so u t h ba y /s il ico n v a ll e y
ide as and resources for your home
c
y
r provided b ove
windows & doors
todayshome BayArea.com SUMMER 2012
Curb Appeal Living Outdoors Natural Beauty BayArea.com
Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley 1
PA YM EN T IN T fo E rd R et ai ES ls • T O .A N .C O . st or e
NO
al l
C
12 M ON TH S
2 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
Window & Door Replacem
WE WILL EXPERIENCE •
todayshomeBayArea.com
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BEAT ALL C OMPETIT OR’S PRICES • QUALITY • RELIABILITY
Why pay more? Sliding Glass Doors • Reduce Energy Costs Low E Glass Blocks up to 95% of UV Rays • Increases Home Value Reduce Noise up to 50%• Maintenance-free Vinyl Frames Additional Senior Discounts • Full Lifetime Warranty
Call now for a free in-home estimate
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Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley 3
VERGOLA Create the perfect outdoor environment whatever the weather with the Award Winning Vergola Operable Louvre Roof System. A flick of a switch enables you to control the amount light, shade and ventilation. The unique double skinned design also provides thermal insulation and sound reduction. At the first hint of rain, the automatic rain sensor closes the louvres to form a weatherproof shelter. Whether traditional or contemporary, the Vergola system integrates seamlessly into all types of buildings.
SGK Whatever the weather enjoy Outdoor living all year round
Closed for heavy rain
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Screen Solutions
Interior and Exterior Automated Shading Systems 425 Salmar Avenue • Campbell Showroom by Appointment Only 4 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
408-374-8156
www.screensolutionsonline.com t h BayArea.com odays ome
It Looks and Feels Real! Presenting the Next Generation of Synthetic Lawns
.ft) sq 50 n6
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Call today for your complimentary in-home design consultation!
800-567-2000
www.onelawn.com Visit our Showroom: 175 South Spruce Avenue, South San Francisco Contractor’s License #935586
S u m m e r 2 O 12
[ c o n t e n t s ] 10
12
10 Let It Shine CB Showers leads the way with brilliant glass solutions for today’s bathrooms. by Patricia Hayse Haller
12 Greener Grass on Your Side of the Fence OneLawn offers the beauty of natural grass with none of the work. by Patricia Hayse Haller
18
14 Spectacular Stone Natural stone surfaces give outdoor spaces distinction and versatility. by Heidi Hall
16 Outdoor Living Spaces In a kitchen without walls, the sky’s the limit.
18 Natural Ventilation Shades and Screens add beauty and comfort to your living space. by Robert Clemens
20 More Than Just Skin Deep– Painting for Lasting Beauty
20
22 Art Revolution Modern Expressions in hand-woven rugs.
on the cover Photo courtesy Milgard Windows & Doors. (www.milgard.com) 6 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
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Are you tired of constantly bending over to find hidden items in your kitchen cabinets? ...Sick of spending money on new gadgets and appliances just to find them later, in the depths of your lost corners?
...Afraid that you might hurt yourself in the process - or worse, that your environment is starting to control you?
What if the shelves in your cabinets could STOP holding your items hostage and would simply pull out and come to you? With your custom pull-out drawers, you’ll be able to: A Reclaim
space from “lost“ corners A Find gadgets and appliances easier A Save time cooking & cleaning A Save money replacing expired cans of food lost in your cabinets A And much more
Call us NOW
(408) 637-4930
www.BayAreaBetterCabinets.com
todayshomeBayArea.com
Schedule your complimentary cabinet convenience consultation TODAY, and be on your way to having a safer, easier, more accessible kitchen TOMORROW.
Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley 7
@
ideas and resources for your home
BayArea.com Roofing Options
Se c t i o n s
New shingle combines premium aesthetics and performance.
Kitchens
Landmark PRO is engineered to outperform ordinary roofing in every category, keeping you comfortable, your home protected, and your peace-of-mind intact. Read more >>
Bathrooms Interiors Backyard Curb Appeal
www.THMag.com/e-roofingoptions
Contractors
Is Solar Right for You?
Architects/Designers
Asking the right questions to get the right energy system for your home.
Associations
Not all solar panels are created equally. In fact, there’s a huge range in efficiency, reliability, and performance. SunPower® has been leading the solar revolution. Read more >>
Real Estate/Finanacial Service Directory Product by Manufacturers
Privacy Please!
