Bay Living Magazine October/November 2016

BAY LIVING Contents

A resource guide serving silicon vAlley, the peninsulA & sAn frAncisco • vol XXXvii • no. 5 • odd october/november 2016 D I S C O V E R A D D I T I O N A L I N F O R M AT I O N AT B AY L I V I N G M A G A Z I N E . C O M

17 14 - 21 Home Fashion

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36 50 32 - 48 Products & Services

A Wine Cellar – Versatile Addition To Your Home

Classic Techniques With Modern Technology Synthetic Turf – Achieving Your Desired Results Turn Your Garage Into A Functional Extension Of Your Home Create Shade When And Where You Desire With The Added Value Of Security, Energy Savings, And Increased Home Value Tired Of The Hot Water Going Cold Or Waiting For Hot Water?

Lower Your Energy Costs With An Ultra-Efficient Heating And Cooling System Tired Of That Wood Cabinet Look From The 80’s?

Redefine Your Space – Balance The Indoors With The Outdoors Moisture Control – The First Step Toward Green Living And Clean Breathing

24 - 31 Kitchen & Bath

50 - 55 Exteriors & Landscaping

Watermark Designs – An Endeavor To Be Different Make Your Tile Look Brand New Again By Beautifying Your Grout Brushstrokes Of A Modern Bathroom Masterpiece It’s All About Convenience!

Vessel Hammock Bathtub Takes Stylish Relaxation To A New Level

Transform Your Outdoor Living Space With A Backyard Makeover Outdoor Space Too Hot To Handle? Add Some Shade On Demand With A Louvered Roof System Professional Barbecue Cleaning Protects Your Investment And Improves Taste Increase Your Home’s Curb Appeal

When Choosing Window Treatments – A Professional Window Covering Specialist Is A Must Architectural Hardware – Elegant, Unique and Durable Fresh Perspective. Timeless Design.

Explore Your Options In Flooring The New Era Of Window Treatments Make Any Room Beautiful With Custom Built Glass Why Reupholster?

Custom Organization Solutions For Every Room In Your Home

22 Wine Collecting

32 - 48 Products & Services You Deserve Beautiful Woodwork

56 - 57 Health Beauty and Fitness

Energy Efficient. Unlimited Design Options. Maximum Daylight.

Proper Ventilation Means A Healthier, More Comfortable Home.

Personalized Concierge Service For All Your Home Maintenance Needs

Reshape Your Body In 20 Minutes!

ON THE COVER Featured on the cover is the Patrona chandelier from Tech Lighting. Sophisticated and undeniably beautiful, the twenty-two precisely executed metal stems each bear a sleek crystal shade illuminated by a gently diffused LED. The stems form tiers which taper at varying angles and lengths to create a stunning, modern interpretation of the classic crystal chandelier.

Tech Lighting products are available at Coast Lighting, your local one-stop showroom with the largest lighting products display in the Bay Area. You can visit their showroom at 2626 El Camino Real in Redwood City, call them at 650-850-6220, or visit www.coastlighting.com See their ad on page 9 and article on page 16.

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 five times a year by Affluent Target Marketing, Inc., P.O. Box 18507, Anaheim Hills, CA 92817.

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 Target Marketing, Inc. can take no responsibility for unintentional copyright infringement. Affluent Target Marketing, Inc. has the right to refuse advertising. Circulation verified by U.S. Postal Receipts. For additional information call 888-612-7400, email info@baylivingmagazine.com or visit baylivingmagazine.com

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homefashion

When Choosing Window Treatments A Professional Window Covering Specialist Is A Must

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hether you are moving into a new home or redecorating your existing home, your windows are always going to need a window covering. However, choosing the right type of covering for your window can be overwhelming with the many choices, styles, colors and fabrics to choose from. That is why it is important to consider a window covering specialist when contemplating which window treatment is best for your home.

Let’s face it, almost every room in your home will have windows, whether it’s a large sliding glass window, a bay window or an awkwardly shaped small window, choosing the right window treatment is essential. Each house and each room has its own unique design requirement. A professional can assess each room and recommend selections based on what the room is used for, how much light is needed or not needed, your personal decor style and if motorized light control is an option.

After the professional discusses your needs and assesses each room’s decorating needs, they will then have a wide selection of window covering options to recommend for you along with color choices and fabric swatches and even advise you on accents that will enhance the entire look. Drapes can be custom made to your specifications and you can choose from a collection of materials from all the major suppliers like Robert Allen, Kravet®, Duralee® and more.

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Other options available are shades, blinds and shutters. Hunter Douglas is a manufacturer that offers a variety of shades, sheers and gliding window panels. Many of which can be operated by automation and motorization and are possible to control through your smart devices. This makes it great if you want to waken to the filtering sunrays or choose to close them if you are working late and will not be home before dark.

Your professional window covering consultant will walk you through which window treatments will work well with your décor style, whether contemporary and modern or provincial and traditional as well as your needs. For example, if you are trying to add more light to a dark room, certain color choices and types of window coverings can be recommended to bring the room together and make it pleasing aesthetically and functionally.

For an in-home consultation with a professional window covering specialist that can view the many possibilities of window treatments perfect for any room in your home, you can call The Yardstick at 408-214-1300. They have helped homeowners for over 58 years with their window covering needs and guarantee all installations for a year.

The Yardstick has many blind and shutter samples from several manufacturers. Based in Santa Clara, they serve from Marin to Carmel. You can also visit them online at www.theyardstick.com or email them at contact@theyardstick.com

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homefashion

ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE ELEGANT, UNIQUE and DURABLE

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door is just a door until you add the perfect hardware—at which point, it transforms into an elegant work of art. Since 1987, Ashley Norton has grown to become one of the leading designers and manufacturers of architectural hardware.

Their comprehensive selection of hardware include levers, knobs, door, window and cabinet hardware, handles, pulls, and accessories to suit a diverse range of architectural styles.

Ashley Norton, the architectural hardware brand known for its distinguished bronze door hardware, brings a fusion of striking design and colors to its new cabinet hardware. The company offers four distinct product families, covering traditional, transitional and contemporary designs, with more than 10 finishes from which to choose.

The range draws design influence from global cultures: traditional English architecture, classical European styles, Colonial Era American themes and contemporary Italian flair.

Selecting from the finest materials—art-grade bronze, solid brass or pewter—allows Ashley Norton to offer a range of finishes to suit the design theme of the product while ensuring exceptional durability.

The newest addition to the Manzoni range includes a unique collection of modern and contemporary designs produced in Walnut and Oak. The sleek and elegant designs, complemented by the natural grain and color of the wood ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

gives a unique and fresh look to complement various design themes.

In response to new and current trends, Ashley Norton has expanded their list of finishes available with the addition of Satin Brass.

You can see Ashley Norton Hardware locally at Belmont Hardware. When you visit one of Belmont Hardware’s six 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, 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

MINA

T

he difference between a great space and an extraordinary space is all in the details. The same can be said of any light fixture – the design, the engineering, the materials and the passion of those who shepherd it throughout the development and manufacturing process all converge to define its quality and character.

Tech Lighting is known for its sophisticated, modern designs combined with the latest advancements in lighting and technology. Each lighting fixture is an individual work of art, specially crafted by dedicated and talented artisans.

They strive to create original designs, with an obsessive focus on every detail to enable their lighting fixtures to make your space truly extraordinary.

Their wide variety of product categories include specification-grade downlights, low-voltage and line-voltage heads and pendants, wall sconces, ceiling fixtures, flush mounts, suspension pieces, bath bars, and LED under cabinet, display and cove lighting.

Thick, organic flowing glass is molded by Polish artisans to create the Audra line-voltage pendant. The incredibly deep and rhythmic silhouette artfully diffuses the light. Glass colors are either Clear, Smoke, White or Surf Green (shown).

