Home + Garden Design Fall 2020 by Mountain View Voice

H O M E + GA R D E N

FALL 2020

DESIGN

Vintage-home makeovers Prefab backyard homes gain popularity during pandemic PAGE 15

One rehabilitated, the other modernized PAGES 6 & 10

$:$5' :,11,1* +20( 5(02'(/,1* $1' '(6,*1 %8,/' 6,1&(

&(/(%5$7,1*

<($56 :RPDQ )RXQGHG (PSOR\HH 2ZQHG :H QHYHU IRUJHW LWÖ£V \RXU KRPH p

+DUUHOO 5HPRGHOLQJ FRP 2 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 3

H O M E + GA R D E N

FA L L 2 0 2 0

DESIGN 6 10 15 18 21

HOME DESIGN Palo Alto couple modernizes family home HOME DESIGN Los Altos Hills rehab opens up vintage home to expansive vista BACKYARD REDESIGN Palo Alto mom transforms yard into extra living space for adult son INTERIOR DESIGN Tips for accommodating young and old under one roof GARDEN TIPS How to use your gardening skills to stock your pantry and earn some extra cash

STAFF Publisher William S. Johnson Home + Garden Design Editor Linda Taaffe Art Director Kristin Brown Writers Carol Blitzer, Jack McKinnon, Laura Swenson, Alexandra Treister Photographer Magali Gauthier Vice President Sales/Marketing Tom Zahiralis Advertising Sales Elaine Clark, Connie Jo Cotton, Janice Hoogner and Neal Fine

6 CONTACT US Embarcadero Media: The Almanac, Mountain View Voice, Palo Alto Weekly 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306 650-223-6500 AlmanacNews.com, MountainViewOnline.com, PaloAltoOnline.com Â©2020 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

ON THE COVER The kitchen of this Los Altos Hills home was remodeled to take advantage of the surrounding view. Photo courtesy Harrell Remodeling.

OPEN DAILY NOVEMBER 21 - JANUARY 3 10:00AM - 8:00PM WWW.FILOLI.ORG

4 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

Open a Home Equity Line of Credit and get

2.25

APR*

FOR THE FIRST 12 MONTHS

No Cost HELOC up to $250,000!

Enjoy a Prime minus 1.00% rate for the first 12 months of your new HELOC. Use the funds for a remodeling project or pay off debtโ there are no payments until you actually use the line of credit. X Easy application and approval process X No points, no annual fee, no origination fees, and no closing costs X 10-year draw period and 10-year repayment period X Re๏ฌ nance an existing HELOC to Stanford FCU X California properties only

Visit sfcu.org/HELOC for more information or to apply. +(/2&V IXQGHG RQ RU DIWHU 2FWREHU ZLOO UHFHLYH WKH LQWURGXFWRU\ UDWH RI 3ULPH PLQXV IRU WKH ล UVW PRQWKV WKHQ UHYHUW WR 3ULPH IRU WKH UHPDLQGHU RI WKH ORDQ WHUP 2ล HU DQG UDWHV DUH VXEMHFW WR FKDQJH ZLWKRXW QRWLFH 7KHUH DUH QR RULJLQDWLRQ IHHV RU FORVLQJ FRVWV IRU +(/2&V XS WR $Q (DUO\ &ORVXUH )HH RI ZLOO DSSO\ LI WKH +(/2& LV FORVHG LQ WKH ล UVW WKUHH \HDUV &DOLIRUQLD SURSHUWLHV RQO\ 0HPEHUVKLS HOLJLELOLW\ UHTXLUHG 7KH +(/2& UDWH LV YDULDEOH DQG VXEMHFW WR LQFUHDVH GXULQJ WKH ORDQ WHUP 5DWH LV EDVHG RQ WKH 3ULPH 5DWH DV SXEOLVKHG LQ 7KH :DOO 6WUHHW -RXUQDO 0RQH\ 5DWHV 7DEOH รท,QGH[รธ 7KH ล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โ ข MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE โ ข THE ALMANAC | 5

Same footprint,

different floor plan

BY CAROL BLITZER PHOTOS BY MAGALI GAUTHIER

Family modernizes Palo Alto home passed down three generations 6 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

HOME DESIGN

Left: To open up and brighten Waverley Aufmuth’s 1940s family home, architect James McFall eliminated a long, narrow hallway and added an atrium with sliding doors leading to the outdoor deck. Above: Angular windows, some clerestory, add additional light to the home.

hat started as a 1940s cottage is now a thoroughly modern family home with light flowing in through angular windows — some clerestory — and a metal, standing-seam roof. The original cottage worked just fine for Waverley Aufmuth’s grandparents when they purchased the home in Palo Alto’s Evergreen Park neighborhood in the 1960s, but when Aufmuth and her husband moved into the family home in 2017, they quickly knew they needed to modernize, update and expand it to accommodate their growing family. “Everything was very closed off. With a toddler, we wanted open space,” Aufmuth said. Architect James McFall’s first challenge was to remove walls between the kitchen, dining room and living room. Today, the footprint is the same, the fireplace remains a focal point,

but a great room enables the kitchen cooks to see what their kids are up to. The kitchen was enlarged by moving a utility area, creating space for multiple cooks, along with plenty of storage in riftcut white-oak cabinets. Updated stainless-steel appliances include a six-burner Thermador range, Beko refrigerator, Best range hood and Uline under-counter beverage refrigerator. Aufmuth chose Fireclay Tile’s Esherpatterned backsplash in her favorite green. Marble-like CaesarStone countertops were added to the kitchen, as well as two of the three bathrooms. Even more counter space and storage can be found in the peninsula, which sports a large bookcase showcasing the couple’s many cookbooks and other books on the side that faces the dining room.

