kitchen painting in Oakland

The Best Colors For Your Kitchen

by with No Comment Blog

Next to your living room, your home’s kitchen gets the most use. It’s also an area visitors tend to visit frequently and immediately upon entering your home. Being such an important part of your home, your kitchen should not only be spacious and well organized but should look great too. Part of making and keeping a kitchen looking good is its paint. Over time, a kitchen’s paint can dull and become stained by smoke. It can also hold onto the hundreds of different smells that have originated from your stove, oven, fridge, and even food and drink left out on the counter.

In order to remedy all of the aforementioned new paint is needed. Some homeowners elect to have their kitchens painted as part of a larger redesign project while others use only paint in order to revitalize their kitchens. No matter why a homeowner chooses to repaint their kitchen, they face a number of different options and hard choices. Everything from choosing the right shade, pattern, and brand will determine just how happy a homeowner is at the conclusion of their project.

Help From Professionals
Making choices that carry the biggest benefits to a kitchen is no easy task and the sheer number of wildly different options can be confusing and maddening. When a homeowner hires a professional painting firm however a talented staff of artisans will take what a homeowner has envisioned and bring it to life. When first consulting with a professional, a homeowner will be presented with color charts, color placement counseling, and will work with test samples so that they can see their choices come to life. Moreover, professional painters will listen to and seriously consider the needs and demands of a homeowner when devising a plan of action.

Colors Galore
There is virtually no color of paint that can not be created. While this may initially sound wonderful, having too many choices often breeds indecision and regret. While a homeowner can most certainly use any color they like when repainting their kitchen, many colors simply don’t work or fit in a kitchen environment. Conversely, there are a number of colors that work exceedingly well in kitchens; making them not only stand out but fit in as part of a home.

Harbor Gray Ac-25 – A great deal of homeowners love using white or some type of off-white in their kitchen. While this is certainly understandable, white shows everything as it becomes dirty and stained. To avoid the discoloring of white paint in a kitchen, this paint is often presented by professional painters to homeowners whom want to go as white as possible. This gray is considered a neutral that pairs tremendously with brass, marble, and many other colors.

Galápagos Green 475 – This green is a deliciously deep and rich shade of green. Kitchens with a large number of pantries and cupboards look fantastic with this green surrounding them. The savory look of this green can create a dramatic look in a kitchen and will look fantastic for long periods of time.

Moore Ice Blue 2052-70 – Ice blue paint makes a kitchen look and feel as crisp as a pre-sunrise September morning. The pale blue of this shade exudes warmth and freshness while it creates a soothing kitchen atmosphere. Those homeowners whom love a white kitchen but want a bit of added color will find that Moore Ice Blue satiates quite nicely.

Farrow & Ball Pegnoir No. 286 – Homeowners looking to add a bit of fun to their kitchen will adore this color. Its delicate lavender and slight gray mix makes kitchens look modern and warm. This color can be used on ceilings and matches well with cupboards and pantries no matter their finish.

Farrow & Ball All White No. 2005 – This shade of white is perfect for homeowners whom want to go all white but don’t want a glaring white that comes off as too bright. Professional painters can use this shade of slightly muted white to create both modern and retro kitchen vibes. This white is a wonderful companion to marble counter tops too.

Benjamin Moore Raccoon Fur 2126-20 – Kitchens with elevated ceilings and plentiful wood will benefit greatly from this color. This color doesn’t scratch or bite as its name might suggest but it will bring kitchens to life with its rustic, homey outdoorsy, and slightly chalky look.

Farrow & Ball Mizzle No. 266 – This dusty grey green color is extremely versatile and can be used to create a multitude of different atmospheres within a kitchen. Being a “flexible” color means it sits well with different types of wood finishes and counter tops. Homeowners that desire a timeless look can use this color all throughout their kitchen to satisfy that need.

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter Hc-172 – Homeowners that have kitchens full of brass and marble will find this shade of pewter to be exactly what their kitchen needs to be reinvigorated. Being a popular alternative to plain white paint, this pewter is a muted albeit bright color that manages to make kitchens feel fresh.

Benjamin Moore Lucerne Af-530 – When white paint or some variant of it isn’t enough for a homeowner, they’ll want something with much more color. Blue is always a comforting color and one that can really bring a kitchen to life. It is also a stark and joyfully jarring change to kitchens that where previously white. This blue pairs exceptionally well with black and brass accents as well.

Farrow & Ball Breakfast Room Green No. 81 – In order to liven up and make a kitchen vivacious, homeowners will want to add some real color to the walls of their galley. This particular shade of green is colorful enough to add vibrancy to any kitchen without being so overwhelming that it detracts from counter tops, cupboards, and the like. Additionally, this green works in tandem with various browns to create something truly special.

Endless Colors And Choices
The aforementioned are but a few of the choices homeowners have when they set out to redecorate, repaint, and/or re-imagine their kitchens. Depending on the kitchen, a homeowner’s personal likes/dislikes, the needs of their home, their budgets, and a whole host of other variables, professional painters might recommend reds, browns, purples, pinks, and other colors that aren’t traditionally associated with kitchens. Professionals can also create custom colors for homeowners allowing them to concoct a customer’s favorite color or something that they can only see in their mind but can’t verbally describe. The choices are virtually endless when it comes to repainting a kitchen so it behooves homeowners to take their time and work closely with the professionals they have hired in order to create the perfect color for their kitchen.