Available in LED.

AUDRA

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An elegant sphere of pure optic crystal is laser etched to create a mysterious yet beautiful orb floating within the Mina pendant. When illuminated by the downward-firing LED hidden within the socket, the orb glows brilliantly to provide a bounty of task light on surfaces below. In either a Black or Satin Nickel finish (shown), Mina offers nine varying cord color options. Mina is also offered in three-light, seven-light (shown) and 11-light chandeliers for added design interest.

Trigonometry and technology converge as dramatically angled arms, housing beautifully diffused LED modules, create the perfect balance of direct and indirect illumination. The assertive architectural approach of the Aragon decisively redefines the modern chandelier. Available in a choice of Satin Nickel or Matte White (shown).

ARAGON

Coast Lighting is your local one-stop shop with the largest lighting products display in the Bay Area.

They also offer on-site consultations, custom fixture design and fabrication, lamp repair, and installation services. They are able to help homeowners, contractors, and designers, alike understand the technical requirements for their projects. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable about the industry’s products and applications and will help you select the most appropriate of many solutions. For more information, you can visit them at 2626 El Camino Real in Redwood City, call them at 650-850-6220, or visit www.coastlighting.com ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

homefashion

Explore Your Options In

FLOORING

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ew technology has made flooring more durable, and available in many colors, textures and finishes. So what type of floor covering is right for you?

Carpet. Today’s carpet manufacturers have taken various lifestyles into consideration, resulting in developing the most foot-friendly, softest carpets ever made. Fiber weave and backing advancements in technology have created carpet that combines both refinement and durability.

Carpet comes in a variety of colors, patterns and styles and adds a warm feel to any space. Some carpet styles are made specifically for rooms that have heavier foot traffic, while others are made to resist almost any spill.

Hardwood Flooring. Generally, there are two types of hardwood flooring – solid or engineered. Solid hardwood comes in a variety of stains, plank size, edges and gloss.

Engineered hardwood on the other hand, is made of 3 to 5 layers laminated together. While engineered hardwood looks like solid hardwood, it is actually more structurally stable and can be used virtually any place hardwood is used.

Laminate. Do you prefer the look of slate, wood or tile? Laminate duplicates the look of more expensive natural flooring, yet it is budget friendly. It is tough, durable and easy to maintain. Laminate is aesthetically pleasing and can make a room pop. It is a great choice for high-traffic areas.

Vinyl. The latest digital designs and cutting-edge technologies have allowed for the possibility of naturallooking textures and greater visual depth in today’s vinyl flooring. Luxury Vinyl Flooring (also known as Luxury Vinyl Tile or LVT) is the newest and most popular floor category in the market today. It’s known for its versatilitygetting the look of wood or ceramic for a lot less. It can be used in so many different rooms throughout your home.

Tile. No matter what your architectural or home décor style, there’s a tile solution that will bring your design vision to life. All tile is modular- this allows you to be creative in how you assemble your floor. Tiles can be ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

ceramic, natural stone, porcelain or bamboo. Utilize large floor tiles for a grand look or set tiles at angles to help grow small spaces.

To learn more about the many choices in flooring for your home, you can visit Bay Area Floors & Design Carpet One at 2225 S. El Camino Real in San Mateo or call 650-515-3955. In business for 26 years, their friendly and knowledgeable sales staff can assist you and point you in the right direction to get your flooring project started. They do it all from material to installation and all of their installation crews are employees not sub contractors. In addition, they have full design services and can assist with any custom job as well as maintenance, repairs and complimentary in-home estimates. For additional information you can visit their website at www.bayareafloors.com or email Photo courtesy of Fabrica Fine Carpet & Rugs.

Product shown is Cape Town in Constantia. lorisdesign@gmail.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • BAY LIVING

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homefashion

THE NEW ERA OF WINDOW TREATMENTS Advanced Technology For The Ultimate Modern Convenience

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unter Douglas’s innovative collection of custom window treatments is helping homes achieve a higher level of intelligence with PowerView™ Motorization. Providing an unprecedented level of customized brainpower, window treatments can be digitally programmed to automatically raise, lower, tilt and traverse exactly how and when you want them, even when you are far from home.

PowerView now works with Nest, a pairing that offers users a host of advantages.

Nest Rush Hour settings allow users to take advantage of their shades’ insulating properties when closed, maintaining interior temperatures and reducing energy use. And, when Nest senses they’re away, shades can be closed to keep the home comfortable and secure for their return.

With PowerView™ Motorization, nearly every style of window treatment by Hunter Douglas can offer smart stylish solutions, designed to simplify today’s busy lifestyle. The artfully designed Pebble™ Remote allows users to easily adjust any or all of a room’s window treatments.

For more advanced control, the PowerView App is available on Apple® iOS and Android™ mobile devices, and is brought to life by the PowerView Hub. With the App, customized Scenes can be created to control all the treatments in any combination of positions - raising to greet the morning, readjusting to deflect the hot afternoon sun, closing at night to create a tranquil retreat, or any other setting that suits the moment! Scenes can be scheduled to operate automatically at set times or activated on demand using the Pebble Scene Controller, and can be activated from anywhere in the world using the RemoteConnect™ feature.

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PowerView Motorization extends beyond its digital connectivity to impact environmental sustainability and pocketbooks as well. With up to 50% of a home’s energy potentially lost through its windows, Hunter Douglas has long made it a mission to develop innovative window treatments that reduce this loss, conserving energy and helping homeowners save on heating and cooling costs. The ability to sync Scenes to daylight schedules can also increase the potential for energy savings.

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 1352 Broadway 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 call The Yardstick at 408214-1300, visit them online at www.theyardstick.com or email at contact@theyardstick.com.

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homefashion

he versatility, design capabilities, and numerous applications of specialty glass can enhance any room in your home. A bathroom, along with the kitchen, when upgraded, can offer the highest return for your investment in your home as well as increase the value.

A new frameless shower and a custom mirror help change a boring and often-cramped bath into a small luxury oasis or spa. A frameless shower opens up the room giving it a new designer look. Mirrors, whether over a vanity or covering a complete wall, add light and the illusion of space making the room look larger and brighter. Installing a steam shower offers an in-house spa feel, while relaxing and soothing the muscles and senses However, the bathroom is not the only room that can be improved using glass. Your kitchen can have a beautiful custom colored glass or back-painted glass backsplash to give it a nice “pop of color”. The look is sleek and modern with no grout lines and is easy to clean.

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Because glass is very versatile, the uses of it are endless. Heavy streamlined glass with minimalistic design is very trendy. A glass partition, room divider or barn door can be created to provide privacy in any room of your home. Wine rooms made of glass can showcase a beautiful collection of your favorite bottles. For your living room, kitchen or office, glass can be used as a protective covering for a beautiful tabletop or desk. It can also be the tabletop itself on a special base or pedestal. Glass railings add beauty to both the interior and exterior of your home.

For over 30 years, CB Showers (CB stands for custom built) has been creating beautiful shower enclosures as well as other interior and exterior glass products. They exclusively offer Diamon-Fusion, a special treatment that closes the pores of the glass, enhancing the look and making cleaning and maintenance easier. For more information, you can visit the CB Showers’ showroom at 1160 Industrial Rd in San Carlos or call (650) 593-6997. You can also view their website at www.cbshowers.com

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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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homefashion

CUSTOM ORGANIZATION SOLUTIONS For Every Room In Your Home chieving an organized lifestyle is easier than you might think.

High-quality custom storage solutions for your closets, home office, entertainment center, pantry, laundry room, garage and any unique space that you might have, can simplify your life while offering versatility, quality, and style.

