Haven - The Tribune

bistro & marketplace
Local. Lovely. Lively.
Come visit the elegant yet relaxed Adelina’s Bistro
& Market Place, where you’ll enjoy regional cuisine
made fresh daily using the best local, organic
produce. Given our location, you can also expect
a hand-picked selection of superb Central Coast
wines. The sophisticated and fun atmosphere
encourages new friendships and lively conversation,
and the food will delight all palates.
MORE AMAZING
EXPERIENCES
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HAVEN spring
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HAVEN spring
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CONTENTS
HAVEN
SPRING 2008
22
28
FEATURES
‘
From ‘80s to 2008
22
At home with eco-décor
28
Picture perfect garden
36
A stylish update adds sophistication to a
contemporary SLO home.
BY REBECCA JURETIC
Recycled materials, artful use of color define
this Templeton residence.
BY REBECCA JURETIC
The landscaping at this Arroyo Grande home
grows more colorful and interesting each year.
BY BOB BROWNSON
36
43
DEPARTMENTS
home décor
10
electronics
12
kitchens
14
baths
16
furniture
18
lighting
20
gatherings
43
final touch
46
space-making solutions
get ready for 3DTV
everything’s under control
the newest bath necessity
raising cane
light up your garden
ON
THE
COVER
A hallway mirror in the home of Laurel and
James Miller.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ELLIOTT JOHNSON
dinner deluxe
going ‘green’ with
michael sagouspe
46
spring
2008
HAVEN
5
Distinctive
metal works that set your home apart.
advertiser index
A&R Furniture Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
839 12th Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446
(805) 238-7585
Beckers Draperies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Matthew Taylor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Brooks Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
The Nest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Central Coast Fabricators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Old World Rugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Central Coast Staging and Design . . . . . . . . . . 19
Opolo Winery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Chameleon Fine Furniture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Pacific Beach Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Color Your World Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Pacific Coast Home and Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Davidson’s Furniture & Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Pacific Coast Kitchen and Bath. . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Daylight Home, Patio & Lighting. . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Phillips Floor Covering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Design Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
PWS Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Donna’s Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
San Luis Kitchen Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3765 South Higuera Street, Suite 140
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 544-3226
7432 Exotic Garden Drive, Cambria, CA 93428
(805) 927-2629
1080 Tishlini Lane, Templeton, CA 93465
(805) 434-0835
820 Robin Circle, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
(805) 489-2590
415 East Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
(805) 481-4104
1768 Triology Parkway, Nipomo, CA 93444
(805) 343-0356
520 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 544-9220
1234 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 547-1234
1523 West Branch Street, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
(805) 202-6240
1069 East Grand Avenue, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
(805) 489-8533
Estero Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
1560 Main Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442
(805) 772-2288
Finn Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
455 Poa Place, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
(805) 544-5325
Fortini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3021 So. Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 542-0500
Glow Illuminating Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3440 So. Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 781-9006
GROW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
7432 Exotic Gardens Road, Cambria, CA 93428
(805) 924-1340
Central Coast Fabricators
where function meets art
• Specialty craftsmanship
• Custom designed interior and
exterior iron work
• Competitive rates
• Complete metal fabrication services
• Residential and Commercial
Free estimates.
Call today or visit
www.centralcoastfab.com
Central Coast Fabricators
795 Buckley Rd.
San Luis Obispo, Ca 93401
Phone: 805-541-1172 • Fax: 805-541-1296
Healing Touch Massage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
525 Orchard Suite D, Nipomo, CA 93444
(805) 931-0512
1151 Monterey Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 545-7917
Monsoon Trading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1321 South Bradley Road, Santa Maria, CA 93454
(805) 310-5777
800 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 594-1942
1021 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 546-9198
7110 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles, CA 93446
(805) 238-9593
780 Monterey Street, Suite B, Morro Bay, CA 93443
(805) 772-6874
2034 Santa Barbara Street, San Luis Obispo CA 93401
(805) 543-2191
3974 Short Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 541-2786
3050 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 546-9205
5290 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo CA 93401
(805) 547-8797
122 A Cross Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
3598 Broad Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 541-7117
Simply Clear Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3940 Broad Street Suite 7, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 459-1923
Swimscapes Pools and Spas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
1050 Green Oaks, Los Osos, CA 93402
(805) 528-7910
Trilogy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1645 Trilogy Parkway, Nipomo, CA 93444
(805) 343-7510
Trinity Home Accents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
20 2nd Street, Templeton, CA 93465
(805) 544-4415
We Do Kitchens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3566 South Higuera Street Suite 209
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 489-3158
Wine Country Quilting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
840 11th Street Suite 103, Paso Robles, CA 93446
(805) 239-8976
HAVEN
The Tribune, San Luis Obispo • Volume 4, Issue 1 • Spring 2008
Publisher: Chip Visci
Editor: Rochelle Reed
Art Director: Kristi Marinelly
For information on advertising, call 805.781.7844
To contact Haven, e-mail: [email protected]
HAVEN is a quarterly editorial supplement published by
The Tribune, P.O. Box 112, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. MATERIAL HEREIN MAY NOT BE REPRINTED WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHER.