Most people think they have to make a choice. They can carve out some work space by putting a desk in one corner of the guest room... Read more >>
www.THMag.com/e-valet
Glass Design solves homeowners desire for in-home privacy.
Exclusive company page
Bay Area homeowners eager to protect their privacy, yet still get natural light through their front entryways, have four new options available from Therma-Tru Corp. Read more >>
Contact information Photo gallery Banner ads
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Feature stories
The Art of Home Entertainment
Multiple links
How to avoid the technology look.
Too many Bay Area families have invested in the latest TVs and supporting electronics without realizing today’s technology provides an opportunity to enhance their living space aesthetics. Read more >>
Email programs and more...
8 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
A guest room and a home office are not mutually exclusive.
www.THMag.com/e-solar
Post your company info.
Call 925.389.3481 or e-mail Jeff@THmag.com for more information.
The Best of Both Worlds
Integrated Home Solutions
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Retire to the Deck
Enjoy luxurious performance and beauty with Trex composite decking. Take everyday activities outside, and they stop feeling everyday. There’s a freedom to being outside. You can laugh louder. Go barefoot. Doze off in the sunlight. In a word, relax. Read more >>
www.THMag.com/e-outdoor todayshomeBayArea.com
ideas and resources for your home
BayArea.com
Volume 13, Issue 6 • Summer 2012
Give Your Eyes and Feet a Break with New Floor and Window Coverings
publisher
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• Draperies, Blinds, Shutters & Roman Shades • Carpet,Tile, Mosaic, Hardwood & Laminates • Wall Paper, Area Rugs & Fabrics • Cabinets,Vanities & Countertops Schedule your complimentary in-home design consultation & estimate by calling (408) 738-9183
PKS Interiors
(408) 738-9183 or (650) 948-4162 www.pksinteriors.net 101 E. El Camino Real • Sunnyvale Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley 9
Let It Shine by Patricia Hayse Haller
CB Showers leads the way with brilliant glass solutions for today’s bathrooms.
R
emodeling your bathroom “is a real mood lifter,” says Terri Down of CB Showers in San Carlos. “Your bathroom is the place you go first thing in the morning to get ready to face the world. And it’s the place you go in the evening for a soak in the bathtub or to enjoy a steamy shower. It’s where you relax, unwind and rejuvenate, and when it looks good it makes you feel good.” If there is one product that really makes a bathroom shine, it’s glass. A frameless shower door, for example, opens up the room and allows beautiful stone work to take center stage. Mirrors make a small room look bigger. “Glass lightens and brightens the whole space,” says Downs. There are so many different ways that glass can enhance your bathroom – frameless doors, curved glass enclosures, mirrors, and reflective glass surfaces. The glass alone comes in a myriad of styles, from tinted or textured to crystal-clear with an etched design. CB Showers commitment to helping their customers sort through all the choices and get the exact look and custom fit for their home has
10 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
todayshomeBayArea.com
made this family-owned company the recognized leader in custom glass solutions on the Peninsula. CB Showers is the original frameless shower specialist, having introduced them to the area, and their Marquis line remains the choice of discriminating contractors, designers and homeowners. They also introduced and remain the only company on the Peninsula authorized to sell Diamon-Fusion® – a glass treatment that seals the tiny pores in glass, protecting it from mineral deposits and making it substantially easier to clean. Now, CB Showers offers backpainted glass to Bay Area homeowners. Widely popular in Europe, it’s a glass surface that is painted on the back, then sealed. Mounted as a backsplash, countertop or desktop, the color shows through the glass with a deep luminosity that really catches the eye. “Back-painted glass has some of the same reflective quality as a mirror, and it comes in several colors, so you can get real creative with it,” said Downs. “It’s definitely a more contemporary look with clean lines because there are no grout lines, and it’s very easy to clean.” One family recently had CB Showers provide white backpainted glass for the desks in their childrens’ room. Now the kids can draw and color on the desk top, then wipe it off and start over. Of course, shoppers will find more than glass in the company’s
San Carlos showroom. There’s also shower door hardware in a wide variety of finishes ranging from oil-rubbed bronze and antiqued brass to sparkling chrome and polished brass. But it’s not just the quality products that have earned CB Showers their reputation. It’s also the personal service they give each customer, and their commitment to custom fit and safe, secure installation. “We don’t stock anything,” said Downs. “Everything is measured and ordered to fit the exact space. It’s a true fit to the opening, unlike stock sizes at some stores. Face it, in most homes, the walls are not square. We can actually order glass out of square so you don’t have a gap.” In addition, she said, all CB Showers installers are fully insured and licensed, and the company stands behind their projects 100%. That full-custom, full-service approach has earned CB Showers three Best Design awards from the Bath Enclosure Manufacturers Association and a prestigious Diamond Certification, recognizing it as a business of excellence every year since 2003. To find out how CB Showers, Inc. can make your bathroom shine, visit their showroom at 1160 Industrial Road #10 in San Carlos, go to www. cbshowers.com, or call (650) 593-6997. THM
Your Frame-less Specialist Custom Shower Enclosures & Mirrors COME VISIT OUR SHOWROOM AT 1160 INDUSTRIAL ROAD, #10 • SAN CARLOS
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SHOWERS, INC. 650.593.6997 cbshowers.com todayshomeBayArea.com
Contractors License #753993
Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley 11
approval form
Greener Grass on Your Side of the Fence
OneLawn offers the beauty of natural grass with none of the work.