Our daily routine begins and ends in the closet, so it should be a place of peace, organization and beauty. Transform your closet with a custom design that will create a space for everything. Find what you need, take charge of your morning routine, and discover a feeling of harmony to carry you throughout your day.

With an inspired yet functional design, a custom home office will create a modern system that helps keep your business affairs organized and free from clutter – whether it’s a small niche or an entire room. By creating an organized setup, your home office can become an oasis with a workflow that serves you.

Adding a built-in wall bed in an extra bedroom or even home office will create a space that serves a multitude of functions. Custom wall bed cabinetry conceals your bed within a system of built-in cabinets that optimizes your space so you have a fully functioning bedroom by night and a versatile living space by day.

Wall units can be crafted to fit nearly any space. Versatile designs can create a space for your home theatre, display cabinet, wardrobe or library storage.

Entertainment centers can house all of your media center components, including flat screen televisions, gaming and audio equipment. Entertainment centers keep your electronics neat and organized by hiding unsightly cords and providing a designated area to store all of your remotes, reducing clutter.

As kids bedrooms transition from cribs to big beds, so do their clothes, toy closets, and game collections. Clever organization creates a custom-designed unit or closet that transforms your child’s bedroom into a functional kid’s storage system and will help them learn to organize.

Convert an outdated laundry area into a vibrant, modern cleaning station with custom cabinetry, plenty of shelf space and wall racks. Pantries, home bars and wine racks offer tremendous opportunities for adding innovation and a modern touch to your home. Mudrooms provide a transitional space, keeping your home clean from outside dirt and provide additional storage keeping clutter organized.

The time has come to make your life easier so that you can finally relax and enjoy the transition to a more manageable life. The professional design consultants at Closet Factory will work with you in creating custom spaces that fit your unique style, budget, and organizational needs. 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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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • BAY LIVING

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winecollecting

A WINE CELLAR

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wine cellar is for any wine lover, whether you are a seasoned collector or have just started to discover the wonderful world of wine.

Wine cellars can be as elaborate or as simple as you want them to be. Do you have a vacant area or room? Or an office, hobby room or closet that is not getting a lot of use? These are all good spaces.

Since the wine cellar will be tasked with keeping your precious wine at a specific temperature, the most crucial component is its function. Essentially,

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how you store your wine defines how it will taste later. Wine stored in a temperature-controlled environment means that your beloved wine would be preserved, protected, and ready to enjoy at any moment.

Wine cellar cooling is a specialty that falls in a niche between refrigeration and air conditioning. That temperature range is hard to obtain and then maintain. This is why it’s crucial to consult with an expert that specializes in wine cellar cooling and understands the caustic property of wine or it can ruin a wine cellar.

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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kitchen&bath Sutton 111-2-SP4

TOD 4 Hole Deck Mount RH-7.1-RHL Side Spray MSA8 Soap Dispenser MLD4

WATERMARK DESIGNS— An Endeavor to be Different

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haracterized best by impeccable style, clean aesthetics, industrial tones, and elegant finishes, Watermark Designs’ passion is made obvious in the decorative fixtures they create. For more than three decades, Watermark Designs has been one of the leading manufacturers of decorative plumbing fixtures, bathroom accessories, lighting and elegant hardware for the luxury commercial and residential markets.

Based in the independent design hub of Brooklyn and made in the USA, Watermark’s designs reflect the creative melting pot from which they hail.

Combining sustainable product design with an eye towards architectural detail, Watermark has worked with some of the world’s finest architects and designers, including the renowned Clodagh Design Studio.

Working hand-in-hand with clients, Watermark creates original faucets, shower systems, bath accessories, and much more. The multi-stage collaborative process that begins with a client’s vision, combined with the ability to customize and design unique product collections to meet the client’s exact specifications has made Watermark one of the industry’s most successful. Watermark Designs’ elite collections have been incorporated into some of the world’s most exclusive residences, hotels, and high-rises, including the Ritz-Carlton in Shanghai, Trump Park Avenue in New York, and The Eden Roc Hotel in Miami Beach. The Brooklyn collection has even made its way to the South Street Seaport Museum, where it honors and reflects the true made-in-America manufacturing spirit.

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With a strong commitment to the environment, Watermark aggressively invests in and develops new products with water-saving features while implementing environmentally safe manufacturing practices. In 2012 they were the recipients of the Green GOOD DESIGN award, presented by the Chicago Athenaeum.

You can see Watermark Designs’ products at the Belmont Hardware showrooms located in San Jose and Belmont. When you visit one of Belmont Hardware’s six 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 also visit Belmont Hardware's additional showrooms located in San Francisco, Novato, 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.

Elan Vital Kitchen 2 hole deck mount 38-7.1.3-EV4 Side spray MSA7.1 Sponge Basket 38-0.12B

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • BAY LIVING

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kitchen&bath

Make Your Tile Look Brand New Again

BY BEAUTIFYING YOUR GROUT

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oes your tile look worn-out and dull? Have your grout lines succumbed to staining, dirt and chipping? Or maybe your grout lines look an entirely different color than when your tile was first put in. Chances are, that color is still there, it’s just hidden by staining and dirt. Regardless, it’s time for a change.

Let your tile’s natural beauty and aesthetics shine through. Improving and revitalizing your grout can uplift your entire room’s aesthetics and the value of your home. By diligently maintaining your grout, you can avoid difficult and costly repairs caused by compromised grout and tile.

Grout cleaning is a simple process restoring the grout to its natural, beautiful color. The results are clean and brilliant grout lines.

Is your grout cracked or grooved in some areas? Or there are missing chunks of grout in some places, too.

Keep your grout strong and healthy by repairing problem areas and resealing them effectively. Every inch of your tile and grout should be inspected, and all irregularities and all cracks should be repaired.

Grout sealing will not only protect the new grout from stains and dirt that can cause your grout to look dingy, it will also promote longevity and sheen for your tile and grout. Most importantly, it will save you a lot of effort in cleaning complexities and costs down the road.

Ideally, your grout should be at the same level as your tile and it shouldn’t lift off when you’re cleaning.

Clear indications that your grout is wearing down and deteriorating are grains of your grout coming loose each time you wipe down your tile or your grout is deeply grooved below the tile line. Left unresolved, it can create a pesky trap for dirt and bacteria. Moisture can seep through and compromise your subsurface with mold, mildew and water damage.

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The solution is re-grouting. Your old grout is removed, and new and improved grout is installed. After the grout is installed, it is resealed and recaulked. This can make your room look and feel brand new without having to replace your tile (an expensive and laborious process).

Pro Grout offers professional grout cleaning, re-grouting, grout sealing, grout repair, grout re-coloring and re-caulking services. Their standard sealant will protect your grout after a deep cleaning or regrouting. And their Super Stain Sealer provides the ability to change the color of your grout and they can match almost any color you desire. Pro Grout offers a free professional-grade inspection and will help you figure out the best course of action for your tile. For more information, you can call them at 800-513-2236 or visit www.theprogrout.com ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

kitchen&bath

Brushstrokes of A

he San Jose couple featured in this article requested an updated, larger master bathroom to meet their present and future needs. Being that one of the clients was fully aware of increasing limitations in the golden years to come, while the other’s profession is that of an artist, this project required a truly balanced answer to both function and form.

One design challenge was the existing bathroom. It was limited with a tiny shower, no adjacent walls to the toilet for grab bars or toilet paper holders, an inaccessible portion of the vanity, and outdated materials. Another design challenge was an inefficiently organized master closet. It was positioned across from the master bathroom, creating an unnecessary hallway.

The new layout solved the client’s needs for increased and organized storage, an improved layout, and to accommodate aging requirements.

