Oakland, California – Arana Craftsman Painters has announced that the new service and said that it would cover various interior elements from stair risers, balustrades to windows and doors. In addition, stains and varnishes will also be added to exterior elements like doors, decks, windows and shingles. Staining according to the company and in the opinion of many experts helps to reveal the beauty of natural elements like wood.
Arana Craftsman Painters specializes in restoring mainly wood elements that help rejuvenate the home to its former glory. Whether it is wood, exterior decorative wood, or interior craftsman trip, the company has professionals who strip the material back to the grain to try to save what’s possible.
Unknown to many people, wood restoration is labor-intensive and yet skillful work that involves the use of many materials to prevent and stop the rot. Also, fillers are used to repair damaged sections. Usually, stains and varnishes can end up being a lot more expensive, more as compared to the traditional preparation. However, it can help people save thousands of dollars needed for replacing sections. Also, many people are choosing restoration because it is environmentally sustainable.
Many homes across the Bay Area have been built using high-quality wood from the original forest that once existed in the area. Restoring that wood infuses the home with new beauty and life.
“Wood has many colorful undertones, but similar to stone, that color isn’t always something that people get to see until it is wet. Wood, regardless of age, will look dull and often dry until it is professionally varnished to bring out those subtle unique designs and colors to life. Staining and varnishing help to hydrate the wood, highlighting the natural color of that type of wood; that’s why it is one of the most popular processes,” says Catherine Baldi, Principal of Arana Craftsman Painters.
About Arana Craftsman Painters
Arana provides a wide range of commercial and residential services, which include Stains and Varnishes. As Craftsman Painters, the company’s professionals will strip a surface down to the bare essentials to build them back to a more beautiful state. The company also provides clients with a 5-year written guarantee protecting their investment from cracking, bubbling and peeling of paint or varnish. Serving Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Berkeley, Orinda, Lafayette, and San Francisco.
Welcome to the world of paint and how it can be used to transform your home or just one room in the house! Painting is not just about color; it’s a journey of creativity, where each brushstroke can alter perceptions and redefine spaces. Whether you’re yearning for a room that embraces you warmly or a space that breathes airy vastness, our guide is your canvas to reimagine your home. Let’s dive into the transformative power of paint, where possibilities are endless and every can opens a new dimension.
Create the Illusion of Space Ever looked around your cozy corner and wished for a touch of grandeur? The secret lies in the simplicity of color. If you have a special corner that can be isolated, use a pop of color to highlight it. Put in a window seat and add a splash of color with pillows. To make a space feel larger a soft white or a delicate pastel can do wonders, especially walls, trim, and ceiling are painted in the same color. The continuity of color blurs boundaries, making the room seem boundless and especially when you have nice large windows you can invite them in. Complement this airy ambiance with light-toned rugs, transforming your snug nook into a serene expanse.
Elevate Your Ceiling Yearning for a room that stretches endlessly towards the skies? A clever play of contrasts can give your space the lift it desires. Pair a pristine white for the ceiling with a deep, embracing hue for the walls. This contrast draws the eye upward, creating a sense of elevation. The darker tones encourage the walls to visually recede, lending a lofty air to even the most compact of rooms.
Cozy Up with Color Large, echoing spaces can feel impersonal, but paint can sculpt a snug retreat. Create an intimate ambiance by painting your ceiling and a shorter wall in crisp white, enveloping the remaining space in darker tones. This technique pulls the room closer, crafting a cocoon of comfort and warmth. It’s like a visual hug, turning expansive areas into cozy sanctuaries.
Spotlight with Shades Highlighting a wall is an artful reversal of the focal wall concept. Choose a lighter color for one wall and paint the remaining walls a in richer, darker shade. This solitary light wall becomes a canvas, accentuating art pieces or furniture, and directing attention precisely where you desire. It’s a masterful way to spotlight the stars of your space, ensuring they capture the gaze and admiration they deserve.
Diminish to Intensify Large, bright spaces offer a canvas for creativity but sometimes, a more intimate atmosphere is desired. Painting walls and ceilings in deep, uniform colors creates a cozy, cave-like effect ideal for bedrooms or libraries. This method filters out excess light and focuses energy within the room, crafting a secluded oasis perfect for relaxation and contemplation.
Elongate with Ease By painting one wall and the ceiling in a dark hue and keeping the others light, you create a visual pathway that draws the eye along the room’s length. This technique expands the space, making it appear longer and more inviting.
