Community Spotlight: Chabot Day Camp
For the past 10 years, Ernesto and I have been sending our kids to summer camp in one form or another via the Parks and Rec Department of the City of San Leandro. Of all the camps we’ve tried for them over the years, Chabot Day Camp has been one [...]
Arana Restores an Iconic Floating Home in Alameda
Featuring a very personalized color palette… Most people know about the “Painted Ladies,” the famed San Francisco Victorians, and some may also know about the populous and sprawling houseboat and floating homes community in Sausalito, but few have heard of the tiny, eclectic Barnhill Marina in Alameda. Tucked away in [...]
Kitchen Cabinets Refreshed — Examples from our Portfolio
What a Difference Paint Makes! A question we get a lot at Arana is, “What can I do to refresh my kitchen, without going into a full-scale remodel?” Of course, our answer is, "New paint colors!" Also hanging new wallpaper (a service we provide) can add layers of interest to [...]
Save Some Green with a Kitchen Cabinet Repaint
After several years of living in that beautiful home of yours, the natural processes of wear and tear have taken a toll on some of the fixtures inside your home. Chief among these is the cabinets in your kitchen, they’re literally an eyesore, what with the discolorations and the general [...]
Unique Holiday Gifts
The holidays are a great time to celebrate those around us. But let’s just say we here at Arana would not blink an eye if you took these suggestions and applied them, liberally, to amassing your own gift pile. Succulents as art, group craft, and decor Living succulent arrangements from [...]
Staying Sane: Navigating the Holidays
Elena Skroznikova is a certified nutrition counselor, science-based health coach, and addiction survivor. Looking ahead to Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all of the holidays in December, we are sharing with you some of Elena’s holiday-preparation tips — as these may be useful for anyone seeking to not overindulge in a season [...]
Holiday De-Lights
At this time of year, no matter what culture or lineage, celebrations usually involve some version of making the darkness lighter (at least in this hemisphere). In my family, decorating for Christmas has been one of my favorite traditions! So, for our December newsletter, my team and I sought out [...]
At the Core, I’m an Idealist
This month we celebrate 14! A fourteen-year-old daughter and a 14-year-old business. The day we came home from the hospital with our new baby, we had a brand-new contractor’s license waiting for us. I didn’t mean to become a contractor. My father and my uncles were and are, builders. I [...]
Saladmaster Changes Life
Lisa Zapata and her son Zack want you to be healthy and happy. To that end, they offer free product demonstration parties at which they prepare and then feed to the attendees a five-course vegan meal — using a set of cookware known as Saladmaster. The health benefits from the [...]
Shamanic Space Clearing
By Laura Martin Bovard and Kelley Kessler In life, we choose what we make sacred. How we live, the way we arrange our things, the beauty we invite in, all of this impacts us. As an Interior Designer, I (Laura) see my role as creating spaces that support people in [...]