Arana Craftsman Philosophy

Loving care of your home is your first and most economical line of defense for your family’s biggest investment.

Our mission is to serve homeowners by preserving the structure that provides warmth and sustenance for their families.

We believe that Bay Area families deserve the finest work at a fair price. We work with you to protect and extend the life of your home. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

The difference is clear when choosing Arana as your professional house painting experts in Oakland.

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Riding For A Cause

by with No Comment Blog

Not only do we appreciate our Clients for their business, but for their personal endeavors in contributing to our community in a positive and enriching way.

We had the pleasure of donating to Andrew’s recent AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride and getting to know him on a more personal level. Thank you, Andrew and Julie, for all that you do to help those in need of loving, compassionate care!

Read more about Andrew’s story below.
~ Araceli, Service Manager

“When I was 25 years old I could have done this 545-mile ride without thinking too much about it. Well, let’s just say that I am not 25 years old anymore….

It’s one thing to do a century ride. It’s a whole different ballgame to wake up and do a century ride for 6 days in a row.

I am participating in this 545-mile ride because A) it gives me a chance to get back in shape. B) this is a cause that is near & dear to my wife, Julie. She has spent 20+ years involved with pediatric HIV/AIDS and started a summer camp for kids who were positive in the Bay Area. We have a lot of pictures in our house of the children she worked with over the years who did not survive. I will ride with their pictures on my helmet to honor and remember them. C) I get to spend a week with my dear friend and riding partner, Sarah Garrett. She did the ride last year and basically told me to quit being lazy and ride with her this year. (Did I mention that I hate her now?)

Thank you to all my friends who will make this ride possible. More info about the ride can be found below:

June 3rd – June 9th, over 3,000 Cyclists, Roadies and Virtual Cyclists will be participating in AIDS/LifeCycle, a 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise funds for the life-saving services offered by San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. This year, I’ll be one of them!

The services provided as a result of this event mean the world to those who receive them, and your support means the world to me.”
~ Andrew Hybl

Learn more and participate and/or donate: https://www.aidslifecycle.org/

Thermory Deck Project in Berkeley Hills

By Truitt & White

Check Out This Month’s Decking Project!

One of the best things about our beautiful East Bay, besides the great views, is the talented folks who we get to work with. This incredible deck project, featuring Thermory Decking Products, is a prime example of that talent. In fact, this decking project is so perfect, that we can’t decide what’s better: the craftsmanship or the views!

This roughly 500 square foot deck, located high in the Berkeley Hills, was assembled using products from Truitt and White. There was some custom Steel Work from local Berkeley Fabricator Larry Brown. The decking surfaces are all Thermory, and the handrail system is clear vertical grain cedar.

Albany based designer Amy Guiang did the deck design, and Arana Craftsman Painters completed the finishes. The craftsmen at McDunn Construction lead the project from conception through punchout to the 5 star satisfaction of the client.

McDunn Construction is a Berkeley based general contractor who specializes in accessory dwelling units, decks and outdoor projects. Principal, Dan McDunn, has been operating as a licensed GC since 2000 in multiple markets, and since 2010 in Berkeley, CA. You can find contact information and project photos at mcdunnconstruction.com.

Source: https://www.truittandwhite.com/project-of-the-month/thermory-deck-project-berkeley-hills

5 creative ways to practice self-care

By Lively Staff

  1. Buy a new Body Lotion

    A good body lotion or moisturizer can do wonders for your skin. As a bonus, fragrance can dramatically impact our mood, which means that a pleasant-smelling body lotion can lift your mood. Springing on a new body lotion (we personally love all-natural beauty brands) and using it to moisturize your limbs is a fantastic small way to treat yourself.
  2. Do a Digital Detox
    These days, most of us are connected 24/7. Work seems to permeate our weekends these days through intermittent emails, while our tendency to compare ourselves to others no longer knows no limits, thanks to Facebook and Instagram. Even if you don’t feel like you have issues with social media or off-hours work demands, the simple strain of constantly seeing new media and information can take a major toll. Taking just one weekend to detox from digital media can give you a refreshing mental break.
  3. Meal Prep on Sundays
    Meal prepping as self-care? Absolutely! By prepping meals ahead of time — whether they’re lunches or dinners — you set yourself up to nourish your body with healthy food all weekend long. And like we said, self-care isn’t just about relaxation. It’s about truly taking care of your health and wellness.
  4. Go for a Solo Walk
    Going for a walk is one of the simplest things you can do for yourself. It only requires ten to fifteen minutes, and it’s great for both the body and the mind. Exercise releases endorphins, which makes us happier. Meanwhile, taking in the scenery of the outdoors can help boost the mood and clear your mind.
  5. Take a Class or Lesson
    Whether it’s a one-time session or a month-long weekly class, learning a new skill is great for the brain. It also gives you something exciting and interesting to look forward to that helps cultivate new hobbies and boosts your sense of self.