Broaden Your Horizons Widen by splitting it horizontally. Paint the lower half and the ceiling in light shades and the upper half in a darker tone. This layering effect visually stretches the room, making it appear wider and more open.
Lowering the Sky Tall rooms can feel unbalanced, but darkening the ceiling brings a sense of harmony. This technique lowers the perceived ceiling height, making the room feel cozier and more proportioned. It’s a subtle trick that adds a professional touch to your space, enhancing its overall ambiance.
Condense with Contrast Long rooms can seem endless, but painting one of the short walls in a dark color visually shortens the space. This creates a more balanced room, focusing attention and making the space feel more inviting.
Incorporating these painting strategies into your home can dramatically alter the perception of your space. Paint is more than a medium; it’s a transformative tool that molds your environment to reflect your unique style and preferences. Whether seeking solace in a cozy nook or the freedom of an expansive retreat, the right colors can unlock the potential of your space, making it truly your own.
Oakland Painters Arana Craftsman Painters 819 San Leandro Blvd San Leandro, CA 94577 510-567-9559
Many people attempt to paint their own homes. In fact, most people in Oakland, like the rest of the US, paint their own homes. While it is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process, not knowing what you are doing can mean that you see underwhelming results at best.
While hiring a professional is always a good idea, you can improve the outcome by following these pro tips. Remember that tips can’t help compensate for good painting techniques or experience, but they can help you yield better results.
Prepare Your Oakland House For Painting
Preparation for house painting begins with evaluating your home’s exterior condition and planning what materials you will need. Remove all loose paint, sand any rough spots, it is not necessary to strip the surface of all previous coatings. Apply a coat of primer and fill any open holes in the wood or cracks in the stucco.
For interior painting, prepare each room by removing any soft furnishings. This includes window treatments and rugs. You can roll these up or cover them with plastic to protect from paint damage.
You will also want to cover and protect all upholstered furniture, drapes, and carpets. This will give you adequate room to work and minimize the risk of damage. It is also a good idea to cover furniture that can’t be moved. Clean dropcloths and painters plastic work well.
Clean Dirty Surfaces Before Painting
Dirty surfaces in the Kitchen for example may prevent the paint from forming a bond. Oil, dirt, and stains will make it hard for paint to bond with the wall, and after a few weeks, you’ll notice the paint peeling. So, use a de-glosser like TSP to clean up the grimy areas or a heavy-duty cleaner. You will also want to remove hand marks around the switches and doorknobs.
Use a cleaner in a circular motion, with a lint-free cloth or an abrasive pad. Best to start top down so that you can control the moisture. Make sure to mask and cover before you start. Once the surface is clean, you can spot prime and fill up all the holes and nicks, sand the surface smooth, and paint. Make sure always to wear quality rubber gloves and goggles.
Generous Use of Painter’s Tape
The right type of painter’s tape is essential for successfully completing your painting project. Using the wrong kind of tape could cause damage to your floor or furniture surfaces, leave squiggly lines (professionals do not use tape to create a straight line), and glue residue on the walls.
You can also find special-purpose tape for certain coatings, such as stucco. Green or blue color tape works best for straight lines and walls, while red is better for textured surfaces.
The tape you decide to use on the outside of your home should have a solid water-based adhesive and be UV-resistant. Do not leave tape on a surface for very long. It will start to flake and be difficult to remove.
Choosing The Right Sheen
For interior you have a choice of five basic sheen levels for your paint job: flat, matte, eggshell, satin or semigloss. Flat, Matte and eggshell are for walls. Semigloss is for wood trim.
All sheens have their benefits. Eggshell has a low shine and is more durable than a flat finish. Flat and matte also hides minor flaws in walls and ceilings. Flat can be touched up. Matte, Eggshell, Satin and Semigloss cannot be. A satin finish is perhaps the best choice for a busy family home with lots of hands because it is easiest to clean and it is not as shiny as Semigloss.
Flat paint looks great in areas with a lot less use. Matte is a bit easier to clean but is as not recommended for a high traffic area or a busy home with lots of children and pets.
Preventing Color Variation
One of the tell sale signs of a DIY paint job is how the color varies from one wall to another. Though many people who undertake painting their Oakland home may not realize this at first, it soon becomes apparent after the paint has dried. Fortunately, there is a way to address this issue.