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The simple and most impactful update was to position the master closet as accessed from the master bathroom. This update better served their morning routines, while capturing a hallway and allowing the overall bathroom footprint to expand. A “pocket” of additional space was used for a supplementary linen cabinet, while a tall shower niche was installed for easily reached wet storage. To address safety and upcoming needs, grab bars were installed in wet areas, and blocking reinforcement was included for future placement.

The material selections provided the finishing brushstroke.

Statement hand-made Heath Ceramics tile and streamlined cabinetry are the essential elements for this memorable palette. The feature tiles are applied to one focal wall, to visually guide the user into the space. The unique watercolor variations between the tiles are perfectly complimented by the clean, white engineered quartz which finishes the curb top, niche shelves, and countertop. The rest of the room is sculpted by neutral, textured tiles and warm natural cherry wood to emphasize the airy yet bold narrative.

With Case® Design/Remodeling, every single aspect of your home improvement needs are covered. For the featured renovation in this article, Case received a NARI META Platinum award. 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 408-484-3884 for a free consultation.

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kitchen&bath

CLOSED

I

t is the accessories that make your cabinets work for you. Dropout Cabinet Fixtures designs and manufactures innovative cabinet components to make your life easier.

Now you can stop wasting time searching drawers and shelves attempting to find your spice bottles. This one-of-a kind spice rack/storage system stores up to 36 spice bottles perfectly organized, easily accessible and all in one place. Requiring only 4”of upper cabinet space, it opens with a smooth outward and downward motion, bringing the spice rack down to you. Returning the unit is just as simple.

Ironing made easy! No longer do you need to drag out that clunky ironing board, find a place to store it when not in use, or look at that eyesore. This ironing center is designed to be contained within wall cabinets as a convenient pullout. It comes complete with a custom 53-inch full size ironing board, pad and cover.

There is a stainless steel iron dock and ironing accessory storage spaces. When closed it only requires 7” of cabinet space. Opening in mere seconds when needed and is put away just as easily.

There is a new approach to the garbage and compostables dilemma in the kitchen food prep area. Before recycling became important, the trend was to have the largest garbage can possible in the kitchen. Today the emphasis is on recycling, reducing that need. Also, many communities are asking residents to separate the compostable waste from the non-compostable garbage. The Countertop Waste System is a perfect solution for compostable waste collection and pairs perfectly with the Tipout Waste System. This combination makes preparing meals easy and

OPEN clean up a breeze, without requiring excessive space. This compact system requires less space than a trash compactor and there is still plenty of room for a drawer below.

Dropout Cabinet Fixtures won the K+BB (Kitchen & Bath Business) Judge’s Pick, 2015 Product Innovator Award. All products are made in the USA. For more information on these products and their other unique cabinet components, you can

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call them at 408-909-DROP (3767), visit www.dropoutcabinets.com or email dropoutcabinets@gmail.com. Demonstrations can be arranged by appointment at their Morgan Hill facility. Their products are also available to the commercial market through MacMurray Pacific Wholesale Hardware, at www.macmurraypacific.com or call 800-244-1455.

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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.

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.

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kitchen&bath 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 weight-

lessness, motion 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 six 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, 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.

Photography by Samer al Rawas Interior Designers, XYZ Designers ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

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Beautiful Woodwork

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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

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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. 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 or visit www.sfwoodrenewal.com and you can call Silicon Valley Wood Renewal, serving Santa Clara county at 408220-6626. Or visit www.nhance.com/siliconvalley

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ENERGY EFFICIENT. UNLIMITED DESIGN OPTIONS. MAXIMUM DAYLIGHT. indows were originally designed with the purpose to fill a hole in a wall. Vinyl windows fulfill that need and so much more. They add incredible beauty to a home, exuding an upscale quality. Along with increasing resale value, they are energy efficient, shut out noise and protect furniture and floors from the damaging effects of the sun’s rays. Not only affordable, they resist rotting, corrosion, salt air, termites, and air pollutants. Vinyl retains its finish – so there’s no need to sand, re-stain, or repaint!

Simonton DaylightMax™ vinyl windows open up an entire world of design possibilities. Coordinate your windows with your unique décor and architecture; custom sizes, virtually unlimited configurations and grid options, variety of color choices, a host of styles including geometrics, hardware finishes and decorative privacy glass.

Simonton DaylightMax™ windows offer less frame and more glass to provide more natural sunlight and open view. The unique frame design provides maximum energy efficiency, far outperforming ENERGY STAR® standards. You will not only notice a difference in the comfort of your home—you will enjoy the comfort of lower energy costs. A narrow frame and wider viewing area provides up to 40% more daylight than wide-frame windows.

Every insulating glass package has four basic components: The Glass. ProSolar glass packages feature Low E coatings for ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

improved efficiency. Unlike clear glass, ProSolar Low E coatings help lower heating and cooling costs.

The Gas. Optional Argon gas is sealed between the glass panes. This odorless, non-toxic gas is much denser than air, so it insulates better.

The Spacer. Insulating glass units have at least two panes of glass, separated by a low-conductance spacer that helps minimize the migration and transfer of heat between the glass panes.

The Panes. Dual-pane windows consist of two pieces of glass, with the option for Low E, Argon gas and a low-conductance spacer. For even greater thermal performance, triple-pane windows feature three panes of glass, creating two separate insulating airspaces. Impactresistant laminated glass consists of a durable interlayer sealed between two layers of glass. This advanced glass package provides increased safety, sound control, UV protection and energy efficiency.

The AutoSenseTM Lock provides peace of mind. The lock is automatically activated when the window is closed, so you always know when your windows are locked. The AutoSense Lock surpasses the nation’s strictest forced entry code requirements. The sleek, low-profile design doesn’t intrude into the sightline. You can select a color or finish, so it’s as attractive as it is strong.

Michael's Construction specializes in providing and installing quality, affordable, replacement windows and doors. Family owned and operated, for 26 years they have been helping clients select the best windows and doors to fit their needs, and professionally installing them. Dedicated to client satisfaction. You can call Michaels Construction at 408-444-8149 for a free estimate or to schedule an appointment at their showroom located at 707 Lincoln Ave. in San Jose. Or visit, www.mcwindows.com

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Proper Ventilation Means a Healthier, More Comfortable Home.

SAVING YOU MONEY, TOO.

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f you’ve ever watched new homes going up, at a given point in the process you’ll notice the house being wrapped tightly in what appears to be a giant plastic bag. In construction jargon, the house is being built ‘tight to the weather,’ which means it can stand up to weather extremes while keeping homeowners safe and comfortable inside.

However, there is one drawback to these weather tight homes: They lose their ability to ‘breathe.’ While it may seem like an odd concept, a home’s ability to breathe is crucial to the health and comfort of its occupants, and the efficiency of its heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems.

When air flows properly through a home, the HVAC system works at peak efficiency and costs you less to run. This is where a whole house fan can make a big difference.

Most whole house fans draw in fresh air through open windows, pushing stale air into the attic. Nothing fancy, but very helpful to the home’s ability to ventilate properly.

Whole house fans such as the HV1600 from Tamarack Technologies can ventilate an entire home up to 2,000 square feet in size. Its self-sealing insulated doors are unique to the

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industry and when closed in the winter they minimize cold air flow into the home.

The Infinity is another of the company’s unique ‘ventilation solutions’, allowing homeowners and builders to custom design a ventilation system for any living space in the home.

Where it’s placed, whether or not it uses duct work, and how its two fans are deployed means that – as the name implies – there are almost an infinite number of possibilities to help facilitate healthy air flow throughout the house. And, by adding Wi-Fi capability, the new Infinity iFan allows homeowners to keep windows closed while circulating fresh air, thus eliminating security concerns about leaving windows open at night.

