Berkeley house painting

Anatomy of a Victorian – The Not So Secret Symbolism of Decoration

by with No Comment Blog

As painting contractors, we revere the inspiration of the architects responsible for the many historical and modern styles of housing in the Bay Area. In particular, we are awed by Victorian-era homes.

While painting these beauties, we feel that we get to reopen the channel for whatever inspiration was brought in when the houses were originally designed. As we restore and recoat a home’s surface, our work becomes an exercise in reconnection with and deep respect for the original designer and the many artisans involved in the construction, restoration, and maintenance of the home.

Arana has had the distinct pleasure of performing exterior restoration and painting services for a number of homes built throughout the Bay Area in the late 1800s and early 1900s; houses that fall into the genre of Victorian-era and related architectural movements; distinct categories such as Queen Anne, Late Victorian, Colonial Revival, and Classical Revival.

There is so much artistic detail on the exteriors of these structures that in some cases these houses, including those in our portfolio, have gone from being all-white to a canvas for as many as 7 — and up to even 11 — colors!

Like a human body, the homes that fall within the genre of “Victorian-era” have an anatomy, and those anatomical parts come with names and even symbolism! We feel that earlier builders really took to heart the magic that architectural details can create.

They started with something seemingly mundane — designing a house — and turned it into something reverential and reflective of spirit, spinning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

In this article we highlight specific architectural details from several of our East Bay Victorian-era home painting projects.

Special thanks to the Berkeley Architectural Historical Association (BAHA) who provided us with information on the types of homes in our portfolio and in some cases, the name of the architect, year built, and other valuable notes.

Finials

Found in lots of places, but typically at the apex of a roof like the one in the above photo, finials are among our favorite details. They come in all shapes and designs such those that curve and end in a point, orbs and even pinecones.

Metal finials can act as a lightning rod for the structure. The finial pictured at right, coated in that metallic gold, might be said to energize the connection to the heavens, serving as the home’s antenna to God.

Sunburst⁠

This Queen Anne Victorian (pictured above for its finial and at the top of this page) also features a sunburst, in the homeowner-specified red-and-gold motif, which is perhaps a nod to the “setting sun” interpretation.

Per this quote in an article by Mary Jo Bowling in 7×7 Magazine:

“Sunbursts… could be reflecting a love of England, or perhaps they were a commentary of the times. ‘The sunburst was a popular motif in the late 1800s,’ says Caitlin Harvey of Left Coast Architectural History. ‘People who lived during that time considered it a golden age—there was a lot of optimism and many people were doing well financially. But some historians think they represent the British Empire, and the notion that the sun never set on the British Empire.’ She notes that, on some houses, the sunburst appears as a setting sun, which could be interrupted as a comment on the waning power and influence of England.”

Dentil

Dentil — sounds like dental! The word is a noun with the Latin root “dens,” meaning “tooth.” This is one of the most common details we run across as we paint houses in these various architectural styles. You can see dentils on a Queen Anne, for example, and in the Classical Revival style of the McCreary-Greer House (pictured above) on Durant Street in Berkeley.

This beautiful building is an architectural asset owned by and under the protection and oversight of the Berkeley Architectural Historical Society (BAHA). Could dentils be a nod to giving the home a voice? Or are they a symbol of protection as the gargoyle is, running along the seams of a home, sealing it off and chewing up any unwanted energy before it has a chance to enter the home?

Wheat Imprint

Pictured here above, the imprint of braided wheat decorates the corner of the protruding window frame. This is such a tiny detail, but so impactful. Thus, our treatment of these details is necessarily respectful and frankly, reverential.

Some scholars say that wheat may connote productivity, the reaping of years, and long life. These aesthetically-pleasing details may also be a secret signaling.

Like Masonic groups whose symbolism hides in many places in plain sight in America (look at the dollar bill!), Victorian-era architects and designers delighted in adding both beauty and meaning to home facades. This home is on Prince Street in Berkeley and is known as the John A. Hasselbacher House, built c. 1907-08 in the Colonial Revival style.

Gingerbread

As seen on this home (pictured above), Gingerbread refers to the decorative detail along the gable. Classic Gingerbread is often placed on the outer edge of the fascia. This detail is considered almost an overindulgence and does get extremely elaborate.

Gingerbread feels to us like a giddy celebration by the architect and builder — most likely a reflection of the joy they felt while building this home. Located on Lincoln Street in Berkeley, this house is a late-Victorian-era cottage (c. 1902) and happens to be the second of three houses that were built by John Paul Moran on a single piece of land.

Want to geek out even more on architectural history? Be sure to visit the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association’s website and sign up for their newsletter to get updates on educational walks and talks they offer. You can also ask them about your home’s history (even if it isn’t in Berkeley).

