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May 19, 2016
A SPeCIal looK At A
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GrAceful GardenS the Santa Barbara Independent’’s Focus on design, Inside and out We take much pride in our homes here in Santa Barbara, from architecture to interior design to the landscaping that surrounds it all. This special magazine celebrates that passion, exploring a number of trends, offering tips from professionals, and sharing some businesses where you can find the latest tool or technique to make your home even better. —Matt Kettmann, Editor
cover photo by Turner + Fitch landscape designed and maintained by dave’s organic Gardening
Decoration
Pro TIPS from ToP InTerIor deSIGnerS Michelle Beaman I want a stylish house, but I don’t want to worry about my kids and pets ruining everything. What should I do? Everybody is messy. It’s just the way things are, and it’s so much easier for everyone if you just relax about your light-colored sofa, or else you’ll turn into a nag. I’m referring to myself — I have a white linen sofa, and three kids and a dog! I like leather for chairs and sofas because it gets better looking the more worn-in it gets. I also like outdoor fabrics on indoor furniture! The choices have exploded in that niche, and many retailers offer performance fabrics in many textures and colors (like velvet and chenille!). When you touch them, they are not rough and utilitarian-looking. You’d never dream that you could practically hose it off after little Jack attacks with a Sharpie, or Big Jack spills a glass of pinot. I want a singular theme, but don’t want to take down personal items and family photos. How do I balance memories with style? Here’s the deal with the run-of-the-mill posed group family photos: They are mostly interesting to you and your family because they evoke great memories for you. To anyone
paul wellman
Organizing and decorating your home needn’t be a daunting endeavor. We asked two of Santa Barbara’s top interior designers to dish on their successful strategies. See extended versions online at independent.com/beaman and independent.com/gianni. —MK
I only have $2,000. What should I spend my money on? I would start with what can be fixed with paint. It’s a miracle worker in that it can transform a space for less than $100. And even if you hire it done, you can get a lot painted for $2,000. Painting kitchen or bathroom cabinets can instantly update your look, and add new hardware, and you’ll feel as if you have a new kitchen or bath. I refreshed my kids’ bathroom last winter and spent maybe $500 on paint, lighting, and accessories, and it looks really cute. Where do you shop for your home in Santa Barbara? I love all the antique places and the consignment shops, estate sales, and Craigslist! People get rid of some great stuff here! Plus, buying vintage is very green. But it does take time and multiple visits. I also find many stores inspiring for décor and accessory ideas, like Anthropologie and Wendy Foster—they source items similar to what you can find at great flea markets like Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, which I love and have practically furnished my entire house from there. For pieces locally, I like a mixed bag: Indigo, Cabana, Rooms and Gardens, Porch, E. Madison, Diani Living, Reeds, Blue Door, and I love Raoul Textiles fabrics. Restoration Hardware’s new modern line is gorgeous and very glamorous, and I love Mate Gallery in Montecito for their oil paintings, photography, and gifts/accessories.
See interiorsbymb.com.
paul wellman
Kisha Gianni
Are designers only for rich people? I hate to think anyone believes designers are reserved for the rich. Most designers work on an hourly rate that is the equivalent of a dinner for two at a nice restaurant. Of course, that can add up, but not all projects are complete overhauls. Some rooms only require fresh paint, furniture rearrangement, and the addition of a few updated accessories—you’d be surprised how much style new throw pillows can add to a tired, old sofa, for instance. Yes, this is a service that has a price tag, but the adage “It costs less to do it right the first time” is never more true than when you get the estimate for repainting that room you thought would look awesome in a pale shade of puce. What’s the first step in a kitchen remodel? I think most people probably don’t realize how many design decisions go into making a kitchen not just look good but function well. The process generally starts with selecting a style,
but configuring a logical layout is the all-important next step. “Form follows function” may never be more crucial than in the space where meals are prepared, food is stored, and cabinets and drawers have the monumental task of housing everything from your pretty William Sonoma plate collection to your not-so-pretty accumulation of chip clips. Because kitchen remodels can be potentially overwhelming and certainly lengthy (two months is not out of the ordinary) and pricey (sock away at least $40,000 for your average remodel, and prices can go up exponentially from there), having a designer help navigate you through the design phase and a contractor to orchestrate the execution will not only speed up the process but make sure the end results match your idea of a dream kitchen. If a full kitchen reno is not affordable in the foreseeable future, don’t despair. There are things you can do to refresh the look of your kitchen without the hassle of demo or the heartache of a depleted savings account. Fresh paint on the cabinets (white is still my favorite “solves most design sins” cabinet color) and walls and replacing the cabinet hardware goes a long way in transforming even the most tired kitchen.