A whole house fan offers the ultimate ventilation advantage as its primary function but it also provides alternative cooling.

When outside temperatures are ten degrees cooler than a home’s inside air, a whole house fan can be used instead of an air conditioner for just pennies a day in energy costs.

Whole house fans have come a long way in the past few decades from the noisy, clunky fans your grandparents had in their home to the whisper quiet fans of today.

Progress continues. Soon, homeowners will be able to operate their whole house fans remotely using an iPhone or Androidbased smartphone when Tamarack Technologies launches its new iFan app and Wi-Fi-enabled whole house fan line later this year.

To find out how a Tamarack whole house fan can save you money and keep your home cool, you can contact Bay Area Whole House Fans, Inc. at (408) 377-4WHF (4943) for a free in home estimate or visit them at 1340 White Oaks Rd., #F in Campbell. Bay Area WHF Inc. is a fully licensed, bonded, insured WHF installation company that branched off from their Residential General Contracting & Remodeling Company, Left Coast Contractors. Having serviced Clients in the Bay Area for over 12 years they have extensive knowledge of residential homes from the foundation up to the roof. Bay Area WHF Inc. is enthusiastically committed to offering their expert knowledge & experience of Whole House Fan systems; giving their ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

clients industry-leading service beginning to end with masterful installs achieving the highest performance and Client satisfaction.

For additional information, you can visit their website at www.bayareawhf.com

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products&services

Personalized Concierge Service for all your

Home Maintenance Needs

O

wning a home comes with a significant amount of responsibility. Because there is just so much to keep track of and attend to, it can feel as though you are constantly calling different companies to handle various problems, which can be time-consuming and overwhelming.

Fine home preservation services can be an incredible asset to the homeowner who is looking for convenient and regular maintenance so that they can properly care for their largest investment—their home.

So, what exactly do preservation services consist of? Utilizing a customized quarterly maintenance plan, professionals will look over every large and small aspect of your home to ensure that things are functioning properly, and if something is not up to par, they will then use their skills and knowledge to make sure the situation is fixed immediately. Some examples of popular services include painting, plumbing, electrical, dry rot repair, stucco and cement repair, deck staining and sealing, pressure washing, fence repair, drain solutions, grouting, caulking, gutter cleaning, water filters, light installation, door and window repairs, rug cleaning, and more.

Most homeowners simply do not possess the expertise needed to attend to all of these aspects of a home, which is why having just one company that can look after and attend to a variety of different services is an incredibly convenient opportunity.

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Preservation services are not just limited to the quarterly maintenance plan. If you have an emergency or something comes up, you know exactly who to call. Additionally, preventative care services prepare you for season-specific needs. You don’t have to worry about a thing, not to mention, it’s very rare for something to fail on you unexpectedly when things are being closely monitored and proper care is being utilized beforehand.

Specialized preservation services offer solutions to just about any problem. One of the greatest perks of utilizing a maintenance program is that your home’s history is recorded and kept track of.

You will be on a first-name basis with your designated team, as they provide you with personalized and focused service.

One company that does this is Wilkinson Preservation. Created by Wilkinson Construction, Inc., a high-end custom home-building firm based in San Mateo, Wilkinson Preservation was born out of the obvious need that their existing clients had for maintenance services. With more than 20 years of experience and many loyal customers, Wilkinson Preservation proudly continues their tradition of outstanding work and customer service. Along with maintenance, they can also help with room additions and remodels. For more information, you can call them at 650-581-1940 or visit their website at www.wilkinsonpreservation.com.

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products&services Stucco is a low-cost finish that is strong and durable, and is usable in most climates. It is fire resistant, can have any color added to it, and allows for a variety of textures. It can also be applied over concrete, cinder block, clay brick, adobe, cork or even straw bales.

Plaster restoration can restore cracked or damaged existing plaster to its original condition versus having it all torn out. Restoring old plaster can be a simple process when working with a company that has extensive knowledge and experience. A quality plaster contractor will be able to look at a wall and determine if the damaged areas can be removed, re-plastered and patched. That way, you still has the same quality plaster, restoring damaged interiors to their true glory.

CLASSIC TECHNIQUES WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY Elevating Plasterwork to the Status of Art

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laster is very versatile because of the broad range of options to choose from for the interior and exterior of a home. It can be tooled into a variety of textures, used throughout the home and be molded into all sorts of simple or intricate shapes.

The word plaster refers to interior work and stucco refers to exterior work.

The most common type of plaster used on interior walls is gypsum plaster. This is most commonly done through a three-coat process. In plaster a lath system first must be secured to the framing of your walls. Historically, lath was made from wood strips, but in modern times you will most likely find metal. This lath gives the plaster something to grab onto. After the lath has been installed the plaster goes on. The finish can be customized in different ways.

The advantage of a plaster wall is the thickness; since a plaster wall is thicker than drywall you have improved sound baffling, less likelihood of warping and increased fireproofing. A plaster wall also works best for irregular and rounded surfaces.

Venetian plaster is the application of the world's best plaster and the use of old world techniques to hard burnish the plaster into the wall as it cures to create sort of a pearl like finish. It creates a multi-dimensional depth of field in which areas fluctuate in color, depth, and intensity as the source of light changes from natural sunlight to artificial lighting.

Stucco is made from cement materials, sand and water. This is all mixed together to create a slurry. This slurry is applied over a metal lath that allows the stucco to adhere and maintain its strength. The finish coat is applied last, creating the decorative finish on the wall surface.

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The Meiswinkel family began its plastering tradition in the 1930’s and the RFJ Meiswinkel Company has since grown into a highly reputable name for residential and commercial plastering.

Along with plaster and stucco, they offer metal framing, drywall, lath, plaster restoration and historic renovation services replacing and repairing ornamental plaster in older homes and buildings.

For more information, you can contact RFJ Meiswinkel Company at 415-408-5414, email info@rfjmeiswinkel.com or visit www.rfjmeiswinkel.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • BAY LIVING

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products&services

SYNTHETIC TURF Achieving Your Desired Results ou may have noticed new synthetic lawns in the neighborhood and are open to the idea. Some look natural and are mistakable for real lawn.

Others have an unnatural color, visible seams, a shiny appearance and are laying down matted / flat. Here is a quick read on looking closer into synthetic lawn / turf.

Q: Why does synthetic lawn cost so much more than a new lawn?

A: The installation of a synthetic lawn initially costs more than real grass.

However, when you calculate the ongoing costs of water maintenance, costly fertilizers and time, it takes only a few years for the cost of a real lawn to surpass Q: What makes for a bad looking synthetic lawn?

A: Poor quality turf, lack of material, inexperienced installers, not using the cost of a synthetic lawn. proper tools.

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Q: What are the top 3 reasons people want synthetic lawn over real lawn?

A: Parents want a good looking, dry and usable space for their kids to play. Pet Q: What makes for a great synthetic lawn? owners want a clean /mud free area for pets to play. Homeowners realize the A: Looks indigenous. Use of quality materials, shape of the lawn, proper importance of conserving water. Removing natural lawn can save hundreds to infill level and the installers’ workmanship. thousands of gallons of water annually.

The professionals at Southwest Greens have constructed synthetic turf amenities since 1996 and specialize in the Art of the Installation.

Q: Can turf be installed directly on top of dirt?”

A: Not recommended. Over time the dirt will work up through the backing. Turf You can learn more by calling (650) 349-4885, scheduling an fibers surrounded by dirt can be the host of hearty weeds and a muddy mess. appointment at our designer showroom in San Carlos. Visit us online at www.sw-greens.com Compacted base rock is the most commonly installed base material.