I
by Patricia Hayse Haller
f the grass looks greener on your neighbor’s side of the fence, it might be artificial. And if you can’t tell for sure, they probably got it from OneLawn®, the Bay Area’s go-to company for estate-quality synthetic grass and artificial putting greens with the look and feel of natural grass. “A lot of people have a negative connotation of fake lawns and, unfortunately, it’s justified,” said Lance Schepps, CEO of OneLawn. “There are products put in even today that you can spot three blocks away. We think (artificial grass) should look like a lawn, not a carpet. We want our grass to look natural and feel natural. ‘Nice fake lawn’ is not the compliment we’re looking for.” There’s a lot to be said for an artificial lawn. It’s a huge water saver — the average 400-square-foot lawn consumes 22,600 gallons of water a year. It’s also a time saver, requiring no mowing, thatching, trimming, reseeding or fertilizing. And it eliminates the main source of fertilizer and pesticide run off that is polluting our creeks and the Bay. But Lance says that, for most of OneLawn’s customers, all that is just an added value. “About 60 percent of our customers have dogs tearing up the grass, browning it with their urine, and muddying the yard,” he says. “Others have situations that make it difficult to grow grass, like a heavy tree canopy, tree roots, gophers or raccoons. They’re tired of fighting their lawn all the time and it still doesn’t look good. But no one wants a lawn that looks fake. That’s the real driver — a lawn that looks and feels real.”
12 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
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The difference, says Lance, comes from both the products they use and the company’s commitment to quality installation and customer satisfaction. OneLawn is the exclusive master installer in Northern California of XGrass®, a synthetic turf designed to lose the shiny astroturf image most people associate with an artificial lawn. Made in Georgia by a company that’s been run by the same family for three generations, the blades have the same ‘spine’ and the color variation as natural grass, a 2" length for a ‘blowing-in-thewind’ look, and are soft to the touch. What really sets them apart from other fake grass products, however, is that they don’t need infill. Most synthetic grass products use a combination of sand and crumbled rubber from recycled tires to support the separate blades of grass to keep them from going flat and to serve as ‘ballast,’ keeping the fake turf smooth against the ground. XGrass has more blades per square inch for extra thickness and an added thatch layer below the blades. In addition to the XGrass blade density, onelawn’s proprietary SurStay System® that incorporates a perimeter
edge board keeps the grass standing tall, help the turf contour to the yard’s topography, and create a lush, natural look without infill. That makes OneLawn grass easier to clean. “You’re going to have organic matter — leaves, bugs, etc. — fall onto the lawn,” says Lance. If the turf is filled with sand and rubber, “all that gets mixed in with the fill. You can’t vacuum the lawn or rake it aggressively. You can only blow it, but not too close or it will blow the fill.” When it rains, the wet sand makes the perfect environment for weeds to grow in. And the infill itself can be messy. It gets tracked into the house on people’s shoes and pets’ paws. It blows onto sidewalks and gets washed onto the patio when it rains. And when pets go to the bathroom, their mess soaks into the fill like it’s a giant litter box. In addition, a no-fill OneLawn looks more like real grass. “A natural lawn isn’t flat,” says Lance. “It crowns in the center and slopes toward the edges to allow water to drain off. And real grass grows higher than the sidewalk or patio. If you›ve got infill, you can’t do that or the sand and rubber falls out onto the pavement. You end up with a flat or sunken carpet-like look.” OneLawn’s synthetic turf has full, thick edges and, with no need to worry about drifting in-fill, the company’s full-trained installation specialists can sculpture the lawn and give it some topography for a more natural look. They offer a 20-year warranty against fading and a ten-year warranty on installation, and have a nopayment, no-interest program for one year program. “This is our craft and we approach it like a craft,” says Lance. The result? “A lot of people tell us they have no problem putting other people’s products in their back yard, but they wouldn’t embarrass themselves with their neighbors by putting it up front. We are front yard worthy.” Find out how natural, durable, and low-maintenance an artificial lawn can be, visit OneLawn.com or call (877) 661-5296 for a free in-home consultation and estimate. THM Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley 13
Spectacular Stone C
Natural stone surfaces give outdoor spaces distinction and versatility.