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HAVEN spring
2008
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HAVEN spring
2008
SMART.
SEXY.
WON’T BUCKLE UNDER PRESSURE.
That certain style. You’ve got it. Now design your world to match.
With our chic new kitchen and bath collection. We’ve added
contemporary cabinetry, countertops and fixtures to our already
popular line of flooring and window coverings. It’s the envy of even
the most serious fashionista.
Kitchen & Bath | Cabinetry | Flooring | Window Coverings
www.phillipsftc.com
San Luis Obispo | Pismo Beach
home décor
(SHNS PHOTO COURTESY HGTV)
BY ADDING MODERN FINISHES and dramatic focal points, this space really makes a splash. Floor-to-ceiling window treatments visually ‘raise the roof,’ for a feeling of spaciousness, while an area rug distinguishes living space from dining space.
space-making solutions
for your home
By Rosemary Sadez Friedmann
S
ometimes a r oom ma y a ppe ar at
first glance to be large, but when
it comes time to actually furnish
a n d liv e in i t, the spac e sudde nl y
becomes small. This is especially true
if the room is designated for multi-use
a s in a l ivi ng/ dini ng ar ea or a g re at
room with eating space that overflows
from the kitchen area.
The goal is to separate the space into different activity areas while maintaining a
feeling of visual unity throughout. One
way to do this is to separate the space visually with furniture while uniting the space
with a continuity of color. Confusing? Let’s
10
HAVEN spring
2008
break this down a bit.
First some “new math.” You must subtract in order to add. Remove all nonessential furniture and accessories to
streamline the room and add more visual as
well as floor space. Keep the furniture light
and airy so as not to look cluttered.
Try using wall and ceiling mounted light
fixtures to leave the floor less encumbered.
Though the furniture should feel light,
don’t confuse or clutter the area with a
leggy look. Too many upholstered pieces
that are open underneath and stand on visible legs will look busy and therefore cluttered. One or two chairs with exposed legs
strengthened by one solid-to-the-floor sofa
or love seat will unify the look. Remember,
the cocktail and end tables might add to
that leggy look if you are not careful. Select
instead a cocktail table with a solid center
base or a cube for an end table.
Another way to add visual space is to
raise the roof, not literally but optically. A
large vertical picture by itself on a wall will
add drama while visually opening the
space. Vertical paneling or vertical patterned wallpaper will have the same effect.
A tall, stately piece of furniture can also do
the trick. Make the windows taller by
extending the window treatments, again
for the same obvious reason.
If the space is both a family room and a
dining area, use two of the dining chairs as
occasional chairs in the family room. This
idea saves not only space, but money as well, since the chairs have
double duty. A buffet can be used to separate the eating/living area
and for that great idea of double duty, have a cabinet maker create
a box for the television that sits on a swivel base on top of the buffet. Now have an open ‘wall’ that can be used for both areas of
activity. The “wall” can be an open etagere.
Maintain the floor covering the same throughout the room such
as all carpet, all tile or all wood. Area rugs might then be used to
designate the space and activity separations.
When purchasing furniture, opt for the rounded look instead of
the squared off pieces as the softer corners lend themselves better to
melding easily from one space to another.
Paint or paper the entire space in one color. Also, carry other colors and patterns into both areas of activity. For example, the pattern used on the dining chairs can also be used as throw pillows in
the family room. If there are windows in both rooms, cover them
with the same fabric and treatment. And remember, less is more.