    Adapted from: http://www.stay-lively.com/?s=creative+ways

Exterior house painting in oakland

Don’t Go Against These 10 Rules When Repainting Your House

by with No Comment Blog

Don’t you just love it when after a long day of work, just as you pull up the corner, you see your house gleaming in the sun for all to see? It’s the bright spot of the neighborhood and actually one reason why the area you live in is highly sought after. Over the years though, you’ve been busy at work and raising a family. The elements have been right there with you getting busy as well.

As an effect of the elements doing what they do best, your house has lost some its sheen and developed issues here and there, whether with the roofing, siding or water leakages. It’s time to get your house back to its former glory, but where to start?

With an exquisite paint job, of course. A properly done paint job is sure to rejuvenate the house, as well save you some serious amounts of cash. Hiring a professional painter will cost anywhere between $1,000 to $5,000. If you want an exquisite job, it is generally recommended to get an expert.

However, you can save on that cash and do the painting yourself. However, this will require serious effort from you and your collaborators, and the job can take anywhere from one to two weeks. And this could actually work to your advantage; a paint job usually lasts several years before a new coat is required.

With that in mind, what rules should you follow when repainting your house?

  1. Be real.

    It may be tempting to pick up the tools and do the job yourself and save yourself some serious dough. Have you considered this though, do you have the skills, the time and the patience to deliver the quality job you are looking for?

    Painting a house by yourself, or even in the company of friends or family, is a very tedious job that requires copious amounts of time. If you neither have the skills nor the time, consider hiring a professional.
  2. Quality matters… a lot!

    You literally get what you pay for. That paint you were thinking about was a lot for very little money but ask yourself this, how long will it last until you need to repaint the house? A quality product will push you several years before you even think about painting again.

    These quality paints and primers will usually cost anywhere from $35 to $70, but the quality and years of service you get will be unparalleled in comparison to some of the cheaper paints.
  3. Be sure to check the type of paints you want to use.

    Although it was the norm several decades ago due to their durability, lead paints have been found to be a health hazard to both children and adults. As the paint gets older, the flakes and dust from the paints could cause various degrees of lead poisoning.

    If the house you currently reside in has paint residue from before 1978, it is recommended that you contact lead paint removal experts before embarking on a fresh painting session.
  4. Temperate weather is the best.

    Well, the elements have a say in how well your paint will age, how long it will last before wear and tear make you get a new coat. They also have a say in what time of year you should paint if you want to get good results. Yes, really. Here’s how…

    The paint you are using is essentially a combination of chemical elements. Every element is affected in one way or another by temperature. When the temperatures are too high, or you’re painting in direct sunlight, the paint will dry too quickly. Painting when it’s too cold will cause the paint to not adhere to surfaces properly.

    The best times to repaint the house are when the temperatures are between 50 to 90 degrees. And this should also be done when there’s no precipitation forecasted. Painting over a damp or dewy surface will cause the coat to develop bubbles.
  5. Lay the groundwork.

    Before going out to paint, ensure the surface you want to paint has been prepared for the new coat. This will mean removing the old coat of paint. You can start by using a scraper to remove old, flaky paint. The next step will be to wash the surface with soapy water and scrub with a brush. Wherever possible, use a pressure washer to blast the surfaces clean.

    If you’re facing tougher paint, you can use power sander to get a smooth surface. The idea is not to remove all the paint, just to get a smooth surface which the new coat can adhere to.
  6. Protect what’s not to be painted.

    Before getting down to business, if you have furniture, plants or other fixtures around the surface you want to paint, you will either need to move them or cover them. As you go around the surface you are painting, there will always be sprays and splatters that land on surfaces you never intended to paint.
  7. Tools make work easier.

    The right tools anyway. Consider the surface you are painting on and the effort and quality you want. That’s the first step to determining which tools you will use. You may need to use a roller, or a high-quality brush, or an airless sprayer.
  8. No shortcuts please.

    If you want your house to look as amazing as it once was, or as you imagine it in your head, there is no room for shortcuts. This means applying all the necessary coats of paint to get the finish that you want. If you’re painting over a bare metal or wooden surface, you will need to use a high-quality primer to prepare the surface for what’s to come.
  9. Do your homework.

    Even though it may look like a mundane activity, painting is nothing like that. It actually requires various specialized techniques that a proper painting novice will have no idea they exist. Before embarking on the task, do your homework on painting techniques and how to mix paints to get the effect you want.
  10. Do some more homework.

    That’s if you do decide to hire a professional. The gig economy has grown in leaps and bounds with the proliferation of the internet. Any Tom, Dick and Harry who fancies themselves a good painter will make themselves available, and you may just land on the most incompetent of them.

    When choosing an Oakland painting company, ask for detailed bids and most importantly, the contacts of at least two satisfied customers. Call them up and if possible, arrange a visit to the premises that were painted and inspect the work for yourself.

For A Free Oakland House Painting Estimate Call 510-567-9559

Altar

Turning and Returning

by with No Comment Blog

I love October. Not only is it the month of crispy leaves and long shadows, it is also when we get to celebrate Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Similarly known as All Souls Day in the Catholic tradition, this holiday is dedicated specifically to reaching out to those close to us who have crossed over.

