years.

Whether you are looking for The Comfort Sleeper, furniture to fill an entire room, or just a few accent pieces, Giorgi Bros. Furniture Showroom can help. Their non-commission design consultants are committed to helping you find just the right furniture, and their staff can guide you through their huge 50,000-square-foot showroom and factory catalogs. Not only is furniture available off the showroom floor for immediate pick-up and most often next-day delivery, if you can’t find what you’re looking for in the showroom, Giorgi Bros. can help you find exactly what you need. They also offer delivery, which consists of unpacking, assembling, and placing the furniture in your home. For the last 83 years, this third-generation family-owned and –operated business has been focusing on their clients needs to deliver the best service. Offering free and convenient parking, you can visit their showroom at 211 Baden Avenue in South San Francisco. You can also call them at 650-588-4621 or visit their website at www.giorgibros.com ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

APRIL/MAY 2015 • BAY LIVING

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homefashion

What ©2014Philipharvey.com

Your

ith so many decisions to make while remodeling or redecorating, it only makes sense to have someone you can trust bring everything together for the best end result. A designer can coordinate all of the many moving parts to bring your vision into reality without the worry and stress.

Design Creativity, communication skills, experience, a sense of function, practical application, and management skills are just some of the characteristics to look for when selecting your designer. A designer should ask many questions pertaining to your lifestyle, and offer suggestions and ideas that you may have never thought of on your own. A formal presentation with visual aids should also be part of the designer’s routine to help you discover better solutions. An actual picture takes the guesswork out of the end result, creating timeless design that will serve your family for many years to come.

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Budget First, we all need to get comfortable with the word! Your designer should not be afraid to talk about a budget. In fact, it should be one of the first subjects discussed at the first meeting. In order to achieve the best end result and maintain a comfortable relationship with your designer (as well as the additional trades involved with the project), the budget must be considered a priority.

As projects develop, excitement builds and expectations can grow. You may have felt that a little change here and there would do the trick, but before you know it, that small and simple job may end up becoming a larger job. It is important for your designer to know exactly how much money you want to spend. They can then approve your budget, or let you know if it’s not reasonable for the type of project you want to complete. With open communication, your designer will be able to save you money by making decisions that reflect sensible design choices.

Schedule Once the budget has been established, designs have been approved, and orders have been placed, keeping the project moving forward in a timely fashion becomes the next priority. Your design team should create a schedule so that all parties involved understand and stay committed to the time frame.

Expediting and Delivery Quality control on products and furnishings are a major responsibility for a designer. As items are shipped from all over the world, it is the duty of the designer to make sure your products are delivered and installed in good condition. The designer should inspect the craftsmanship of all furnishings before authorizing delivery to their client. Coordinating deliveries and installations with multiple vendors and trades can be challenging, but a designer can make this process smooth and seamless to ensure their client’s project is completed with the best possible results.

If you are ready to design a space that is a unique reflection of you, Artistic Designs for Living (ADL) can help. ADL adheres to high quality design standards and delivers each project with a focus on scope, schedule, and budget. ADL’s founder, Tineke Triggs, thrives on her ability to blend right-brain creativity and left-brain project management to deliver fresh designs and interior renovations that are both beautiful and accessible. For more information, you can call them at 415-567-0602 or visit www.adlsf.com.

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Baldwin’s New Pocket Door Lock

homefashion

C

reate a

BOLDF I irst

mpression

he first impression of a home occurs upon opening the front door. The feel, weight, sound, and overall aesthetic of any door hardware immediately sets the tone. From formal and elegant to cool and contemporary, the doors tell the design story. A simple refresh of hardware can transform the look of any room and breathe fresh ideas into a familiar environment. This spring, consider hardware to be the necessary accessory.

Heritage. Baldwin has a rich heritage of delivering modern luxury to discriminating homeowners, architects, and designers through superior design, craftsmanship, and functionality.

Baldwin was the first to forge solid brass door hardware, the first to make forging (versus casting) the standard of excellence for the industry, and the first to create a lifetime warranty on finishes.

Baldwin is synonymous with innovation and unsurpassed quality.

Craftsmanship. A timeless and trustworthy brand, Baldwin is for those who “own it” with unparalleled confidence. It’s about creating a signature look that seamlessly blends Baldwin hardware with the personality of its owner—no limits, and no boundaries. Baldwin is about more than just having something special, it’s about showing the world what true luxury is really worth.

Materials. At Baldwin, quality is never compromised. From using the finest materials to crafting hardware by hand, Baldwin is committed to creating high-quality hardware that not only appears flawless and beautiful, but also endures the rigors of time.

Hand-forged and meticulously designed, Baldwin’s new Pocket Door Lock provides architects and designers with endless design opportunities, and will be available in four distinct collections and 18 finishes. Baldwin’s Pocket Door Lock offers design flexibility and longevity with its patented Limited Lifetime PVD Finish™ Warranty, which features advanced finishing technology (Physical Vapor Deposition) to create a finish highly resistant to the effects of weather and normal usage. The new PDL is available in three finishes with this warranty: Polished Nickel, Satin Nickel and Polished Brass.

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You can see Baldwin Hardware products locally at Belmont Hardware. When you visit one of Belmont Hardware’s seven showrooms, you will find Northern California’s largest selection of the world’s finest decorative finish hardware and plumbing fixtures. Belmont Hardware is family owned and has been a favored source of homeowners, architects, interior designers, and custom homebuilders for over 80 years. You can visit the Belmont Hardware showrooms, located in Belmont, San Jose, San Francisco, Novato, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, and Fresno, to see an extensive collection of products on display. Or you can visit www.belmonthardware.com for additional information and more details.

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homefashion

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etting ready in the morning has to be easier than racing around the house, trying to find matching shoes and a shirt that isn’t wrinkled. Isn’t it time to rid your life of the morning mayhem? Working with a closet professional, they will help design and create an organized custom closet, as well as other areas of your home.

A custom closet adds value to your home. There is something luxurious about walk-in closets, no matter what the size, devoting an entire room to storage and organization. Reach-in closets can literally double your storage with closet organizers. Multiple rods, custom-built trays, shelves and cabinets will utilize all of your space. For additional closet space, turn one of your bedroom walls into a wardrobe closet with lots of hanging and folding space, hidden shoe shelves, and closet doors that slide or swing open.

Finishes add color and character. Melamine finish is affordable and durable, while opting for stained or painted wood offers higher levels of customization. You can add decorative and architectural elements such as carved wood appliqués, crown and base molding, and decorative hardware.

Wood closet organizers offer the ultimate in personalization and luxury.

The richness and exclusive feel of wood and wood veneer accentuates the architecture and beauty of your home. Choose from maple, cherry, birch, and mahogany.

Closet accessories are the essential working pieces, from padded jewelry drawers to customized additions such as tie, belt, and pant racks, ironing stations, shelf dividers, shoe racks, pull-out baskets and trays.

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Organization can be achieved in other areas of the home, too.

Because home offices are often located in very visible parts of the home, custom office desks, workstations, bookshelves, and more can help clean things up. Designs feature both freestanding furniture and built-in configurations in a huge range of sizes, finishes and details.

Wall beds are the perfect way to save space. Wall beds allow you to convert rooms instantly, save valuable floor space, and let guests sleep over with comfort and convenience. Everything is designed to work within the bed cabinet and surrounding built-ins, effectively creating a multi-functional room. Custom shelving, drop-down tables, pullout nightstands, display alcoves, and media cabinetry are some of the accessories to consider.

For more information or to schedule a free design consultation, you can call Closet Factory at 888-501-0541, visit their showroom at 1000 B. Commercial in San Carlos, or visit them online at www.closetfactory.com.

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homefashion

ANTIQUE KHOTAN RUGS—

E

Historical Elegance for Your Home

xquisite handmade area rugs not only add a touch of class to any room, but they can define the entire ambiance of a home.

Antique Khotan rugs take the potential of area rugs to another level, harmoniously balancing contrasting styles while turning them into local icons.

Stylistically speaking, the intricate rugs of Khotan are the product of a rich culture and an abundance of decorative influences. Antique Khotan rugs were produced in the city of Khotan, located in Eastern Turkestan, in the 18th and 19th century. Catering to a wide variety of tastes, these rugs straddle Chinese and western Oriental elements in their design, with a palette that ranges from rich colors to soft pastels.

In recent years, interior designers have been coveting these historic decorative rugs. From ornate borders and grand medallions, to stunning repeating patterns, each carpet from Khotan captures a cosmopolitan style that is unique from the other rugs produced in East Turkestan.

Offering a strong geometric and abstract look, Khotan rugs are well suited for contemporary modern décor and are the perfect addition to almost any environment.

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Additionally, there is no better way to get a feel for the look you want to achieve than by testing out the rug in your home. Look for a company that offers a 30-day trial run with your new area rug, and you won’t have to worry about whether or not it will be a right fit. If you decide against it, you can return it without any hassle or obligation. When a company offers to bring a variety of different rugs to your home, you have the ability to see what would fit in your décor before you buy.

Established almost 35 years ago by Amir Amidi, Medallion Rug Gallery is a company that offers all of these services, as well as an extensive selection of area rugs ranging from Khotan to traditional Persian rugs. Offering no-obligation in-home trials, you can “try before you buy” to ensure that your rug is exactly what you were looking for. They also offer a trade-in/trade-up program, as well as a lifetime full exchange guarantee. Gain access to an experienced team and extensive network of exquisite rug makers. For more details, you can call 888-741-0916 or visit www.medallionrug.com. You can also visit their beautiful showroom at 353 University Ave. in Palo Alto.

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homefashion

ith the warmer season approaching, sweep away those winter cobwebs and refresh your home with a few spring spruce-ups. While some may get overwhelmed with the daunting task of a major cleaning, try these easy tips from Sally Morse, Director of Creative Services at Hunter Douglas, to create a brighter, lighter, more organized home.

1. Clear Away. If cleaning and clearing away the clutter seems overwhelming, Morse has one simple trick to calm the nerves. “Try setting the kitchen timer for 15 minutes per area, like the bedroom closet, pantry or foyer. Telling yourself you’re going to de-clutter the home in one weekend sounds draining,” she says. “Rather, split up the tasks into smaller ones so you stay focused and don’t get lost in the process.” Make a list of all the areas you have to organize and space it out over a few days.