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products&services

TURN YOUR GARAGE INTO A

FUNCTIONAL EXTENSION OF YOUR HOME

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aving a clutter-free garage does not need to be a pipe-dream or wishful thinking. Garage cabinets capture all the vertical space for storage, including fitting around doors, windows, water heaters, washers and dryers and any other architectural challenges like angled ceilings and funky corners.

Wall rack storage systems can be customized to fit any wall space, with accessories like hooks, attachable shelves and baskets for small items, as well as specialty hangers for large items. They can cover a whole wall or just organize the space over a workbench or laundry area.

Custom garage cabinets with adjustable shelves allow you to configure the space any way you want to accommodate large and small items.

Place larger, heavier items on lower shelves for safety and ease, with lighter items up high. Open shelves allow for visible storage, so you can see, at a glance, where everything is. Clear plastic bins keep contents on display yet protected.

Garages tend to have lots of “head room.” Overhead racks can make use of that space by organizing storage that doesn’t require daily access. Getting seldom-used items into seldom-accessed space frees up the floor and more accessible storage for daily use.

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A custom garage floor adds beauty, eliminating the ugly, dirty look of raw concrete and giving your garage an attractive finished look. With a wide variety of color and finish options available, you can coordinate your floor with garage cabinets, other furnishings, your car, or even your favorite team’s logo. All garage flooring options are easy-to-clean and designed to withstand the high traffic and heavy use that a garage endures on a daily basis.

One of the biggest surprises in organizing your garage with cabinetry and a custom garage floor is the expanded living space and utility that is suddenly available for a craft or activity corner for the kids, an area for game tables, media center or even man cave.

PremierGarage of the Bay Area is locally owned and operated, with over 50 years of experience in the home service industry. Their professional designers can help you clear away garage clutter and maximize your garage’s space. With D’Vinci™, their proprietary 3D design software, you can see just how beautiful and functional your new garage can be!

For more information or to schedule a free, in-home consultation, you can call PremierGarage of the Bay Area at 408-444-9984 or 650-265-0510.

Or visit their website at www.bayareagarageflooring.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • BAY LIVING

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creAte shAde When And Where You desire With the Added Value of Security, Energy Savings, and Increased Home Value omeowners tend to have a love/hate relationship with the sun. You might love those large windows that let in a lot of natural light and showcase your view, however the sunlight also most likely becomes excessive at times, if not downright bothersome. Here are some of the greatest ways to gain control over the sun so that you can call the shots, while increasing the security, savings, and value of your home.

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Exterior Rolling Shutters. You want to let the natural light brighten up your home, but you hate having to avoid those living areas that become too harsh, too hot, and just downright uncomfortable. Exterior rolling shutters help to shield you and your family from the devastating effects of the sun. Not only do they block UV rays from damaging your floor and furniture, but they also help reduce your heating and cooling costs almost instantly. This also reduces the wear and tear on your HVAC system because you don’t have to use it as much. You can reclaim your living spaces that have become lost to light, heat, and even the cold, and you can do it all with the simple press of a button!

Rolling shutters allow you to simultaneously add value to your home and feel comfortable during any season. By simply having exterior rolling shutters installed, you add instant, real value to your home.

Along with saving you money on those energy bills, exterior rolling shutters will keep your home and family protected by never even giving burglars a chance. Hit the button and your shades roll down, lock in place, and create an aluminum-alloy barrier from you and the outside world.

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Solar Screens. Solar screens block 90% of the sun’s UV rays, so you limit the sun’s damaging effects on your furniture and floors.

But unlike rolling shutters, solar screens let you take in that million-dollar view while protecting your home. They may be thin, but solar screens are powerful, durable, and incredibly useful.

Retractable solar screens offer an immediate reward for smart homeowners. The comfort of keeping out the sun’s heat in a simple and stylish way is worth real money. If you ever decide to sell your home, you’ll be glad to know that your exterior shading has actually increased the value of your property. And even if you never sell your home, you’ll still reap the cost-savings benefits of a set of solar screens.

However, you want to be sure your home is protected without compromising style. With solar screens, you can select from a variety of different colored screens to match the theme of your home, as well as white, beige, or dark brown frames, which are built with aluminum and coated in epoxy powder for extended life and durability.

And perhaps best of all, you don’t have to mess with fragile strings like with traditional blinds. You get your choice of manual or automatic controls, and your solar screen fits nicely in a 4” box right above your window or sliding glass door.

Retractable Awnings. With motorized retractable awnings, you get sun protection and coverage that goes beyond clunky umbrellas or canopies so that you can transform your outdoor area into a cool, enjoyable retreat. Not only can you cool down your outdoor space by 15 degrees in just 15 seconds with a single awning, they are also custom made just for you and your home. Each awning comes with freestanding arms instead of poles or stands that tend to get in the way, and all fabrics are sourced from Sunbrella®. Not only will you get a reliably firm awning thanks to individual suspended springs maximizing the elasticity in the folding arms, using your awning is also easy. Choose from manual or motorized to fit your preferences.

Retractable Pergola Covers. If you already have a pergola, arbor, or glass roof, you want to make sure the space underneath is comfortable and usable. Enhance your space with a retractable cover. Pergola awnings use a gas piston tension system to ensure the consistent, reliable function of your awning for years to come. The recently improved tensile unit holds the fabric nice and taut, making it roll up more smoothly. Instantly lower the temperature of even the harshest glass-roof rooms, reducing your energy consumption and cooling costs significantly. They are electronically controlled and built-to-last. You can even protect your pergola awning with rain and wind guards for longer life.

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 nearly 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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Tired of the Hot Water Going Cold or Waiting for Hot Water?

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hen you are enjoying the feeling of that nice hot shower, is your water going cold midway through? Are you jumping back when you find out that the water isn’t hot yet even after running for a minute or more? When filling up that bathtub is your hot water supply completely exhausted? In the morning is there a mad competition in your household over who gets to take a shower first?

There is no reason to suffer any more.

Installing a tankless water heater will solve all those challenges. With a tankless water heater, when you turn on your tap, the water flow ignites the heater’s burner, which quickly flashheats the water. This gives you the green light to wash the dishes, do laundry or take a shower when you want to. The hot water will continue flowing for as long as you need it. Going tankless is remarkably cost efficient and environmentally friendly. It can be 20% more energy efficient than conventional water heaters, saving on energy bills every month.

Because there’s no limit to your hot water, a tankless water heater makes for serious luxury.

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Now your household can take three, four or more showers a day–one after another, as well as run the laundry and dishwasher at the same time.

Noritz® has revolutionized the water heater industry, taking tankless-for-tank replacement installation to a new level of ease and affordability, with the EZTR40 condensing tankless water heater for residential applications. The EZTR40 streamlines the tank replacement process with three key features.

First, using the same half-inch gas line used by the old tank unit, it eliminates the need to up-size to 3/4-inch run in replacement situations. This cuts labor time by up to half, while avoiding the material cost for new gas piping, resulting in a substantially reduced installation cost to the homeowner.

Secondly, water connections are located on the top of the unit, not the bottom. This allows the flexible hot-and-cold-water lines used by the tank-type water heater to be quickly and easily reconnected to the new EZTR40. Not only does this save time traditionally spent creating new plumbing around the tankless unit, but it

also gives the final application a cleaner look.

Thirdly, it vents with two-inch, flexible polypropylene tubing that is threaded directly through the existing B-Vent formerly used by the tank water heater it is replacing. As a result, there is no need to spend time or money changing out the vent.

In short, the Noritz EZTR40 makes tank replacement quick and simple, and therefore easier on your wallet. Which is why the tankto-tankless switch is not as expensive as you may have been led to believe.