alifornia’s backyards have become the jewels of the West. Blessed by a gentle climate, homeowners can enjoy their outdoor spaces throughout the year, encouraging the creative-minded to make them glitter. Recent trends find many homeowners pursuing the more neutral look of natural stone for patios, as well as for outdoor fireplaces, barbecues and kitchens, front entrances, pool copings, and even retaining walls. Hayden Sarji, president of Venice Tile & Marble in San Jose, says homeowners are going for a more simple, clean look for their backyards. Stones such as tumbled marble and travertine, with their light colors and soft patterns, are often chosen for their ability to blend into a landscape and offer great versatility. “These tumbled stones are ideal for outdoor use because they have a nonslip surface,” explains Sarji. For this project in Atherton, Venice Tile & Marble used 5,000 square feet of a tumbled marble called Galala. Venice Tile & Marble recently completed a project in Atherton that of previous days and toward interlocking cona table or a diamond shape for a barbecue wall, required 5,000 square feet of stone. “The client crete pavers, which come in a variety of colors. we have the ability to do it in-house,” says Sarji. had a very boring backyard,” recalls Sarji. “It was He notes that pavers are three times strong than Another Venice Tile client used Jerusalem all concrete and he didn’t want to do concrete slabs and, due to their jointed construction and gray-gold tumbled marble on their back patio, again because of its tendency to crack.” ability to give, will never crack. Many people pool coping, and outdoor kitchen floor. The Instead, the homeowner chose a light, mistakenly think that the color of the pavers homeowner then had a patina finish put on the creamy colored tumbled marble called Galala will fade; however, Sarji reassures that modern tiles to achieve an Old World feel. that was used for the back patio, pool copinterlocking pavers are colored using a highIn addition to creating attractive outdoor ing, outdoor kitchen and bar, fireplace, quality iron oxide with a sealer pigment that settings, Venice Tile also creates durable spaces and barbecue. Because all of the elements holds color for 30 years or longer. “This durabilthat will last many years. The installation utilized the same stone, Sarji created interest ity gives homeowners long-term savings,” says method, which is done in a way to prevent by using different size tiles throughout the Sarji. “Plus, you can drive your car on them as cracking, utilizes a sand setting system that area. He put four-inch-square tile on the bar, soon as they’re installed.” includes a base to secure the stone. The comeight-inch-square tiles on the barbecue, and pany will also put in drainage as needed to So, next time you start daydreaming about four-inch-square tiles again on the fireplace. make sure a patio won’t sink over time. all of the design possibilities available for your Sarji also added a custom touch to this Venice Tile & Marble imports its stone from diamond-in-the-rough yard, remember that your particular project by installing blue glass tile on Europe and Asia. The company does all of the beautiful outdoor retreat is closer than you think. the face of the built-in Jacuzzi to match the Azul design and installation work without any subMacabra quartz stone that highlights elements contractors, offering complete control over the For more information, visit the Venice Tile & of the pool design. Venice Tile is also capable of quality of the work, as well as the stone supply. Marble showroom at 1720 Rogers Avenue, San many custom options. “If someone comes up For the front yard, Sarji sees trends in driveJose, or call (408) 452-1114. View the project with a custom design, such as a circle inlay for ways moving away from the giant concrete slabs gallery at www.venicetileandmarble.com. THM 14 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
Bernardo Grijalva Photography (www.bgpix.net)
by Heidi Hill
todayshomeBayArea.com
TRUE ESSENCE OF NATURAL STONE Direct Importer
Custom Fabrication and Installation Here at Venice Tile & Marble, we specialize in kitchens, baths, fireplaces, medallions, and engraving. We also install interlock stone and pavers. Come experience our beautiful indoor/outdoor showroom where our staff will help you choose the perfect material to fit your lifestyle and budget.