Bay Area Reclaiming holds a public ritual to celebrate Samhain, an older Pagan celebration that marks the “thinning of the veil” between the living and those who have passed. All of these traditions mirror more ancient ones that focus on ensuring that our ancestors are well in spirit so that they do not wreak havoc in the world of the Living. The essence is that In the re-membering and celebrating — we put the pieces and parts of who we are back together and we can live more enriched and fulfilling lives.

This year our family is building our biggest altar de ofrendas ever, to celebrate. This picture, above, shows only a section of the larger installation we have been constructing in our Living Room. We gather family members to make paper flowers, and other multi-colored pinwheel flowers and decorations for the altar. The official dates are October 31 through November 2, but the altar takes weeks to prepare!

If you’ve seen the movie Coco or been to local Bay Area Día De Los Muertos ofrenda displays, like the one at the Oakland Art Museum’s Annual Day of the Dead Celebration, you are likely familiar with the traditional Mexican color scheme, featuring the golden-orange color of the marigolds (sometimes called Flor de Muerto in Mexico).

In Guatemala, where Ernesto is from, the colors for the altars are white, pink and blue, and cemeteries are decorated from top to bottom in elaborate displays. In 1996, on my first visit to Guatemala, my plane landed in Guatemala City on Halloween. I took a bus to the northern Department called Petén. All along the way, we passed the already-colorful cemeteries come alive with people, food, and decorations. It was clear to me that this culture’s relationship with death is very different from mine.

Ernesto’s parents are buried nearby in Colma, and while the American cemeteries don’t paint their mausoleums blue, pink, and purple you can still find large turnouts for Day of the Dead as families gather to visit their people, eat, drink and adorn the gravestones with offerings of flowers and food.

Growing up our family observed the “holy”-day of All Souls Day. Every November 2nd, we would go to the cemetery and visit the graves of our relatives, and place flowers, and we would also bring flowers to a random grave — because these folks need to be remembered and honored, too!

Fall Is a Great Time to Organize!

By Rose Ipsen of GoLightly Organizing in Oakland

‘Tis the Season

Autumn is traditionally a busy time for harvesting and preparing for the winter, a time of well-earned rest and reflection. And with the fall equinox officially behind us, many of us are transitioning from a flurry of summer activity to settling into rigorous fall routines. Getting organized can help bring even more rest into your life.

When people think of decluttering and getting organized, they often think of New Year’s Resolutions or Spring Cleaning. But fall is the season of letting go, and like the trees dropping their leaves to conserve energy, we can flow with the energy of the season and shed what is no longer serving us so that new fresh life has space to bud and flourish.

What’s in the Way Is the Way
Asking for help with organizing can be vulnerable and bring up uncomfortable feelings. What if I regret saying goodbye to my old favorite mug? What would my mother think if I let go of that sweater she gave me ten years ago? How did I let things get this out of hand? My clients regularly have to face overwhelm and shift deeply rooted habits. And unfortunately, maintaining an organized space in not effortless. But getting and staying organized can also be one of the most liberating practices of your life.

Are You Ready?
If you experience your home or office as messy and stressful, I encourage you to take a deep breath and really consider: what is it costing you to continue living in disorganization? If you don’t consciously carve out time, keep that time sacred, and follow through, your clutter may follow you through many more seasons. Like many things, hiring a professional can take a huge load of weight off of the process that is usually already difficult. An organizer will be your cheerleader, sounding board, and problem-solving guide through the sea of bags, boxes, closets, and more. They will know where to buy the right furniture and baskets and where to bring the things you no longer need, so that you don’t have to spend your precious time on yet another “to-do.”

If you’re not ready to hire someone or can’t, another great option is to ask a trusted friend to do a “trade.” You set agreements and expectations, and each spend four hours systematically supporting each other through each category and room in your home. However, you get there, let this fall be the season of your life where you get organized for good.

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Boosting The Value Of Your Home With Paint

by with No Comment Blog

When homeowners begin discussing the sale of their home there are many conversations that come up and even more ideas that get passed around. Homeowners will begin looking at ways to improve their home. They will look at flooring, the health of their yards, and a multitude of other things that they believe will boost the value of their home.

One of the most popular and sensible ways to improve the value of a home is to have it repainted. Homeowners can elect to have the exteriors and/or the interiors of their homes repainted but often find themselves stuck at an impasse when the subject of colors is broached. Of course, homeowners know which colors they like but they often wrestle with trying to figure out what colors buyers might be interested in and which colors will give their home more market value.

The Right Colors
Potential home buyers don’t want to walk into a home that feels worn nor one that looks dim, dull, or faded. Home buyers will be spending a great deal of money on the home they ultimately buy and thus will shy away from any home that utilizes colors which look and feel drab and uninteresting.

In order to entice buyers and impress those whom are handling the sale of a home, homeowners are encouraged to select neutral colors. Colors such as tans, beige’s, golds, grays or a blend of gray and beige all make a home feel fresh and warm. While white is a popular color with homeowners, its often seen as too stark and plain and can turn people away from a home. In addition to the aforementioned colors, shades of taupe, olive, and other natural looking colors often boost the value of a home a great deal.