McFall’s design also eliminated a long, narrow hallway and added an atrium with sliding doors leading to the outdoor deck. Off the atrium is the relocated utility room, an updated powder room with Heath Ceramics-inspired wallpaper and a blue floating vanity that “makes the room feel bigger,” according to McFall. Also on the first floor is the bedroom suite. Again, the footprint is the same in that suite, but everything is new, from the black EliteTile floor in the master bathroom to the walk-in closet (designed by California Closets) and the double-paned, aluminum windows overlooking the backyard. One wall features an Astek wallpaper mural. Carpeting in all the bedrooms is a pale gray. The new stairway with its custom-made steel railings leads to the major second-story addition:

TWO VINTAGE-HOME MAKEOVERS: ONE REHABILITATED, THE OTHER MODERNIZED In this issue of Home + Garden Design, two separate homeowners take different approaches to remodeling their vintage homes. One modernized their longtime family home (read story on this page), the other started out with a kitchen remodel that turned into a rehab of their home, which consisted of several 1920s cottages cobbled together (read story on page 10).

two bedrooms and a bathroom, as well as a loft area they call “the den” that overlooks the great room below. “I wanted to create an open feeling between the floors. You can view the downstairs from the den (through and over the (continued on page 8)

PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 7

HOME DESIGN

RESOURCES Architect (and landscape designer): James McFall, McFall Architecture, Palo Alto, 650-327-3100, mcfallarch.com Building contractor: Page and Pio Construction, Palo Alto, 650-493-1881 Custom railing: Design by James McFall, fabrication by Brian’s Welding, San Jose, 408-275-9834 Tile: Fireclay Tile, San Francisco, 800-773-2226, fireclaytile.com; Elite Tile Co., 978-685-7757, elitetileco.com Goal of project: Add second story with two new bedrooms, open up house, add new windows, flooring, roof Year house built: 1946, remodeled 2019. Size of home, lot: Was 1,416-sq-ft, 2 BD, 2 BA house on 7,516-sq-ft lot; now 2,349 sq ft, 3 BD, 2.5 BA. Time to complete: About 4 months to design, 14 months to build. Above: Clerestory windows and the new metal roof are visible from an exterior view of the modernized ranch home, which is now undergoing a front yard makeover. Top: A peninsula, which sports a large bookcase showcasing the couple’s many books, now divides the two spaces. Right: One of McFall’s first challenges was to remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room. (continued from page 7)

matching steel railing),” he said. McFall utilized dormers to maximize space upstairs, with a chest of drawers tucked into one and a bathtub extending into another. “We wanted to keep the ranch feel, including the front porch,” 8 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

McFall said. The front porch’s horizontal V-groove cedar paneling extends into the house entryway. “The contractor lined up the seams,” he added, which emphasizes the connection between the inside and outside. The old garage was replaced with one further back on the lot that now includes a small

workshop/office with a half bath. Landscaping in the backyard features drought-resistant plants, raised beds plus a play area for the two children. The front features citrus trees, succulents and native grasses, with an ipe wood fence along one side and ipe gate in the driveway. Although the addition is rife

with angular windows, high ceilings and a metal roof, the front lines up with other homes on the street, making it compatible with those from the grandparents’ era. H+G Freelance writer Carol Blitzer can be emailed at carolgblitzer@gmail.com

HOME DESIGN

PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 9

HOME DESIGN

Couple keeps home’s ‘old bones,’ while making the space more livable Kitchen, dining room now open to expansive vista

he house was a little funky, cobbled together into one house from several 1920s bungalows, but the Los Altos Hills view was breathtaking. The narrow, galley kitchen was not. Since both Sandra Toms and Bret Hartman love to cook, they knew when they bought the home in 2015, they’d be doing something to upgrade that kitchen. But it wasn’t until they started demolition that they discovered just how funky the house was. When expanding the powder room

slightly to accommodate a toilet that one could actually sit on, they found that the closet had at one time been a shower, complete with a drain. Other oddities? Old knob-andtube wiring was still hot; the roof over the breezeway was sagging; lines to the septic tank needed to be re-routed and the pump repaired. “We fixed a bunch of things so it would last, be safe and be up to code,” Hartman said. His wife likens their project to the children’s book, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” by Laura

BY CAROL BLITZER

Numeroff — where one thing quickly leads to another. The main focus of the project was to double the size of the kitchen, open the dining room to the view and expand the deck that winds around the house to provide a 180-degree view of the hills and Silicon Valley. At the front of the house, the covered roof over the breezeway that leads to a free-standing office (formerly a garage) was replaced with louvers with built-in lighting. (continued on page 12)

Sandra Toms and Bret Hartman’s Los Altos Hills kitchen now includes a 6-foot-long trough sink that allows multiple people to prep or wash up at the same time while taking in the view. Photos courtesy Harrell Remodeling. 10 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

TWO VINTAGEHOME MAKEOVERS: ONE REHABILITATED, THE OTHER MODERNIZED In this issue of Home + Garden Design, two separate homeowners take different approaches to remodeling their vintage homes. One modernized their longtime family home (read story on page 6), the other started out with a kitchen remodel that turned into a rehab of their home, which consisted of several 1920s cottages cobbled together (read story on this page).

Mid Peninsula Real Estate Colleen Foraker Recent Sales and Listings

50 Heather Drive, Atherton

2209 Hillside Drive, Burlingame

Realtor® 650.380.0085 colleen@colleenforaker.com DRE 01349099 480 Erlin Drive, San Carlos

Under Contract Modern Gem 649 Park Road, Redwood City 3 Bed | 3 Bath | 1,615 Sq Ft home | 3,500 Sq Ft lot

Listings Coming Soon Charming Green Gables Home in Palo Alto 3 Bed | 1 Bath | 1,100 Sq Ft home | 6,300 Sq Ft lot

Lovely Emerald Hills Home in Redwood City

1111 Woodland Avenue, Menlo Park

4 Bed | 3 Bath | 2,100 Sq Ft home | 5,140 Sq Ft lot

Rankings provided courtesy of Real Trends, The Thousand list of individual agents by total sales volume in 2018. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All aBsOoWB_ loOpObsOM VOoOWb Wp WbsObMOM Tdo WbTdoaBsWdbB_ ltoldpOp db_| BbM Wp KdalW_OM Toda pdtoKOp MOOaOM oO_WBJ_O Jts VBp bds JOOb yOoW OMà VBbUOp Wb loWKOÛ KdbMWsWdbÛ pB_O do zWsVMoBzB_ aB| JO aBMO zWsVdts bdsWKOà !d psBsOaObs Wp aBMO Bp sd BKKtoBK| dT Bb| description. All measurements and square footage are approximate.

PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 11

HOME DESIGN (continued from page 10)

Inside, the dining-room ceiling was raised and pitched, transforming the window into a wall of glass overlooking oak trees. “The dining room walls were built like an old cabin. When they were demolished, we saw how bad they were,” Hartman said. They were completely rebuilt. But the piece de resistance is the new kitchen. “(Before) we would never hang out in the kitchen. Now we’re here all the time,” Toms said. Gloria Carlson, the designer from Harrell Remodeling who remodeled the home, points to her three favorite features: The hood over the Wolf induction range, which is mounted flush to the ceiling so the view is unimpaired; the 6-foot trough sink by The Galley, which has two sets of faucets so two people can work at the same time and comes with accessories — a cutting board, colander, drying racks and metal bowls; and the custom-made table created from an old oak tree that had fallen over on the property — the table top is anchored to a metal base that is bolted to the floor, a perfect distance from the banquette seating. Behind the banquette is a half wall, separating the kitchen from the living room and a stairwell. The white custom cabinets by

Above: The redwood deck on Sandra Toms and Bret Hartman’s Los Altos Hills home now wraps around the house with the cable railing to keep the space open. Below: The rebuilt breezeway, which connects the main house to the office, features louvers in the roof, letting in more light.

Plato Woodworks (painted dark gray on the island) are coupled with a Cambria quartz countertop, echoing the counter on the new hutch in the adjacent dining room. “The tiles are an intentional nod to nature,” Toms said, pointing out Artistic Tile’s glass mosaic leaf pattern in the backsplash and the branches in the Lumicor resin-fronted upper cabinets. Outside, they originally thought they could extend the deck, but soon found they

RESOURCES Design/Build: Gloria Carlson, Harrell Remodeling, Mountain View, 650230-2912, harrell-remodeling.com Landscape designer: BayScape Landscape and Maintenance, Alviso, 408-288-2940, bayscape.net Goal of project: Remodel and expand kitchen, remodel powder room, make extensive layout changes to dining room, expand deck. Unanticipated issues: When pulling out walls in powder room, discovered it had been a shower; everything not connected to septic tank. Year house built: 1948, but original cottages dating to 1920s Size of home, lot: 3,430-sq-ft, 4 BR, 3.5 BA home on 3+/-acre lot; now 3,576 sq ft Time to complete: About 6 months 12 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

needed to replace the whole thing. They opted for redwood. Carlson noted that all the exterior materials had to be firerated since they are in the hills. “We talked a lot about materials. We felt redwood was the most natural,” she said. “Changing the railing made a big difference,” she added, noting that the cable railing is more open to the view. “We didn’t want to fight the house,” Toms said. “We knew the bones; we didn’t want ultra-modern.”

“It has the same feeling now but it is so much more livable,” Hartman said, noting that the renovation was really six projects, by the time you counted the kitchen, dining room, powder room, deck, septic tank and breezeway. Would they do anything differently? Maybe move one switch plate, Toms and Hartman agreed. H+G Freelance writer Carol Blitzer can be emailed at carolgblitzer@gmail.com

The worst time to think about your water heater is when it stops working. Do you know the age of your water heater? Most tank-style water heaters only last about 12 years. If you suspect your water heater is near the end of its useful life, you may be a good candidate for a Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH). The Home Efficiency Genie can help look up the age of your water heater from the unit’s serial number and offer project advice. Contact us at (650) 713-3411 or visit efficiencygenie.com Not only are HPWHs one of the most efficient water heating technologies on the market, but yours will be powered by Palo Alto’s carbon neutral electricity. As an added bonus, Palo Alto Utilities offers rebates up to $1500. Learn more at cityofpaloalto.org/HPWH

Individuals with disabilities who require accommodations to access City facilities, services or programs, or who would like information on the City’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, may contact the City’s ADA Coordinator at (650) 329-2368 (voice) or email ada@cityofpaloalto.org 11/20

RSARY IVE

Old Becomes New

BEFORE

AFTER

Ask about our $92.50 Labor Special & Other Specials

FREE LOCAL PICKUP & DELIVERY • FREE CONSULTATION

1243 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View (At Miramonte – behind Baskin-Robbins) 650.961.8700 www.SterlingCustomUpholstery.com R SERV I PE AWARD

E C

Sterling Custom Upholstery

We ar eo for bu pen s and fo iness llowin g covid -19 p ro t o c ols

Angies List

2015

on nts! s a e scou S f We’ve W e’ve painted some of the Of Di

MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES

8 204 0 6 Lic.

on o n the Peninsula.

For A Prompt Estimate Please Call:

(650) 321-9302 Beautify, Protect and Preserve your Most Important Investment Quality Interior and Exterior Painting Residential and Commercial

Visit Us On The Web At:

www.stanfordpainting.com

Family Owned since 1988 Protect Your Family We’re Lead Safe Certiﬁed 5-Year Warranty Free Estimates Stanford Painting is not afﬁliated with Stanford University

14 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

B AC K YA R D R E D E S I G N

Short on time and living space, mom installs Palo Alto’s first Abodu PREFAB HOUSING UNIT PROVIDES ROOM FOR MORE FAMILY MEMBERS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC by Laura Swenson | photos by Magali Gauthier

elissa Williams’ Palo Alto backyard was an empty space at the beginning of the day on Sept. 14. By midday, however, a 500-square-foot, one-bedroom home was sitting in her yard. Lowered by a crane, the home took only about 10 minutes to install onto the concrete foundation and was nearly turn-key ready for her college-aged son, who had unexpectedly moved back home in the spring when his school shut down due to COVID-19 health restrictions. With her younger son already living in their two-bedroom home, the elder son had to move into the dining room. Strained for space and time, Williams chose to install a prefabricated accessory dwelling unit built by Redwood City startup Abodu. While craning in additional square footage sounds extreme, Williams is among a growing number of Bay Area residents looking for a quick way to add extra living space to accommodate more family members

during the pandemic. Williams’ accessory dwelling unit — also known as an ADU or granny unit — was the first one that Abodu installed in Palo Alto, but company co-founder John Geary said that he has received similar queries from other local residents on a daily basis. “Pre-COVID, we saw a little more folks on the investor side. ... Since COVID, our entire business has skewed toward family needs,” said Geary, who co-founded Abodu with Eric McInerney two years ago and now installs the company’s studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units throughout the Bay Area. Geary estimated that since the pandemic, about 90% of his requests in Palo Alto have been for additional space to house young adults returning home or to provide an alternative to assisted living for aging family members. Prior to the pandemic, Geary said he mainly received requests from retired couples looking to

Above: A work crew from Redwood City’s Abodu use a crane to lift a 500-squarefoot prefabricated home into Melissa Williams’ Palo Alto yard on Sept. 14. Below: Once the crane lifted the home, it took only about 10 minutes to lower it onto the concrete foundation, Williams said.

generate rental income or from seasoned rental property owners looking to expand their income by adding units to their properties. ADUs have the benefit of keeping families close together while maintaining some boundaries, he said. Demand for ADUs has been on the rise over the past few years since local and state restrictions have been relaxed. Accessory dwelling units are now Palo Alto’s biggest source of new housing, according to city data. After years of seeing just a few new cottages pop up annually, the city has seen an exponential rise in recent years, with more than 100 applications processed since 2019. Geary said new demands for more living space at a faster pace

during the pandemic could push that number much higher.