What are some tips to tackle clutter? Sometimes the best way to make a space work is to take everything out of a room and only allow what really works back in. This process will allow you to view each piece with fresh eyes. If the item isn’t somehow making the room better—whether due to its function, pleasing aestheticism, or sentimental value — it should go. For objects you are conflicted about (“Are two paper weights better than one?”), set them in a bin and store them somewhere (the garage, an attic, your best friend’s house) — anywhere but back in the same room. In a month, revisit the items in question, and ask yourself if you have missed them — or even thought about them. If not, sell them at a garage sale (with the earned funds, you may want to buy a new and improved paper weight), or donate them to a favorite thrift store or friend in need.
Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
else, the images look like a group of perfectly nice people, but they are boring to look at. Also, the subject matter is at the same scale, so when you step back, squint, and look at a bunch of family photos on the wall, you see a bunch of small-scale blobs of people. This scenario lacks graphic interest and variety. To have a successful art wall display, start with thin, gallerystyle frames, and alternate arty, high-resolution candid-style portraits of family members (color or black-and-white) with bold graphic abstract or realistic paintings, prints, or photography. Vary the sizes, but stick with the same general color scheme in terms of frames and mats. The mix you create communicates more about who you are as a family, your love, and your joie de vivre than any group of posed photos on a wall!
See kishagiannidesigns.com.
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Phila Rogers, Nancy Law, and Caroline Law
fA Ily fAm ly Aff AffAIr At A tHe
SanTa TTa BarBara CoMPany MP MPany
by Carolina Starin
a
“
t times I have to say, ‘Grams, I’m not at work to socialize; I’m at work to work,’ ” says Caroline Law lightheartedly while describing her day at The Santa Barbara Company, a family-run shop of locally sourced items that are perfect as gifts or for your own kitchen.“But for the most part, I love it.” Law was a bit hesitant to take on a venture with her mom, Nancy Law, but says she couldn’t resist her mother’s passion.“My mom loves Santa Barbara — like, really loves it,” said Law. “She thought that there should be a unified source for all things Santa Barbara.” Housed in a renovated craftsman-style bungalow on East Victoria Street, the store focuses on custom artisanal gift baskets stuffed with products from artists, such as Meg Graves’ hand-cut tiles and Karin Shelton’s painted cards, as well as Santa Barbara–inspired candles, infused cooking salts and oils, cocktail mixes, and beanto-bar chocolates from Twenty-Four Blackbirds. “We’ve been doing a really good job of making sure that anybody who receives a gift knows how special, beautiful, and local they are,” explained Law. Law’s grandmother also works there. “I’m the laboring force,” said the 86-year-old natural history blogger Phila Rogers, who, as chief gardener, is tasked with tending the CONT'D ON P. 9
Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
from left:
’m trying to do something dif different all the time,” says artist Marilyn McRae (pictured) of her unique paper art. “I don’t want them to all look the same.” Created from recycled magazine pages, hand-sculpted into original designs, and digitally reproduced on anything from canvases to scarves, her work is constantly evolving. This commitment to creativity has been a constant for McRae. As a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, she majored in home economics and minored in art. Upon graduation, she combined the two disciplines into a 25-year career as a food stylist. From there, she built and remodeled residences for years, including her and her husband’s sunny Santa Barbara home and studio. In 2012, with the inspiration of Santa Barbara and a dose of good timing, she was ready to pursue her own creative passions, and Cartasan Designs was born. “Everything I always did was in the creative field,” explained McRae. Viewing her art, which is folded, curled, burned, and crafted into new forms, it’s clear that the meticulous nature of food styling has aided in her detailed designs. “How can I manipulate the paper to create the look I want?” is one of her guiding questions, and she has always enjoyed the creative problem-solving aspect of this work. McRae is sure to preserve elements of the paper’s font and design within her pieces. After all, the idea for Cartasan stemmed from rolling up a magazine and admiring the texture. Cofounder Christy Chee handles the business and digital side and the marketing of the reproductions and works with printing Cartasan designs on the many substrates, such as acrylic, Purple Bloom aluminum, upholstery, and more. “Cartasan” stems from the blending of carta, the Italian word for “paper,” and “artisan,” one who makes things by hand. Despite the Italian name, the place that most directly influences McRae’s work is Santa Barbara. When asked what inspires her about this town, she quickly responds in a beaming smile,“Everything!” McRae can often be found soaking up the city’s natural beauty, walking along the beach, or observing flowers and greenery while gaining ideas for her intricate pieces. “I really think that we’ve captured a lot of the depth,” she says of her multidimensional designs. Before they’ve seen the titles, viewers often have varying interpretations of her art, which is exactly the way McRae likes it.“I prefer to have the viewer find their own meaning.” As the sun pours through McRae’s large windows, casting a dusky glow upon on her artwork, which appears to grow as fast as the lush vegetation that inspired it, it’s clear that McRae needs no help creating meaning of her own.