If you have an open can when painting halfway through the wall, the difference can be noticed. You can eliminate this by mixing or “boxing” all the paint you have together. Avoid running out of once can of paint and buying a whole new can. Try to buy from the same store. Estimate how much paint you’ll need for the room or a wall, and then mix it in a 5-gallon bucket.
Here are a few more things to keep in mind:
If you can’t accurately or near accurately estimate coverage, it’s better to add more than less paint if this is your first time painting interior walls. You can then pour whatever you have left back into the can.
If your room is large, use a large bucket and have a roller screen ready instead of a roller tray. It’s faster to load with a screen than using a pan.
Dunk the roller into your paint bucket and roll it on your screen until you see it has stopped dripping.
Wait For The Paint To Dry Before Cutting It Loose
The most common problem we see with DIY Oakland house painting is imperfect lines because DIYers use tape and do not “cut lines” like professionals do. Fortunately, this is easily remedied by not just pulling the paint from the wall near the trim. If you do that, you can cause the paint to peel paint off the trim. So, start by using a razor blade and making a light cut where the wall meets the trim before pulling the tape off.
You will want to wait for at least 24 hours so that the paint is completely dry. Start from an area that nobody will notice and then lightly cut it clean. You then pull off the tape at a 45-degree angle.
Start By Painting the Trim First, Then the Ceilings, and Finally The Walls
As pros, we follow an order, and this is something we learn when starting out. You will see similar results if you follow this order too. The first thing to do is paint the trim, ceiling, and walls. This approach is easier and faster because taping off the trims is faster than all the walls.
Then when you are painting the trims, you don’t have to be careful or neat. All you need is to focus on ensuring a smooth finish on the wall. If you get some paint on the walls, don’t worry, because that will be covered with a fresh coat of paint.
Once the paint is dry on the trim (usually 24 hours), you can tape it off and start painting the ceilings and the walls.
Painting is as much about the process a painter uses as the painter themselves! At Arana Craftsman Painters, we leave little to chance because we follow a tried-and-true set of steps. These crucial steps are our “secret sauce” so to speak and it has allowed us to consistently build a reputation of reliability, exceptional quality and professionalism over the last 20 years.
These are our “4P’s” of a successful project and the key to why people love working with Arana Craftsman Painters!
The steps to exceptional interior and exterior house painting include:
Planning
Pre-Job Walkthrough: Our Production Manager and Estimator will meet with you prior to the scheduled project start date to confirm the start date, scope, sequencing, and colors. Essentially, all expectations are reconfirmed to assure a smooth handoff between our Estimator and our Production Department. Proper communication is the key to exceptional quality and to you having a great painting experience. At this point, when we arrive at your project, our Crew Leader and Crew have a solid plan as to what processes will take place first, and in what areas.
Color Consultation: Arana Craftsman Painters works with top San Francisco Bay Area Color Consultants and on projects needing a consultation, the Consultation is included in our bid. Having colors chosen ahead of time will make your life so much easier. We’ll even put up swatches so you can see the colors in real life and make a final decision.
Staging: We set up a neat and organized area for our equipment, tools, and products, a home base, where we can safely and efficiently manage your project. yelp nextdoor houzz logo group PNG Staffing: In addition to a dedicated Production Manager, every project has a dedicated Crew Leader who works closely with you, our Production Manager, and our office, to assure timely resolution to any challenges that arise, as well as quality control, and sequencing, assuring you have an amazing painting experience!
Protection
Pond Isle Before and During HDR-162530-1 Arana invests heavily in all the correct tools and materials and use quality plastic, drop cloths, paper, and tape to protect the surfaces of your home and environment that are not scheduled to be painted.
Preparation
Paint will not adhere properly without expert preparation of surfaces. Proper preparation is the cornerstone of exceptional quality.
EPA Lead-Safe Firm We sand, scrape, and prime as appropriate to ensure proper adhesion. We contain particulate and dust exposure per Environmental Protection Agency safety standards and Arana Craftsman Painters is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Contractor. For the safety of everyone involved, painting contractors MUST be EPA Lead-Safe Certified!
After primer is applied, we patch, caulk and fill for aesthetic and in some cases sealing purposes or to prevent water incursion.
Painting!