Painting Priorities
Homeowners looking to boost the value of their homes often turn a blind eye to several important aspects of repainting a home. First and foremost, not every room in a home will necessarily need to be repainted. Sometimes a room has a unique type of charm that buyers and property assessors find irresistible. Secondly, homeowners will want to talk with the professionals they’ve hired about gloss versus matte and even brand of paint. Not all brands of paint work well in all settings and the wrong one can adversely affect both end results and the value of a home. Homeowners with modest budgets will also need to discuss which rooms are most important to buyers in order to determine which rooms will receive new paint. A sound strategy will help homeowners get the most out of their new paint and greater boost the value of their home. To their surprise, many homeowners are often asked to use no more than 3 colors for both the exterior and interiors of their homes. Using too many or too few colors can devalue a home and turn buyers away. Professionals often urge homeowners to select 3 colors that will have the greatest impact.

Here To Help
Because choosing the right colors for your home and knowing which colors are popular at the moment can be difficult, Arana Craftsman Painters is here to help. Our staff is made up of not only expert painters but we are also artists with a keen eye for detail. Our passion and expertise allow us to work closely with homeowners and develop an approach that is unique to the specific needs of the home they intend to sell.

During the initial consultation we have with homeowners, Arana provides color charts, consulting for placement, and our team will apply test samples of the colors our customers select. This allows them to see what their choices will actually look like in the real world and will give them an opportunity to make alternative choices before painting begins. We want our customers to love the choices they make.

Arana Craftman Painters offers professional painting services in Oakland, Piedmont, San Leandro, Alameda, Berkeley, Albany, Kensington, San Francisco, Orinda, Lafayette, Danville, Hillsborough and Marin.

Charities-alt-selection-RMH-

A Few Of Our Favorite Organizations

by with No Comment Blog

Growing up Catholic, we were asked to tithe a portion of our earnings to the church. Today, in the Bay Area and Northern California, there are many organizations that do the kind of good works that churches can’t do. December is the season to offer dollars and support to those that strengthen our local community. Of course, there are also benefits like tax deductions — and maybe your company will match your donation!

CAMP FIRE RELIEF FOUNDATION
Directed by the North Valley Community Foundation, this is a fund that grants money directly to individuals and families affected by the recent Camp Fire, as well as funneling financial support to local and regional organizations, agencies, and service providers that provide direct assistance to fire victims.
Visit Camp Fire Relief Foundation website >

THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Our beloved client and colleague, Dianne Crosby, sits on the board of this charity which aggregates donations from individuals and distributes grants to local organizations in Berkeley and Oakland serving the needs of seniors, children, and the homeless here in the East Bay.
Visit The Community Foundation website >

MISSSEY
Arana Craftsman Painters regularly contributes to Misssey, whose work supports and advocates for young women and girls who have been victims of child-sex trafficking through providing services and education.
Visit Missy.org website >

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE AT STANFORD
Longtime clients may remember (and new ones are welcome to look at the photos on our website!) back in 2016, when Arana donated expertise, labor, and materials to the creation of family suites for the new RMH at Stanford. Ronald McDonald Houses provides the family of a child who is receiving critical care at a hospital a comfortable and caring place to stay nearby.
Visit Ronald McDonald House at Stanford website >

What are your favorite charities? We love to promote the causes dear to our clients’ hearts! Email me at [email protected].

Staying Well in Winter Using Ancient Medicine Techniques

By Catherine Baldi

Our Bay Area winter with its damp chill, blustery winds and reduced hours of sunlight brings constitutional challenges that can make us more susceptible to those persistent cold and flu viruses. In my experience, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture provide the most effective methods for treating colds and flus throughout this time of year.

Acupuncture is only one of five main branches of “Traditional Chinese Medicine.” In Acupuncture, the body’s illnesses are resolved by unblocking and directing energy through the rivers (meridians) that flow through the body — by stimulating points along these tributaries with fine-pointed needles. Acupuncture is the most well-known branch, but the other four equally-important branches, “Right Thinking,” balanced nutrition, herbal medicine, and massage all together create the TCM map to wholeness and health. In the United States, Traditional Chinese Medicine can be said to have been divorced from this map and its mystical and esoteric roots.

An even less-well-known fact: While Traditional Chinese Medicine is 2,500 years old and the most familiar to us of the non-Western medical modalities researchers have found that the same theories of the body, illness, and methods of treatment were also developing simultaneously in the ancient Mayan Civilization of southern Mexico and Northern Guatemala.

When our kids were babies, my in-laws, Ernesto’s family members, were always saying, “Cover their heads! Don’t let the wind get in their ears!” Ernesto is from Guatemala so when I read the book, Wind in the Blood: Mayan Healing and Chinese Medicine, I really understood why they would say these things!

Wind in the Blood details Mayan Healing practices using the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine to gain a greater understanding of these Mayan practices. The Berkeley-based Hesperian Foundation translated and published this book in 1999. What started out as a Spanish-language field manual, written by two Mexican physicians for western health care practitioners working in the Mayan community, evolved into an extensive documentation of traditional Mayan Healing techniques. This book details the depth and breadth of Mayan cosmology and how it shares surprising parallels with Chinese medicine.