It is crucial to have an experienced, licensed, insured, and certified expert assist you with your tankless project. 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 for additional information about tankless water heaters and more, at www.betterwaterheaters.com ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

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products&services

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re you paying too much on your heating, cooling and hot water electric bills? Geothermal is a great way to cut down on those energy costs. In fact, you can save up to 80% each year on heating, cooling and hot water bills just by switching from a traditional HVAC system to a geothermal heating and cooling system. ClimateMaster geothermal systems are not only a good investment; they are a cleaner choice for 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.

When heating your home, a high-efficiency gas furnace will give you less than .96 units of heat for each unit of gas burned. In contrast, with the advantages of a geothermal system you get up to 5 units of heat for each unit of electricity used. The reason is a furnace makes heat by burning fossil fuel, a big disadvantage. A

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geothermal system doesn’t make its own heat; it simply collects heat from the earth and moves it to your home. The results can be a big difference in your monthly home heating bills.

When you need cooling the most, the outside air is hottest. A traditional air source heat pump must work hard to force the heat from your home into the already heat saturated air. In contrast, a geothermal heat pump consumes less energy as it easily rejects heat into the cool earth, making geothermal cooling significantly more energy efficient.

A geothermal system can be installed safely inside your home.

Unlike an air-source heat pump, there is no outdoor equipment exposed to the elements or the risk of vandalism with the ground loop system.

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.

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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TIRED OF THAT WOOD CABINET LOOK FROM THE 80'S?

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he kitchen serves as a focal point of a home, it is the room where the entire family gathers and entertains.

And the cabinetry is the most eye-catching part of the

kitchen.

Are your cabinets looking tired and dated, not reflecting the ambiance and current style you wish they would? There is an alternative to replacing your cabinets which on an average is a third the cost of replacing, half the cost of refacing and takes only 5-6 days. The alternative is painting the exterior facade of your current cabinets.

Custom cabinet painting allows you to incorporate fresh colors, modern trends and the end result is your kitchen has a new clean look. The paint can be tinted to any color you wish.

Choosing white colors will achieve a classic or contemporary look. Using white and light colors on your cabinets can make small, dark rooms look larger and brighter.

Cabinet painting involves tools, equipment and techniques that are very specialized in order to produce a high-end professional looking result. When selecting your paint contractor, look for a professional painting company who listens to your needs and whose attention-to-detail is more important that rushing through painting your cabinets so that they can move on to the next job.

Fresh Coats Painting’s mission is to serve the customer’s needs and has a "leave no trace behind" approach to cleanliness during and after their work is completed. Interior and exterior painting is their main focus. They are trained to perform many tasks that fall outside the scope of painting including light handyman ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

work, fence/deck staining/sealing, molding installation, base board installation and more. You can call Fresh Coats Painting at (408) 890-7399 to schedule a free estimate. Or visit www.freshcoatspainting.com

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Redefine Your Space— Balance the Indoors with the Outdoors

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hether you’re constructing a new home or remodeling your current residence, it’s time to become acquainted with a whole new level of lifestyle quality. Just imagine the possibilities of an expanded sense of space that an open wall affords, while preserving unobstructed views when it is closed.

Adding this system enables greater interior design flexibility, allowing the use of high-quality furnishings, like leather sofas and area rugs, in an outdoor space. Build peace of mind and stunning looks into your home with the highest quality operable glass walls. As years pass, glass walls remain as durable as they are beautiful, down to even the unseen hardware’s operations.

Plus, you’ll never tire of how effortlessly the wall glides open and shut with just one hand.

NanaWall redefined the category of opening glass wall systems. During their 25-plus years in business, they have earned the trust of architects, builders, design professionals, and homeowners as a solutions provider for re-imagining how buildings, people, and the elements interact. By combining precision engineering and outstanding design options across more than 20 unique systems, they advance design possibilities beyond the conventional for almost any space. For more information about NanaWall opening glass walls or to make an appointment to visit the showroom, you can call Brad Burden at 415944-8586. www.nanawall.com

Now, you can transform fixed walls into flexible openings that invite the outside in, and remove visual and physical barriers. Enjoy the expanded sense of space yet stay comfortable with a transparent barrier that protects you no matter what the climate or seasonal extreme.

At first glance, a glass wall looks like a wall of floor-to-ceiling glass windows, but that’s where the similarity ends. Each panel is articulated on a hidden overhead track, and the panels themselves can quickly and easily open and stow away out of sight, creating breathtaking open-air vistas. With straight or curved layouts, along with hundreds of colors, finishes, and configurations at your disposal, there are virtually no limits when it comes to design.

Folding and sliding systems are available when it comes to choosing a glass wall. Folding systems create opening widths of up to 36 feet, while sliding systems offer a virtually unlimited opening size, and can be configured without floor tracks in non-weathertight applications.

Frames are available in aluminum, wood, or aluminum-clad wood.

A current growing trend in the world of glass walls is to re-create your patio and backyard into a living environment that is fully integrated into the rest of the house. The modern concept of outdoor rooms, kitchens, and entertaining areas is vital. The more convenient the connection between indoor and outdoor living areas, the more value is added to both spaces. For example, when sidewalk restaurants install an operable glass wall, they can open a complete wall to outdoor space in order to add valuable square footage for seating and display.

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products&services

Moisture Control — The First Step Toward Green Living and Clean Breathing

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educing your carbon footprint with energy conservation begins below in your home’s sub areas, basements, and crawlspaces. As moisture enters the home through the exposed earth in these spaces as an invisible vapor stream, it brings with it higher heating and cooling costs, unpleasant odors, and asthmaand allergy-causing mold spores. Crawlspace encapsulation systems, sump pumps, basement and garage waterproofing, and drainage systems can help you eliminate wasted energy, improve indoor air quality, and create a more efficient, comfortable, and economical home.

Most homeowners aren’t even aware that moisture is constantly entering the home with 30–50% of the air in the first floor coming from the crawlspace. By sealing your crawlspace and eliminating this constant flow of air, your house will retain heat better and cool more efficiently, which can bring a 15–25% energy savings and greatly enhance indoor comfort and air quality.

Mold is a major factor when dealing with poor air quality. Isolating your home from the earth with CleanSpace® will reduce the relative humidity of the crawlspace to a level in which mold cannot grow or survive. Two-thirds of your crawl space vents may then be sealed off to prevent humid exterior air, which makes moisture problems worse, from entering in the summer and reducing heat loss in the winter—which may contribute to decreased energy costs.

Crawlspace encapsulation will also protect your investment in your hardwood flooring.

Without a proper moisture barrier, the insulation will absorb the moisture and result in a wet sponge directly beneath your floor, eventually causing them to become cold and buckle.

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For homes with basements or sunken garages, water will enter through walls, floors, and the joints between them, but having a contractor dig out the side of a house and install an exterior french drain system isn’t a feasible option. The patented WaterGuard ® system is designed as an interior french drain. This unique drain system intercepts water at the interior perimeter and drains it safely away from the floors and walls, keeping the basement or garage dry permanently, allowing you to utilize these spaces to their full potential and create valuable living space out of what was once wasted real estate. All products carry warranties.

For more information or to schedule a free home evaluation, you can call Bay Area Moisture Control, serving all Bay Area counties, at 650316-6296 or 408-409-1344. You can also e-mail bayareamoisturecontrol@yahoo.com or visit them online at www.BayAreaMoistureControl.net

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TRANSFORM YOUR OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE WITH A BACKYARD MAKEOVER

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imes have changed. A backyard focal point used to be a stately tree, flowery landscape or a large grassy area. Now, your backyard paradise can be a place to gather, socialize, dine alfresco and relax.

Let your imagination take you away and transform an ordinary backyard into a fantastic backyard you can enjoy year ‘round.

There are numerous options for you to choose from when designing your Northern California Style outdoor habitat. Extending your living space outdoors is a sound investment that will add years of enjoyment and increase value to your home. Paving an outdoor living space is a contemporary way to add some warmth and sophistication.