Five Year Warranty After protecting your home and environment (family, pets, surrounding surfaces, furnishings, valuables, all areas not scheduled for paint); scraping and sanding to remove old layers of paint to help ensure the integrity of your new paint at a standard that meets our 5 Year Warranty; thorough cleaning of the surfaces scheduled for work to remove any contaminants; priming, caulking, and patching; then, we paint!
This article is Part 1 of our 3-Part series on hiring a painting contractor, highlighting what makes Arana stand out among our competitors.
It is because of this detailed and thorough standard of care that Arana continues to be an award-winning top choice of discerning homeowners, interior designers, and general contractors. Contact us to learn more about our process and have an estimator visit your home!
Have a Painting Project You’d Like Us to Look at for You — or Questions!?
There’s a level of trust placed in any home service provider as they work in and around your home. Building this trust starts from the moment you contact Arana Craftsman Painters to come to your home or business and provide you with an Estimate.
This article helps you understand what to expect at an Arana Craftsman Painters Estimating Consultation. This is Part 3 in our series sharing the Arana Craftsman Painters’ philosophy which we fondly call The Craftsman Way.
At Arana Craftsman Painters, we leave little to chance because we follow a tried-and-true set of steps. The philosophy behind the crucial process steps we take on every project is our “secret sauce” so to speak and it has allowed us to consistently build a reputation of reliability, exceptional quality and professionalism over the last 20 years.
The steps to exceptional painting include:
A thorough and professional Estimating Consultation, more on that below!
The “3C’s” of Consistency, Clean Up, and Communication
Protecting your home and environment (family, pets, surrounding surfaces, furnishings, valuables, all areas not scheduled for paint)
Scraping/sanding to remove old layers of paint that will negatively impact the integrity of your new paint at a standard that meets our 5 Year Warranty
Thorough cleaning of the surfaces scheduled for work to remove any contaminants
Priming, Caulking and Patching
Exceptional Painting
What to Expect at Your Appointment
Overview Please allow about an hour to an hour and a half for our appointment. Before our Estimator starts, they’ll give a brief overview as to what will happen while we are on the property and address any concerns you may have regarding our process, scheduling needs, budget, and special considerations.
Project Audit An audit will be conducted to determine the present condition of your home, and we’ll take measurements and photos. We’ll will note surface conditions and use this information to create a ‘written recommendations’ document for you to review. We’ll can also provide alternatives and suggestions to achieve the outcome you are looking for.
Presentation of Recommendations When you receive our proposal, it will thoroughly explain the scope of work required to achieve your desired outcome. We typically check in within a day of sending, and can answer any additional questions you may have.
Determine Next Steps After reviewing our proposal and signing the contract, we will schedule a job walk with our production manager and put your project into the production calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Have You Been In Business? “Arana Craftsman Painters has been proudly serving the San Francisco Bay area for 20 years because not only do our past customers continue to come back but also refer us to their friends and neighbors.”
How Do You Hire and Evaluate Your Painters? “We are very selective in hiring our painters and administer a criminal background check for every painter. Most of our painters, especially our crew leaders, have been with us for years. We trust them in the homes of our own friends and relatives.”
What Process Do You Use to Prepare Surfaces to Make Sure the Paints Adheres Properly? Arana is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Contractor. Following EPA Lead-Safe Certified procedures we completely remove all failed loose and flaking material from surfaces and substrates to a standard that will meet our 5 Year Warranty.
EPA Lead-Safe Firm
Often, this is done by manually scraping followed by pressure washing. It’s standard for surfaces to be abraded, thoroughly sanded, profiled, and primed to guarantee adhesion. That’s why we take our time where it counts – especially in the preparation.
For the safety of everyone involved, are all the painting contractors you have bidding on your project EPA Lead-Safe Certified?
“YES! For more information on our process see: The 3C’s of a Superior House Painting Process – San Francisco”
What Type of Guarantee do You Offer? “We offer a 5 year warranty on all projects, the strongest guarantee in the Bay Area! So, if you notice an issue – small or large – please call our office. We strive to create “customers for life” and do annual warranty check ins. The bottom line is that you can call us any time after your project has been completed!”
What Type of Paint Do You Recommend? “We use only the premium lines with Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore because we have a strong relationship with both brands and they produce superior products. This means if there is ever a manufacturing defect, we know that these companies will stand behind our work – and your project. However, we do make exceptions when there are superior products in specific situations or if our customers have a strong product preference.”