To geek out IRL: Check out the Alameda Heritage Homes Tour — an annual opportunity to go inside of several thoughtfully-preserved Victorian-era vintage gems: alameda-preservation.org

A stunningly thorough document of building information for historical homes, originally printed by the City of Oakland planning department in 1976 is available online in PDF format: “Rehab Right: How to Rehabilitate Your Oakland House Without Sacrificing Architectural Assets”

Berkeley Interior Painting

Top 10 Home Interior Maintenance Tips for Summer

by with No Comment Blog

It’s summertime, and this list, which we originally wrote in 2021, is still a great resource, so we are sharing it with you again! In addition, our friends at Porch.com offered us their summertime maintenance tips article, and we thought it was worth sharing bonus tips from that blog with our community as well! Their list includes outdoor maintenance tips, which we’ve addressed in a different blog post, here. We’ve updated this article with Porch’s additional suggestions, at bottom.

  1. Clean your home’s lesser-considered interior spots. The corners and crevices need some love! Wipe down baseboards, clean out closets and empty cabinets. Base- boards are often overlooked when it comes to cleaning. So are kitchen cabinets and your linen closet. It can be tough to muster up the energy to get on your hands and knees and clean below, but it is something you want to do at least once a year to keep dust and dirt from building up.
  2. Declutter. Take this opportunity to get rid of extra stuff you don’t need. Find your local Buy Nothing Page on Facebook and give away your old treasures! (Some say that the angels love to visit a freshly cleaned home).
  3. Do a test of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries or units if needed.
  4. Get your cooling system ready. For our clients who live on the sunny side of the Caldecott tunnel: Consider getting your air conditioner serviced. This one is especially important for summer home maintenance since you don’t want to be stuck without air conditioning when the temperature starts climbing! For the rest of us, we can consider installing window AC units. If you are pulling out the ones you used last year, make sure to clean off the filters before starting them up again. And check the instructions. Some manufacturers recommend cleaning the filters every two weeks during heavy use.
  5. Clean and adjust your ceiling fans. Dust ceiling fan blades and check that fans are working properly and reverse the direction if needed. During the summer months, your ceiling fan blades should be set to spin counterclockwise. When your ceiling fan spins quickly in this direction, it pushes air down and creates a cool breeze. This helps keep a room’s temperature consistent throughout the day and reduces the need for an air conditioner to run constantly.
  6. Get your chimney cleaned. Yes, you might not use your fireplace again until fall or winter, but that’s exactly why this is the perfect time to call a chimney cleaning service. They won’t be as busy!
  7. Deodorize the garbage disposal. When’s the last time you tackled your garbage disposal? Exactly. Flushing with dish soap and hot water can do the trick. For persistent odors: with the unit turned off, pour in 1⁄2 cup baking soda and then 1⁄2 cup vinegar; when the fizzing stops, flush with hot water. And/or for a fun citrus-y refresh anytime, pulverize a lemon, one half at a time in the disposal with the water running.
  8. Keep the outdoors outside. If folks are going to be running in and out of the house with dirty or sandy feet this summer, consider having a basin of water by the door for everyone to wash off their feet before coming inside. A super-absorbent floor mat inside the door, or a towel for drying on a hook nearby, might also be a good idea.
  9. Wipe down windows and screens. An indoor/outdoor tip: homeowners generally clean our interior windows throughout the year, and summer is a good time to do that as well as to wash the exterior windows. You may also want to remove and wipe down or replace dirty screens, for the most sparkling effects.
  10. BONUS indoor/outdoor energy-saving tip: Consider an outdoor clothesline. Take advantage of the warm weather and put up an outdoor clothesline, so you’re not using your dryer as much.

Sources: insurancehub.com; budgetdumpster.com

Baseboards image from Arana’s portfolio. T

Summer 2023 ~ MORE MAINTENANCE TIPS:
Preparing Your Home: The Ultimate Summer Maintenance Checklist — from Porch.com

By Maria Jose Meneses

Click here to read the full article

The warm and dry days of summer provide an excellent opportunity to do necessary maintenance around the home and property. With so much to be done in just a few months, the “to-do” list can get pretty long. But don’t worry! In this article, you’ll learn how to make the most of the summer months to maintain your home and property, including some preventative measures you can take to stop unnecessary costs and accidents before they start.

Summer maintenance for the exterior

design by LMB Interiors; build by McCutcheon Construction; landscaping by Arca Design Group; wood stain by Arana

When it comes to summer maintenance, the outside of the home is an excellent place to start. Being out in the open has a way of making maintenance projects seem more manageable and less stressful. Perhaps it’s the Vitamin D you get from being out in the sun or the fresh air — either way, spending time outside is its own reward.