‘Since COVID, our entire business has skewed toward family needs.’ John Geary co-founder, Abodu

According to Williams, the prefab home installation process has felt “incredibly easy” compared with the nine-month headache she experienced renovating a shed on her previous property, also in Palo Alto. Williams said she placed her order in early July. The company took care of the permitting (continued on page 17)

PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 15

Santa Clara Powder coating Inc “Let Us Fix It Like New”

RESTORATION OF PATIO FURNITURE -INDUSTRIAL -COMMERCIAL -AUTOMOTIVE

-SANDBLASTING -SLING REPLACEMENT - REPAIR & PARTS -CAST ALUMINUM -WROUGHT IRON - VINYL STRAPPING

800 ALDO AVE SANTA CLARA, CACA- 408-845-9100

www.scpowder.com

Has your agent or broker retired? We’re still going strong! Charlie Porter

Serving the community for over 30 years!

Farmers® Agency License # 0773991

(650) 327-1313 671-A Oak Grove Ave, Menlo Park cporter2@farmersagent.com 16 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

B AC K YA R D R E D E S I G N (continued from page 15)

process, and two-and-a-half months later, workers delivered the unit to her University South neighborhood. The home was about 98% completed once it landed in her backyard. A three- to four-person construction team worked on the site for about 10 business days prior to installation and five business days after installation, according to the company. Most Abodus are installed via crane lifted over the main home, but space permitting, the homes

can be moved into a backyard via rollers. Family needs aside, Williams said she sees her ADU as a sound investment. The unit cost about $225,000, all furnishings included. In a city where the median price per square foot was about $1,465 in September, a 500-square-foot home would have cost about $732,500. The backyard home is so appealing that her two sons are fighting over it, Williams laughed. H+G Freelance writer Laura Swenson can be emailed at lauraswenson5@gmail.com.

RESOURCES Builder: Abodu, Redwood City, 650-398-0158, abodu.com Goal of project: Add a secondary dwelling unit on property to provide living space for adult son as quickly as possible. Type of house added to property: A prefabricated accessory dwelling unit put together in a Redwood City factory by startup Abodu; delivered onto property by crane. Size of home/yard: 500 sq. ft., one bedroom, one bathroom. For Abodu’s standard onebedroom home, a homeowner needs to clear a 45-foot by 29-foot area of yard space. Time to complete: Two-and-a-half months: Order placed in mid-July. Home delivered on Sept. 14. (Company handled permitting process and delivered home 98% completed.)

The ﬁrst step in planning your weekend starts here

The one-bedroom, one-bathroom home is positioned over the concrete foundation in Williams’ backyard.

Your weekly email with tips and insights about hot events and cool activities

EAT

SEE

PLAY

PaloAltoOnline.com/express/weekend

• Music • Eating out • Movies • Fun and free • Art exhibits • Theater • Lectures and learning

Presented by PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 17

INTERIOR DESIGN

Reading nooks, work zones, multi-generational spaces Tips to accommodate young and old under one roof amid the pandemic by Alexandra Treister

ix months ago, I was unqualified to talk about designing a household for multiple generations. I had no idea that a five-day trip to see my parents would turn into a six-month co-living arrangement, but as we’ve all experienced, nothing about 2020 is predictable. In the last six months, I’ve merged styles from the generation above me, worked in opinions from millennial house guests and incorporated ideas to make the house special for a future fourth generation. While adapting my living space for multiple generations, I learned that there are three key areas one needs to consider: space, functionality and style. Here are some tips for a successful transformation:

SPACE How do you stimulate an adventurous Generation Zer, mute the landline’s ring from a working millennial and maintain enough quiet for a baby boomer to finish sudoku and crosswords all at once? Identify places in the house that haven’t always been used and transform them into a reading nook, or conversely, find an isolated area where people can make noise freely without it escaping. In my grandparents’ house, we always enjoyed climbing up into a loft above the kitchen. When my parents moved in and renovated, they installed a builtin ladder to make it easily accessible for adventurers of the next generation. While designing a space that will allow for separation, it’s also important to create a communal living space that can be used to bring all the generations together and allow family members to embrace the time they have during this pandemic and acquire something that can’t be purchased on Amazon — family stories.

FUNCTIONALITY Folks of different generations become accustomed to different routines so when living under one roof, you must accommodate the variety. Older and

18 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

To accommodate multiple generations under one roof, create different zones such as a quiet reading area for older adults and a study area for school-age children. Courtesy Getty Images.

INTERIOR DESIGN Top right: Design choices like carpet, extra light and a more open arrangement of furniture can make it easier for older adults to navigate a home. Bottom left: To accommodate the style and taste of multiple generations living under one roof, find old family photos, put them in a variety of frame styles and hang on the wall. Photos courtesy Getty Images.

younger generations especially will require modifications to live safely and comfortably. If you are lucky enough to have the oldest generation still living with you, it’s important to remember that design choices can have a profound impact on how long they can live safely outside assisted living. Keep in mind that you don’t get the opportunity to renovate every year, so make decisions that will allow for family members to age in place more easily. Design choices like carpet, extra light and indicators of steps and level changes can prevent falls. You might consider installing a light on every three stairs mounted on the wall or the rise and using illuminated handrails to provide downward light. Bathroom design should be tailored for the youngest and oldest generations. Toilet seats, for example, should be lowered for children and raised up and surrounded by handrails for elderly users. While a floor-level shower with a bench is appropriate for

seniors, children will enjoy jumping in and out of a bathtub.

STYLE Once you’ve planned the layout for your house, your next challenge is to bring in design elements that are visually appealing to everyone. What may appeal to one generation will likely be balked at by the next — how do you embrace the differences? Merging different styles makes your space interesting, unexpected and unique. A successful designer can weave in legacy,

stories or old artifacts with contemporary shapes, modern furniture and bold colors to create a unique look with meaning. I think of the Grandmillenial design style, which blends timeless elegance (think: your grandparents’ solid wood furniture) and past trends (think: topiaries, pleated lampshades, or scallops) with bright colors, textured decor, botanical prints and natural fiber rugs. Giving older items a contemporary or whimsical revamp can make them fresh again with an ode to older generations.