H O M E
Your Complete
Home Decor Resource Store
415 East Branch St., Arroyo Grande Village • (805) 481-4104
Tuscan art,
Wrought Iron
and
Home Decor
(Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples,
Fla., is author of “Mystery of Color,” available at Barnes & Noble
Booksellers and Amazon.com.)
More space-making tips:
• If you place large pieces of furniture near the walls, they
won't interrupt the open space. Putting the sofa or love
seat against the wall instead of floating somewhere in the
room will afford space in the center for that open feeling.
TRINITY
HOME ACCENTS
Inside California
Cooperage Billiards,
Barstools and More
3001 Broad St • San Luis Obispo 805-544-3565
• Use small-scale furniture, for example, instead of a sofa,
you might consider using a love seat. Instead of a chair and
ottoman, you could use a small recliner.
• Arrange the furniture so you can travel freely through the
space. Walking in and around and back out of the room
should not require any acrobatic movements. This freedom
should be allowed visually also by keeping window treatments to a minimum so your eye can see beyond the
immediate space through the uncluttered opening. If possible, don't put furniture in front of the window. If not possible, see if you can fit the furniture under the window so as
not to interrupt the openness of the fenestration.
The Nest combines the
nostalgia of vintage furniture
and accessories with contemporary
new gifts and home décor.
800 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805-594-1942
• Keep furnishings and accessories down to the necessities.
In other words, don't crowd the room in any way.
Interior Décor Specialist
• Mirrors expand a room by creating the illusion of depth.
• Pick light, cool colors for the walls and upholstery. The light
color seems to open the space and also makes the furniture
light looking (as opposed to heavy). For the same reasons,
use colors and fabrics that blend rather than contrast. Get
your color wheel out and choose colors that are near each
other rather tan opposite each other on the wheel.
• A unified look will help here such as wall-to-wall floor covering and ceiling to floor window treatments.
Affordable Decorating Services
Donna Lacki
Studio: 805-343-0356
Mobile: 805-423-6801
• Color Palettes for Your Home or Business
• Woven Shades, Shutters & Draperies
• Designer Material Selections
• Staging Homes for Sales Market
• Consultation Only Services
• Furniture
• Art & Lighting
www.coloryourworldinteriors.com
spring
2008
HAVEN
11
electronics
IMAGE COURTESY OF MITSUBISHI
get your glasses ready,
here comes 3DTV
J
ust when you’ve cleared out the ginormous entertainment center
and upgraded the boxy TV set to a sleek flat-panel model, the
technology goes and changes on you … sort of.
Three-dimensional technology is being built into some of the latest models from TV magnates Samsung and Mitsubishi. But because
the technology currently is inherent only to not-that-thick-but-notthat-thin DLP TVs, the slim-set owners will be missing the big, coming-right-at-you picture.
DLPs – which use a rear-mounted, mirror-laden chip to project
images – run on a 120Hz engine. And because 3D technology is built
on independent views for both the right and left eye, the 60Hz framerate allotted to each eye creates a picture that is less agonized by flick-
12
HAVEN spring
2008
er than past technologies. While the technology has evolved, there is
still one constant: the glasses. They’re no longer the polarized, mulitcolored specs of the 1950s, but today’s stereoscopic specs still are
needed to add another, ahem, dimension to the viewing experience.
Until it is built into broadcasts, 3D technology is delivered via
software run through a PC, which can convert games and movies
from two-dimensional to 3D. 3D starter packs – which feature software, components and glasses – are available from software manufacturer TriDef.
So when rearranging your living room, remember not to put the
couch too close to the TV. You don’t know what might jump out and
hit you.
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spring
2008
HAVEN
13
kitchens
everything’s under control
Knob, button, click wheel
or touch screen —
Cooking a meal is becoming
as easy as using your iPod
By Paul Rogers
W
ith all the advances in computer
and materials technology, it’s easy
to pack an appliance with hightech bells and whistles and even easier to
make it look futuristic. Between sleek finishes, keypads, display screens, graphics and
noises, some of today’s appliances look more
at home on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise than, well, at home. Appliance controls
can, at times, seem out of control.