  • Inspect and clean the gutters and downspouts
  • Check and repair the roof for damage
  • Clean and maintain the outdoor HVAC unit
  • Inspect and repair damage in the driveway and walkways
  • Indoor summer maintenance

After you’ve taken care of the outdoor maintenance for your home, it’s time to give a thought or two to indoor maintenance. You may think that this refers to what is often called “spring cleaning,” but that is not necessarily so. While there is an element of cleaning involved, the indoor maintenance of your home is mostly about prevention:

  • Service and clean the A/C
  • Inspect and maintain window and door seals
  • Clean and inspect ceiling fans and light fixtures
  • Summer maintenance for landscaping and outdoor spaces

Working in the yard and garden is a source of peace and joy for many people. Fortunately for those people, much of what is involved in maintaining the landscaping and outdoor spaces revolves around looking after the greenery:

  • Trim trees and shrubs away from the house
  • Fertilize and water the lawn
  • Inspect and repair damage to the deck or patio — and if you have patio decking or fencing that needs refinishing, painting, staining, or waterproofing, contact Arana!
  • Clean and maintain outdoor furniture and accessories
  • Inspect your property for pest issues and treat/address invasion points or nests

Safety checks

  • Test and replace smoke detector batteries
  • Check and test outdoor lighting
  • Ensure adequate outdoor lighting
  • Inspect and replace worn or damaged electrical cords
  • Review and update security systems
  • Ensure proper ventilation in the attic and basement
Wood staining Oakland

Top 10 Home Exterior Maintenance Tips for Summer

by with No Comment Blog

#missionprotecthome

As the weather gets warmer more consistently and we prepare for something that might look like summer (depending on which microclimate you are in), now is a good time to review your annual maintenance tasks. We at Arana have compiled this list of suggestions for you of things you might do now to get your home ready for the season and all that it brings.

Give your deck a once-over. This is a pre-summer home maintenance must. Check your deck to see if there are any rotting planks and have them replaced. Hammer any loose nails and check to see if your deck material needs to be resealed by pouring a little water on it. If the water beads into little puddles, you’re good. If it sinks into the wood, you should get your deck resealed. We recommend that you avoid the use of semi-solid and/or solid water-based stains.

Protect against unwanted pests. Caulk gaps around your window and door frames and seal areas where bugs can enter. Also, check for and close up larger gaps or holes to keep mice and rats out.

Clean out gutters and downspouts. Typically done at least once a year, you may have to do it twice if you have a lot of trees around your home. Check also to see if any rust, holes, or cracks are developing. Repaint or repair to prevent the escape of rainwater in areas that could lead to water intrusion.

Have your driveway and walkway pressure-washed. This will beautify an often neglected area and also reveal trouble spots that need repair. Hire someone (like us) who will be sure to wash evenly, or keep an eye on this if you are doing the work. An uneven wash can leave unattractive lines.

Reseal concrete and consider a concrete stain. Periodically resealing your concrete helps to protect and maintain an even appearance. You may also want to consider adding in a concrete stain color to enhance curb appeal. If you have painted the concrete in the past and it constantly peels, you may want to consider replacing the concrete and never painting again!

Get your roof inspected. It’s important to make sure your roof is in good shape. Summer is the slow season for roofers and so it is a good time for you to get maintenance done without a wait. Water leaks can wreak havoc, leading to water damage on the interior walls that will require repair and repainting. (As you can imagine, we see this a lot.)

Clean your home’s exterior. From stains to moss to bacteria, dingy roofs, siding, and decks not only look unattractive but can also contribute to an array of other household problems and even shorten the lifespan of your home. Pressure washing may be necessary if there are serious stains, stubborn mold, and mildew, etc. Using a lower pressure setting could provide a good rinse while also saving water; a skilled professional will know how to choose the best level for your needs.

Cut trees, vines, and shrubbery away from your home. It’s tempting to cover your house in a beautiful bougainvillea vine, but climbing vines can damage your paint and give rodents a ladder to find higher entry points. Some vines will also have thorns, and the larger they get, the more difficult they are to remove.

Seal brick. Over time brick can start to deteriorate. A good clear sealant can maintain the integrity of the material, plus filling any holes that might become home to pests.

Consider painting or touching up your home. Is it time for a whole-house restoration? Summer is the high season for exterior painting jobs, so contact us ASAP to get on our schedule. Or, if things are generally looking good, you may still want to do exterior paint touch-ups — this is a quick outdoor home maintenance tip that will give a visual boost and can extend the life of your paint job. If you don’t have the cans around or cannot recall or were never told the exact color of your home, take a chip to your local store, and a paint professional there can help do a computer-generated match — or just call us!