Dig deep into the closets and boxes to find old photos — frame and hang them. Create a home library (floor to ceiling with a ladder, if you are fortunate to have the space) to display a collection of old books that interested you and family members before you. Artifacts and written stories unveil the history of multiple generations. Follow the progression of trends. Wall coverings, for example, have ebbed and flowed in popularity. While the babyboomer generation may have grown out of the floral prints plastered on the wall by their parents, millennials came back to them, embracing the style as vintage. New artists put a fresh, and sometimes quirky, spin onto traditional patterns for wall coverings. Alternatively, one can pair a traditional print with electric or edgy decorations and architecturally modern furniture. Wall coverings allow you to add color and dimension. H+G Contributing writer Alexandra Treister is an interior designer for RKI. Interior Design in Menlo Park. You can reach her at rki@rkiinteriordesign.com.

PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 19

S. Brown K. Villannueva J. Northway D. Schwartz P. Fink A. Albuquerque S. Dinwiddie S. Kilner N. Ng J. Reynolds K. Logan S. Joshi M. Brown D. Lowe J. Hale E. Fike B. Holland E. Santana J. Dawes B. Bicknell B. Carlitz D. Lusk V. Weber L. & J. Schemel C. Pierce B. Katz S. Cranna M. McCall J. & R. Wheeler S. Srinivasan T. Gadda M. Lewis T. Lovercheck D. Graff-Loeb L. Levy L. Laurent E. Nimmo L. Parker H. Stein E. Marshall C. Iannuccilli M. Allen E. Kriegh J. Schaeer L. Beattie L. Fresco S. Mellberg R. Rosner P. Colevas K. Matice R. Schwartz A. Koontz D. Ito A. Schmitt R. Martinez S. Robinson M. Vincenti E. Wolf K. Ma C. Chong B. Pitkin D. Hancock G. Poore J. Frick M. Odell C. Thorson J. Snyder J. Fenwick M. Williams P. Podell R. Maydan J. Wise M. Christopherson A. Cooper L. Fowkes C. Murphy J. Steinhart J. Shorin K. Arnold P. Schwartz D. Newhouse M. Stevens D. Staiger W. Dellenbach R. Waters B. Martin J. Guislin B. Klausner B. Crocker J. Ting S. Colton V. Akkaraju E. Reese L. Deghetaldi J. Schachter L. Smith C. Melamed J. Elkind I. Levy S. Erhart J. Kriewall E. Vanderwilt J. Beer L. Sanford S. Buddie W. Courington S. Miller C. Van Wey M. Forster R. Foley M. Chowning-Dray T. Moran R. Georgia K. Kane H. Weiler J. Wasserman B. Kiviat A. Gregory A. Karp A. Austin

J. Majeti E. Jensen A. Meyer F. Kurland C. Drake P. Page C. Chen M. Eager A. Tse J. Kershner K. Shoven C. Scholz B. Tisdale E. Hogan R. Kennedy J. Klein L. Klein C. Dillon K. Price S. Henderson G. Bers P. Schaffer S. Levine H. Benson S. Jefferson P. Noyer D. Rose J. Gilmore N. Moss J. Einfalt P. Einfalt W. Bowmer C. Gibbs J. Sack N. Stern K. Klein C. Pistorino A. Zulch B. Burwell K. Storm C. Sigman P. Carter B. Bruce M. Levin L. Tokes D. Lin R. Degan D. Ziegler M. Brooks L. Lenoir A. Seeger E. Moore E. Fagan B. Nute L. Wolfe H. Welstein J. Noice L. Gass B. Gardner K. Dugan J. Foster H. Fischgrund G. Crider E. Miller L. Carey J. Poppy W. Cavanaugh K. Anderson V. Leighton W. Shilstone N. Martin S. Jacobs N. Anderson P. Lai B. Raskin N. Jones A. Seid V. Wolk L. Avocet S. Pelosi J. Jenkins E. Salzer M. Cohen L. Carroll J. Hancock B. Fitch K. Flynn S. Dinwiddie L. Braun S. Gartner J. Paulson J. Ramberg H. Schwenk E. Jacobsen S. Griswold J. Faltz D. Cookerly A. & B. Delaney D. Debs S. Hansen L. Shore M. Tan J. Podell G. Lee B. Sourkes K. Sweidy T. Deser G. Johnson B. Klein B. Drazovich P. Marriott N. Yamada B. Barton M. Richardson G. Hughes G. Schwettman L. Reider D. Blayney L. Pinto P. Ellson

M. Norton N. Thomas W. Yeager L. Gill R. Lancefield M. Anderson D. Knopper E. Kastner J. Cornett A. Holloway A. Chin S. Gualdoni S. Kemp L. Roche S. Holland J. Zhang K. Spear J. Carey J. DiBrienza C. Mitchell S. Olgado A. Illich S. Abramson M. Ashley M. Zimmerman J. Moran M. Bridges K. Larsen N. Razon R. Swent R. Bender J. Seyfarth A. Waldfogel S. Narang C. Wotipka M. Krebs J. Hartung R. Pauck A. Saitz E. Pasternak A. Prabhu F. Armstrong K. Garcia J. Gomez N. Kulgein B. Reid L. Schwerer D. Hoexter N. Bloom S. Rinsky D. Quinn S. Beach R. Wagoner J. Leahy E. Lillard D. Clark J. Friedman B. Lee S. Friedman L. Kells O. Saffir R. Tenanes V. Spicer J. Farnsworth M. Rochester V. Mittal J. Jacobus K. Hawkins R. Ward J. Haynes M. Collins H. Tao C. Shambora A. Robertson M. Liu L. Hattendorf I. Stein E. King M. Gaynon Y. Kishimoto R. Probst D. Hirsch K. Ardeshna M. Berman J. Klein B. Nord M. Barchas S. Marenberg E. Varner L. Melena J. Clendenin J. Morrison P. Kayten S. Chang J. Shore P. Jones R. Guislin A. Johnston L. Bader B. Morgenthaler J. Yu M. Stratz A. Olkin G. Turnbull A. Nichols S. Salsbury K. Holman R. Satterthwaite K. Carey C. Manley W. Monroe A. Stern C. Kroymann S. Warble B. Davis R. Wolf A. Ross J. Leffler G. Anwyl J. Hirsch