2. Welcome in Springtime Light. One impactful décor change that can easily be made is to update your window treatments. The right window fashions in your home will not only look stylish and beautifully filter light for a glowing room, but also provide a host of practical benefits such as energy-efficiency, UV-protection, sound absorption and more. One of the many suitable options is Hunter Douglas Silhouette® window shadings, which feature soft fabric vanes that rotate for variable light control and privacy that are suspended between two sheer facings to diffuse incoming light and preserve the view.

3. Bring Nature In. As Mother Earth comes to life again it’s a great time to bring that life indoors with easy-to-maintain plants and flowers.

Try the cast-iron Japanese perennial, one of the toughest species available.

Nearly indestructible, it withstands low light, low humidity and a wide range of temperatures. Also, try adding pastel bouquets of lilac, forsythia and narcissus to spread a cheerful dose of color around the home.

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4. Lemony Fresh. Appeal to all five senses with this year’s spring updates.

After your initial scrub and, sorting and clearing of clutter, extend that fresh scent by adding a lemon-scented diffuser. You can, of course, easily purchase one, but for a fun DIY project, try creating a citrus diffuser at home.

5. Lighter Linens. For one spring refresher that goes a long way, try brightening up your home with lighter fabrics. This update can awaken nearly every room from the living room, bedroom and bathroom to the kitchen.

Morse advises also bringing a soft texture to the window by opting for energysaving Hunter Douglas Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades. These shades offer dozens of color and design choices for a range of high-design possibilities with fabrics that are gentle to the touch as well.

With a little work and a few additions, you can happily welcome in the new season with a clean, orderly, beautiful home.

To see a variety of different Hunter Douglas products, you can visit Rebarts Interiors, an authorized Hunter Douglas Window Fashions Gallery with showrooms located at 247 California Drive in Burlingame and 990 Industrial Road Ste. 106 in San Carlos, 650-348-1268 or 650-508-8518. www.rebarts.com. Or you can also visit PKS Interiors, an authorized Hunter Douglas Showcase Dealer located at 101 E. El Camino Real in Sunnyvale, 408-738-9183 or 650-948-4162 www.pksinteriors.com.

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homefashion

f you are looking for furniture that offers both comfort and style, IMG and Fjords® are two Norwegian furniture manufacturers that redefine how comfort collaborates with both quality and unsurpassed value. From reclining chairs to reclining sofas and everything in between, you will be incredibly pleased with the passion for exquisite design and comfort found in each and every piece.

IMG has a passion to engineer and design furniture that delivers worldleading comfort and back-saving ergonomic support. Whether you want a flexible chair that moves with your body or are seeking total stability, the vast selection of IMG recliners and chairs cover it all. Designed from the inside out, IMG Relaxer seating features ColdCured Molded Foam, the technology for the ultimate in body supportive comfort.

Reclining IMG sofas are a unique and flexible motion sofa system that provides you with endless combinations.

Allowing you to tailor each configuration to your specific needs, the Modular Seating program is a complete system that includes a sofa, love seat, chairs, and home theatre seating. With a wide range of complimentary products and accessories, including custom leather covers available in numerous colors, all IMG furniture can be integrated seamlessly with any décor.

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With knowledge about needs for rest and movement, as well as the incorporation of modern technology, Fjords designs chairs that will improve your everyday life.

Fjords’ relaxers have unique comfortable properties in all positions—continuous back adjustment, 360-degree rotation, an integrated footrest, and even a comfortable rocking function.

Genuine Fjords leather recliners feature an Active Release System, which is an integrated mechanism that provides quality support for the neck. It can be adjusted with a single movement to optimize the sitting experience. An ergonomically designed chair, continuous support and comfort help to prevent your legs and back from getting tired.

From the Scandic high-back sofa, which provides added lumbar support and an adjustable headrest, to the Contura series that combines Scandinavian design with NASA science to promote the zero-gravity position so that your body can break free of the stress of gravity, Fjords furniture offers a health-focused sitting solution for everyone.

Avetex Furniture has been in the same location for 14 years, offering a wide selection of custom sofas, chairs, lounges, benches, beds, and much more. Avetex works closely with interior designers, and provides free delivery and installation in the Bay Area. You can visit their showroom to see IMG and Fjords products on display. Most models by IMG and Fjords are usually in stock and available in two-to-three colors. To see models or for a free design consultation (in-store only), you can visit Avetex at 6114/6101 Geary Blvd. (25th Ave.) in San Francisco, open Monday - Saturday 10–6 and Sunday 12-4. You can also call them at 415-831-6529 or visit their website at www.avetexfurniture.com.

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homefashion hether you’re considering a major remodeling project or simply want to update a room, changing your flooring is an easy way to make a dramatic change. Offering timeless style, carpet and hardwood are both ideal choices for just about any area of the home.

When it comes to carpet, don’t simply choose an appealing color—always consider the carpet’s fibers and construction, as well as your lifestyle before making a decision. Visual texture in carpet increases the perception of quality and value, and offers a striking contrast to smoother elements, such as furniture surfaces, walls, and counters. Additionally, new stain- and soil-resistant technologies make lighter colored carpet easier to clean, broadening your decorating options.

When selecting a hardwood floor, there are many aspects to consider. This includes selecting from a wide range of species of wood, different styles, a range of hardness and scratch resistance, and choices from entry-level to upper-end handscraped and custom woods. One of the desirable features of hardwood flooring is the relative ease of maintenance—typically, a simple sweeping or dusting will restore beauty to the floor. Finally, along with being durable and practical, hardwood floors are an environmentally friendly and renewable product.

For more information about carpet, hardwood, or other flooring choices, PKS Interiors has been serving the Bay Area for over 30 years and is an exceptional resource for your home’s interior décor needs. Truly a one-stopshop, PKS offers the design and sales of flooring, window coverings, and cabinets, along with a huge selection of products. For more information, you can call them at 408-738-9183 or 650-948-4162. www.pksinteriors.net.

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homefashion

Why

Reupholster?

f your old sofa looks as though it’s on its last legs, don’t be too quick to bundle it out of the house. Resourceful homeowners are discovering that many old pieces have a value you can’t buy today. And they are restoring them through reupholstery. The economics of reupholstery works for them, too. For dollars and cents, it can be one of today’s best buys.

The value is in the frame.

If your old sofa (or chair) has a good frame, it is well worth reupholstering. A frame is the essential element in the structure, and if it’s solid there’s no point going out and

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buying a new one. So, what is a good frame?

One that’s made of hardwood—oak or maple, for example. Hardwood is strong and has longevity. A clue is its weight—hardwood is strong. That’s why furniture sales people will often lift up one end of a sofa when showing it to a customer. They are demonstrating the frame’s weight. And the frame is what your upholsterer can check out.

The art of reupholstery.

Building on your old frame (where you save big dollars,) the upholsterer reties the springs, puts in new webbing, all new padding and filling, and totally recreates the

sofa. This is all handwork, involving a high order of skills. What you get back is a piece of furniture, in the class of a custom-made piece.

The fabric advantage.

A significant advantage in reupholstering is fabric selection. You choose from a panoramic range of colors and textures. You can find just about any fabric at any price, to fit any décor.

For more information, you can call Sterling Custom Upholstery at 650-961-8700, or visit their website at www.sterlingcustomupholstery.com

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homeautomation

Keep the Equipment Out of Sight For a Seamlessly Elegant Home

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ot much can turn around a bad day quite as quickly as music. Now take that music and surround yourself with it, inside your home and out, and your mood is suddenly on the fast track to improvement. And, you’ll be even happier when you see how your home audio system looks—if you can even see it.

From the music playing in your living room that engulfs you in surround sound to the lighting that dims just perfectly with the touch of a button, ambiance is truly everything. However, nothing can ruin the mood you worked so hard to create like those unsightly wires, bulky equipment, and speakers that take away from the beauty of your spaces.

Let’s face it—equipment is not something that you want to see as part of your décor.

When it comes to the upgraded technology in your home, professionals have the ability and expertise to hide every single element that you don’t want to see. With everything out of sight, the room will not only feel larger, but more elegant.

Speakers can be made subtle in appearance. If you want to take it a step further, innovative Live-Wall is a product that actually keeps your speakers completely invisible. Your Live-Wall can even produce 3D, holographic, nuanced imaging if you are in the mood for some added ambiance.

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Elite Moving Art by Leon is a premier recess-mounted moving art solution that can actually conceal your TV, offering the appearance of an elegant piece of framed art when you want to hide the TV. Lighting can completely transform a room with the simple touch of a button from a smart phone. With pre-set personalized programs, or automated sensors, you have the power to define a mood with light.

In fact, you can control a variety of aspects with the simple touch of a button, including window shades and coverings, and even movie screens in the home theater. Professionals can sync each element so that your entire living space can transform in an instant—your home will be both beautiful and comfortable.

When it comes to taking your home from ordinary to extraordinary, you want to work with a professional that constantly seeks out new technology, ensuring that you will get the best products available on the market. They should also communicate with architects and homeowners to ensure a comprehensive design and installation. Finally, a professional should recognize that the seamless design of your system should complement the ambiance of your home, not distract from it.

You want convenience, comfort and savings—a truly enjoyable home that is smart in every way.

Evergreen Home Systems Inc. can keep your home as elegant as possible by hiding the equipment you don’t want to see. From concealing speakers to total home automation, Evergreen Home Systems will work with you from design to installation to deliver a plan that is both on time and within your budget. For a thorough free consultation or more information, you can call Evergreen Home Systems at 408-691-9386 or visit www.evergreenhomesystems.com.

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kitchen&bath

a GlanCe InsIde a fter living in their home for over 10 years, the homeowners featured in this article knew that the time had finally come to build Before the larger kitchen that they so desperately needed. All of the aspects that were missing in the kitchen and adjoining family room were becoming more and more apparent as the years continued to pass.