The goal for oven, refrigerator, dishwasher and clothes washer/dryer manufacturers is
to provide an appliance control system that
simultaneously improves aesthetics, increases functionality and simplifies each piece of
equipment’s respective purpose – all in an
interface that doesn’t require the user to earn
an advanced degree to operate.
If the latest generation of appliances is any
indication, manufacturers such as GE, LG
and Siemens are doing a
pretty good job. Take for
instance the Siemens
avantGarde iSlide Convection Oven, from German-based BSH Home
Appliances Corp. Rather
than a temperature control knob, the avantGarde
iSlide features a circular
groove that looks remarkably similar to the click
wheel on a certain ubiquitous portable digital
music player. The user scrolls a finger around
the groove to adjust convection setting, temperature and time.
Five years ago, rolling out an oven with a
click wheel would have necessitated educating a generation of homeowners. With more
than 100 million iPods sold, the interface is
as basic to most as a touchtone phone.
But the line between what people will
intuitively pick up and what they will throw
up their hands in frustration trying to learn
can be thin. For that reason, companies like
GE make sure consumers will respond favorably to the controls well before they debut on
an oven or refrigerator.
GE’s new-product-development process
QUICK, PAINLESS AND EVEN A LITTLE FUN:
The latest technology means a more efficient
kitchen with minimal confusion, from the oven
to the refrigerator.
incorporates what the company calls
“human factors,” essentially the consumer’s
interaction with the equipment.
GE runs a standalone
research facility where it
conducts analytical evaluations and consumerbased testing of its control systems, for all age
ranges – from computersavvy 20-somethings to
potentially less technologically receptive post
baby boomers.
Technology
can
become too complicated
if the consumer is asked
to operate the appliance in an inconsistent,
unintuitive manner. One way appliance
manufacturers are looking to help people
gain the most benefits of new technology is
through display screens that walk users
through different activities. Ovens, such as
the GE Profile Double Oven Free-Standing
Range or the Miele DG 2661 steam oven, are
perfect examples.
Depending on the model, the oven display
(often a scrolling screen) might ask the user
to select the item being cooked, its size, the
desired doneness and other parameters from
predetermined menus. It then sets the optimal cook time and temperature.
“If the consumer presses ‘pizza,’ the dis-
If the latest generation
of appliances is any
indication...
manufacturers are
doing a pretty good job.
14
HAVEN spring
2008
play asks whether it is frozen or fresh crust
and the cooking algorithm adjusts to give it
that perfect [doneness],” Cathy Emery, GE
manager, human factors, says when talking
about the GE Profile.
It’s a different mindset than simply setting
a temperature, but certainly one that is easy
to learn (since the consumer is generally
prompted each step of the way) and certainly one that is intuitive.
But controls are not only about ease of
use.
“New advances in control designs and displays provide new levels of convenience and
interactivity, making life easier for the consumer,” says Tim Kavanaugh, director of merchandising in the Electronics Digital Appliances
Division of LG, headquartered in
Seoul, Korea. “At the same time,
design and aesthetics are becoming
increasingly important.” They need
to be visually appealing, as well as
easy to use and intuitive, he says.
Many of today’s homeowners
like the sleek look of knobless
appliances. A major trend today is
“capacitance touch” interfaces.
With capacitance touch, the panel
is completely smooth, there are no
buttons to hit, no knobs to turn,
not even a touch-pad to depress.
“It’s like touching glass,” says
Emery. And in fact, GE refers to
such systems as “glass touch,” and
features them on certain GE Profile models, its Advantium oven
(which cooks with a combination
of halogen light and microwaves)
and other appliances.
“It has such a sleek appearance. And it’s much easier to
clean, which is a big factor that
consumers talk about,” says
Emery. “It appeals from a perceived quality standpoint, and
the appearance looks great.”
Overall, people realize technology has a positive impact on
their daily lives and they like (and
even expect) new levels of interactivity and convenience with appliances, says LG’s Kavanaugh.
“Refrigerators that display
local weather forecasts, ranges
with a light that flashes when the
preheat is ready, and dishwashers
with front digital displays that
tell you about the status of the
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Please call for an appointment!
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San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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THE POPULARITY OF TOUCH PADS
and click wheels continues to grow.
wash cycle. All of these touches
help to simplify consumers’
lives,” he says.