Sources: insurancehub.com + budgetdumpster.com

HH_Handyman Shot-Kimo-01

Honey Homes Simplifies the Handyman Relationship

by with No Comment Blog

As anyone lucky enough to find the right person knows, a really talented and trustworthy handyman can be hard to find! The idea for Honey Homes came to company founder Vishwas Prabhakara soon after he and his wife purchased their home in Lafayette in 2020. Inspired by the challenge of finding a reliable handyman and the satisfaction of sharing the perfect one with neighbors, he founded honeyhomes.com, now a booming subscription-based handyman service and home upkeep app for discerning homeowners throughout the Bay Area.

Daniel Scott, Bay Area Community Manager for Honey Homes, explains: “Honey Homes is a subscription-based model that is reinventing how services are performed in a sustainable way that meets the needs of homeowners on a regular basis.

“If you think about it, most of the time, we notice something needs attention around the house, but we let it slide. That crack in the wall, a draft coming through a closed window, small leaks when it rains. We will put these things off because it’s too hard to find the right person, or we’ll let them add up until it’s one bigger project. Often, this can mean that more damage has accumulated in the meantime — compared to if we’d addressed the problem when it arose.

“That’s one way a subscription-based system really helps homeowners. Knowing that you have the option to schedule two 100-minute visits per month and knowing that you have a good handyman on deck at any time to handle the work means that you are more likely to take care of issues in a timely manner, and stay on top of regular maintenance.”

The list of tasks that Honey Homes handymen can address is long, wide-ranging, and comprehensive. From maintenance and upkeep to minor repairs, to furniture assembly, decor installation, and more.

“Our staff are fully-vetted, friendly, and reliable,” notes Daniel. “Homeowners can request service via the handy app, providing details about the job requested and uploading photos. As soon as the request is placed, we will schedule a walk-through with your handyman to assess the work and provide an estimate.

“If our team can’t do the job for you, we’ll find someone who will,” he adds. “Honey Homes team members are available to supervise these preferred vendors, if desired.”

At this time of year, Scott says, a common list of tasks Honey Homes members request help with may include: air filter replacement and vent cleaning, fire safety checks, batteries and systems testing, and window seal testing and repair.

“Sometimes in the shift from winter to summer our handymen help people unpack and repack the garage; in preparation for backyard entertaining we can perform yard work, check the swings in the play structure, hang string lights,” he explains.

Other popular task-requests include installing security cameras, hanging artwork, wall-mounting flat-screen TVs, and re-hanging doors that don’t close properly; as well as many small electrical, plumbing, and carpentry repairs. Subscribers also enjoy free cardboard box breakdown and e-waste pick-up.

Subscribers each get their own dedicated handyman to build that ongoing relationship with; someone trustworthy who becomes familiar with their home. Scott notes, “Each one of our handymen has passed a background check and is skills-tested and vetted for their communication capacities. We want our subscribers to have that peace of mind. We help people make their house a home!”

Honey Homes’ service is billed monthly ($200), or can be paid annually ($2000 — a $400 savings). Honey Homes currently serves over 550 Bay Area families with more homes joining each week, as well as recently launching their second operation in the Dallas metropolitan area.

Dear clients and friends of Arana, if you are interested in learning more, contact Honey Homes to schedule a free walk-through visit — no commitment or credit card number required. If you decide to subscribe, use referral code Arana2023 for $100 off of your first month.

To learn more: Follow Honey Homes online at honeyhomes.com and on instagram at @honeyhomeshq

1 garage sorted 1

Organizing Tips for Your Home

by with No Comment Blog

These days, even the famous Marie Kondo admits that staying on top of clutter is a difficult job and sometimes it’s okay to live with a little chaos. However, if you are wanting to clear your space because you have an interior paint job coming up or are preparing to move into a smaller space, the principles that professional organizers use and the tips they provide can be a helpful resource. To this end, we are featuring advice from Janet Flint of Space & Time Organized (spaceandtimeorganized.com).

Making a Dent in Home Downsizing
By Janet Flint

Thinking about home downsizing, or considering a move or a remodel? Let this be your jump-start guide! The process can be exciting, rewarding, and a lot less stressful when you have a vision and a good plan of action.

Organize Your Mindset, First
What are the top changes you want to have happen in your life as a result of letting go of stuff? 1. Write ‘em down! 2. Work with a floor plan and imagine — or draw — how you want to rearrange the furniture. 3. Make a vision board: Find photos of cool interiors, hobbies, family, sports, use images or words that express your goals. 4. Revisit these pages often for inspiration.

Decide what kind of experience you want to have while downsizing. Most of us want to have a less stressful experience, right? Starting the process early on in your timeline for making a move and committing to work on it regularly will reduce stress and possibly allow you to enjoy home downsizing more. “Early and often” can also help reduce costs. If instead you choose “late and all at one time,” the temptation to unload your stuff in a hurry at the last hour may lead you to make decisions that you regret, or cause increased moving costs because you didn’t pare down and/or necessitate renting storage for these things. Or you may incur financial losses from offloading items in a hurry for free that, if you’d had more time, could have been sold.