The homeowners had a long list of desired features that they needed. This included an open design to make the kitchen and family room a combined gathering place, more storage, and privacy from the living and entry area, all while maintaining access to the backyard and visibility through the recently replaced windows and doors. Aesthetically, they desired classic but clean design lines in pleasing colors without creating a monotonous beige kitchen.

Before. The kitchen, originally built in 1972, was extremely small, outdated, and lacked any potential for storage. One wall divided the kitchen from the family room, closing off the potential for added space. A recently replaced window at the kitchen sink provided nice, unobstructed views.

After. Removing the dividing wall between the kitchen and family room, a flush beam was installed across the exterior and living room

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walls to provide structural support. To add storage, the doorway from the entry was relocated to enable a walk-in pantry to be built, conveniently located near the garage and front door entrances.

Taking advantage of potential alignment with the extended wall at the adjoining hallways, the pantry fit seamlessly into the design, not to mention producing a more attractive entrance to the remodeled kitchen/family space. The entry foyer could now feature a decorative wall space and a corner for a small table. Finally, the kitchen windows were left in tact and all lighting was upgraded throughout to include under-cabinet lighting in the future as well as a home automation system. The end result was more storage space and a cleaner, nicer, upgraded kitchen.

Before beginning, the homeowners were hesitant to engage in a construction project after hearing warnings from friends about companies that didn’t listen to clients’ needs and wants, and projects that were finished both after the prospected deadline and outside of the agreed upon budget. They found a company that met their expectations—project designer Ramona Tan worked with them and successfully delivered an ideal design that was finished ahead of schedule, and stayed completely within budget.

With Case® Design/Remodeling, every single aspect of your home improvement needs are covered. The process-driven team at Case always strives to facilitate a logical sequence of steps that will help break down and simplify the remodeling process, while keeping the project on track and moving forward from design to completion. For more information, you can visit their website at www.CaseSanJose.com, or call 408-323-5300 (please mention 415) for a free consultation.

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kitchen&bath

Glacier. This CSA-approved and ADA-compliant ZERO-threshold™ shower provides easy accessibility via a non-slip surface. Glacier features a concealed drain channel completely integrated into the floor base—a classic and elegant expression.

Image-In. Exclusive tone-on-tone motifs break the gleaming bathtub surface, drawing only on the contrast of a matte finish applied flat against the True High Gloss™ finish of these streamlined bathtubs. Four motifs reunite us with the terrestrial origins of humanity: Earth, Water, Floral, and Calligraphy.

Inspired by nature’s Beauty premium-quality bath furnishings bring exciting reinterpretations to the category of luxury soaking tubs, lavatories, and requisite cabinetry. All WETSTYLE products are crafted by hand of WETMAR BiO™, an eco-friendly thermo-insulating material that is highly durable, and naturally resistant to stains, bacteria, and UV rays.

Be Collection. The yearning for a return to our origins, simple pleasures, and natural beauty was the inspiration for this collection.

The Be Collection expresses that desire through the shapes that Nature herself could have created.

Couture Collection. Taking inspiration from the sea, Couture’s ribbing and oblong shape were inspired by seashells. Two asymmetrical angled slopes mimic gentle waves. An object of modern art and its avant-garde and graceful silhouette offers a uniquely classic statement.

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Tulip Collection. Embodying the simple and organic shape of a blossoming tulip, subtly rounded edges along the rim of this collection circle two ergonomically minded sitting positions so you can rest your head back and soak in nature’s beauty. In addition to a soaker, the collection features a vessel sink.

You can see WETSTYLE products locally at Belmont Hardware. When you visit one of Belmont Hardware’s seven showrooms, you will find Northern California’s largest selection of the world’s finest decorative finish hardware and plumbing fixtures. Belmont Hardware is family owned and has been a favored source of homeowners, architects, interiors designers, and custom homebuilders for over 80 years. To see WETSTYLE products on display, you can visit the Belmont Hardware showrooms, located in San Jose and San Francisco. You can also visit the Belmont Hardware showrooms located in Belmont, Novato, Berkeley, Walnut Creek and Fresno, featuring an extensive collection of products on display, or you can visit www.belmonthardware.com for additional information and more details.

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kitchen&bath

More Than Just

Refrigeration

I

s it possible to be inspired by your refrigeration? When you choose Perlick, it is. Innovative undercounter refrigeration by Perlick strikes the ideal balance between robust, yet efficient, cooling technology and sleek aesthetics that are visually pleasing.

Depending on your specific needs and preferences, Perlick offers both indoor and outdoor undercounter refrigerators. You might need extra storage space in the kitchen for certain ingredients. Perhaps you regularly host alfresco dinners for friends and need a refrigeration solution for your outdoor kitchen. With a special dedication to providing innovative, customizable food and beverage storage and serving solutions to your home, a Perlick is more than just a product to purchase—it is an investment that will always keep your ingredients fresh.

Robust refrigeration systems properly chill room-temperature products in just 30 minutes—far exceeding the average temperature pull-down of most products. Glass doors feature Low E coated, argon filled dual-pane thermal

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glass to limit energy transfer through the glass, and add increased strength (both indoors and outdoors). Powered by a commercial-grade variable speed compressor, Perlick units are whisper-quiet.

The highest quality materials and finishes result in beautiful and incredibly powerful refrigeration systems. Stainless steel interiors and exteriors provide a sanitary and durable surface for easy cleaning. Drawer models also feature stainless steel interior liners with thermal break construction, and full-extension drawers that carry a 200-pound capacity each. All models are available to order with fully integrated doors and drawers that come ready to accept custom wood overlay panels.

Perlick has also introduced many feature upgrades and optional accessories to enhance the functionality and performance of residential refrigerators, such as designer handles, concealed screws, drawer dividers, custom stacked columns, and even styled louvers.

For more information about Perlick undercounter refrigeration and much more, you can visit Atherton Appliance & Kitchens

today to actually experience fully functional kitchens—nothing is more helpful when considering the right appliances, cabinets and countertops for your unique lifestyle.

You can visit their showroom, enjoy a gourmet cup of coffee at their Atherton Café, and even test out their live coffee machines along with kitchen appliances at 695 Veterans Blvd. in Redwood City. You can call them at 650-369-1794, email them for a quote at info@athertonappliance.com, or visit www.athertonappliance.com to see more appliances, cabinets, countertops and culinary education.

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kitchen&bath

Form and Function

A

shower is a dominant feature in any bathroom. With the addition of clear frameless doors, this area quickly transforms from an average aspect to a stunning focal point. A wise investment, custom glass showers can bring beauty to your bathroom for years to come.

Nearly invisible, a clear frameless glass shower door limits the visual barriers, provides a flowing seamless look, and has the effect of making the area seem more open and roomy. A frameless shower also complements its surrounding environment, drawing attention to the meticulous tile work and other artistic elements of your bathroom.

Frameless glass enclosures are fully customized to your space and taste, whether you prefer something more traditional, or are drawn to an ultra-modern and sleek look. There are a myriad of options to choose from, from custom sandblasted designs to numerous glass patterns. You can even create an enclosure that is as frameless as possible with durable minimalist hardware. Unique hardware allows the door to swing both out and in.

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CB Showers (the CB stands for “custom built”) specializes in high-end glass shower enclosures tailored for any design and space. A highly trained, dedicated installation team supports the new owner, Aristotelis “Telly” Sionides, and company founder and vice president, Bruce Downs. Together, they continue to build on the company’s sterling 28-year reputation for strong customer service, forward-thinking design and top-notch materials and products. CB Showers also offers innovative Diamon-Fusion® that substantially reduces the time and effort needed to maintain your glass enclosure, ensuring your shower will stay gorgeous for many years.

Diamon-Fusion is a unique nanotechnology process that seals the “pores” in the glass, so that it is protected from the harmful deposits found in water. For more information, you can visit CB Showers’ expansive showroom featuring the company’s vast array of design options and outstanding products, located at 1160 Industrial Road, Suite 10 in San Carlos, or you can call their consultants at 650-593-6997. www.CBShowers.com.

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V

essel

h

aMMoCK

B

aThTuB

Takes Stylish Relaxation to a New Level

“Struck by the synergy between the shapes of two compelling symbols of relaxation, a hammock and a bathtub, we were inspired to develop a piece that would provide the ultimate vehicle for total escapism.”

–Miles Hartwell, Co-founder of Splinter Works The peaceful experience of kicking-back in a hammock has been further enhanced by combining it with the immersive comfort of soaking in a hot bath. By literally elevating the experience of bathing into a suspended sculpture, the bathroom has been reinvented as a contemplative sanctuary for artful relaxation.

Designed for use in a wet room, Vessel is suspended from the walls and does not touch the floor. It is fixed with stainless steel brackets that can be covered over, or left revealed. The bath is filled using a floor standing tap and the wastewater is released through the base into a floor drain. A downpipe drain can also be installed if a wet room setting is not possible.

Vessel is made from carbon fiber, which is utilized for its inherent strength, and ability to be formed into complex curves. Furthermore, the weave of the fabric references the cloth of a typical hammock. Beneath the layers of carbon fiber is a foam core, which insulates the tub. This means that the bath stays hot for considerably longer than normal.

Another beguiling characteristic of carbon fiber is that it offers an unparalleled texture. Through the smooth layers of lacquer, it always inspires a close-up look at the depth of the geometric weave of the fiber. Even in black, it has a surprisingly soft look that is more associated with fabric.

At 106” long, Vessel is longer than a regular bathtub, leaving plenty of room to share the experience. Custom sizes are available but it is also designed so that it can be trimmed up to 8” to allow for flexible installation. Vessel can be tailored in different colored lacquers; black, white, red, blue, yellow, pink, bronze, and pure silver, or embellished in hand-applied gold leaf with clear lacquer.

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kitchen&bath After the success of the suspended Vessel hammock bathtub, the freestanding Vessel evolved as a standalone piece that doesn’t need walls, yet still offers the playful form.

With an optimum shape for a relaxing bathing experience, it has more flexibility of arrangement. The visually arresting curvaceous shapes have a dark magnetism, luring the eye to explore their striking contours.

Conceived in woven and lacquered carbon fiber, they are also undeniably tactile, warm, and inviting.