Are you Licensed, Bonded & Insured? “Absolutely! We make certain we protect our customers by carrying the appropriate insurance coverage for general liability and workers compensation. Additionally, we are licensed by all local authorities and continually seek out industry recognized certifications and designations to add to our customer’s peace of mind.”
Prep and Color Consult Can You Provide References? “Yes! References right in your neighborhood are included with all proposals! Feel free to ask for more!”
When Will I Receive My Proposal? “We will send it no later than 5 business days after our meeting.”
When Do You Take Payment?” We only take payment per a payment schedule upon work completed. The schedule is detailed in our Proposal/ Contract. We ask for a deposit of 10% or no greater than $1000 to hold your spot on our calendar.”
Have a Painting Project You’d Like Us to Look at For You or Questions!?
These are our “3C’s” of a successful project process and the key to why people love working with Arana Craftsman Painters!
At Arana Craftsman Painters, we leave little to chance because we follow a tried-and-true set of steps.
This is Part 2 in our series (Part 1 can be found here) and Part 3 is here) sharing the Arana Craftsman Painters’ philosophy which we fondly call The Craftsman Way. The philosophy behind the crucial process steps we take on every project is our “secret sauce” so to speak and it has allowed us to consistently build a reputation of reliability, exceptional quality and professionalism over the last 17 years.
The steps to exceptional painting include:
The “3C’s”, more on that below!!
Protecting your home and environment (family, pets, surrounding surfaces, furnishings, valuables, all areas not scheduled for paint)
Scraping/sanding to remove old layers of paint that will negatively impact the integrity of your new paint at a standard that meets our 5 Year Warranty
Five Year Warranty
Thorough cleaning of the surfaces scheduled for work to remove any contaminants
Priming, Caulking and Patching
Exceptional Painting
Consistency
Protection We invest heavily in all the correct tools and materials and use quality plastic, drop cloths, paper, and tape to protect the surfaces of your home and environment that are not scheduled to be painted.
Preparation Paint will not adhere properly without expert preparation. Proper preparation is the cornerstone of exceptional quality.
We sand, scrape, and prime as appropriate to ensure proper adhesion. We contain particulate and dust exposure per Environmental Protection Agency safety standards and Arana Craftsman Painters is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Contractor. EPA Lead-Safe Firm
For the safety of everyone involved, are all the painting contractors you have bidding on your project EPA
Lead-Safe Certified?
After primer is applied, we patch, caulk and fill for aesthetic and in some cases sealing purposes or to prevent water incursion.
Painting the Finish We employ highly skilled craftsmen, use quality materials and utilize a consistent and proven method. We apply paint to uniformly and completely coat your surfaces with the appropriate amount of material and paint thickness. The results are stunning and durable.
Communication
Pre Job Walkthrough: Our Production Manager and Estimator will meet with you prior to the scheduled project start date to confirm start date, scope, sequencing, and colors. Essentially all expectations are reconfirmed to assure smooth handoff between our Estimator and our Production Department. Proper communication is the key to exceptional quality and you having a great painting experience. At this point when we arrive at your project, our Crew Leader and Crew have a solid plan as to what processes will take place first and in what areas.
Cass Morris 66th St cropped
Color Consultation: Arana Craftsman Painters works with top San Francisco Bay Area Color Consultants. The option of a color consult is included in our bid. Having colors chosen ahead of time makes your life so much easier. We’ll put up swatches (a.k.a. “Brush outs”) so you can see the colors in real life and make an informed decision.
Scheduling & Logistics: Our dedicated Service Manager will connect with you to handle scheduling and job logistics; the Crew Leader assigned to your project can answer your questions about daily activity; Our Production Manager stops in and assists the Crew Leader in planning; Our Estimator is standing by should any questions about the work order arise and Office Coordinator will send invoices at the completion of each phase of the project. Throughout the duration of your project, we listen and address any concerns promptly and thoroughly
Daily Onsite Management: In addition to a dedicated Production Manager, every project has a dedicated Crew Leader who works closely with you, our Production Manager and our office to assure timely resolution to any challenges that arise, scope changes, quality control, sequencing and assuring you have an amazing painting experience!
Have a Painting Project You’d Like Us to Look at For You or Questions!?
Interior painting and artwork have an intimate relationship. The way that light reflects, the color tones shifting against the other’s presence. It is no small thing to choose the right location, lighting, and wall color for art, or to choose the right wall color when those factors have been set.