courtesy photos
by rebecca Horrigan
Cartasan reproductions can be seen at XCVI in La Cumbre Plaza, and originals can be seen at cartasandesigns.com.
7
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Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
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by Michelle Drown
I
n 1985, when Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin sang the Eurythmics’ “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves,” a wonderful call-out to the successes of the female of the species, it’s doubtful that the desire for a home retreat space served as inspiration. However, 30 years later, with multifamily dwellings becoming the norm, ladies are needing some elbow room, an equivalent of something men have been hip to for a long time—the man cave. Well, look out, fellas, because “she sheds” are vying for sacred space. While it seems you can’t swing a cat without hitting a guy who has a man cave in his home — my brother-in-law has one kitted out with his guitars, chairs, and a TV; a work colleague holds poker parties for his bros in his garage — I know no women who have the aforementioned she shed. Maybe that’s because the concept, though excellent at its heart, seems ridiculously difficult to actually create. Here’s why: While the man cave can occupy virtually any practical empty space, women apparently need a tree house or hobbit hole or a magnificent one-room spa in order to recoup. Type “she sheds” into your search engine, and what comes up is a plethora of images of frilly, elaborate, elegant structures—examples for women to glean from when designing their own “Stay Out” rooms. But isn’t the reason man caves are so prevalent is because all they need is four fairly stable walls, something much easier to come by than the expanse needed for the fussy elegance of a she shed? I don’t know about the next woman, but I’d be happy with a portion of a garage. (But sorry, that’s already dedicated man cave territory.) Although the highfalutin, architecturally designed she shed isn’t a reality for me, I wholeheartedly agree with its concept. So I’ve created a “Zen zone” for myself, despite my home’s dearth of extra rooms, garage space, or acreage. As it turns out, all I need is a tiny spot in which to
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regenerate—just an area that is obscured to the view of others and a comfy chair to sit on while I engage in activities relaxing to me, such as coloring in my grown-up (and Winnie-the-Pooh) coloring books, reading, writing, or having a wee nap. As the disparity between genders (as limitedly defined by traditional male/ female labels) continues to lessen, and life becomes more chaotic and technologically invaded, it makes sense that women need an equivalent to the man cave. While I object to she sheds’ commercially peddled assertion that the only way for ladies to reinvigorate is in a room worthy of coverage in Better Homes & Gardens magazine, I agree that women should plant their flag on some unoccupied corner of their indoor or outdoor living area and create a hidey-hole that suits their recuperative needs, proving once again that the sisters are doin’ it for themselves. n
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Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
shop’s first impression: an entrance garden that she’s carefully engineered to be predominately purple in bloom. “I live in a retirement place, and so my garden there is restricted to pots,” said Rogers as she picks through the sweet pea bushes with her clippers. “So to be able to come down here is very nice. I don’t feel so confined to the retirement community.” When Rogers gets a little hot or tired, she comes into her on-site office, where she houses the family photos and works on her blog.“I still goof around,” said Rogers about her hiking trips above Montecito. The family’s roots were initially planted in Santa Barbara in the 19th century. Rogers’s grandparents graduated from Santa Barbara High in 1917 and 1918, and her grandfather Henry Augustus Adrian served as the Mayor of Santa Barbara in the 1920s. The shop even showcases a picture of them as young adults at the Old Spanish Days Fiesta.