Splinter Works have in fact pioneered the use of carbon fiber in the bathroom.

The pieces have to be produced in a giant autoclave, which is normally used to make Formula One cars. The love for this challenging material not only stems from the incredible strength, but also its lightweight characteristics, (when empty, it weighs just 14 kilos) meaning not only can the freestanding Vessel be positioned anywhere in the room, but it can go anywhere in the house with no need to reinforce floorboards in the upper floors.

Splinter Works’ mission is to create furniture that is engaging and inspiring.

Through their designs they strive to enrich the lives of users, enhancing their environment and elevating the experience of everyday life. Their aim is to create work that is individual, thought provoking, aesthetically beguiling, intelligently designed, and seamlessly functional.

The designs are experimental and theatrical, while maintaining the importance of the inherent function of the piece. The work revels in playing visual tricks where balance is often questioned. Opposing dichotomies of solidity versus weightlessness, motion

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versus stillness, and strength versus fragility are played out in ambitious designs through innovative materials. Splinter Works can tailor designs to suit clients' requirements and also produce unique commissions where every element, from the intended location and practical requirements, to striking a personal resonance with the commissioner, can be considered and accomplished.

You can see Splinter Works’ products exclusively imported by PSCBath locally at Belmont Hardware. When you visit one of Belmont Hardware’s seven showrooms, you will find Northern California’s largest selection of the world’s finest decorative finish hardware and plumbing fixtures. Belmont Hardware is family owned and has been a favored source of homeowners, architects, interiors designers, and custom homebuilders for over 80 years.

To see Splinter Works products on display, you can visit the Belmont Hardware showroom located in San Jose. You can also visit the Belmont Hardware showrooms located in Belmont, San Francisco, Novato, Berkeley, Walnut Creek and Fresno, featuring an extensive collection of products on display, or you can visit www.belmonthardware.com for additional information and more details.

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looKInG for soMe InspIraTIon?

Masonry offers unlimited design possibilities

T

here’s a reason why many of the world’s significant architectural achievements were built with masonry.

Architects and builders choose masonry because of its beauty, design versatility, and durability, making it an ideal selection for any area of the home, both indoors and out. Whether using natural stone, brick, stone veneer, or manufactured stone, the application of the appropriate materials can enhance the overall appearance of any environment. Not to mention, it’s recyclable and extremely environmentally friendly.

However, it’s all too common for both homeowners and professionals to feel unsure about which materials should be used where. Because there are so many different variations when it comes to masonry materials, it can be a challenge to conceptualize the preferable outcome.

Before starting your masonry project, you should become familiar with the available products and their benefits.

Stone is finding its way inside the home because it provides a sense of permanence and calmness. Both natural stone and brick are fabulous for just about any area because they are classic, timeless, and built to last.

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homeremodeling

Paving an outdoor living space, front walkway or driveway is a modern way to add some warmth and sophistication. A popular choice is natural bluestone, which is a quarried product often coming from the East Coast. It can come in a variety of colors, cuts and finishes depending on your use and look. Flagstone, limestone, slate are other gorgeous paving choices that can compliment a variety of styles. Concrete pavers are used in driveways because they are built to take heavy loads, but give your home a finished and elegant look.

Another example is stone veneer, which offers the beauty of real stone, but its thinner profile overcomes the need for additional structural reinforcement. Thin veneer often can be applied over existing masonry, added as an interior accent wall, to a kitchen backsplash or island, fireplaces and much more.

Once you are familiar with your masonry choices, the second most crucial step is finding a showroom that allows you to visualize exactly what will work best for your project.

Imagine a location that displays hundreds of laid-in-place pieces of natural stone and brick, manufactured stone exhibits, and concrete paver samples in action that you can touch, feel, and get a concept of how it will actually look in your own home. Having the chance to see the beauty of masonry for yourself allows you to gain inspiration, ideas and imagine what your own project could look like. A professional masonry shop often allows you to check out samples, find and compare complementary products, and receive the necessary general information about pricing and timing of delivered products to help make your project what you want it to be. This invaluable experience makes your masonry vision tangible so you can turn those ideas into reality.

Whether you are a homeowner, interior designer, contractor, homebuilder, or architect, the ability to browse and compare products allows for successful communication and project collaboration because you can physically show the person you are working with the specific displays that you love (or even don’t love). Under one roof, you can gain a better understanding of what is available and what products work best for certain applications, making your design process both enjoyable and efficient.

Locally, Peninsula Building Materials offers this exact type of showroom where you can view more than 200 varieties of masonry, beautifully installed and ready to experience. Complete with consulting rooms, you can discuss a project with your professional or a staff member. PBM is dedicated to serving customers and finding materials for any home and budget. Visit their expansive showroom at 2490 Charleston Road in Mountain View, open Tuesday–Saturday, and browse displayed products from all over the world. You can also see their full line of masonry and landscape products at any of the four PBM Greater Bay Area yard locations in Redwood City, Sunnyvale, San Martin and Livermore, open Monday–Friday. For more information, you can call them at 877-282-0522 or visit www.pbm1923.com.

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APRIL/MAY 2015 • BAY LIVING

37

homeremodeling

ome remodeling offers homeowners the perfect opportunity to transform the home they love into the home of their dreams. Whether you have the need for more living space, or want to upgrade your home environment in order to enhance your lifestyle and resale value of your home, a full-service design build company can partner with you to create a home that fits your needs and personal style.

Beginning a home remodeling project is a huge step. An experienced contractor can guide you through the decision-making process for comfortable, beautiful results on time and on budget.

Consider how the home remodeling process is going to affect your lifestyle. Maybe it’s time for that new kitchen? The focal point of most homes, a new or updated a kitchen can increase functionality, aesthetic appeal and your home’s value. Walk through your home and address the areas to be renovated and how it affects day-to-day livability.

Also, be sure to think about your family’s future needs. Will your family be growing or changing? If so, a basement provides you with so much opportunity for expansion. You can double your living space—whether you need additional bedrooms, a game room, an office, or even a wine cellar. This is both a quick and economical transformation because it adds little disruption to your day.

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Consider the potential of all lifestyle enhancements, new bathrooms, new decks and porches that increase outdoor living spaces to energy-efficient windows and siding. Simple upgrades might be the perfect solution for your home, from new carpentry and molding to upgraded trim.

However, no matter what you decide on, the most crucial part of the process is to hire a dependable company that is both experienced and equipped to handle all aspects of your home remodel. Here are some helpful aspects to consider before signing any contracts.

Experience. A company and their craftsman should have plenty of experience and be willing to offer any advice to ensure that your project turns out exactly how you want it. They should also be proud to offer a list of references with contact information so that you can check.

Integrity. A company’s proposal should outline the details of the project clearly and completely so that you understand all aspects and nothing surprises you later down the road. The priority should be to complete your project on time, on budget, and all work should be backed up with a warranty.

Process. A pre-construction walkthrough should occur before any demolition starts to ensure that everyone is on the same page and no questions go unanswered. When the project gets started, a company should always arrive on (or before) the scheduled time. Finally, all craftsmen should be clean, courteous and background-checked.

Cinnabar Builders is a full service construction management company that incorporates the very best practices in project planning, scheduling, execution and communication. For more information or a free consultation, you can call them at 408-439-2410 or visit www.cinnabarbuilders.com

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products&services

to Look Beautiful Again? here’s an alternative to replacing your wood cabinets or floors. People often put off refinishing their cabinets or wood floors because of the inconvenience, dust, noxious odor, consumed time, and budget. Over time, dirt build up, wear and tear, scratches and age-discolored finishes can make wood look flat and lifeless. Replacing cabinets or refacing (putting on new doors) requires new wood to make their products. Traditionally, once wood floors, cabinets or other woodwork in the home reached the point where it looked terrible, the options were limited.

The good news is that with the products and methods available today, restoring the beauty of wood has never been simpler or more cost effective. By improving the look of your existing cabinets, you will save time and money. Technicians experienced with this process and methods of renewing wood finishes can produce like-new luster to your wood cabinets, floors and trim without the waste, mess and harsh odors from chemicals or expense of traditional sanding and refinishing. This can be done in only days not weeks.

Here’s how it works: A thorough cleaning is critical for great results, so the first step is to clean the wood surface of any dirt, grease and grime out of the pores.

Any repairs needed are also made at this time including gaps, holes, splintered wood, etc.

Once the wood surface has been cleaned and repaired, it is sealed and the new water-based finish is then applied. The newer water-based finishes available today have been proven to be as strong and long-lasting as traditional oil-based finishes, but do not have the harsh chemical fumes or yellowing tendencies. It’s non-toxic and odorless. Additionally, pigments and dyes can be added to the new finish so that the technician can achieve virtually any color desired. Say you have maple cabinets and would like a slightly darker stained wood, the new finish can be custom dyed to your color preference and then professionally applied.

Do you want a color change for your cabinets? The same cleaning and repair process is used and a stain or opaque finish is applied with a sprayer for a seamless, streak-free finish. The change can be as subdued or dramatic as you wish.

Don’t replace your wood cabinets or floors—all you have to do is “N-Hance” them. N-Hance also does banisters, doors, fireplace mantels, windowsills, bamboo, cork, engineered veneer, hand-scraped and distressed wood floors, and much more.

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Cabinet Renewal

Before

After

Basic Floor Renewal

Before

After

For more information about having your cabinets, floors or other woodwork in your home refinished, you can call N-Hance Wood Renewal, serving San Francisco and San Mateo counties, at 650-731-3917, and you can call N-Hance Wood Renewal, serving Santa Clara county at 408-220-6626. You can visit www.nhance.com.

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products&services

Save Energy, Space, and Water—

W

hen you are in need of hot water, there can be nothing more frustrating than standing around and waiting for the water in your sink or shower to finally get hot. Not to mention, because we are in a serious drought, you probably feel pangs of guilt and helplessness as all of that wasted water goes down the drain. Wouldn’t it be nice to have endless and pure hot water available at all times, without having to deal with the repercussions?

Today’s energy-conscious homeowners want an alternative to heating and reheating the water in their storage tank heater, and tankless water heaters are proving to be the ultimate solution.