Much control talk these days
centers around cooking, but similar advances carry over into
other appliances.
In the laundry category, LG
incorporates “intelligent electronic controls” that allow users
to “set and go.” Washers and
dryers feature Dial-A-Cycle,
which enables the user to choose
pre-set selections or custom
options to match loads. Large
LCD and LED displays provide
instructions and diagnostics
while also keeping the user
updated on cycle status and time
remaining. Some models even
feature a trilingual language
option (English/French/Spanish).
LG recently introduced an
industry-first Control Center
laundry system with a movable
control panel. The control panel
on the dryer can be placed on top
of the dryer for side-by-side
installations or at the bottom of
the unit for stacked configurations. That means the control is
always at a convenient height
and is versatile enough to change
as the consumer’s needs change
(e.g., moving from an apartment
or townhouse to a house).
Expect more control interface
developments and new control
options going forward, manufacturers say. Specifically, increased
use of display technology.
“We’ll see displays that are just
beautiful – better resolution, animation, color, but not gimmicky,” says Emery. “I also think
that there may be a coupling of
things that look analog or vintage
but are high tech, and electronic
knobs coupled with displays.”
But for you techno-phobes,
don’t worry. You don’t need to
adapt to touch screens and click
wheels if you don’t want to.
“It’s been my experience that
some folks are just knob people.
Control design is all about meeting the needs of consumers, so I
don’t see knobs going away,”
says Emery. “There are all kinds
of control technologies out there.
You have to make sure there is
utility for users.”
805-541-7117
TWO LOCATIONS:
3598 Broad Street
AND
122A Cross Street
San Luis Obispo
Find more intriguing
homes and gardens
of the Central Coast
every week in Home.
FRIDAYS IN THE TRIBUNE.
home
For advertising information, call 805-781-7844
spring
2008
HAVEN
15
bathrooms
toilet-bidets:
the newest
bath necessity
By Jeff Spurrier
M
aybe the problem begins with the name — bidet,
rhyming with ballet, sounds altogether too French, foreign and feminine. Or maybe it’s the shape and low profile, an extraneous bathroom fixture that appears to be a miniature bathtub, seemingly for washing the feet or maybe an infant.
Whatever the reason, Americans have remained suspicious of the
300-year old pony — bider means “to trot” in Old French, a reference to the fact that one straddles the apparatus, but now with the
introduction of high-tech toilet- bidets like Toto’s Washlet and Brondell’s Swash, there’s no excuse not to come clean. Really clean.
“Everything changes and improves and yet our toilets have not,”
says San Francisco physician Dr. Marcus Laux. “We are at the very
beginning of this revolution. These high-tech toilets are the next step
in hygiene and will have a huge effect on our health and contamination. Everybody shakes hands and those hands have been on their
faces, up their noses and on their butts. We know from studies that
people are not washing their hands (after using the toilet).”
While the bidet is a European invention, it was toilet giant Toto
that developed the retro-fitted toilet seat/bidet combo in 1980, a
transformer with male and female modes that has found its way into
nearly 70% of Japanese homes, countless hotels and even onto JAL
and ANA airplanes. Toto Washlets have been installed in high-end
hotels all across the US, from Four Seasons and W’s to the Peninsula
in Beverly Hills, the New Otani in Little Tokyo, the Madonna Inn in
San Luis Obispo, the Sheraton Waikiki, and on and on. Dancers
backstage at the Lincoln Center have them as do the desk jockeys at
Google’s corporate headquarters in Mountain View. The appeal isn’t
just comfort and cleanliness but also less water use, odor control and
fewer clogged pipes.
From a “green” standpoint, bidet-toilets make complete sense. The
US uses more than 3.2 million tons of toilet paper annually, cutting
down 54 million trees in the process. Each roll of TP produced requires
1.5 pounds of wood, 37 gallons of water, 1.3 kilowatts of energy and
involves using toxic chemicals such as chlorine, sulfur and calcium carbonate. Using a bidet reduces paper use by 50 to 90 percent.
In terms of hygiene, it’s glaringly obvious that water is a better
cleansing medium than paper says “Poop Culture” author Dave
Praeger: “If you got poop on your arm would you take a piece of paper
and smear until you couldn’t see it anymore? By every objective measure it’s better to clean yourself with water than paper but objectivity
doesn’t always fly in this realm—there’s more at work here than logic.”