Which is why we adore and appreciate Danielle Fox and her team of art consultants at SLATE Contemporary in Oakland. An art consultancy and gallery, SLATE represents primarily California artists, many of them from the Bay Area, with a focus on modern contemporary art.
“Our gallery and consultancy is known for contemporary, abstract art. We are always looking for a strong sense of formal qualities, which is about what the materials are and what they will do; artists that are working with composition and color; lines, planes and depth,” explains Danielle.
With over 40 emerging and mid-career artists in their stable, producing abstract, landscape, cityscape, figurative art, impressionism, expressionism, street art, op art, minimalism, and installation art, SLATE has a prodigious rotating collection. About 75% of the artists SLATE represents are based in California, with one-third of that group from the East Bay.
SLATE is a physical gallery in the vibrant Uptown neighborhood of Oakland and participates regularly in promotional events including First Fridays, Saturday Stroll, and Art Murmur. SLATE is also a consultancy, helping homeowners and business owners make decisions about purchasing the right art for their spaces.
“We are really looking for art that people want to live with in their homes,” Danielle explains. “Our emphasis is on art that fulfills the senses in some way, feeding the spirit with beauty and bringing the mind to a place of clarity. Political and conceptual art, by contrast, are important, but are not what most people want to wake up to in the morning or come home to at the end of the day.”
Additionally, SLATE works with Interior Designers and Architects to help them select pieces for their clients and projects. (One of Arana’s favorite Interior Designers is also a visual artist represented by SLATE, Anastasia Faiella.)
Danielle’s parents were artists and, “for the longest time I thought I would do anything-but!” She laughs.
She ended up “falling in love” with Art History in college, obtaining her Ph.D., and then working at Sotheby’s in London for four years. Instead of becoming a subject expert, she found herself drawn to a business development and strategy track. “I learned that I enjoy managing projects and working with people. So now, I get to do these things and do them in relation to the art world, while supporting a local community of artists and collectors.”
Danielle opened SLATE in March 2009, in Temescal. In 2013, she partnered with Shelley Barry which enabled SLATE to expand into commercial art consultancy for businesses, offices, building lobbies and the like; and they moved the gallery to its current location, where, this year, they celebrated the businesses’ 10th anniversary. SLATE Art Consulting serves clients all over the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Peninsula, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Berkeley, Oakland, Orinda, and Lafayette. SLATE also has a presence in North Lake Tahoe with rotating exhibitions at the Ritz-Carlton hotel and a local representative to work with clients in Truckee, Martis Camp, Northstar, Mountainside, Incline Village, and surrounding areas.
Longtime readers of our print newsletter may have noticed that not all of our articles are about paint or painting (fun topic for us, but maybe too repetitive for you) and that most of our articles are written by me or Julie Feinstein Adams — plus the occasional featured guest, or reprints from the blogosphere.
This month, we give you a behind the scenes peek at our newsletter creation process, putting the spotlight on our writer and editor and her contributions — who she is and how she is not only one of the loveliest people you will ever meet but also how she makes the “magic” of words happen for us, every issue.
Julie Feinstein Adams’s first professional writing job was as a freelance writer for the Daily Californian in 1989, and she performed her first autobiographical solo show in 1992 — both of which marked the start of a wide-ranging career encompassing journalism, theater arts, public relations, and marketing content and consulting. Julie Feinstein Adams has spent decades telling stories — others’ and her own.
Business Growth Network, a BNI Chapter where we met Julie
Her current projects include working on her memoir — in the forms of both a one-woman show and a book — about her marriage to a person who transitioned genders. (View an early version/short performance, here: jfacommunications.com/wtf-solo-showdown.)
She also volunteers with OurPath.org, hosting an online support group meeting for Partners of Trans People.
Julie and I first met in a local business networking group in 2008 and we immediately bonded. Since I have always been a wannabe writer, of course, I was drawn to her! She is a storyteller with a passion for the way that stories connect people; I am all about building community connections; it was a match!
For me, this newsletter is my form of craftsmanship. Why do Arana’s painters get to have all the fun, engaging their craft? With Julie, I get to take to my little soapbox/sandbox and do the otherwise ordinary task of writing a newsletter, my way. Arana is a painting business, yes, but we also love sharing about different aspects of the Bay Area and the things that are meaningful to us — and hopefully, this benefits you as well.