Whether you want to reduce your carbon footprint, lower your monthly utility bills, or simply enjoy continuous hot water—it’s time for you to learn about tankless. Although the initial investment of a tankless water heater may be more expensive than a traditional water heater, most users save between 30-45% in energy expenses comparatively. Tankless water heaters also provide virtually unlimited supplies of hot water to multiple taps and faucets throughout your home, at the same time. The hot-water waiting game can finally be over, for good.

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Here’s how tankless technology works: the major benefit can be found in the ability to heat water without the use of a traditional storage tank. Storage tanks often suffer standby heat loss and cause the water heating to be less efficient.

Instead of constantly warming water and storing it in a tank where energy is wasted throughout the day, tankless systems only heat water on demand. As a result, since the heater is only running for a few minutes during the day as opposed to running on and off all day long the way a traditional water heater does, a huge amount of energy is saved, and your bills will be reduced.

It is crucial to have experienced, licensed, insured, and certified experts assist you with your tankless project, offering only the highest quality products. Noritz® tankless hot water heater products, including the EZTR40, the first direct 40 gallon tank replacement, and NRCP Series Heaters, which have built-in recirculation pump condensing water heaters, allow the utmost in continuous hot water, high energy efficiency, and low operating costs. A leader in the water heating industry for over 60 years, you can put your trust in the Noritz brand.

If you are looking to stay environmentally smart, save space in your home, save money on bills, have instant hot water all throughout your home, or even simply have an endless supply of

hot water for your house, then you are an ideal candidate for tankless—improve your quality of life today!

When you use Better Water Heaters, you can expect the best rates, service, and installations possible. Better Water Heaters provides free estimates, so you can learn more about the cost of fixing your old water heater or buying a new one by simply calling them at 408-335-0150.

You can also visit their website to learn more about tankless water heaters and more, at www.betterwaterheaters.com.

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products&services

Elegant Aquariums– Living Art for Your Home

T

he ability to watch peaceful and exotic fish brings a sense of tranquility to any surrounding. In fact, it has been proven that the presence of an aquarium in a room can lower people’s blood pressure and relieve their anxiety.

Aquariums are also a great educational piece for young children, providing them with a sense of responsibility and care. Therefore, when you have an aquarium at home, it’s more than just a decoration—it’s a piece of living art that promotes both physical comfort and interaction.

Depending on your aquarium preferences, there are options for everyone. The three basic types of aquarium habitats include live reef, saltwater fish-only, and freshwater. Reef habitats are defined as an aquarium with live corals, invertebrates, and compatible fish. Saltwater fish-only aquariums are tanks that house only fish, allowing you to mix a variety of fish all together. And freshwater aquariums can be kept in a community environment or in a habitat specific to their physical region.

Aquarium specialists will design an efficient aquarium system, depending on your needs and desires. Knowledgeable in all different types of aquarium design, specialists can customize your tank— whether it involves specialized filter requirements for specific fish or unique solutions for decorative hideaways. No matter the size or budget, there is a system for you. All you have to do is feed your fish, sit back, and enjoy.

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Because aquariums are normally installed next to high-end flooring and cabinetry, plumbing your aquarium properly is of utmost importance. A company should recognize these types of often overlooked details, as well as offer service for your aquarium once it’s been installed. Depending on your schedule and system, aquariums should be maintained accordingly.

If you currently own an aquarium and are looking to give it a makeover, aquarium specialists can also overhaul your current system by cleaning everything out, converting the water, updating the ecosystem, and even upgrading your filtration.

SeaLife Aquarium designs, installs, overhauls, and services aquariums to meet all budgets and requirements. Since 1995, SeaLife has been installing and servicing any size aquarium, from 20 to 2,000 gallons. They offer customized maintenance packages. Their aquarium specialists can also take over maintenance on existing aquariums.

For more information, or a free design consultation, you can call them at 408-234-7925, visit www.sealife-aquarium.com, or email jeff@sealife-aquarium.com.

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products&services

.......

.................

ntil disaster strikes, whether it’s a storm, earthquake, or rolling blackout, we typically don’t realize how drastically we depend on electricity. Of course, the most obvious component that we notice when the power goes out is lighting. However, there are so many other power-dependent utilities and systems in our homes that we oftentimes forget about that not only keep us connected to comfort, but also in some cases, are necessary for our survival.

Heating and cooling, refrigerators, computers, alarm systems, wine cellars, home theaters, and even more crucial concerns such as medical equipment can all be affected in a power outage. Wouldn’t it be nice to never have to worry about losing connection to these aspects that we have become so reliant on?

Now, you can be completely secure in knowing that your electrical needs will always be met in the event of a power outage with an emergency backup generator. A backup generator monitors the utility and activates automatically when there’s a power outage, even when you’re away from home. Your electrical appliances will continue to function with uninterrupted power, no matter what’s happening outdoors.

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Kohler® generators can automatically power your air conditioning, sump pump, fridge, oven, and more in just 10 seconds. Before the power even goes out, a component called an ATS (automatic transfer switch) is constantly monitoring the electricity coming from the utility.

When utility power fails or drops below an acceptable level (also known as a brownout), the ATS will signal the generator to start. Seven-to-ten seconds later, the ATS transfers from the utility feed to the generator feed, and supplies power to your home as though nothing even happened.

Once the utility power comes back on, the ATS will then automatically transfer the source of your power from the generator to the utility, and your home will instantly be back up and running like normal. Your standby generator will shut down, and resume to being ready for the next power outage. It’s that simple.

Backup generators are more powerful, safe, reliable, and efficient than the small, portable generators typically purchased in hardware stores. Units are permanently mounted and self-activating—you’ll never have to pull the unit out of storage, add fuel, and turn it on when you need it.

Every Kohler generator is meticulously quality-tested for complete reliability. Inside each unit is a commercial-grade engine that has been built to withstand extreme workloads. Not only do you get to enjoy an uninterrupted lifestyle, but you also get Kohler’s premium five-year, 2,000-hour protection, plus a corrosion-proof enclosure that’s built to last.

Electro-Motion, Inc. is an authorized dealer and service center for Kohler units, as well as a variety of other brands. Since 1967, Electro-Motion has been servicing and maintaining emergency standby generators and automatic transfer switches—the two critical components of any emergency power system. All of their technicians are Electrical Generating Systems Association (EGSA) certified, and can help you achieve an undisturbed lifestyle today. For more information, you can call Electro-Motion at 650-321-6169 or visit their website at www.electromotion.com.

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products&services Restore and Transform Your Stone and Tile Without Having to Replace It

E

legant natural stone and tile have always reflected class and prestige, which is why so many homeowners choose to incorporate it into their homes.

Whether an entryway, floor, fireplace, or even kitchen and bath countertops, your stone and tile are focal points that bring beauty into your living space.

However, most people aren’t aware of the incredibly porous nature of both natural stone and tile grout. When a surface is porous, it will absorb spills and oily soils. If your surfaces are not properly cleaned and sealed, this staining and wear will become increasingly more apparent with time.

The good news is, this can be fixed and your rich surfaces can be restored to look incredible once again without having to tear anything out.

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A powerful and exclusive six-step cleaning process will restore your stone, tile, and grout to a like-new condition. Your surfaces will also be sealed with an impregnating sealer, which fills in the pores. The sealer will then protect the surface from becoming permanently stained, also making it easier for you to clean.

Additionally, floor restoration maintenance programs are available for the upkeep of your natural stone or tile and grout cleaning, ensuring that your surfaces will always look luxurious.

For more information about professional natural stone and tile cleaning, Integrity Stone & Tile Cleaning can help. They offer a variety of services that include tile and grout cleaning, stone cleaning, honing and polishing, grout re-coloring, maintenance programs, and more.

You can call them at 408-998-8781, or visit them at www.integrity-tile-and-grout-cleaning.com.

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products&services

Keeping It Cool— Is Your Wine Being Stored Properly? uying and collecting fine wine is more than just a hobby—it is an investment that holds emotional weight for many people. How the wine is stored is important to how it will taste when opened. Wine that is stored in extreme temperatures for too long can end up forcing you to discard your wine that took months or years to collect.

Wine stored in a temperature-controlled environment means that your beloved wine will be preserved, protected, and ready to enjoy at any moment.

Since temperature is a big factor for wine, it is important to know that wine stored at temperatures higher than 70° F will age wine too quickly. If it gets even hotter, your wine may get “cooked,” resulting in flat aromas and flavors. The ideal temperature range for wine is between 45–65° F. This

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means that the household refrigerator is not a good bet for the longer term because the temperature falls well below 45°. This will eventually dry out corks, which can allow air to seep into bottles and damage the wine and the caustic wine vapors can damage the appliance.

Wine cellar cooling is a specialty that falls in a niche between refrigeration and air conditioning. This is why it’s crucial to consult with an expert that specializes in wine cellar cooling. For your wine refrigeration, Cold Craft Inc. can assist you with finding the ideal solution. The professionals at Cold Craft, a full service heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration company, can work with you to install and service wine cellar refrigeration to your exact needs.

For more information, you can call them at 888-447-0071 or visit www.ColdCraft.com.

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FinallyHeating and Cooling Quiet Residential

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f you have ever hosted a get-together in your backyard only to find that the loud air conditioner is the talk of the party, or if you have ever woken up in the middle of the night startled by the gasfired furnace kicking on, then you understand that these inconveniences are the price we pay for traditional methods to heat and cool our homes.

Aside from the noise, these units typically burn some sort of fossil fuel for heating and they can use a good amount of electricity, especially in the summer, which is not great for the environment. Traditional equipment also has the concern about potential carbon monoxide poisoning, and should be checked at least annually.

There is, however, a great alternative to traditional heating and cooling methods, and that alternative is geothermal. Whether or not you have heard of geothermal heating or cooling before, the time has come to become familiar with the positive impact it can have on both you and the environment.

Here’s how it works: the ground remains at a constant, comfortable temperature just below its surface all year long. Geothermal heating and cooling systems take advantage of the stable temperature underground using a piping system and with the principles of refrigeration the geothermal system can move heat quietly, the result is heating, cooling, and hot water production at remarkably high efficiency levels.