venice
tile & Marble Committed to Excellence in Workmanship
Two locations to serve you
(408) 452-1114 venicetileandmarble.com
1720 Rogers Avenue San Jose DESIGN CENTER todayshomeBayArea.com
1717 Junction Avenue San Jose Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley 15
Outdoor Living P Spaces
art of the California lifestyle is our appreciation of our climate and the outdoors. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the trend of treating the backyard as another living space, almost like a giant room addition. Tremendous choices in furniture, landscaping, patio covers and even outdoor specific electronics are fueling this movement. Just as the kitchen becomes the heart of the home, so does today’s barbeque island become the center of the outdoor living environment. While it’s almost a cliché that at every party all the guests end up congregating in the kitchen, this also seems to be true of the outdoor space. No one understands this better than Juan and Audrianna Jimenez, owners of Outertainments. Since most of their entertaining was done indoors, “bringing the inside out” was the ideal approach. There was nothing typical about the outdoor living spaces they created. Instead, they focused on a new concept of design, where inclusive indoor amenities help keep the guests and the cook interacting as meals are prepared or drinks being served.
In a kitchen without walls, the sky’s the limit.
A Marriage of Art and Engineering Their Zen Concepts Series takes this approach to a level of true harmony. There are ten units to choose from, and thousands of custom combinations. Indoor conveniences such as refrigerators, minibars with sinks, stainless steel drawers for storage, cutting boards, and optional charcoal, natural gas/LP hookups for your state of the art grill are optional features of these desirable outdoor kitchen islands. You’ll get the modern convenience of your indoor kitchen, while entertaining your guests and enjoying a spectacular outdoor space. You’ll want to jump at any opportunity to share your outdoor kitchen with family and friends or even to use it just by yourself! While their designs are second to none, quality and innovation are equally important. From welded stainless steel frames
for a lifetime of durability to portable designs that allow you to move your island as you desire, all Outertaimments designs can be upgraded to give you a unique custom application that’s just right for you and your lifestyle. The mobility of their Islands and fire tables is pure genius. They become “Plug and Play”-you can use it the same day it arrives. It eliminates the need for permits, contractors and HOA approval. Renters who wouldn’t consider investing in an island barbeque in the past, can enjoy the enhanced outdoor living it provides confident they can take it with them when they are ready for a new home. After you select from a variety of natural stones and granite for the countertops and facings, Outertainments can provide high quality appliances and furnishings to help make your outdoor living space complete. In addition to BBQ islands, their creative and artistic ability is put to use in designing dramatic fire tables and elegant water features to produce a truly unique and entertaining outdoor environment. Ready to make your dream outdoor space come alive? With over 100 products to choose from every project gets special custom touches. Their online catalog features their latest products. Give the design team at Outertainments a call to discuss making them a reality. For more information visit Outertainments at 1454 S. Main Street, Milpitas, www.outertainment.com or call (408) 934-1003.THM
16 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
todayshomeBayArea.com
Bringing the Inside, Out!
®
The new standard for outdoor living & kitchens
Outertainments is setting the new standards in outdoor living & kitchens and is ready to help you with your design. Let’s get creative together to make your dream outdoor living space come alive. • W ide selection of natural stone and granite for your countertops & facings. • I nclude a full line of features: minibars, refrigerators, prep stations, cutting boards, single drawers, double drawers and access doors. • F ireplace, firepits, Sound systems, TV area, lighting and furnishings available • Q uality craftsmanship with stainless steel frames for durability.
Outertainments has a design team ready to assist you in creating any outdoor living space of your desire. Custom applications and design solutions available.
• Lifetime Warranties
“Bringing The Inside Out”™
408.594.0971 www.outertainment.com todayshomeBayArea.com
Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley 17
Shades and Screens add beauty and comfort to your living space. Before
Natural Ventilation O
by Robert Clemens
ur exceptional Bay Area climate is just one of many things that make this a spectacular place to call home. For most of the year, warm days and cool evenings reduce our need for heating to a few months, and air conditioning to a few days. The intelligent use of shades and screens to prevent heat gain during the day and allow natural ventilation to cool us in the evening saves on our energy bill, and allows us to do our part to reduce our impact on the environment.