J. Kilner L. Clark-Sweeney A. Robin R. Purkey D. Eve S. Supplee F. Souza J. Phillips M. Lopez J. Simon A. Isaacson C. Williams L. Akselrad B. Oram M. McClure T. Carey R. Simpson S. Zare C. Jones N. Beamer R. Kresek R. Brogley R. Nurre D. Graham H. Sahami W. Reller C. Blitzer C. Kan B. Kouns R. Kato J. Fisch E. Lauing R. Pecore M. Hendrawidjaja G. Channell G. Sikora M. Cierniak A. McGee J. Fiddes L. De Kesel-Lams K. Bloom N. Radjy K. Anderson S. Nash E. Baskin T. Sorensen C. Schneider K. Rawnsley E. Muhlner R. Motta R. Rippere M. Burt S. Grimm C. Combs J. Pierce K. Alter L. Earnest S. Smith L. Russel R. White J. Whaley C. Flynn R. Ousterhout M. Shull M. Foster H. Brady T. Johnson L. Elliott L. Blanchette T. Nguyen S. Dougall R. Smith A. Martineau P. Dhillon A. Poggio S. Helmer L. Wright J. Frizzell M. Clark X. Jiang K. Bromberg Z. Osborne C. Jose M. Hindery M. Klein D. Kaye S. Kolhatkar B. Nilsson L. Crowell I. Kim H. Plant N. Ardoin B. Hess L. Ely A. Thayer S. Cramer A. Ross M. Slaney S. Mirabella M. Rosen L. Williams J. Ulevich L. Godin J. Jorgensen A. Stauffer J. Kossack K. Walker G. Lindgren C. Runkel J. Hackmann C. Curtis E. Weingarten P. Fewer J. Trust M. O’Connor A. Scrivner J. Madrone C. Saal L. Bonomi S. Chamberlain

L. Oefelein J. Hague R. Ohlmann L. Heiden M. Lee B. Holtz R. Rausch D. Cohn L. Kancherla M. Norall G. Richardson D. MacKenzie C. Keenan S. Zimmerman H. Epstein K. Morrison M. Michelson M. Krause S. Levenberg D. McDougall M. Rosenbloom P. Spackman H. Stern L. Rock B. Steinback S. Hwangbo T. Kearns M. Greening B. Martin T. Hmelar A. Levine M. Baker D. Lilienstein K. Littau N. Bowker C. Anderson R. Alexander M. Molloy J. Melton J. Knuth J. Peacock W. Sanders J. Hickman S. Thomsen B. Lo H. Descollonges B. Peters D. Bay D. Hill M. Sofaer S. Beattie P. Ries M. Cale G. Skinner D. Abramovitch K. Tucker T. Byler S. McElfresh C. Dewees C. Colohan A. Fetter W. Bechtold A. Sklaroff J. Mather S. Sands M. Fogarty C. Schwartz M. Joing I. Suzuki D. Irvin S. Ahmad C. Chu M. Beasley C. Dibona B. Goldfield M. Torre D. Bloomberg K. Ohlson J. Pickering J. Tang P. Proctor E. Khaw G. Pyszka R. Master S. Brugler K. Wagner K. Thompson E. Klor S. Hine D. Lam K. Schmidt S. Mackenzie R. Stovel J. Tomz S. Klapholz D. Sternbergh

M. Michel J. Alstrom C. Fitzgerald D. Wanderman L. Lemons M. Strober A. Miksztal M. Hastings S. Chanin C. Margot A. Proctor A. Cohen T. Goode R. Shepherd K. Smith J. Kennedy J. Bohman H. Vuong A. Mok A. Cooper S. Klein R. Lee N. Nguyen T. Glanville L. Angelo S. Banerjee S. Murphy A. Barta C. Feeney L. Garland S. Goldner I. Korol A. Gross C. Brennan R. Espinoza D. Marinkovich K. Dwiggins R. Abbott K. Fry K. Tomlinson L. Marzano S. Tripp T. Shortliffe R. Reis C. Weil E. Choi E. Feitzinger E. Su S. Wu J. Rolfe S. Hinzmann L. Singleton D. Duncan L. Stovel K. Torregano R. Smith J. Jerome A. Sedello P. Drekmeier S. McEntee P. Ma D. Walker A. Kumar K. Fleeman P. Kobayashi D. Tuerk E. Rocha J. Dafoe C. Clark G. Davis B. Anderson E. Hegblom C. Ezran M. Bryan J. Ballon J. Creek S. Iannucci D. Booth Y. Hsu L. Tincher A. Gladman P. O’Riordan C. Hubenthal L. Jack J. Goldman P. Westin D. Doolittle J. Pflasterer J. Childs I. Peterson N. Knox M. Martinson G. YokoyamaHeiliger S. Schaps J. Scherer

C. Wong L. Wong E. Cohen E. Gilkerson D. Henderson M. Green D. Tatum P. Cue C. Gwin J. McDonnell H. Massey J. Klein O. Villarreal C. Heilman G. Barry B. Kennon-Kelley D. Hopkins K. Burnett C. O’Neill K. Wilson N. Pillai P. Dalal S. Moreau L. North C. Smallwood A. Justice A. Lamb E. Kershner R. Lotan R. Carson E. Demarzo A. Liberman R. Gollub T. Lobdell J. Spengler J. Van A. Totic S. Furman L. Brown H. Karrer K. Smith S. Kay P. Mayerfeld J. McClelland N. Fiedel J. Volpe J. Urquhart P. Hibbard J. Stinger J. Richards A. Swinehart J. McCowan R. Holbrook E. Ambuhl N. Jamison D. Dworak L. Lawrence J. Mandinach A. Petriceks P. Everett P. Blumenthal R. Lave K. Coleman A. Casey R. Dyck S. Long M. Mueller S. Hines L. Fremont R. Weaver P. Frankenfield M. Turbow P. Machado S. O’Neil H. Sakamoto R. Clark R. Smallwood D. Soglin A. Vermeil M. Grinkrug K. Perlmutter S. Petit J. Crouch A. Senti-Willis E. Dorsey D. Mytels A. Stewart P. McGuire L. Kavinoky N. Nita L. Williams T. Mulvey C. Traum J. Dean N. Nichols E. Smith

