The Artful Edible Garden

By Suzanne Arca, ASLA, ALPD, CLCA Founder and Principal, Arca Design Group Many of us caught the edible garden craze a few years back, but some of us may have found that a farm-to-table garden isn’t always the most aesthetically appealing scene. This doesn’t have to be the case. Using [...]

2022-11-01T09:41:00-04:00November 1, 2022|

Bay Area Schools Train Next Gen Tradespeople

In February our daughter Sofia was accepted into the Academy for Business and Finance at our local San Leandro district high school. The Academy is a three-year program that provides academic and technical training to prepare students for the workforce as well as for higher education. These types of programs [...]

2022-10-03T14:05:00-04:00October 3, 2022|

Cabinet Refinishing Process: Quick and Easy Kitchen Refresh

Cabinet painting is the easiest way to create a major change in your kitchen without demolition, dust, and downtime. You don’t have to break through walls or change out cabinets in order to experience a complete refresh and transformation of your space. It’s also an economical and eco-friendly choice, preserving [...]

2022-07-12T10:15:00-04:00July 12, 2022|

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 [...]

2022-06-26T14:39:00-04:00June 26, 2022|

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 [...]

2022-06-13T14:11:00-04:00June 13, 2022|

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 [...]

2022-01-31T17:28:00-05:00January 31, 2022|

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 [...]

2022-01-31T17:26:00-05:00January 31, 2022|

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 [...]

2022-01-31T17:10:00-05:00January 31, 2022|