Open the Door to Comfort Curb appeal is an important consideration. A standard screen door masking a graceful front door detracts from a home’s aesthetic quality. Phantom Screens’ line of door screens wait for use, discreetly rolled up in their cleverly designed, low-profile housing until it’s time to open the door, enjoy the fresh air and allow for important cross-ventilation. They are available in nine standard colors and hundreds of custom colors and finishes to blend with any exterior, preserving your curb appeal, but available “on-demand” when you’re ready to enjoy our wonderful weather. Single doors, double French doors, sliding doors, in-swing or outward opening 18 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
After
doors—Phantom screens can fit nearly every door size and configuration. The elegant charm of French doors is lost with conventional screening. But because every Phantom screen is custom fit for each door, nothing detracts from a home’s design. The screen is there when it’s needed and practically disappears when it’s not.
Bringing the Outdoors In The use of large openings, permitted by the development of large lift-and-slide, and bi-folding door systems allow us to bring the outdoors in, merging our living spaces. There are a number of options, both manual and motorized for screening oversize openings. The remotely controlled, motorized Executive drops down from the top to provide protection from insects for the opening, and, as if by magic, can instantly create a screened in patio on demand. With the use of solar fabrics, these outdoor rooms can then be climate controlled, or used to provide protection from sun damage and heat gain. There is almost no space for which Phantom Screens can’t provide a screening option. Available in sizes up to 25’ wide by 16’ tall, at the touch of a button, homeowners can enjoy their indoor or outdoor spaces with excellent ventilation and protection from insects.
In addition to Phantom Screens’ line of retractable door screens, and oversize solutions, they offer retractable window screens. The Serene line provides sun protection and pest screening for casement, sliding and single- and double-hung windows. Phantom Screens hand assembles all of its products in its manufacturing facility in Canada, and Screen Solutions, the distributor for Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, has minimized the time from order to installation by stocking many sizes and colors. Phantom screens are custom fit onsite and can usually be installed in 1-2 weeks, depending on the time of year. By cutting out the time for factory ordering, Screen Solutions provides nearly instant satisfaction for its customers. Screen Solutions has provided the South Bay and Peninsula the full range of Phantom products and their own installation expertise for over 10 years. After installing more than 20,000 screens for many satisfied customers, Screens Solutions knows that this is a partnership that will endure for years to come—just like their products. To explore the full range of Phantom Screens, contact Screen Solutions at 408-374-8156. THM todayshomeBayArea.com
Your retractable screens.
True beauty. Revealed.
O
pen up your home to the true beauty of your surroundings with the comfort of Phantom Screens.
Let cool summer breezes and the fragrance of your garden into your home with doors and windows open wide – without unwelcome flying visitors or direct sun glare. When you don’t need Phantom Screens, they retract completely out-of-sight.
Expertly fitted to your doors and windows by professional installers, Phantom Screens complement your unique décor. With custom colors and unique wood grain finishes, Phantom Screens keep your home true to your vision.
Screen Solutions 3ALMAR !VENUE s #AMPBELL Showroom By Appointment Only
(408) 374-8156
www.screensolutionsonline.com
Call 1-888-PHANTOM (1-888-742-6866) for your local distributor. Visit www.phantomscreens.com toSummer find2012 outTHM more.South Bay/Silicon Valley
todayshomeBayArea.com
19
More Than Just Skin Deep– Painting for Lasting Beauty
I
t’s easy to assume painting is a commodity like many others — how much a square foot is it? It’s just not true. The most important part of a paint job is the evaluation and preparation. Preparation is the foundation of the paint job. The difference between a poor paint job and a good paint job, unfortunately, is what you can’t see — because it’s covered in paint! It’s the proper materials applied in the proper way: High quality caulking and spackle, surface specific primers, and then there’s the paint. As is true with most categories, there are indeed different quality paints, the difference only evident after a period of time. Most fresh paint jobs do look the same. Price is only one of many considerations when choosing the correct painter. It is recommended, that to maintain the exterior quality of your home you should look to have it painted every 6-8 years.