“Americans are difficult to market to,” says Scott Pinizzotto, the
mechanical engineer who co-founded Brondell with Internet entrepreneur David Samuel. He had been working for Sony in Japan in the
1990s and wondered why this obviously superior system was
unavailable in the US. “The idea of using water to wash with makes
sense from a hygienic and comfort standpoint, but Americans
haven’t grown up with it. We’re a society of toilet paper users. That’s
all we’ve ever known.”
16
HAVEN spring
2008
THIS KOHLER BIDET
is from the Artist
Edition series, and
is used to wash after
using the toilet.
Increasingly popular
high-tech toiletbidets look like regular toilets but have
bidet apparatus,
even heating units.
There is also a fear of cross contamination, he notes, but that’s
more perception than reality. Like Toto, Brondell uses a double wand
twin nozzle system for separate male and female use, and there is a
standard self-cleaning process that filters the water coming in, making it “cleaner than the water you brush your teeth with.” For the disabled, obese or elderly, a bidet-toilet offers a degree of independence
and freedom from relying on care providers.
Unlike a standard toilet, bidet-toilet combos are more expensive.
Brondell, based in San Francisco, has Swash models running from
about $450-800 and Toto’s Washlet series goes from about $470 to
$1,200. The Brondell models fit 98 percent of US toilets, a fact that
helped it win a 2007 American Building Product Award from Home
Magazine. Getting a Toto to match your existing toilet can be more
of a struggle. Both have models with wireless remote controls, heated seats and water temperature and pressure options. If you want the
highest end for your rear end, check out the $5,000-plus tankless
Toto Neorest 600 which comes with infrared sensors that lift the toilet seat for you upon approach and flush automatically when you’re
done. There are cheaper do-it-yourself add-on gadgets from Biffy and
USA Bidet that mimic the toilet-bidet’s function — some for as little
as $80 — but you get what you pay for. No heated seat or water, no
oscillating pressure, no remote control.
Designer Tim Corrigan, one of Architectural Digest’s Top 100
American Architects/Designers and a fan of the fixture, says he always
asks if his clients would like a bidet, usually talking to the wife. “I lived
in Europe for seven years but a lot of Americans don’t really understand what the purpose is. It can be kind of a difficult subject and an
educational process has to go on. But most of our projects are in the
$5-20 million range and you have to have (a bidet-toilet) in a high end
bathroom. It’s like the double sub-zero fridge in the kitchen. When we
put them in both the husband and wife really love them, but it’s not
something they would ever have thought of putting in initially.”
Professional skateboarder Reese Forbes and his wife, Shawn, are
two new converts to the joys of water world. They’ve been redeveloping their 1960s mid-century modern home in Sherman Oaks and
added a Swash to the common bathroom.
“I’ve traveled extensively for the last ten years
and have always wanted one in my house,”
says Reese. “Initially it’s a lot of technology
coming at you that doesn’t make sense when
you’re on the toilet, but when the seat heats
up, then you know you’re in for a ride. Now I
want another one for the master bathroom
because it’s so disappointing in comparison.”
“We’re so behind Europe,” adds Shawn. “I
would use a bidet if we were in a hotel with
one but I never felt I had to go out and get one.
It’s not part of our culture. We’re so conditioned to think a certain way and unless you
get exposed to one through travel you think
it’s just another unnecessary luxury. But once
you have one… it’s craziness. It’s so good. And
what can I say about a warm toilet seat? It’s
the best thing ever.”
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may also be used to clean other parts
of the body. For example, a bidet is
convenient for washing feet.
• Toilet-bidets include both features,
allowing users to stay in one place.
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spring
2008
HAVEN
17
home furnishings
raising cane
Once shelved as a passé design material,
cane is back as a stylish design motif
By Chuck Ross
F
rom attic relic to hot new trend, cane has re-emerged as one of today’s
hottestinteriordesignmotifs.Infurniture,fabricsandevenceramictile,
cane and cane-inspired patterns are sprouting up in showrooms and
furniture stores in all price ranges. Combining up-to-the-minute “green”
credibility with timeless geometric appeal, cane won’t be heading back to the
attic anytime soon.