Not all geothermal systems use the ground to heat and cool. Instead they use a body of water, and the most popular method in California is to use that backyard swimming pool as a heat sink. This means that people have the advantage of heating their swimming pool while cooling their homes, by moving the heat from the home into the pool using a water-sourced heat pump.

Because the process does not have combustion, there aren’t carbon monoxide poisoning worries like you can get from the traditional furnace. And, no combustion means no natural gas, oil or propane expenses, either.

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Geothermal Unit

How It Works

Additionally, geothermal heating and cooling systems qualify for a Federal tax credit for 30% of the cost of the installed system.

Federal energy credits help homeowners pay for qualified residential alternative energy equipment, like geothermal systems. It is wise to check with your tax professional to make sure that this is a good fit for your situation.

ClimateMaster is the world’s largest manufacturer of residential ENERGY STAR® qualified geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling. ClimateMaster’s Trilogy Packaged Systems are the most technologically advanced geothermal heating and cooling systems available. ClimateMaster has geothermal heating and cooling systems that are 400–600% efficient, and can cut your heating, cooling, and water costs by up to 80%.

If you are ready to start heating or cooling your home more efficiently, then Cold Craft, Inc. can help. Cold Craft installs ClimateMaster’s geothermal heat pumps that are ENERGY STAR® qualified and Cold Craft is designated as a GeoElite Dealer. For more information, you can call 888-447-0071 or visit www.ColdCraft.com.

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products&services

HOME ELEVATORS Accessibility, Luxury and Convenience he closer homeowners look at residential elevators, the more they realize the value of putting one into their own home. Not only does having an elevator eliminate the use of the stairs when traveling to different levels of the house, it is also beneficial to your long-term home value.

If you are looking for increased luxury and affluence in your living spaces, then a residential elevator is a must-have accessory. Moving far beyond an easy access solution for those with mobility challenges, an EECO Home elevator is also a luxurious upgrade that adds an increasingly desirable feature to any dĂŠcor.

Even tedious daily tasks such as moving around groceries, laundry, furniture, children, and luggage are made easy.

Each elevator can be custom tailored based on your needs and how the home was built, allowing you to create a unique feature that accentuates your home.

Choose materials and fixtures for your home elevator to create a visually stunning showpiece. You can choose from different models, and customize just about everything, including the interior and exterior finish, fixture design, handrails, telephone options, lighting, gates, and much more.

All EECO Home elevator models are designed to provide a smooth, quiet ride for your enjoyment. They are also equipped with the latest safety devices, such as

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backup systems, so that you can rest assured that your elevator has met strict safety standards. All elevators are capable of integrating security access systems, giving you control of who can or cannot use your elevator.

Engineered to use the least amount of power possible, elevators are also extremely energy efficient and utilize high efficiency motors and components.

Utilizing recycled materials whenever possible, as well as vegetable based, biodegradable hydraulic oil, EECO Home elevators are also environmentally friendly.

Established in 1946, Elevator Equipment Corporation has been a leading supplier of products to the elevator industry, now offering homeowners the opportunity to purchase direct from the manufacturer.

For more information, you can call them at 888-720-6210, visit www.eecohome.com, or email them at eecohome@eecomail.com.

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re you tired of viewing the world through a worn out old screen? If you want to enjoy the beauty of your home without diminishing either your décor or the striking views outside of your windows, then the time has come to discover the next best thing in screens that can provide a convenient solution for every door situation.

Whether you have a single doorway, double door sets, or sliding patio doors, retractable screens work for every home—allowing you to use them when you need them, and keep them hidden when you don’t.

Most homeowners don’t even realize how incredibly spacious a room can feel when there isn’t a screen door behind the glass door, blocking your view.

Retractable doors remain hidden, allowing for beautiful unobstructed views and a feeling of openness.

Extremely versatile, retractable screens will work for any single or double door (inswing or outswing,) slider, or patio door. They are custom measured

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and built specifically for your doors. In most cases, the retractable screens are mounted flush to your threshold so you never have to worry about tripping when you walk in the door.

Manufactured in the USA, ClearView retractable screens come in 12 standard colors, 300 custom colors, and 20 wood grain finishes, allowing you to find the perfect fit for every room. Retractable screens feature the highest-grade powder coating, and are crafted with absolutely no plastic. They will also never snap back when you open them. With great attention to detail and the highest quality materials, ClearView retractable screen doors are known for their exceptional product and focus on customer service. Bringing the incredible screen door that does not snap back to homeowners, their patented speed reducer is unique to ClearView. For more information, you can call them at 888-691-2077 or visit www.clearviewdoor.com.

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products&services

Garage Makeover: Easy Said; Easy Done!

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ince the family entrance is generally through the garage, how happy do you think they will be when they have more than a narrow pathway to inch their way through to the door? You know what we mean. There is so much "stuff" in the garage that there's barely room to go in and out, much less park the car! Admit it. It's embarrassing to open the garage door and have the neighborhood see your mess.

Now imagine having the garage floor looking more like a brilliant showroom rather than the ugly stained and dirty concrete you have gotten used to. Innovative new technologies have created floor coating systems that can be installed in as little as one day, and driven on the next.

And cleanup is as easy as your kitchen floor; simply wipe up spills with a soft cloth or paper towel, all without ever leaving a stain in the finish.

One of the biggest surprises in organizing your garage with cabinetry and floor coatings is the expanded living space and utility that is suddenly available, not to mention a home for the family car, boat

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or motorcycle, as the space becomes more of a useful extension of your home. The other plus is the increased value additional storage brings to the home.

After a thorough sorting of your garage possessions to determine what to keep, toss, and donate, begin the makeover with fullyfinished, full-back cabinets. The easy-clean melamine interiors are designed to store anything from camping gear to holiday decorations to luggage and golf clubs. Use the upper portions of the cabinets for seasonal storage and the lower sections for items used more frequently.

With all-steel construction hardware, high-grade European concealed hinges and cast steel handles, they're the ultimate in storage solutions. The one-inch thick, fully adjustable shelving can hold a load of 100 lbs. per shelf. The cabinets stand up to harsh temperature extremes and are mounted off the floor to prevent water damage and pest infiltration.

Finish the garage makeover with the latest in chemical and stain resistant floor coatings that are designed and engineered for easy cleaning. The exclusive hybrid polymer finishes enhance lighting and eliminate that ugly, dirty look of raw concrete. These coatings, which can be installed quicker and driven on sooner than the traditional "epoxy" floor coatings of the past, turn the garage into a more inviting space that you're likely to set up your next party or weekend gathering in.

The search for durable, attractive garage cabinetry, flooring and organization ends with PremierGarage of Bay and East Bay. For a one-stop solution to your garage mess, and to schedule a designer, you can call them at 888-987-GARAGE (4272), and visit their website at www.bayareagarageflooring.com ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

exteriorslandscaping

Synthetic Lawn o you dream of having a green lawn all year long? With the recent call to conserve water in the state of California, this may no longer seem like an option. However, with a properly installed, extremely innovative, and high-quality synthetic grass product, the dream is actually quite attainable.

Whether for golf or for leisure, ecofriendly artificial grass and synthetic turf will take a mediocre space and turn it into a beautiful and usable area for the whole family to enjoy. No matter what your needs may be, each lawn can be custom designed and built for any application—front yards, backyards, side yards, pet areas, and more.

New to the market, Bolt™ fiber offers a sports-grade performance turf that has ushered in a new era for artificial grass.

This incredible fiber is thicker and more durable than your average synthetic turf.

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Thicker and more durable fibers add strength and resilience. The curves of the fiber are specifically designed to reflect light in just the right way— lowering the luster and making every installation look as natural as real grass.

HydroChill is another way to take your lawn to a new level. Designed as an evaporative cooling technology, HydroChill uses moisture to cool the entire turf system. A safe, antimicrobial, odorless, gelatinous substance, HydroChill mixes easily into water and is sprayed and agitated into the infill. When hydrated, HydroChill holds moisture and as the temperature of the turf rises, HydroChill evaporates into action. The result is an evenly cooled surface—the hotter it is, the cooler it gets.

The professionals at Southwest Greens® have been building synthetic turf masterpieces for 18 years. Southwest Greens specializes in the Art of the Installation; proudly designing and building quality synthetic turf amenities that will place your yard above the rest. You can learn more by calling them at 650-349-4885 or by visiting www.southwestgreens.com or www.sw-greens.com.

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Spring is the Time to Beautify Your Home WITH PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION

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hile the kitchen may be the heart of a home, all first impressions start with a home’s exterior. When your outdoor environment is just as attractive and functional as your indoor living area, the value of your home increases tremendously.

From tranquil gardens to colorful floral spaces, creating a spectacular landscape that defines your individual style and personality requires more than just strategically placed plants. It’s a comprehensive effort that successfully executes the entire scope of your vision while maintaining an architecturally consistent flow throughout the design. It’s a space uniquely crafted by both you and the professionals—an area that you love and consider to be a major part of your home.

Landscape design, carpentry, water features, and custom masonry will instantly transform a home with ordinary curb appeal into a beautiful work of art. From the design stage of your project to the installation and construction stages, landscape professionals will handle every single element.

Depending on your lifestyle, professionals will use their expertise to find an environment that is compatible with you. Perhaps you want a sustainable garden that lasts for years to come, or you might be so busy that a low-maintenance garden is an ideal fit. If you like to entertain, a family-oriented barbecue area with inviting fireplaces or fire pits can set the perfect ambiance for those get-togethers. If you are the type who likes to spend long days outside relaxing in a comfortable chair, try incorporating a tranquil water feature into your new landscape.

Professionals are also familiar with environmentally friendly options, such as eco-friendly plants, and will recycle materials as often as possible.

Landscape professionals know that planning is key to achieving an ideal landscape that mirrors your vision, but also takes into consideration the layout of your property and climate limitations. If your project has several elements to take into consideration, such as hardscaping and decking along with planting, your landscape designer will use their expertise to oversee the entire project and all of its aspects.

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If you are ready to make those outdoor spaces a part of your home that you truly love, Healy Landscape Construction, Inc. can help.