H
ow to hire a painting contractor. Hire only licensed and insured painting contractors. Insist on referrals. Companies listed with the Better Business Bureau, on Angies’ list, or are Diamond Certified offer an additional level of protection as many offer dispute resolution services or satisfaction guarantees. There are contractors that show up on time, that are neat, clean, quiet and respectful. The referrals will flush them out. Insist on at least a 5 year
20 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
guarantee. Professional and experienced painting contractors can serve as your personalized color consultant as well. More true than most believe — with painting you really do get what you pay for. But it’s deceptive. People never notice a good paint job, but they certainly notice a bad one.” The Painting Pros Inc. has been providing high-quality residential and commercial painting services for thousands of South Bay customers for more than 38 years. The company also handles faux finishes, deck refinishing, light carpentry (trim installation and general repairs), and minor sheetrock repairs and texturing. Additionally, it offers free, personalized, inhome, professional color consultations to customers who are unsure about choosing the correct paint colors for their homes or businesses. Owner Cleve Dayton established The Painting Pros in 1978 and has preserved his “old school” methods of painting by teaching them to his younger painters, but he also makes sure to keep up-to-date with the trade’s latest technologies, tools and methods. “In fact, we were the first painting
company to become a Certified Green Business in Santa Clara County,” he says. “We’re also a Lead-Safe Certified Firm.” The Painting Pros emphasizes expert, detailed craftsmanship and employs professional, full-time painters. Mr. Dayton says his company only uses premium quality materials that are selected for their appearance, durability and easy maintenance. “All our materials are applied in strict accordance with industry standards and manufacturers’ recommendations. In other words, we don’t cut any corners.” For more information, contact Painting Pros at (408) 595-7874 or www.paintingpros.com. THM
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HIGH-QUALITY RESIDENTIAL PAINTING • • • • • • • • •
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High-quality interior and exterior painting Custom color consultations Deck refinishing Faux painting Sheetrock repair and texturing Trim installation (crown, base, door trim, etc.) Garage floor epoxy finishes Acoustic ceiling texture (popcorn) removal “Green” eco-friendly paints available
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Art Revolution Tibetan Tribal
Modern Expressions in hand-woven rugs.
H
Folsom
and-woven rugs of today have come a long way from simply repeating the patterns and colors of the past. The wellspring of human imagination is ever present in this woven form of art. When it comes to shopping for fine hand-woven rugs, lovers of contemporary art and architecture have more to choose from today than ever before. One such example is a carpet named Presidio, designed by a well-known San Francisco artist, Rex Ray. This finely knotted carpet has a wool pile that is closely cropped, allowing the subtle nuances of shade and texture to come through with verve and clarity of color rarely seen in a hand-knotted carpet. Because a design like this is so difficult to render and weave, the producers have elected to graph it in varying sizes from 4’ x 6’ up to 10’ x 14’, with subtle changes in proportion as befits the format required. This rug is one of a collection of designs by the artist that have been made available to us as hand-knotted carpets, incorporating a variety of color palettes. A completely different texture and style of weaving is evident in the Tibetan Tribal, here depicted in a 9’ x 12’ format. This piece has a robust quality that is enhanced with a lustrous hand-spun wool and vividly colored design set against a charcoal ground color. A nomadic textile is the inspiration, and the lack of borders contributes to the power and spaciousness of the piece. Tribal sensibilities translate very well to the contemporary home, as this rug so elegantly demonstrates. This rug is also part of a collection of rugs with modern aesthetic and unique texture available in a variety of sizes.
22 Summer 2012 THM South Bay/Silicon Valley
As an example of timeless rug art, few modern pieces can compare to the Ikat carpet pictured here. This exquisite piece has an all-over design that appears to float on the saffron background. Based on a textile design, the material used for the pile is pure silk acquired from the re-spinning and dying of old Indian saris. In addition to the artistic inspiration of color and composition, there exists a level a technical expertise rarely seen in modern rug weaving that allows this piece to have an even appearance of light and dark aspect on the floor, with a minimum of shift from one end to the other. This is extremely difficult to achieve with silk, yet shows that the weavers intended it for use as a decorative carpet to grace the modern home. In conclusion, I’d like to add that the last few decades have brought about both a revival and a revolution in the handwoven rug industry. Ikat What we’ll see in the future is anyone’s guess, but we have every reason to hope that the art of the rug will continue to bring us joy for many years to come. For information, visit Stephen Miller Gallery, 800 Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, or call at (650) 327-5040 or at www.stephenmillergallery.com. THM todayshomeBayArea.com
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