BY MARKETA
How It All Works:
In our monthly brainstorming meetings, Julie and I bounce ideas off of each other and take notes, which then become drafts. Sometimes we compile resources on a topic and that becomes a how-to article, other times we interview a community member or highlight an industry partner. These interviews become profiles, or we edit the material into guest posts, thus giving voice to, or ghostwriting for, those colleagues and friends.
As I’ve said many times in this space, and as inscribed in Arana’s mission, I deeply value community, especially community health and beautification. So, by spotlighting my colleagues and friends, as well as the cool things we find out about, and the recipes we love, this is me being of service, aligning my work with my heart-of-hearts wish for all of us — that we all thrive, prosper, and enjoy life!
The Thing About Julie:
Julie is not only a writer and performer, but she is also a coach, specializing in both business coaching and dating coaching. (Yes, dating coaching is a thing; that’s what I love about living here; there is help for everything!)
Julie explains: “As I was working with my clients — whether producing marketing content or content for dating profiles — I recognized that I was helping people clarify and articulate who they are and what they have to offer, and how their stories, the things they care about, connect them to others. So, in 2011, I became a coach.
“Whether I am working as a coach or as a writer, I am seeing beauty, or you could call it ‘essence,’ and putting a frame around that. I’m listening for that underlying thread, perceiving what is wanting to emerge, and helping my clients to recognize it in themselves and be empowered by it.”
Julie’s writing is a kind of coaching for me. It does something. It gives my thoughts form and content and helps to grease the wheels of expression. When Julie and I do this newsletter together every month, the idea generation doesn’t even take that long; it’s effortless. She’s like my own personal Blarney Stone! I get on a call with her and the ideas just start rolling in. Everyone needs a Julie!
From soup to nuts, newsletter production is a cottage industry: our in-house process includes Kristina Islas (eyecatcherdm.com) who handles the graphic design aspect; Courtney Montecino, our Assistant to the Customer Account Manager (and whom many of you talk to when you schedule your site visits), who is our proofreader, plus my daughter Sofia who does the folding and stuffs the envelopes for our print edition!
Julie offers life, business, relationship, and writing coaching, as well as group workshops on memoir writing and business blogging. If you are an aspiring writer — this is for you! Learn more at: jfacommunications.com
The field of home building and remodeling has a clear path from design to construction, then on to “the finishes,” and lastly, the furnishings. After the initial design plans are complete, architects can and often do play a role throughout the construction of the project.
But, when do interior designers get involved? And can architects and interior designers ever coexist on a project?
We sat down with interior designer Vaughan Woodson of Woodson & Woodson Interiors and architect Rebecca Amato of Amato Architecture and asked them to share with us how they work — together, and separately — to help homeowners make optimal design choices for their homes.
“Often the overlap occurs in the finishes,” Amato explains. “When a client asks me if I can provide design services, I say yes, but up to a point. I will specify anything that stays attached or needs to be attached to the house, i.e.: cabinetry, tile, flooring, paint colors, lighting, plumbing fixtures. Where I draw the line is a whole other area of expertise: soft furnishings, window treatments, and accessories.”
(Featured image of project at top of article: design by Amato Architecture, build by McCutcheon Construction.)
Design by Woodson & Woodson Interiors
Woodson agrees, “When I work with an architect on a project, I appreciate being able to collaborate — with the client’s use of the space as the number-one end goal. Fortunately I’ve been doing this work for a long time and I have zero ego about it, and I think that makes me nice to collaborate with — or so I’ve been told! I have no interest in making a mark on my clients’ home other than my client saying, ‘Vaughan taught me so much about what my style is; I never would have chosen this; she pushed the envelope!’”
Design by Woodson & Woodson Interiors
Both professionals describe a clear dividing line as being about structure. Here, instead of overlapping, their skill sets complement one-another, and mutually affect the results.
Design by Amato Architecture
As an architect, structure is Amato’s passion. As she describes her thought process: “How do I move walls and create a floor plan that is functional and flows? That showcases the focal point of each room, such as art placement, or a big beautiful fireplace? If I get to do that and then the client says, ‘Okay, now I want to bring in an interior designer,’ that’s great. I love, love, love partnering with interior designers! Working with a designer, I can communicate my vision, how I’m thinking about views, where I am creating seating areas and moments, and then pass the baton.”