Family owned and operated, Healy Landscape has been a premier landscape and masonry contractor on the Peninsula since 1984.

Bringing old-world charm to your projects, Healy Landscape can help you achieve something as small as a walkway, to a complete outdoor landscaping remodel. For more information or to schedule a free consultation, you can call them at 650-631-8078 or visit www.healylandscape.com.

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exteriorslandscaping Add an Attractive Visual Touch

WITH CUSTOM IRON DOORS

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hen you invest in custom iron for your home, you are getting more than just reliable security and protection. Gorgeous iron creations also provide an important decorative function, adding a special touch of artistic class to your doors, gates, railings, and even garage doors. There is nothing more valuable than having the opportunity to enhance the look of your home while simultaneously keeping your family safe.

However, you may have been hesitant to invest in wrought iron due to its tendency to rust and lose luster over time. While iron may seem like it needs a lot of upkeep, the truth is that recent innovations have made it one of the lowest maintenance materials on the market.

Fully customizable iron doors are available that are created by a designer and handmade from 12-gauge steel. Each iron creation is waterproof, foam-insulated, and will not rust overtime. Unlike a standard wood door, there is absolutely no refinishing or maintenance required with iron.

These particular iron doors come with dual-paned operable glass, which can be effective for both ventilation and easy cleaning. Additionally, the doors are sealed with heavy-duty weather stripping, ensuring that each door is fully sealed.

Another incredible option that you can choose for your doors, Thermal break is an exclusive new feature that does not allow any cold weather to transfer into your home through the door. Thermal break has been tested under 0-degree Celsius conditions—with this option, you can rest assured knowing that your door will keep your home comfortable, even when it’s freezing outside.

For more information about custom iron creations, Precise Iron Doors Inc. has been transforming the ideas and visions of their clients for over 14 years. Their expertise and techniques passed down for

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generations is combined with today’s high-end technology, resulting in the highest quality wrought iron doors and professional installations. There is an impressive 10-year warranty on the structural, and a five-year warranty on paint. For more information, you can call them at 1-800-532-6186 or visit their website at www.PreciseIronDoors.com.

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proTeCTInG and shadInG Your hoMe Can Make a Measurable Difference retractable awning our home is not only your sanctuary, but it’s also your largest investment. If you aren’t making the most of your livable space, then the time has come to make a change. There are many things that might be keeping you from enjoying certain areas of your home. You might love those large windows that let in a lot of natural light and showcase your gorgeous view, however the sunlight probably becomes excessive at times, if not bothersome. Not to mention the annoying glare that seems to follow you around the living room, especially while trying to watch television.

When the weather warms up, your home and family may be put under additional stress that can compromise your ability to live comfortably and securely. Here are some of the three most critical factors of stress: Sunlight. Did you know that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States? Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is classified as a human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health.

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retractable awning

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Heat. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, heat kills more people each year in the United States than tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, or lightning.

Intruders. Bay Area burglaries are up 34%, according to the San Jose police. Intruders have an easier time getting in through windows, which are completely unprotected in most homes.

However, you have control over these critical factors. Here is what you can do to protect yourself.

Block 99% of harmful UV radiation and save thousands of dollars. Perhaps certain furniture and your flooring have started to fade due to UV radiation. UV exposure is dangerous—if the sun seeping into your home is already fading your furnishings, think of what it might be doing to you and your family. Control your utility bills as well as the amount of light and heat that enters through your windows and glass doors. Extend the life of your furniture, carpet and irreplaceable pictures and heirlooms.

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exteriorslandscaping Extend the amount of living space you already own by 25% or more. Reclaim spaces that were once too bright, hot or exposed, and open up space for greater outdoor living and entertainment. You might have a gorgeous patio that overlooks a perfectly manicured landscape.

Yet, when the summertime arrives, you can only spend time outdoors during the evening because that bright sun is simply too much to handle. Think of all the money you have invested to create a lovely outdoor environment that you aren’t even able to enjoy year-round.

Protect and secure your family in seconds—keeping everyone safe. Create instant privacy with the push of a button, and prevent anyone from breaking your windows (even golfers and kids playing catch).

The good news is, you can easily block, extend, and protect your home with innovative shading solutions depending on the unique needs of both your home and lifestyle.

Exterior rolling shutters are the ultimate shading solution that provides up to 100% light blockage. Not only are they completely retractable at the push of a button, but they will also save plenty of money on heating and cooling costs. Rolling shutters also reduce the fading effects of the sun, allowing you to save money on heating and cooling costs, and keep your family protected by increasing the safety of your windows and decreasing the exposure of your home’s interior to strangers.

Solar screens don’t force you to sacrifice your view to the outside, while blocking 90% of UV rays and annoying glares. Shield your valuables from sun damage while simultaneously saving money on energy bills. With either manual or automatic control options, you can choose from many colors while adding elegance and comfort to your home.

Retractable awnings are an option for your outdoor space, allowing you to maximize your yard while also shading the interior at the touch of a button. Retractable awnings make your deck or patio 15 degrees cooler in 15 seconds. Installed on the house, awnings move out from the supporting wall with freestanding arms (so there are no posts). You can even choose from custom colors and sizes of Sunbrella® fabric.

Pergola awnings are another outdoor option. The Arbor Awning can mount onto an existing backyard arbor, glass roof, or even a trellis to provide shade. Sunbrella fabrics are also used with this shading solution.

In order to get the most from your investment, it’s crucial to know what to look for from a comprehensive, full service, shade and comfort solution provider before making any purchases.

Be sure to know whom you are doing business with. Look for a company that manufactures the ideal product for your specific needs, and also can provide local installation and service. Next, be sure that the company is legally compliant. They should maintain all proper contractor licenses, have up-to-date bonds, also have the appropriate liability and work compensation insurances. Look for a company that can provide you with a free, personalized, onsite consultation and quote, and has a long-term track record with thousands of satisfied clients who can provide referrals. In the end, you want to be completely educated in order to find the perfect investment for your home that will benefit you and your family in the long run.

For more information about exterior shade solutions for your home, the professionals at European Rolling Shutters can help determine your optimal solution. European Rolling Shutters have been protecting homes and families for over three decades. You can call them to book a free, no-obligation, in-home consultation at 800-327-0195, visit their showroom at 404 Umbarger Road, Suites A and B in San Jose, or see www.ERSshading.com.

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Custom Outdoor Cabinetry

ELEGANT AND FUNCTIONAL utdoor kitchens have evolved drastically from the basic barbecue island. Innovative cabinetry solutions from Brown Jordan® Outdoor Kitchens provide the freedom to custom design unique outdoor living areas, creating outdoor entertainment showplaces that will add value to any home.

Designed to blend with the surrounding landscape, complement Brown Jordan furniture, or continue the indoor theme to the outdoors, Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens are fully customizable 100% stainless steel cabinets manufactured in the U.S.A. The collection offers powder coated finishes in exclusive designer colors, realistic faux wood finishes, metallic hues, custom textures, and a variety of exclusive door styles, providing almost limitless design possibilities.

These features rival the latest innovations of indoor cabinet lines and

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include concealed hardware, trash pullouts, fixed and sliding shelves, soft-close, self-close drawers, and leveling legs. The option to apply designer powder coat finishes adds protection to the stainless, allowing it to withstand any climate for a virtually maintenance-free investment.

Cabinets are designed to fit all major outdoor appliances; grills, social cookers, side burners, smokers, pizza ovens, bars, beverage centers, and more. If you are looking for a little extra touch of glitz and glamour, insert options are available for the cabinet doors, including faux wood grains, sea glass or textured metals that can be left in true stainless form or powder coated with a designer finish.

All cabinets come with a lifetime warranty, and all powder coated finishes come with a seven-year warranty.

Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens meet the needs of today’s homeowners, architects, designers, builders, hotels, and resorts that seek cabinetry to fit the unique décor and style of an outdoor living environment.

For more information, you can call them at 855-839-5063, visit their website at www.brownjordanoutdoorkitchens.com/BayLiving, or email info@brownjordanoutdoorkitchens.com.

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exteriorslandscaping With a Properly Maintained Deck

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ot only is a deck an extension of your living space; for many homeowners, it is one of the preferred features of a home. When the weather warms up, who wants to be indoors when the deck makes it possible to relax and enjoy nature? You can eat meals outside and just relax with a good book while enjoying the trees and sky.

Because of this, you want to make sure that your deck is properly maintained and cared for so it can provide a pleasant space of leisure for years to come. In fact, if you re-stain your deck every three-to-four years, you can actually double the life of it.

Homeowners often feel as though deck refinishing is a job that they are capable of doing on their own. However, before making this decision, you might want to consider a professional because it can be quite a complicated task.

If you see gray on your deck, you might not even realize that it’s fungus,

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which is eating away the soft tissue between the tree rings (or grain) on your deck. By catching the deck before it gets gray all over, you can stop splinters by locking them in with stain and stop the nails and screws from popping out. Additionally, be sure to avoid cheap oil-based stains, which tend to last only a year before they fade noticeably and are completely gone by year two.

Trust your deck in the skilled hands of a professional, and you will be enjoying it to its full potential for many years to come.

Summit Deck Doctor knows what it takes to refinish your deck with the best quality materials and professional experience. They do deck refinishing (staining, sealing, and cleaning,) as well as deck carpentry, including repairs, new builds, and rebuilds. For more information, you can call them at 408-353-DECK (3325) or visit their website at www.summitdeckdoctor.com

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exteriorslandscaping

mproving your outdoor environment in California can be like adding another room to your living space. You can create an entirely new area to entertain friends and family, or even gain a serene place where you can escape to relax and get in touch with nature. In the end, an upgraded yard will increase your usable space, and add more than 10% to your home value.

One of the best ways to increase the overall beauty of both a front and back yard is with paver stones. Aside from the aesthetic appeal, pavers can eliminate existing drainage problems and add stability to any surface. Most people are not aware of the fact that pavers are stronger than concrete, making them a better choice to withstand the high-traffic activity that occurs on a driveway. Not only will a driveway or patio upgraded with pavers increase your home’s curb appeal, but this attractive solution will outlast and outperform your expectations.