S. Deneau G. Wright J. Swan M. Michael J. Spira A. Kohrman E. & B. Shapiro R. Bell B. Fikes A. Ferring F. Murnane S. Hirsh F. Cabildo R. Garratt R. Tompkins W. McAdam J. Gill A. Krishnaswamy R. McIntyre A. Risenthal S. Nolan E. Jurney J. Gardiner K. Godfrey M. Armstrong C. Williams C. Lundin M. Sadoff J. Scandling S. Friedland M. McConnell D. Moran R. Bethel K. Eckelmeyer L. Reid K. Reckdahl K. Merkle-Raymond S. Anderson R. Bekkedahl J. Freiberg T. & S. Godfrey J. Eddy D. Forbes P. Gregory J. Thomson H. Poskanzer C. Wu B. Millin E. Glover K. Berg C. Kurihara M. Carta D. Hagan R. Barfknecht I. Mesterhazy A. Keller B. Kingsley M. Pindar B. Chang B. Bennigson B. Furlong A. Harrington M. Jenson A. Ward E. Roth J. Otto T. Martin G. Seale C. Field A. Wachtel D. Okimoto D. Crawford M. & P. Krigel J. Mutz E. Kirkwood R. Johnsson M. McMahon W. Crowder G. Wong L. MurphyChutorian B. Anderson J. Young Jr. L. Lumish A. Taylor T. Blaschke D. Moore C. Shea B. He J. Schultz P. Barrett J. Moore L. Toribara R. Marasco B. Best P. Shah

P. Collins B. Harvey B. Wilson A. Rosenberg D. Hill K. Lodato S. Brodsky S. Ross L. Nissim S. Meade S. Noguchi G. Skrabutenas D. Krauss B. Beecham C. Sieloff A. Bedichek

R. Lancefield M. Stahl D. Mossar M. Shell C. King L. Berg G. Ray E. Krugler J. Fruchterman K. Greig S. Gur C. Schulz J. Rytina B. Schink L. Sarnat J. Pickering

D. Mahoney G. Davidson H. Baldwin B. Kiem S. Nightingale S. Brenneman W. Smith T. Bubenik D. Bubenik J. Simitian K. Douglas S. Player E. Dong K. Clarke J. Hsu K. Lee

S. Keehn S. Martinson C. Bacchetti M. Adams J. Bestor A. MacAvoy J. Young C. Cambra N. Carson N. Stringer S. Starner J. McClure L. Valente C. Lambert M. Makino M. Lin

S. Shevick C. Dong A. Smith K. Lew C. Uyeno S. Kadifa G. Fine P. Macdonald C. Friesman B. Sachs L. Forssell E. Lincoln N. Thom R. Phillips A. Balin D. Pollard K. Essenmacher K. Black K. Schreiber E. Shepard R. Block D. Austen E. Krasnow C. Epstein P. Adriani J. Bard T. Brosnan J. Farrell T. Javitz J. Althouse T. Glasser B. Spreng E. Freeman D. Bergen S. Lewis B. Morey K. Patou D. Keefer S. Crocker J. Siddall B. Johnson J. Hamilton R. Robertson T. Hunter V. Siegman L. Crane C. Ho B. Gelpi C. Cameron A. Balsom M. Corman S. Hain C. Rivlin N. Leonard D. Dagenais D. Fidler V. Shadle J. Bergthold J. Landesmann N. Tuck W. Mason G. & G. Houle P. Seaver K. McMahon L. Russell M. Baldonado C. Westgaard J. Shulman K. Damian J. Pearson A. Thagard B. Campbell D. Schnedler B. Benson K. Hyde A. Hua R. Cahn T. Weber T. Chen S. Bellamy K. McCaul B. Moss F. Crossman S. Sze O. Miao B. Haight B. Westcott J. Kramer E. Lewis S. Sager H. Steiner J. Steiner L. Chiu C. Kuo S. Lemay R. Stern L. Zumwalt M. Gruber A. Beretta E. Walker M. Eichner M. Griffith E. Schuur W. Chace W. Karel M. Cross S. Dorsky K. Kawamura S. Wilson G. Gleim J. Millman T. Lau D. McMullen G. Nilsen C. Ainsworth S. Nordlund L. Gaynon R. Satterthwaite T. Edmonds M. McCaslin

B. Owen J. Silva S. Heaton A. Alcorn M. Havern M. Basch E. May B. Kitchen J. Harris B. Packer A. Stepanov J. Duisenberg L. Christel C. Buss M. Vanzina B. Lewis J. Crammond R. Cox F. Curtiss L. Anderson M. Kaval B. Gee S. Wright L. Erickson A. Gold C. Lougee J. Barnes L. Mercer J. Weber S. Smith K. Ferrell D. Barr L. Osborne S. Savides L. Heimark H. Plotkin T. Marshburn J. Appleby K. Jarvis T. Borgstrom G. Herman K. McGinn L. Forrester J. Merkel J. Jacobs W. Brown E. Brooks R. Walston H. Macmillan K. Durham M. Schreiber W. Underwood R. Dufresne M. Gordon A. Shaw L. Lewis B. Buckley D. Rosenberg V. Kogler B. George A. Olmsted T. McCalmont R. Bales C. Jerian M. Colton C. Phillips W. Lane S. King W. Glazier M. Bertin M. Miller J. Brook J. Turner L. Chiu J. D. R. Vrhel G. Layton P. Cutkosky A. Akin J. Baker C. Kenrick J. Tsang C. Sunde E. Beaman C. Willer B. Gerard L. Van Dusen M. Shuey J. Frost D. Deluca Z. Xia M. Hodos G. Foelsch A. Schwartz L. Wickstrom M. Majmundar S. Huang L. Filppu P. Bashaw E. Demeo H. Robinson C. Henrich M. Mora V. Rasky J. Shefren M. McMahon K. McMichael N. Steinbach C. Quinby F. Balin J. Sanchez G. Unangst M. Black B. Rains S. Curtis S. Richardson N. Olmstead K. Look P. Perret N. McKenna