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Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
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Conserving
Eradicating
SHould I Go for
arTIFICIal TurF?
M
by Matt Kettmann
matt Kettmann
See syntheticturfsystems.com.
GoPherS Be Gone
T
by randy arnowitz
he bad news is you’ve got gophers. The good news is you’ve got gophers. Why is this good news? Well, considering you could also have moles, voles, squirrels, chipmunks, or rabbits, gophers are generally the easiest of the lot to get rid of, if you know what you’re doing. If your garden has become a moonscape of mass destruction, there is a good chance that a lone gopher is responsible for most of that damage. That’s because gophers tend to be territorial and don’t tolerate others of their kind getting too close. Therefore, if you nab that single culprit, most of your worries will be over. Well, most of your worries, but not all, because it is not uncommon for another, neighboring gopher to move in and fill the vacancy that was left after you’ve evicted your last pesky tenant. The point is that if you’ve been invaded by gophers, keeping them at bay may have to become part of your regular garden maintenance. Here’s how.
Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
y move three years ago from a condo in downtown Santa Barbara to a home in the Goleta suburbs put me in charge of four patches of lawn right as the drought reared its devilishly dry head. I’ve kept the front lawns limping along on timed-sprinkler life support but have been more appropriately stingy with the backyard, where peninsulas of dirt and islands of yellow now outnumber the remaining bastions of green. While drought-tolerant landscaping appeals, I still need places where our kids can run around, kick balls, and throw whatever without worrying about unnecessarily scraped knees and elbows. That leaves artificial grass as a primary solution, but that usually looks more like bad carpeting than a lush lawn. Not so anymore, says landscape designer Sean McLaughlin, who sold his first turf in 2000 and is now the regional distributor for Synthetic Turf Systems. “There has been extensive engineering of turf to achieve something that not only looks realistic but has yarn that can stand up on its own without feeling rough,” said McLaughlin, who explained that today’s turf is softer, doesn’t heat up, and is under warranty for 15 years, though is built to last for much longer. Sales are bumping thanks to the drought, said McLaughlin, a former environmental engineer. “Our focus is on helping people become less water dependent by installing synthetic turf,” he said. “But we also help them in this vein by designing low-water-use landscapes.” To get a sense of what that might mean for us, I recently welcomed McLaughlin’s rep, Zackery Harris, to my home, where he taught me about the many different grades of turf available today. In about 15 minutes, he’d mapped out my backyard while explaining that the completely permeable turf is installed onto a crushed rock base with, if desired, gopher wire and pet aroma control. It’s laid together so any seams don’t show, weighted down with sand, and nailed into the ground. I had him mock up an estimate based on the priciest turf, Ultra Lush, with all the bells and whistles. For my roughly 800 square feet of space, the cost exceed $7,500; lower grades dropped the price $1,000 or so, and a rebate through waterwisesb.org would have dropped it another $750. Even then, it’s a little bit much for me to pay right now, but I’m also certain that, if you can afford it, that would be money well spent. How do I know? When it was time for Harris to go, my daughter protested, getting off her square patch of turf, where she’d been playing with a doll peacefully the whole time. Said Harris, “That’s the best test: when they prefer that to regular grass.”
BAIT: Nat Waller, owner of ProGarden Supply (progardensupply.com), says that his favorite and least labor-intensive method of controlling gophers is using Wilco Zinc Phosphide Gopher Bait. “Look for recently excavated tunnels,” he explained. “Opposite the crescent-shaped mound, to one side of the gopher hole, is where you would probe with a piece of rebar or similar tool. When the soil gives way and the tunnel is located, deposit one tablespoon of the bait into the hole.” Other baits, including poison grain, are applied in a similar way. TRAPS: Once I learned how to set them properly, I had the most success with the Macabee Gopher Trap. Don’t misunderstand: I hate killing things, and I’m fully aware that I’m taking a heap of bad gopher karma into my next life. But still, nothing is more disheartening than discovering that CONT'D ON P. 13
11
Shopping
reSourceful
reTaIlerS
Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
Whether for a she shack or man cave, these stores offer a little bit for all purposes.