Start an organizing binder. Make tabs to track motivation, design, to-do lists, donations, gifts, sales, receipts, contacts, and contracts. Downsizing is an investment. You will put in time, as well as emotional, mental, and physical energy. There are financial payoffs: The cost of storing items that you could be letting go of, is one. And, if you are selling while living in the home, a decluttered home is one of the top five ways to get a better market price (Consumer Reports, 2015).

Give yourself a pat on the back. Give yourself kudos for every effort you make, every time you make progress. Despite how it looks in the magazines, organizing is more about progress than perfection. Celebrate your wins!

Tips for Calming the Chaos of Decluttering
Supplies and tagging: Use jumbo clear bags for donations and recycling, black bags for trash. If you will be packing some areas as you go, have boxes, tape, and packing paper on hand. I recommend a simple tagging system: Use three colors for: keep / let go / undecided. Unsure if you want to let go of something? Tag it, add it to a list or take a photo of it and keep going. Sit down and consider these items when you have time to relax and think about what fits your goals, in the big picture.

Categories: Making decisions by category (not by room) is more thorough, allows you to make better decisions, and spaces stay tidier as you go. Begin with easily replaceable items – clothing, kitchenware, books, or toys. These are items that would be easiest to replace if you had to, and exercising your sorting and purging muscles here will make the process easier as you get around to the more personal items. Try following The KonMari Sequence: clothes, books, papers, miscellany (everything else), and then mementos. It works!

Sorting: Pull items from ALL of one category together. Spread them out on a table or on the floor. Don’t agonize over what to get rid of; focus on what to keep and where it will go. Let go of multiples. Avoid mental mazes like “I might need it someday, I can fix that, or my grandchildren might want it someday.”

Paperwork. If you are organizing for a move, create a package of essential documents you might need to have handy while the rest of your stuff is in transit. Set up a system for preserving important documents and determine what needs to be stored vs. what can be archived electronically. For more detail on paperwork systems, visit: spaceandtimeorganized.com/paper

Memorabilia. Be crystal clear whether something is in the utility or memorabilia category. If it’s sentimental and décor, call it/use it/store it with décor. If it’s both sentimental and a useful tool, store it with tools. Then, decide how much room you have for just-memorabilia and how and where it will be stored. One way to make saying goodbye to mementos easier is to take photos and print a hard-bound memory book that you can enjoy and share.

Hazardous Waste. Paint, batteries, chemicals, and some cleaning products require special disposal. California Law and the Department of Toxic Substances Control govern who can and how to handle these items. Refer to this website for more information: dtsc.ca.gov/managing-hazardous-waste

Getting Value Out of Vintage Stuff
Want to know what your stuff is worth? Start with searching eBay sold data. For antiques, art, jewelry, and collectibles, you might want to consult with a local auction house. Estate liquidators are very knowledgeable. I recommend talking to two or more before you accept an offer. But remember, everyone who handles your home-downsizing items is working for a percentage of its market value, and someone will have to cover the cost of moving and marketing them.

Online tools like OfferUp andLetGo are great for some items, while Chairish and theRealReal focus on very current designer brands. Remoov is a Bay Area company that will haul it all and market your sellable items via their online store, TheLocalFlea. Estate sales can also be an effective way to sell a houseful of stuff if all of your personal items are cleared out first.

What if it’s not selling? Don’t be surprised if you get no offers for large furniture. Bulky, heavy items are even being refused by donation stations in some areas. If you can use donated-values as a tax deduction, that may be the simplest and fastest way to get value out of items that don’t get bought.

What do you want to leave for your kids? Your grown children probably have a house full of furnishings and more, or they are minimalists and really don’t want the task of sorting through old paper and other collections. Use your organizing binder to make a list of the things you think they will want, and find some time to go over it together.

Get Help
Lean on local professionals. Your Realtor, Stager, Organizer and Move Manager, Estate Liquidator, or Moving Company, offer services that can make home downsizing more expedient, profitable, and satisfying.

As professional organizers my team and I can help you with planning, sorting and home downsizing decisions, to determine the best path for items you are no longer using. We help get memorabilia archived so that you can enjoy it, and heirlooms shipped to their new homes.A professional organizer can pack, unpack, hang pictures, make thoughtful use of storage areas, and re-create the functionality of the rooms you had before, so that you can maximize enjoyment of your new smaller space if you are downsizing, or further enjoy the home you currently have and/or move back into after a remodel.

Janet Flint is a Professional Organizer serving the San Francisco Bay Area.