Incorporating a fire feature continues to trend in popularity. Fireplaces and fire pits can be a primary focal point, as well as an inviting gathering place. Fire features add entertainment value, warmth so you can stay comfortable outdoors longer and visual attraction. A patio fireplace can be enjoyed on cool summer nights and extend the outdoor entertaining season well into the cooler months.

Stone fireplaces are now appearing outside of the living or family rooms.

Stone’s beauty, design versatility and durability provide the opportunity to be very creative. Not to mention, it is recyclable and extremely environmentally friendly.

How about a fireplace that is focal point piece of art, or seating walls where you can sit around a fire pit and roast marshmallows? An outdoor kitchen with custom masonry provides a one-of-a kind cooking experience that even the most discerning chef will appreciate.

After you have enjoyed your meal, gather your guests around a fire water wall, which is a combination of fire feature/waterfall. During the day, you can enjoy

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exteriorslandscaping the sight, sound and beauty of a waterfall. When nighttime comes, turn on the fire and enjoy the dramatic beauty of fire and water working together.

When you need to escape somewhere to relax and unwind, all you have to do is step outside. There is no place as tranquil as relaxing outdoors by a fire pit or fireplace.

To learn more about the options available, gain inspiration and ideas for your home, visit Peninsula Building Materials’ Masonry Showroom. The showroom offers several full sized fireplace examples in their onsite Fireplace Gallery, as well as hundreds of other stone and brick samples, all under one roof.

Their helpful, knowledgeable staff is available to answer any questions and dedicated to helping customers realize their design ideas. Peninsula Building Materials Co. (PBM) is open to the public, and has been serving the needs of professional masons throughout the Bay Area since 1923. Over the decades this family owned and operated business has succeeded by providing a large variety of high quality products to their customers.

PBM offers Northern California one of the largest selections of masonry products, including over 65 thin veneers and over 200 natural stone and brick products. Peninsula Building Materials Co. showroom is open Tuesday through Saturday, and is located at 2490 Charleston Road in Mountain View. You can call them at 877-282-0522 or visit www.pbm1923.com for more information.

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exteriorslandscaping

outdoor spAce too hot to hAndle?

Add some shade on demand with a louvered roof system

VENTED & SHADED

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SOLID & PROTECTED

oo often patios and decks take the brunt of the summer sun and we avoid using them between sunup and sundown because the heat and sunlight make them simply miserable. Traditional patio covers such as Pergolas, solid panel roofs, and retractable awnings help ease this problem, but they each come with a compromise. Pergolas offer no weather protection, solid roofs make home interiors dark and gloomy, and retractable awnings are useless during strong wind.

However, there is a solution. Adjustable louvered roof systems give you the best of all worlds. You can enjoy your outdoor living spaces at a temperature and light level that’s comfortable all year-round.

Louvered roof systems have many advantages over traditional shade options. They withstand the elements all year long with no maintenance, offer shade or sunlight on demand, and are waterproof when closed. Most importantly, louvered roof systems are

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OPEN & SUNNY

versatile enough to accommodate any architectural style. Louvers are typically stocked in white and tan with custom colors available to suit your specific design needs. The system also has the ability to resist strong winds and severe weather conditions, making them a once in a lifetime purchase.

A louvered roof system not only improves your deck, patio, and outdoor areas, they also help inside too. They block the sun’s powerful rays, protecting expensive window coverings, carpet, and furniture from fading and damage. Your home’s exterior will also be protected from solar heat gain, reducing your summer cooling costs.

Additionally, all systems are solar powered for the ultimate in ease of operation with no associated operational energy costs.

For more information about designing your louvered roof system, you can call Screen Solutions for a free estimate at 408-374-8156 or visit their website at www.screensolutionsonline.com ONLINE AT BAYLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM

exteriorslandscaping

PROFESSIONAL BARBECUE CLEANING

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PROTECTS YOUR INVESTMENT AND IMPROVES TASTE

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n the Bay Area, grilling up a hearty meal on the barbecue is a beloved pastime. Everyone loves a good cookout, but few homeowners enjoy cleaning or repairing the barbecue. It is safe to say that most grills could use a thorough cleaning, and many would benefit from an expert repairman.

Professionally cleaning your barbecue is sure to make your grill sparkle and shine, but it can do much more than that. A deep cleaning ensures a healthy cooking environment, improves the taste of your food and protects your investment. A comprehensive cleaning removes fat, carbon deposits, and cancer-causing carcinogens which are otherwise transferred to your food. A professional cleaning also reduces the chance of dangerous grease fires, prevents future corrosion and rust, and extends the life of your grill.

Now that we agree cleaning your barbecue is a great idea, some homeowners might ask, “Why not do this myself?” Because you don’t want to do it! Barbecues are complex and a thorough cleaning is messy and complicated. A skilled technician can come to your home at your convenience and give your grill a comprehensive cleaning with an environmentally friendly cleaning process. They will inspect every component to diagnose potential problems, clean and sanitize all parts, and polish the exterior to its original luster. Should your grill need replacement parts or repairs they are experts on nearly every model. Sometimes it is just better to call in the professionals.

For more information on mobile barbecue cleaning and repairs you can contact the Bay Area’s

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leading BBQ cleaning company Sparkle Grill Cleaning at (408) 409-1349. Their friendly and well trained staff is there to serve you. Sparkle Grill Cleaning also sells and installs new grills should you be in the market for an upgrade. You can see a complete list of their services online at www.sparklegrill.com/ca/bayarea/

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exteriorslandscaping Increase Your Home’s

Curb Appeal beautifully crafted hardscape and landscape will add major curb appeal to your home; bringing a recovery rate of 125-200%, according to Money Magazine. Paver stones for your driveway, walkway, steps or walls are an attractive and functional way to upgrade and raise your home’s value.

Pavers offer a huge variety of design possibilities with endless choices of colors, shapes and patterns – giving your home a dignified look. Not to mention, they are also extremely durable. In fact, there are some paver stone roads built in ancient Rome that are still in use today! Paver stones can endure three to four times more weight and pressure than concrete. Especially in earthquake territory, pavers can withstand changes in the earth better than concrete, which is guaranteed to crack. Repairs are also simple and much less expensive than other hardscape surfaces.

Many features can be rejuvenated with pavers to increase your curb appeal.

The driveway is the initial feature guests see when they pull up to your home, creating their first impression.

Pavers add aesthetic appeal that make a statement and lets your home’s unique style stand out.

To achieve the ultimate upgrade in curb appeal, be sure to compliment your new pavers with accessories such

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as colorful planter boxes, waterless lawn and lush perennial plants such as hydrangeas and rhododendron.

When it comes to your entryway, paver walkways not only look appealing, they will provide easier access for guests. You can also add a paver retaining wall and steps to your home, or paver pillars and columns for additional pizazz. Whether your style is traditional or modern, curved or angular – paver stones offer virtually limitless options.

Family owned and operated, Black Diamond Paver Stones & Landscape, Inc. offers a 27 year warranty on installation, a lifetime warranty on pavers, and can complete your curb appeal project. From design to installation, their experts can help you make your dreamscape a reality. For more information, visit BlackDiamondLandscape.com, or to make an appointment call 408-329-9508 in the South Bay or 650539-4532 in San Francisco or on the Peninsula.

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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.

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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.

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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: Mill Valley (415) 423-1198, San Mateo (650) 513-2747, Menlo Park (650) 300-4308, Sunnyvale (408) 912-1387, Walnut Creek (925) 357-9704, Danville (925) 395-4891, Oakland (510) 254-3763 and Southwest San Jose (408) 899-5812. ThePerfectWorkout.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 • BAY LIVING

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