For example, in this excerpt from the book, the authors describe Mayan medical thought on root causes of illness:

Heat and Cold Imbalance

With respect to the entirety of causes, one relation is outstanding and seems to be integral to the entire body of Mayan medical thought: the concept of hot and cold. It seems that a great part of the causes of illness — dietary disorders, emotional imbalance, excess of work, weakness, etcetera — can be seen as representing qualities either hot or cold. Conditions, objects, food — all are classified as hot or cold and under certain conditions arise as the potential cause of illness. Both natural and supernatural winds are also considered to fit within this concept. (Wind in the Blood, page 42)

For anyone who is remotely familiar with Chinese medicine, cold and wind are considered highly impactful on our health in that modality. It is so interesting to see the same principles identified in historical Mayan culture.

I have asked Oakland-based Acupuncturist Aimee Ruiz, L.Ac., to give us specific tips from Traditional Chinese Medicine for staying warm and well in the winter, plus a recipe for a healing beverage, which we have presented on the adjoining page. Please enjoy these health-enhancing recommendations!

Winter Wellness Tips + Immunity Boosting Recipe
By Aimee Ruiz, L.Ac., East Bay Acupuncture, www.eastbayacupuncture.com

In Chinese medicine, we always advocate for staying warm and that recommendation goes far wider than you might think.

Sure, you want to wear a coat when it’s cold outside, but do you know what else would help you stay well?

Here are a few tips to boost your immunity:

  • Wear a scarf! Did you know that most pathogens (colds and flus) can enter your body through the back of your neck? Keeping your neck and chest covered can guard against colds and flus.
  • Wear socks or slippers at home. Bare feet inside and outside can introduce cold into your body and lower your immunity.
  • Warm from the inside. Consume (and enjoy) soup, broth, tea, warm water with lemon, stew, congee, curries, etc.
  • Avoid cold treats and ice during the winter months. Drink room temperature or warm beverages when possible.
  • Alter your smoothie recipes to include room temperature or refrigerated fruits and vegetables instead of frozen. Also, add ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or clove to bring even more warming elements to your drink.
  • Try soothing, warm, Epsom salt foot soaks at night. Especially if you have cold feet! Warm foot soaks before bed may help you sleep better as well.
  • Rest and get adequate sleep. Winter is a great time to slow down, do less, enjoy the quiet, and store up your energy for spring.
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Painting Season 2016: Creating a Curb Appeal Plan for your San Francisco Bay Area Home

by with No Comment Blog

Spring is upon us and summer is right around the corner! The exterior painting season is underway and picking up steam!

Many of you are considering doing a full exterior paint job this season. There are many ways to improve the curb appeal of your home. As a painting contractor, we typically focus on cleaning and repainting your home exterior, however, we’ll mention a few other tips as well.

Above all, the three key ideas are meticulous preparation, cleanliness and eye-catching detail.

Here’s some ideas you’ll find useful in determining which San Francisco Bay area painting contractor to work with:

Exciting Entry: Making the entry door stand out can really make the whole house more inviting and appealing. Paint it a bold color that coordinates with the other details of your home. Also, installing new hardware, such as a sophisticated knob or a kick-plate, can also create an improved aesthetic.

Emphasize Details with Color: Emphasize the architecture of your house by painting the trim a different color from the rest of the home. Outline windows, paint fascia and other moldings. For a subtle look, just choose a different shade of the body color, or go bold with a contrasting color.

Arana includes a color consultation with a professional color consultant with every full exterior painting project. Contact us for details.

Cool and Clean: Make sure your siding, fascia and gutters are clean. Remove mildew with a fungicidal wash and use a power washer to remove residue and contaminants. Gutters do best with a hand-wash.

Desirable Driveway: Kill any weeds growing in the cracks, and repair the cracks if possible. A concrete stain could really look classy if the driveway is suitable for it.

Look at the Lighting: An upgrade to your outdoor light fixture can create a positive impression, and installing extra lighting in your garden or along the driveway always makes the place cozier.

Elegant Extras: Decorative fence panels, arbor arches, porch columns and other classy touches can add instant curb appeal to your property without taking too much time or money.

Gorgeous Garden: Either work with a professional landscape designer or create a container garden with potted plants and hanging plants around your entryway. Window boxes can be a quaint touch as well!

More Maintenance: Before adding new features or colors, make sure that what you already have is in good shape. Trim the shrubs, mulch the garden, use an edger on the lawn, clean up yard debris and put away the garden hose. Repair any broken or torn window screens and replace any rotten or damaged wood.

When your San Francisco Bay area home needs expert attention, Arana Craftsman Painters is a trusted name for exterior and interior painting. We can work with you and your budget to create an eye-catching and tasteful curb-appeal plan for your home.

Arana provides residential painting services to Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco and Alameda County, San Francisco County, Marin County and the entire San Francisco Bay area.

Interior Painting Oakland

Interior Paint Finishes For Your Home

by with No Comment Blog

It’s not enough picking the right painting firm, colors, patterns, nor designs for your upcoming interior redesign project. In addition to all of the aforementioned, you’ll need to pick the right finish for your interior paint if you hope to be happy with the results of your project. Different finishes add different things to a home and can dramatically alter or affect the atmospheres in homes.

In all, there are four major types of interior paint finishes. When consulting with the painters you’ve hired the subject of finish will inevitably arise. When it does, the more you know…the more you can accomplish and ensure that your home will look and feel great at project’s end.