Both agree that it is best to bring in an interior designer early in the planning phase. As Woodson describes, if she wants to specify a particularly spectacular sofa, she may share the measurements with the architect, who might look at shifting the location of a door to optimize wall placement for it.
Or the two might have a conversation about window treatments — Will they be minimal? Will allowance be needed to create a pocket for roller shades? — If the client wants curtain panels to soften the room, space between the window casing and the crown molding will be included in the plans.
Design by Woodson & Woodson Interiors
At the most basic level, Amato’s expertise as an architect is required when drawings are needed, especially when desired changes to the home trigger a call for permits. Woodson notes that while she, and most interior designers, have their own subcontractors they work with for cosmetic changes, “as soon as the client says, we are looking to renovate our kitchen, add a sliding door, that’s when I would bring in Rebecca.”
Amato describes the flip side, when she refers potential clients to Woodson: “Sometimes, someone calls and says they are remodeling, but they are not moving any walls — that’s probably not a good fit for me. I tell them, ‘You’d be better off working with a designer.’”
Architect Rebecca Amato
There are design firms that have an in-house interior architecture department and per Amato, some building department staff will allow a person who doesn’t have a license to prepare drawings — although in that case it is helpful if the drawings are combined with a report from a structural engineer.
Another way to look at how design and architecture interact is around furniture. Do you, as a homeowner, know what pieces you want to replace or hold onto?
For her clients, Woodson likes to determine at the outset which pieces are worth keeping. “I’m a preservationist at heart,” she says. “I prefer to try to use what we have — if it works with the design direction we are going in. Sometimes really great design comes from using the clients’ own pieces, because that way, we are putting their story in.”
Interior Designer Vaughan Woodson
When you come at interior space design from this angle, Woodson explains, “maybe the dining room gets bigger, and in the laundry you don’t end up with a counter — because those decisions accommodate the story and the richness.”
Amato agrees, “I think about the furniture in the room. I will ask them, ‘Are you planning on purchasing a new dining room table, or using one you’ve inherited from your grandmother? And I will take those dimensions into account.”
“We want to know, what’s the pain point of your home now? And does this table not seat enough people, and you always wish that you could seat 8 because you have a family of 4 and you would like to have another family of 4 over and you can never do it? What are we solving — and spending all this money on with design services? Good design comes from that,” Woodson adds.
“Yes, that’s critical,” agrees Amato.
When a designer and architect collaborate, Amato says, “we are sharing as much information about the client as we can, from what’s important to them, to what their styles for decision making are. What are their hopes, and what may be some of their limitations. Maybe they’re doing work in phases because of a budget or they’ve got kids going off to school or they’re pregnant…. On a deeper level, it’s not just about the facts of life, but really, what their emotional experience is going to be.”
Ultimately, “we are following the client’s lead,” says Woodson, “and trying to make the most stylish product from that.”
Welcome to our list of trusted colleagues in the home services, contracting services, and building and remodeling industry! Our team has personally vetted these providers in our two decades of serving with or beside them for our shared clients. We hope that this guide is a resource for you, our dear clients, as you steward your greatest asset, your home.
(Above image, credits: Hand-painted floor by Charles Leonard Finishes. Ceiling and door frames by Arana. Room design by Dina Bandman Interiors for SF Decorator Showcase 2023. Photo by John Merkl.)
General Contractors
Alward Construction 510-527-6498
Buestad Construction 510-523-1925
FMSProjects Inc. 415-722-9805
Jetton Construction 510-845-3506
McCutcheon Construction 510-558-8030
Wolfe Inc. 510-289-1344
Design/Build Contractors
HDR Remodeling 510-845-6100
New Key Construction 925-369-5559
Interior Designers
AND Interior Design Studio 510-255-7806
Dina Bandman Interiors 650-867-8644
Nystrom Design 415-347-7109
Heather Cleveland Design Studio 510-3031183
JD Designs 925-326-6601
LMB Interiors 510-531-8438
Mead Quin 510-858-7338
Architects
Amato Architecture 510-420-0210
Jack Backus Architects 510-393-9699
Norman Sanchez Architecture 510-522-1100
Kitchen & Bath Design/Build
Design Set Match 510-285-0870
Stonewood Kitchen and Bath 925-933-2245
Color Consultants
Cass Morris Color & Design Consulting 510-524-1726