QM-White-Article-32-600x414

Designer’s Favorites: Quinn Morgan on White Interiors

by with No Comment Blog

We recently interviewed a number of prominent Bay Area interior designers on their favorite shades of white for painting interiors. In this post, Quinn Morgan weighs in. (To return to the introduction and access links to other designers’ interviews, click here.)

Quinn Morgan (www.quinnmorgandesign.com): Benjamin Moore’s Capitol White, Simply White, and Heron White

How would you describe your design aesthetic? Layers of complementary textures to engage the senses; items carefully curated, blending new and heritage pieces; colors chosen for warmth and impact. My firm creates environments that are meant to be not just inhabited, but experienced; homes that are nurturing and inspirational.

What advice would you give to homeowners about choosing whites? It would be impossible to say one white works everywhere! Light, reflections, indoor-to-outdoor relationship, all of these influence color rendering in every space, differently. The goal is to select the perfect white for each space.

Consider your entire paint palette and choose the main color, trim, and ceiling color all at once. Keep in mind your furnishings, art, and the feeling you want the room to have. Every white has a subtle color within it and that tone will become more pronounced based on the colors it is paired with.

For our clients, we paint large swatches on a large board, 18″ x 24″ or larger, that they can move around the room and see if they love it on each wall throughout the day.

Do you have a project/story that demonstrates an unexpected or particularly spectacular use of white?
https://www.quinnmorgandesign.com/los-altos-project For this project, the architect specified white for the walls, and as the interior designer, I worked with him to decide which shade of white.

The home is so big and airy and Modern. White welcomes the light as it moves through the space. White is such a complementary backdrop to the furnishings and objects; it really showcases the pieces in front of it. I love to use white as a supporting player, so to speak.

It’s funny to be discussing whites now, because lately, what I am becoming known for is my obsession with color — particularly the psychology of color and then the impact it has. We think of color as just being on the walls, but in reality, it also starts to inhabit the space.

For example, when I first moved into my house, the wall colors were really dark. I do really like dark rooms! But I began noticing that the color was so unflattering to everybody! I was sitting there, having company over, and nobody looked good! It didn’t work with anyone’s skin tone, and it made my eyes tired. The wall color had a physical impact on my energy level in the room.

When I changed the color, the effect was immediately palpable. I believe the color should complement the homeowner. It’s important that your backdrop actually supports you! So if I were to choose a bedroom color, if I am going for something soothing , I look to a client’s eye color, or their hemoglobin color — the red in their skin; to choose accent colors. The colors throughout the room relate to them, like with fashion.

My living room has undergone a few transformations. The first color I applied after that realization was a very subtle blue, and I just I redid it again — because I didn’t want a color anymore. I wanted the room to feel more grounding, so I chose a warm taupe-gray.

Color lives in the atmosphere around us. If your home is on a lakefront, light reflecting off water will impact how color looks in the room. If you have an indoor-outdoor connection — woods, water reflecting the sky — all these reflections are working at the same time, affecting all four walls in the room differently. Whether I’m selecting a color or a shade of white, I’m usually looking for the one that will work best on the predominant walls.

White-Article-4-2

Designers’ Favorites: Dawn Carlson on White Interiors

by with No Comment Blog

We recently interviewed a number of prominent Bay Area interior designers on their favorite shades of white for painting interiors. In this post, Dawn Carlson weighs in.

Carol Perry and Dawn Carlson of MAS Design

Dawn Carlson, MAS Design (https://masinteriordesign.com/): Sherwin Williams’ Incredible White

How would you describe your design aesthetic? We believe designs should be layered and unpredictable, that they should be curated so that each design speaks to who our clients are.

It’s about helping clients find what they love, what sanctuary means to them, and then elevating that so that it sings.

We love wabi-sabi, organic texture, and sculptural forms — all of which transcends most styles.

We like to say that the current that runs through our work is chic, fresh, and eminently livable.

What advice would you give to homeowners about choosing whites? We do have a favorite: Sherwin Williams’ Incredible White (the perfect name!) — it has a whisper of gray in it. Sherwin Williams is not a “designer” paint brand and so, price-wise it is accessible; and best of all, this white tends to work in almost every light!

I’ve never had a project that it did not look great in. Whites can appear too yellow, beige, pink…

This white always has a crisp, clean appearance and depth. You can do a whole house in it, and the look of it will vary from room to room, according to the light in each space, with just enough variation that it creates subtle interest, but also provides cohesion.

It’s definitely a go-to. We always tell our clients to look for a white with minimal hue, but not so stark that it ends up looking flat. When you narrow in on a selection, paint very large (3’ x 3’) samples in different rooms, next to your trims—in shadowy corners as well as sunny spots. Look at all of them at different times of day. The light will change a lot. This is a pretty sure-fire way to ensure that you’re going to love it, no matter what.