Flat Paint
Flat paint is commonly used by contractors because of its matte finish. Flat paint does not reflect light which is perfect for those rooms that require darker colors or a muted appearance. While flat paints can indeed be beautiful, they do not wash too well. This means that you should expect your new paint to gradually, albeit slowly, lose its vibrancy.

Eggshell Paint
Like flat paints, eggshell paints feature matte finishes. Where they differ however is in their ability to shine. Eggshell paints are more vivacious and deep than are their flat cousins. Regardless of the color chosen, eggshell paints are much more pronounced than flat paints. These paints can be put to tremendous use in any area of a home as well.

Satin Paint
In layman’s terms, satin paint is merely “medium gloss”. Satins are both smooth and attractive in any color which is why they are often selected for use in bathrooms and kitchens. Perhaps best of all, satin paints are extremely washable and therefore they can be cleaned repeatedly without fear of dulling or fading.

Glossy Paints
Being the most reflective of paints, both semi and high gloss types are excellent choices for traffic heavy rooms. Additionally glosses are resistant to humidity, heat, and dirt. This means that when they do eventually require cleaning, you can do so without damaging their integrity. If you have furniture that is in need of fresh paint, glossy paints can restore them and give them a new-like sheen. Despite their many advantages however, glosses will not hide imperfections on a wall.

When In Doubt
If you are having difficulty selecting a color, brand, or finish for your new interior paint, a professional is only a phone call away. Interior paint isn’t the type of project a homeowner should attempt to tackle on their own. The numerous advantages that come with the initial consultation with a professional will make this perfectly clear. Professionals will not only add new paint to the interior of you home but they’ll utilize their artistic experience and knowledge to help you create something truly unique that improves and revitalizes your home.a

2018-april

Rebuilding One Neighbor at a Time

by with No Comment Blog

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead

I am passionate about home and family and love to give back to organizations that support folks who don’t have the full capacity to care for them. This weekend I will be volunteering as House Captain on a project in Berkeley. We will be assisting homeowner Carol with some repair items that seem simple but pose a major challenge for her.

Teamed up with other contractors like HDR Remodeling, we will be working under the umbrella of an organization called Rebuilding Together. The national non-profit has been operating for 20 years with a mission to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods by providing free home repairs and modifications for “neighbors” in need.

Rebuilding Together, originally named Christmas in April, was started in Midland Texas when a small group of people noticed their neighbor’s homes were falling into disrepair. They decided to pitch in and make the repairs and realized the potential impact their work could bring. Today 100,000 volunteers handle 10,000 revitalization projects every year.

The organization relies on Corporate sponsors like Sherwin Williams, Community partners like AmeriCorps, and on-the-ground volunteer professional contractors and community volunteers. Our painters and students from the architecture department at UC Berkeley will be among the team that will do the on-the-ground work.

On Carol’s home, I will be directing the team to repaint her garage to stop any further deterioration, clean out the crawl space and repaint her office and bathroom ceiling. The biggest part of the project will be the reinforcement of a support joist underneath the home that has deteriorated causing the floor to sag and the walls to go out of level. This is the most critical and expensive repair.

I encourage any of you who have time and energy to volunteer on a project in your city. This is one of the most direct ways that you can reach out and help your neighbors while also having a positive impact on your neighborhood. Rebuilding Together’s website is: https://rebuildingtogether.org.

Catherine Baldi, Company Manager

Why You Might Want To Give ‘Bokashi’ Composting a Try

By Aislin Suparak Gibson

Bokashi composting can be a great solution for those who live in an apartment or have limited garden space — or are looking to speed up the process of an existing compost pile. This low-odor, space-saving method breaks down all food scraps with the help of beneficial bacteria to create a nutrient-rich compost for your soil, while also creating a natural liquid fertilizer for your plants. And it all starts in a bucket you can place under the kitchen sink.

Bokashi is a Japanese word that means “fermented organic matter.” It originated from an ancient Japanese farming technique that uses soil microbes to increase the nutrient level and microbial diversity of the soil.

Managing the bokashi compost is different than a traditional compost system — and easier in some ways.

  1. All food scraps can be composted. Dairy and meat can be included in a Bokashi system, unlike traditional compost, which uses plant material only. This system eliminates the need to sort out orange peels, avocado pits and other items that may attract pests or don’t break down easily in a passive compost system.
  2. Less daily work. The bokashi bin is only taken out after it is full, which can take a few days to a few weeks. This eliminates the daily chore of taking compost outside.
  3. No messy digging. Since the food is already fermented, it does not require the regular turning and maintenance of a compost pile.
  4. Reduces waste and saves money. In my home, where we regularly recycle and compost, we’ve already been able to downsize our household trash bin and save money on our monthly trash collection bill. Bokashi composting eliminates even more waste than these recycling and composting practices, which could further cut down the monthly trash bill.

    Adapted from: https://www.houzz.com

Interior Design Tip: Where To Hang Your Flatscreen TV

By Laura Martin Bovard

When did hanging the TV over the fireplace become a thing? Trust me, I get it. My own husband is not a sports fan so it’s easy enough for me to say, but my brother-in-law, for example, opened restaurants just so he could surround himself with TV sports whenever the mood strikes.