Carpinteria Valley Lumber Co.: An easy lift for a drab room comes from a fresh coat of paint and Carpinteria Valley Lumber Co.—customized colors with expert services, an extensive selection, and everything else you need for a DIY makeover. 915 Elm Ave., Carpinteria Anthropologie: Apart from its tasseled beach towels, tapestry baskets, and embroidered drapes, it is Anthropologie’s housing accessories—like humorous dresser drawer handles and towel hangers — that allow small touch-ups and a breakaway from the bore of plastic home accessories. 1123 State St. Terra Sol Garden Center: The bonsai trees at Terra Sol offer miniature-tree desk décor and centerpieces for thoughtful care and contemplation, and the center also carries decorative garden bedding. 5320 Overpass Rd.
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Menelli Trading Company: This shop exclusively shows wedding dress designer Amy Michelson’s custom, large-scale “wall jewelry” that reflects a spiritual significance for matrimonial alters, homes, spas, and hotels. Menelli also launched a showcase series of relaxed yet sophisticated interior works from area artists. 1080 Coast Village Rd., Montecito Old Town Antiques: The well-organized consignment space seems to specialize in turquoise jewelry, but the large store also offers extensive rummaging for furniture and dish sets. 5799 Hollister Ave., Goleta — Carolina Starin
GoPherS
Cont 'd f rom p. 11
a gopher has made a smorgasbord out of your ‘Mister Lincoln,’ your ‘Double Delight,’ and the rest of your rose garden. Other popular traps are the Black Hole Rodent Trap, The Black Box by Victor, and the Gophinator by Trapline. To avoid snagging yourself in one of these products, I strongly recommend reading about their proper use online. And, as with bait, it is critical to remember that the traps don’t discriminate between your pets, small children, and other wildlife, so please use with caution.
Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
GASSERS: I never had much luck with these guys, but they’re out there, and people use them. Basically, they look like little sticks of dynamite. You light them and shove them down a gopher hole, and the gas they discharge is supposed to kill the gopher. My experience is that if you don’t block all of the exit holes, the gas just escapes out of the ground. ALTERNATIVES: I think it’s an urban legend, but supposedly you chew some Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum until the flavor starts to come out and then drop the stuff into a gopher hole. Attracted to the fruity scent, the gopher eats the gum, which it cannot digest, and dies. Sounds like a waste of a good piece of gum. I’ve heard similar stories substituting Irish Spring soap or Ex-Lax laxative for the gum. I’d imagine that Irish Spring will repel almost anyone, including gophers, and feeding Ex-Lax to gophers will probably get you a bunch of frantic rodents trying to get in your house to use your facilities. My friend the garden goddess Karen Ciabattoni once wrote a courteous note to the gophers that were plaguing her garden. In it, she politely suggested that they should consider relocating to another garden. She rolled up the note and slipped into the gopher tunnel. No threats, no gas, no poison—the varmints were gone by the next day.
n
All you need on SanTa ClauS lane
CELEBRATING
22 YEARS OF BUSINESS
For a short, sandy stretch of street, Santa Claus Lane in Carpinteria offers an abundance of design retailers. Porch: This home and garden shop carries original kitchenware, specialty furniture, linen tableware, and artistic water-resistant kitchen mats for the family that has everything. 3823 Santa Claus Ln. Reed Interiors: Knowledgeable Romain Doussineau runs the extensive selection of this full-service Italian-made flooring and custom cabinet store specializing in hardwood, carpet, and resilient floors. 3821 Santa Claus Ln. ZeBird Design & Consign: This indoor/outdoor consignment shop carries garden furniture and wooden refurbishing projects and has new arrivals daily. 3825 Santa Claus Ln. —Carolina Starin
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13
Shopping
ToolInG around In tHe Garden by randy arnowitz
Home & Garden | thursday, May 19, 2016 | independent.coM
Although those colorful, spongy gardening clogs may come and go, it seems that some gardening tools and accessories will always remain essential. I can’t live without my rakes, shovels, and stretchy green nursery tape, but an owl box up in the oaks or a toad house in a garden bed make me smile on the days when the weeds and the aphids are winning. Here are some more things that I may need.