Do you have a project/story that demonstrates an unexpected or particularly spectacular use of white? One of our favorite projects was in Sonoma County, a getaway for one of our clients who live primarily in Japan and San Francisco: https://masinteriordesign.com/project/sonoma-county/ The clients had an uber-modern perspective, but wanted to mix it up a little due to the spectacular natural surroundings this vacation home enjoys. So we decided on Organic Modern for our design direction. We used Incredible White in all of the rooms in this home to juxtapose against the artisan/organic/imperfect elements and neutral hues that we brought in to give meaning and comfort to the clean, modern space.

The depth of the white gave in to the subtlety and textures that would complement the natural surroundings, and also showcased the organic elements by juxtaposing against them.

(Note: Click this link to view the Sonoma project discussed above. Enclosed images are from a different home in MAS Designs’ portfolio.)

Beautiful white interior

Choosing White Paint Colors for Your Interiors: Bay Area Designers Share Their Favorites!

by with No Comment Blog

A Paler Shade of White: Meditations on Choosing White for Your Walls

I have a lot of conversations with homeowners and interior designers about color. Working primarily in the Bay Area, I’ve noticed that few homeowners choose white, especially for exteriors.

Bathroom; interior design by Quinn Morgan

I have my own ideas about this. Like, maybe it’s just too gray and foggy here for white. People want color to brighten things up!

When I travel to sunnier, southern locales (relative to our latitude), I see more candy-colors than muted tones, and far more white exteriors, perhaps inspired by the contrast against bold, blue skies. (Think coastal Greece, a hillside frosted with white houses, as an extreme example.)

But lately, white seems to be making a comeback. My company has seen an uptick in designers spec-ing more whites. White works well as a background, a neutral classic that highlights the art and furniture when used in interiors.

As a painting contractor, I love color, and yet I have to say, choosing white — whereas this used to be a “boring” default color — now we find it often elevates a space. Did the fact that Benjamin Moore named its “Simply White” as “Color of the Year” in 2016 have an influence on the growing trend?

Eichler living room in white, designed by LMB Interiors

At the time, the company noted in a press release for the announcement: “The color white is transcendent, powerful and polarizing – it is either taken for granted or obsessed over,” said Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore Creative Director.

She continued, “White is not just a design trend, it is a design essential. The popularity of white, the necessity of white, the mystique of white is quantifiable in our industry. Of the top ten best-selling Benjamin Moore colors, variants of white occupy five spots. It was inevitable that we would ultimately recognize white as our Color of the Year.”

An art collector’s home, designed by Mead Quin

Frankly, white exteriors are still quite rare. But interiors…? Yes!

For this topic, we talked to a number of our favorite local designers about their favorite white paint colors for interiors, and projects they loved that featured this color (that isn’t really a color, but is).

Beautiful house boat in Alameda we had the pleasure of painting

Meet Our Professional Color Designer: Cass Morris

by with No Comment Blog

When embarking on a new, fresh paint job for their home, whether inside or out, our beloved clients are almost always faced with a tough decision: What color?

For exterior painting, this is even more challenging because, in addition to this being the one time they may paint their home in 10-to-15 years, they have to consider how the colors they choose will mesh with the landscape and the neighbors’ homes — and they have to wade through the 3000+ color options that Benjamin Moore and other paint manufacturers have to offer!

How does one avoid overwhelm? How can one possibly choose the right color scheme that will speak to them — and create that feeling of joy — every time they arrive home?

This is definitely high stakes!

At Arana, we decided early on that the best way we can help our clients face and conquer this challenge is to offer a complimentary color consultation with all full-scale exterior (and full-scale interior) paint contracts — with one of our most trusted and talented professional color consultants: Cass Morris.

Cass (cassmorris.com) has not only once been a painting contractor herself, she is also a fine artist, and she has been in the color consulting industry for decades. What I love most about her (and this may be self-evident — that a color consultant would do this — but you would be surprised how often this is not the case) is that she chooses completely different color schemes for each of our clients. Her color schemes not only reflect the unique character of each unique home, but also reflect the uniquenesses of each of our clients.

One of the biggest challenges I see in my industry, day-in and day-out, is how to help people choose something other than white, beige, gray, or an otherwise neutral, safe color. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a well-chosen white (or even black!) but, at the same time, I LOVE color. So I appreciate how when our clients work with Cass, they get the direction they need to take what might feel like a risk — but really isn’t — because of her expert guidance.

One aspect of what makes her color schemes so successful is how Cass creates interior room palettes and whole house exterior paint schemes that are harmonious, not just in themselves, but also in relation to the rest of the house, inside and out, and to the neighboring houses on either side and the surrounding landscape.