Like any design advice, this is purely subjective, and for me, in an opinion I have acquired over many years of tossing the TV topic back and forth with dozens, nay – hundreds! – of people, including other designers, clients, spouses, kids, and contractors, and I always land on the side of don’t.

My advice: Put art over the fireplace. A sculpture. Or, if you have truly beautiful tile or brick, try leaving it bare. If you already have it there, could I persuade you to consider moving it to a less prominent place? Use the same mounting hardware to hang a beautiful painting, or a mirror, or a Contemporary painting from Slate Art.

Why do I feel so strongly about this? Let’s go with ergonomics, first. For the sake of your cervical spine and proper alignment when gazing at anything for very long your TV should be — whether freestanding or hung — positioned at eye level when you are sitting down. Otherwise, you are straining your neck upwards when you watch it. This is actually true whether or not there is a fireplace involved. (The ergonomics issue also applies to your cell phone, we are all going to end up with hump-necks if we keep gazing down at our devices.)

In a living room, the sight line from your seating area is often much lower than the space above your mantel. In a bedroom, the sight line will depend on the height of your bed.

Why else? Your TV, assuming we are talking about the big, black, flat screen that is the current cultural de-rigeur, carries a certain visual and energetic weight. It is big, heavy-looking, and dark. It absorbs light when off, absorbs our attention when on, and emits an electrical current which disrupts sleep patterns when looming over your bed, and is loud commentary about the values that exist in the home.

That said, generally, we all have TVs. So where should you put yours? If there is really no other place, then, okay. Fireplace; above. The question I ask you to consider is: Do you want being entertained by your television to be paramount? Or is your primary intention to create a warm, welcoming space, filled with fun art, vibrant energy and a tone of elegance. (I think you know which version I would suggest.)

If you want to increase the energy, joy, and pleasure that you can have in your life through the interior design choices you make, don’t make the TV the focal point of your living room or family room. Because these rooms, full of ample seating — plus coffee tables and game tables; bookshelves and beautiful objects; are designed for gathering, connecting, relating, and relaxing.

Where you place your TV has a dramatic, powerful impact on the energy field in that room, and in your life. So choose carefully. Your neck, and your heart, will feel the difference.

Adapted from: https://www.lmbinteriors.com/interior-design/interior-design-tip-hang-flatscreen-tv/

Manager, Micromanager, or a Hands-Off Remodeler? Part 2 of 2

by with No Comment Blog

Photo Credit: Dimitri Otis/Getty Images

Adapted from an article by Laura Gaskill via Houzz

  1. The Micromanager

Why being a micromanager can be a good thing: Micromanagers get a bad rap, but there is an upside to this management style: Micromanagers tend to be detail-oriented, proactive and good on a deadline. This can be a real help when it comes to those hundreds (maybe thousands?) of decisions that must be made during a remodel. Where others may collapse from the pressure, a micromanager will likely thrive.

Drawbacks of micromanaging: Becoming overly involved in your home project — to the point that you are trying to control every tiny detail — can slow down or stall work, create frustration on the part of the pros you have hired and ultimately make for a not-very-pleasant working experience. Are there times when it pays to micromanage? Certainly, and we’ll look at those next. But keep it up and you will exhaust everyone… including yourself!

Takeaway: Name your top priorities and let the rest go. It’s easy in the middle of a big project to become so focused on details that every single thing seems to have equal weight. As much as we would all (your pros included) love for every single tiny detail of a project to turn out perfect, the reality is that’s not very likely. Some things won’t be possible, mistakes will be made, pieces will go out of stock, problems will arise. That’s the nature of the beast.

So what can you do? Figure out what is really important to you (hint: The answer can’t be “everything”) and keep a list of these top priorities with you. Where those specific things are involved, feel free to be a little more hands-on. Need to make sure the contractor doesn’t forget you specified dark grout around the kitchen tiles? Go ahead and call with a reminder. But if the issue at hand hasn’t made your top-priority list, take some deep breaths and let it go.

  1. The Hands-Off Remodeler

Why being hands-off during your remodel can be a good thing: What pro wouldn’t want to work with a laid-back remodeling client? When you take a hands-off approach, you are putting your faith in your team members to do their best work. Hands-off remodelers exude patience and calm, both key qualities in any successful remodel. You may even be physically removed from the site, which can potentially help speed things along, if workers don’t need to work around your schedule or worry about kids and pets underfoot.

Drawbacks of being hands-off: Being a completely hands-off remodeling client sounds good on paper, and it can work out well. But as the homeowner, you know your home, neighbors, property and (most important) what you want to get out of this project — and to that extent, it makes a lot of sense for you to be involved in some capacity. At its worst, “hands-off” can translate into “indecisive” or “apathetic.” If you’re not able to decide promptly about things, or your pro has trouble reaching you, that can spell delays for your project.

Takeaway: Make your voice heard during the planning stage. The planning stage is when it’s the most helpful to really pay attention, ask lots of questions and be an active participant in the process. If, for instance, you know you’re planning to live off-site while the work is being done, and won’t be as available for day-to-day decision-making, it’s extra important to get your voice heard early on. And of course, this is solid advice for anyone, not just hands-off remodelers!