To create the outdoor “great room” effect, add a pergola over beautiful paver stones for shade, then combined with an inviting fireplace or fire pit. Create an even more unique space with a stunning outdoor kitchen or barbeque island, overlooking your newly customized landscape with efficient irrigation and LED lighting that will save you money.

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Another way to save money on maintenance and water costs is through the new varieties of beautiful waterless synthetic lawn and putting greens. Create a beautiful, low maintenance garden with the use of synthetic lawn and low water consumption plants. You can even benefit from City & Water Company rebates, and special financing through California’s new Water Conservation Program, where your synthetic lawn and drought resistant plants/pavers are financed through a tax-deductible payment on your property taxes.

Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape, Inc. can do whatever it takes to create the unique outdoor living space of your dreams. Their design/build team can give you inspirational design ideas, and build your dreamscape at the best quality and value. For more information, you can call them at 408-329-9508 or 650-539-4532, or you can visit their website at www.BlackDiamondLandscape.com.

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exteriorslandscaping

Professional Barbeque Cleaning Protects your Investment and Makes Food Taste Better

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n the Bay area, grilling up a hearty meal on the barbeque is a beloved pastime for most homeowners. Everyone loves a good cookout, but not many enjoy cleaning the barbeque—so it is safe to say that most grills out there could use a good scrub down.

Deep cleaning your barbeque will not only make it sparkle and shine, this procedure also will improve the taste of your food! This procedure removes fat, carbon deposits, and harmful carcinogens that can be transferred to your food. The deep cleaning also removes grease, which will make your outdoor cooking much safer by greatly reducing the chance of grease fires. On top of all of this, barbeque cleaning also prevents future corrosion, protecting your investment and extending the life of your grill.

Now that it’s been established that cleaning your barbeque is a great idea, some homeowners might be asking, “Why not do this myself?” A thorough cleaning can be a messy job, and takes about two and a half hours to properly execute. A mobile barbeque company can come to your home, and give each part of your barbeque a thorough

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yet gentle cleaning with environmentally friendly cleaning process.

They will clean and degrease every part, inspect your burners, pressure regulator, igniters and tubes and even polish your barbeque when they are done. Sometimes it is just better to call in the professionals.

For more information on mobile barbeque cleaning, you can contact BBQ Doctors at (408) 396-1440. Take advantage of off season discounts and quicker turn around time by getting your barbeque cleaned now.

You can see a complete list of their services and prices online at www.thebbqdoctorsofca.com

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Evict Termites Without Leaving Your Home

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ermites are among the most destructive pests in the United States, causing property damage to 600,000 homeowners each year. Although you have no choice when the termites move into your home, you have many different choices once you discover them. Twenty years ago homeowners didn’t have many choices, and tent fumigation was the standard extermination method for termites. This outdated method entails moving out of your home for three and a half days while a dangerous amount of toxic gas is pumped into your home. Homeowners who choose tent fumigation are forced to pay for three days worth of lodging, dining and pet boarding, as well as pack or discard all the food and medicine in their home. Not only is tent fumigation incredibly inconvenient, it also leaves a huge footprint on the environment.

The chemicals used for fumigation have been identified by the California Air Resources Board as Toxic Air Contaminants, and have a harmful and long-lasting impact on the ozone layer. Fortunately there is an affordable, eco-friendly and effective alternative that won’t displace you from your home.

XT-2000 Orange Oil® Plus is a revolutionary, scientifically proven product used by IPM companies to control termites. This innovative formula is 95% pure orange oil, a natural termite pesticide made from pressed and distilled orange rinds. With orange oil, you get rid of your termites with the same guaranteed results as fumigation while still enjoying the comforts of home.

Trained technicians come to your home and perform a thorough inspection to detect the termite colonies. Using a high-tech optical scope, the technician can determine the extent to the infestation and inject orange oil directly into the infested wood members, killing the termites on contact. The fumes also act as a neurotoxin to the termites, creating a pleasant orange fragrance that humans smell without any effect. A remarkable property of orange oil is its ability to wick

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through wood, traveling through the porous cells in all directions.

Therefore, orange oil not only treats the areas into which it was injected, but will soak into surrounding areas providing a superior termite protection.

For more information on XT-2000 Orange Oil® Plus, or to find a certified Pest Control operator, you can call (866) 870-8485. XT-2000 has been in business since 2004, and they have treated over half a million structures, including homes, apartments, schools, commercial buildings, and more. Orange Oil Plus is 95% pure orange oil— beware of imposter products that contain only trace amounts of orange oil but also contain hazardous petroleum distillates. XT-2000 Orange OIl professionals are certified XT-2000 Orange Oil experts. They go through a required vigorous training program and have annual training updates. Very few pest control products are as vigorously controlled, so when looking for a pest control professional be sure they are a Certified XT-2000 affiliate by visiting their website at www.xt2000.com ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

healthbeautyfitness

Reshape Your Body in 20 Minutes!

By John Colman

When Diane Rand reached age 50, she got concerned that her weight was slowly creeping higher and her clothes were feeling too tight. As a practicing physician in San Diego, she knew the diagnosis. “Your muscles atrophy as you age, and this slows down the metabolism,” says Rand. “I knew it would keep getting worse if I didn’t correct it.” The antidote?

Effective weight training. But, she’d never lifted weights before. Plus, her fulltime job as a physician as well as her family life left little time in her schedule for exercise.

Fortunately, Diane read an article about “slow-motion” strength training, a revolutionary new exercise method promising a firmer, stronger, more shapely body from just two 20-minute training sessions per week. Even though the time efficiency and results sounded almost too good to be true, she decided to enroll with a personal trainer at The Perfect Workout, a local company with dozens of private fitness studios specializing in this unique approach.

Right away she noticed immediate increases in her muscle tone and energy.

After several months she’d also dropped one to two clothing sizes and was fitting into clothes which used to be too small.

“My trainer pushes me in a safe way, and I walk away feeling great after each session,” says Diane. “This is the wave of the future.”

Lean Muscles—The Key To Reshaping Your Body The Perfect Workout’s trainers encourage clients to build lean muscle tissue, which increases the body’s metabolism, burning extra calories even while you’re sleeping. Many people—especially women—have a fear of “bulking up” like a

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Physician Diane Rand tones her arms as part of her 20-minute training session in San Diego.

bodybuilder if they were to start strength training. In reality, if you’re older than 25, it’s much more likely that too little muscle is the problem rather than too much muscle. In their book Biomarkers: The 10 Keys to Prolonging Vitality , William Evans, Ph.D., and Irwin Rosenberg, M.D., show the research demonstrating that adults who don’t strength train lose an average of a half pound of lean muscle tissue each year starting at age 25.

As an example, a typical 55-year-old woman will have 15 pounds less lean muscle (and significantly more fat) than what she had at age 25. Muscle takes up less space than fat, so this typical

55-year-old woman has arms and thighs that are softer and less firm, wears a larger clothing size, and has a slower metabolism that burns fewer calories each day.

Effective strength training changes all of this. It increases your body’s metabolism, causing you to burn more fat and calories all day long. Strength training reshapes and tones your legs and arms.

And since muscle takes up 20% less space than fat, adding muscle and losing fat will make your body firmer, smaller, and more shapely. A fit 140-pound person can wear clothes several sizes smaller than an out of shape 140-pound person.

ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

healthbeautyfitness How Can Slow-Motion Strength Training Work So Quickly?

Slow-motion strength training involves brief and demanding workouts to get great results. The basic concept? Lift relatively heavy weights excruciatingly slowly (10 seconds to lift, another 10 seconds to lower) for as many repetitions as you can until you’re unable to move the weights anymore.

And when you learn to challenge your muscles as deeply as a skilled trainer can teach, it’s impossible to workout much longer than 20 minutes, even if you try. Dr. Philip Alexander, physician and faculty member at Texas A&M University’s College of Medicine, explains that it’s the intensity of exercise that stimulates greatest changes. “A slower repetition loads the muscles more effectively and efficiently. It’s harder!” exclaims Alexander. “That’s why it stimulates such a great total response from the body.”

Dr. Alexander has tracked hundreds of subjects using slow-motion strength training, noting significant improvements in muscular strength, HDL cholesterol profiles, bone density, and glucose tolerance. Other research adds more supporting data. Two separate studies by Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., and one study by Ellington Darden, Ph.D., demonstrate that slow-motion strength training produces 50% to 59% faster improvements than regular weight training. And because the repetitions are harder, each training session must be limited to 20 minutes—making this exercise method quite time efficient.

In 3 months Justin Brunette dropped 4 inches from his waist and lowered his body fat percentage by 6.4% with effective nutrition and weekly 20-minute training sessions at The Perfect Workout.

Joyce Reclaims Her Youthful Figure 54-year-old Joyce Magnuson had always been slim and slender when she was younger. But in her mid 40s, life’s stresses caught up with her and she began gaining weight. “During the next few years, I kept getting heavier, until I was thoroughly broken and disgusted with myself,” says Joyce.

Fortunately, she happened to read an article about slow-motion strength training and how it would reshape her body with just two 20-minute training sessions per week. The effectiveness of the method made sense to Joyce, and she decided to enroll with a personal trainer at The Perfect Workout.

ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

In 3 months Laura Retana Shelp lost 23.4 pounds and 10½ inches off her waist with improved nutrition and two 20-minute training sessions a week at The Perfect Workout.

After five months of combining an effective nutrition plan with two 20minute training sessions each week, not only had she gotten stronger, she’d lost 43 pounds and dropped from a size 16 to a size 10. She was also able to get completely off the blood pressure medications that she’d previously needed to take. She adds, “The perk is looking good in the current styles. Even Macy’s keeps me motivated to stay fit!”

The Perfect Workout has dozens of private studios throughout the United States that specialize in one-on-one personal training with the slow-motion strength training method, including these Bay Area locations: San Mateo (650) 513-2747, Menlo Park (650) 300-4308, Sunnyvale (408) 9121387, Walnut Creek (925) 357-9704, Danville (925) 395-4891, Oakland (510) 254-3763 and Southwest San Jose (408) 899-5812. www.ThePerfectWorkout.com APRIL/MAY 2015 • BAY LIVING

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