All of us at Arana (and Cass) cannot emphasize enough what the power of a good paint job, and the right colors as well as color placement, have to impact a building, highlighting its strengths, and sometimes, more importantly, masking its flaws.

Cass says, “The right colors impact the energy of your environment, with the potential to make your surroundings more interesting and alive. We can choose colors that will accent the best architectural features while also drawing the eye away from lesser ones. This can shape and personalize your home or business by emphasizing a style (from traditional to ultra-modern) or creating a mood — anything from neutral and serene to saturated and exciting.”

She adds, “Color has always been important in my work whether it was in drawing, painting, textile design, in photographing in 35 countries, or as a former painting contractor myself.” While her advice and critique can be very direct and sometimes a bit abrupt, Cass’ consulting style is distinctly collaborative, rather than simply prescriptive. She emphasizes, “My goal as a consultant is to help my clients visualize the possibilities.”

There’s another aspect of Cass’ work that we’ve observed in our collaborations with her, to the point where it almost seems like magic. Cass chooses colors that match the people who live in or work in the environments. I have literally stood outside a client’s house, after her work and our work is done, looked at the newly-painted facade, and thought, those colors ARE that client.

(In this article: Before and after photos of a floating home in Alameda — a recent Arana project, with Cass as color consultant.)

Beautiful house boat in Alameda we had the pleasure of painting

“Color trends come and go,” Cass notes. “I’ve seen the fashion trend from earth tones to cool clean colors to the ever-popular neutrals and whites and back again; and from many-bright-colors to tone-on-tone to monochromatic palettes. I urge my clients to choose what suits them individually, rather than going by the latest trend.”

As our clients and friends know, one aspect of Arana’s mission is, by making homes beautiful and prolonging their useful lives, we feel we are helping our clients make the most of their assets (and in doing so, contributing to the overall well-being of communities). Cass agrees, “​​A good color palette is the most affordable way to update your environment and adds instant value to your property.”

Cass Morris (cassmorris.com) has worked with architects, contractors, homeowners, realtors, and business owners for over 25 years to select the color palettes that best suit their needs. She earned her A.A.S. from the College of Art & Design at R.I.T. and her B.F.A. from the State University of New York, College at Buffalo.

succulents-espalier

In the Garden: Maintenance Is in the Details

by with No Comment Blog

By Suzanne Arca, ASLA, ALPD, CLCA

Founder and Principal, Arca Design Group

There’s more to landscape maintenance than just clearing weeds and pruning. Though it may quickly tidy up the place, not every landscape responds well to quick “mow and blow” treatments. Keep in mind that each plant species reacts differently to pruning, root disturbances, fertilizers, and watering methods.

Instead we encourage taking the effort to prune only to enhance each plant’s natural form, such as removing uneven or dead leaves from the base of a Flax or cutting stems and branches to mimic a plant’s natural growth pattern, or to better frame neighboring plants, boulders, or sculpture. Also knowing which time of the season and how to prune appropriately for each species are important factors not to overlook.

Appropriate care of your watering system involves maintaining an irrigation plan that best suits your garden and pocketbook. It’s important to know or hire a crew that is familiar with different kinds of irrigation controllers and systems that are appropriate to the moisture requirements of your garden.

If your sunny California native plantings are on the same timer as your Camellias and Rhododendron’s, root rot or other problems could develop, along with issues of wasted water. Keeping an eye out for water pooling from improper drainage, breaks in irrigation lines or a cracked nozzle are also important routine tasks. Having an idea of how your system functions is key to long term plant success.

The health of a garden is also largely dependent on the upkeep of the soil. There is an entire ecosystem beneath our feet which contains beneficial mycorrhizae and other creepy crawlies that help to supply nutrients and break down old plant matter. Adding amendments such as compost created from yard waste replenishes nutrients back into the soil and feeds your plants.

An appropriate amount of mulch which covers the soil in a depth of 1 to 2 inches helps to reduce evaporation and provides habitat for those beneficial critters and plant roots. Yearly replacement of mulch which has decomposed or blown away is also recommended. Keep in mind that the darker the color of the mulch the more sunlight will be absorbed, and that residual heat will reach your plants – which is more of a factor in hotter climates.

Chemicals and pesticides, while effective in some extreme situations, can be substituted for more natural options such as neem oil or iron phosphate baits, which fertilize plants and are harmless to people and animals. Our motto, as a green certified business, is to use fertilizers and use pest control products which are approved by the Bay Area Green Business and Bay Friendly Garden Program.

Suzanne Arca teaches horticulture and design studios at Merritt College and UC Berkeley Extension. She is an award winning landscape designer and contractor at Arca Design Group, Inc., winner of Oakland Magazine, Best of Oakland 2018. Visit www.arcadesigngroup.com or call (510)558-0636.