WORM BOX: You get a rectangular, wooden, or plastic box. In goes some worms, shredded newspaper, coffee grounds, and other green kitchen waste. Out comes worm castings, or rather worm poop — the richest, organic compost ever to grace your garden beds. Island Seed & Feed (islandseed.com) will build you one or give you the plans to build your own.
FELCO HAND PRUNERS: The last word in professional hand pruners, these babies come in different models to fit all types of hands. There’s a pair for small hands,“leftie” hands, and regular hands. Ask any gardener what he’s packin’ in his holster, and I bet he points to his Felco #2’s. The blade can be hand sharpened or easily replaced with a new one.
OLLAS: Pronounced “oy-yahs,” these bottle-shaped, unglazed terra-cotta pots are buried up to their necks in the ground near your shrubs, flowers, veggies, or trees and then filled with water. The seeping moisture slowly irrigates your plants with little evaporation or waste. In 2014, Ricky Escalera and his wife, Danielle, found out about ollas and wanted to use them at their farm but were unable to purchase any in Santa Barbara.“So we started our own business, Sustainable Living Solutions, to provide and teach our community about saving water by using the ancient ollas in their gardens and container plants,” Ricky told me. It may be an ancient irrigation technology, but they’re so cool lookin’, I haven’t had the heart to bury mine.
14
DIGGING FORK: Yeah, it’s old-school, but every gardener needs one hanging in their potting shed. It’s used for dividing and digging up plants and breaking up clods of soil. Matt Buckmaster, owner of Island Seed & Feed in Goleta, was heard to say, “How to wax poetic about a digging fork? Island Seed & Feed likes to promote quality tools — and this one, made right down the road in Los Angeles, meets those kinds of specs.”
DRAMM WATER GUN: During a drought, crimping the hose or watering with your finger over the end of it is never politically correct — especially when there are so many types of hose nozzles available. But all are not created equal. Billy Dole, manager of 7 Day Nursery (7daynursery. com), told me, “The Dramm Water Gun is a well-built unit that provides a diverse choice for watering, whether it be a mist, shower, or full jet spray.” Clearly, it’s not your grandmother’s nozzle.
KNEE PADS: Garden kneelers are those foamy padded things that you put on the ground and kneel on while you’re gardening. They used to be made of soft foam, but now they’re available in a deluxe gel type. I tried tying one to each knee, but they didn’t stay on.
THE NEW SUNSET WESTERN GARDEN BOOK BOOK: This is the gardener’s bible — and the only gardening book you’ll ever need. Well, sort of. The newest edition finally has photographs instead of those squiggly, nondescript drawings. I always keep one in my house and one in my truck.
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229
$
Also available in twin, full, and king!
Acme Bunk Bed available in natural, white and cappuccino
385
$
Also available in twin, full, and king! Bookcases starting at
Special 4 day only price!
149
$
new Classic 5 piece dining Set
Victory Sectional
Queen Platform Bed
Mahogany Sectional by Ashley furniture
Maier Walnut Sectional
Bismark futon
899
399
$
$
Ashley Chaise
599
$
399
$
995
$
399
$
Sleeper
Also comes in brown Alliston sofa by Ashley furniture
Made in USA!
499
999
$
$
Robert Michaels Beverly Sectional
995
$
Power lift Recliners
499
$
2-sided flippable mattresses starting at
845
$
125
$
yvette Steel Sofa by Ashley
Queen Beds starting at... $299 Dressers starting at ......... $235
Bad Credit? No Credit?
WE financE!
599
$
twin.....Mattress only $125 ...Set $175 full ......Mattress only $165 ...Set $235 Queen..Mattress only $195 ...Set $275 king .....Mattress only $265 ...Set $375
Side Chairs starting at .......$25 5x8 Rugs starting at...........$79 We are Your local ashleY dealer
120 W. Canon Perdido • Santa Barbara • 564-7844
www.furnituresb.com
Chests starting at............. $189 Barstools starting at...........$45 Post your picture in our big chair on our fB page for a monthly prize!