C. Dunn N. Buchanan A. Longini R. Ryan A. Gandolfo H. Chamberlain D. Kennedy R. Giles M. Matthews P. Mueller-Vollmer S. Dehaven L. Ara R. Britton L. Cheng J. Orenberg E. Willemsen S. Hwang S. Naar T. Roberts V. Martin J. Wang L. Machello M. Pence M. Bobel S. Peck M. Weiss K. Dolan D. Wilcox L. O’Brien A. Cribbs G. Belangia T. Clark J. Miller A. Turner J. Furrier T. Fawcett P. Baum D. Huston M. Morganstern L. Busek D. Hilleary D. Falconer T. Thayer K. Remsen J. Sleizer P. Espinosa G. Hinton S. Adelsheim S. Griscom N. Lundin T. Reinhardt R. & K. Gillam S. Erickson A. Bienenstock K. Hickey L. Sunder S. Gholson A. Cormack S. Johnston N. Faberowski M. Buchwitz A. Wolf P. Becker B. Millavec W. Bauriedel D. Alvarado B. Lewenstein S. Kleinhaus J. Shreve J. Sharp T. Harder A. Shwarzstein R. Riedel B. Noparstak J. Phelan S. Beall T. McDonald S. Voorhees L. Lui M. Mandell C. Rogers K. Wang F. Codispoti L. Mates E. Smith D. Whitson M. David T. Deser Z. Bodnar J. Obrien J. Slattery V. Noh J. Thomas J. Hildebrand S. Rosenberg T. Lipkis S. Hardy A. Wang D. Darby M. Savoie R. Eisenberg A. Casimire B. Slone L. Glassman E. Altman S. Ferejohn C. Hintz K. Amsbaugh B. McCune C. Saccheri C. Howard J. Raftrey S. Chism A. Holmes S. Little V. Smedberg J. Macdonald M. Chandler S. Wilen C. Mast

R. Fox K. Gandhi R. Purpur D. Beaudry M. Ashley M. Zimmerman J. Moran M. Bridges K. Larsen N. Razon R. Swent R. Bender J. Seyfarth A. Waldfogel S. Narang C. Wotipka M. Krebs J. Hartung R. Pauck A. Saitz E. Pasternak A. Prabhu F. Armstrong K. Garcia J. Gomez N. Kulgein H. Epstein K. Morrison M. Michelson M. Krause S. Levenberg D. McDougall M. Rosenbloom P. Spackman H. Stern L. Rock B. Steinback S. Hwangbo T. Kearns M. Greening B. Martin T. Hmelar A. Levine M. Baker D. Lilienstein K. Littau N. Bowker A. Kohrman E. & B. Shapiro R. Bell B. Fikes A. Ferring F. Murnane S. Hirsh F. Cabildo R. Garratt R. Tompkins W. McAdam J. Gill A. Krishnaswamy R. McIntyre A. Risenthal S. Nolan E. Jurney J. Gardiner K. Godfrey M. Armstrong C. Williams C. Dong A. Smith K. Lew C. Uyeno S. Kadifa G. Fine P. Macdonald C. Friesman B. Sachs L. Forssell E. Lincoln N. Thom R. Phillips A. Balin D. Pollard K. Essenmacher K. Black K. Schreiber E. Shepard R. Block D. Austen L. Forssell E. Lincoln N. Thom R. Phillips A. Balin D. Pollard K. Essenmacher K. Black K. Schreiber E. Shepard R. Block D. Austen E. Krasnow C. Epstein P. Adriani J. Bard T. Brosnan J. Farrell T. Javitz J. Althouse T. Glasser B. Spreng M. Fogarty C. Schwartz M. Joing I. Suzuki J. Otto T. Martin G. Seale C. Field A. Wachtel

JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS IN SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT LOCAL JOURNALISM

Help sustain our reporting by becoming a subscribing member at PaloAltoOnline.com/join

This is a partial list of our current subscribing members. You can also subscribe for one year by mailing a check for $120 ($60 for seniors and students) to us at 450 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto 94306. 20 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

GARDEN TIPS

Gardening can been good for your pantry — and livelihood TIPS TO TURN WINTER HARVESTING INTO A PASTIME THAT CAN BRING IN SOME EXTRA CASH by Jack McKinnon

till sheltering in place. Still wearing masks. Still social distancing. And yes, still gardening. In gardening, we take seemingly stable inert ingredients, add water, a plant — maybe some colorful pots — a bit of fertilizer, Jack McKinnon and, voila, we have beauty and food. Sometimes our potted plant idea even makes it into a magazine or YouTube video. The concept of control over nature lives even as nature (in the form of a pandemic) tries to alter our lives and our livelihoods. Where the human condition comes in and adaptation takes place is of note in that we can create ways of not only surviving the pandemic but of flourishing while it is taking lives and disrupting our whole culture. When restaurants close, market prices go up and the supply of luxury items goes down. It’s during this time, we can learn new and different ways to prepare our own food, grow our own highquality flowers and vegetables. We also can learn to appreciate our environment more while visiting places in nature. This winter, we can interact with our gardens to not only produce our own food, but also

Above: Replace soil in garden beds and plant flowers, veggies or greens such as arugula, mustard, wasabi and parsley. Below (left to right): Pansies, Iceland poppies and snapdragons can be planted from late fall to early winter. Courtesy Getty Images.

to learn a new skill that might help mitigate our lower incomes due to the pandemic. Here are some tips for successful winter gardening: • Prepare beds for winter planting by taking out last season’s plantings, amending with compost, raking out the soil and adding fertilizer. • Plant winter flowers, such as snapdragons, primula, pansies, violas, cyclamen, Iceland poppies and chrysanthemums. • If you have bulbs, plant them

now. If you don’t, check nurseries and buy them when they come in. • Replace soil in planters and plant with flowers or veggies like lettuce, peas, sweet peas, kale, artichokes or greens, such as arugula, mustard, wasabi and parsley. • Gardening for others is and has always been a friendly pastime. Ask if you can volunteer to help. • Want a new profession? Weed pulling pays $25 an hour and goes up from there. • Learn landscape design. Take some classes and practice. You can earn $100 per hour once you get your business going. • If you’re a master gardener who relates well with homeowners

and other gardeners, try garden coaching. That starts at $150 an hour and goes up in proportion to how much you help the client save money. Good gardening! H+G Jack McKinnon is a garden coach and worked for Sunset Magazine for 12 years. He teaches garden coaching and can be reached at 650-455-0687.

PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 21

HERE’S LOOKING TO THE FUTURE...

BRACCI

FLEGELS

DESIGN

Menlo Park 1010 El Camino Real, Suite 90 650.326.9661 22 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020

^^^ ÅLNLSZ JVT

Art For Your Floor

Exquisite beauty, lifelong quality, truly one of a kind. 650.327.5040 | STEPHENMILLERGALLERY.COM | MENLO PARK PALO ALTO WEEKLY • MOUNTAIN VIEW VOICE • THE ALMANAC | 23

24 | HOME + GARDEN DESIGN | FALL 2020