Asian Origins
Cane is made from the outer skin of the rattan plant, a woody vine
native to many areas of Southeast Asia,
including Indonesia and the Philippines. (It
shouldn’t be confused with wicker, which is
manufactured from rattan’s inner core.) When
harvested responsibly, cane and rattan, made
from the body of the rattan vine, are sustainable and renewable resources.
Natural moisture resistance makes cane
furniture as durable as it is beautiful. The exterior surface features a natural coating that’s
similar to a layer of silicone, says Allen Palecek, owner and founder of Richmond, Calif.based home-furnishings company Palecek.
This means stains rarely penetrate, and clean
up requires little more than a slightly damp
cloth or a vacuum cleaner’s brush attachment.
“Pound for pound, cane is almost stronger
than leather,” he says.
Natural Appeal
Furniture makers have recognized cane’s
value for centuries – cane-seated bentwood
chairs from a hundred years ago are still popular as antique collectibles. Now a new generation of designers is capitalizing on the material’s natural strength
and flexibility to create chairs, tables, headboards and even cabinet
doors that work in any décor, from traditionally classy to contemporary and chic. Shoppers, perhaps drawn initially by cane’s natural
appearance, are being won over by the material’s stylish appeal.
“Homeowners are taking a really good, hard look at renewable
materials – if you can have style and also be green, then why not?”
says Heather Paper, a design-trends follower and author of “Decorating Ideas That Work: Creative Design Solutions For Your Home”
(Taunton Press, 2007). “Natural materials like cane are hugely
important and just becoming more so every day.”
New Approaches
Cane began weaving its way back into our homes a few years ago,
Paper says, when the West Indies look beached itself in the populardesign consciousness. With its airy, open weave, the material offers a
natural compliment to the dark mahogany of such British Colonial
stylings. Though similar pairings still remain popular, newer furniture offerings are pushing beyond these traditional approaches.
18
HAVEN spring
2008
STYLISH AND STURDY: From the living room to the
bedroom, including the hallway wall in between,
consumers are making room for cane and cane-like
patterns in their homes.
“Ten years ago, there were basically only
two patterns that were prominent – open or
closed,” says David Francis, founder and
owner of Vero Beach, Fla.-based David
Francis Furniture. “We’ve tried to transform cane from more high-end traditional
pieces and soften it.”
The look doesn’t get much softer than
that of the side chair highlighting the company’s Portofino collection. As stuffed and tufted as the coziest easy
chair, the piece is covered in finely woven cane in a herringbone pattern. From a distance, the fabric-like covering could almost be a
multi-hued tweed.
Such designs, combining traditional forms with new materials or
adding a bit of extra flair to an otherwise streamlined contemporary
piece, now are termed “transitional” by in-the-know pros. Today’s
newest cane furnishings fit nicely into this category; Palecek is another company whose products are taking a fresh approach to cane and
rattan.
“Instead of using fabric, we’re using cane matting,” says Palecek.
“It’s more interesting to use cane than fabric, and it will go into many
environments because it’s so neutral.”
A Touch of Texture
Cane may be neutral in tone, but its woven patterning adds texture that can provide a visual boost to many design schemes.
“Texture always adds more visible interest in a room,” Paper says.
“If you have a neutral color scheme, texture is an essential element to
keep the visual interest high.”
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■
Cane isn’t just a popular furniture material these days. Its
timeless appeal is showing up
on our floors and walls in a
range of fabrics and home furnishings. Whether faithfully
reproduced or used as an inspiration for abstract geometrics,
cane has moved away from
simplistic Asian associations
to become a relaxing
mood setter.
“Now it’s so associated with a lifestyle, a
c a s u a l - e l e g a n ce
lifestyle,”
says
d e s i g n - t re n d s
w a t c h e r
Heather Paper,
author
of
“Decorating
Ideas
That
Work: Creative
Design Solutions
For Your Home” (Taunton Press,
2007). “I am seeing a lot of the
pattern in rugs and fabrics. And
I’m seeing ceramic tile that
looks just like bamboo and rattan. Not only are we seeing the
pattern, we’re beginning to see
the great imitators.”
Ann Sacks, the Portland,
Ore.-based tile company,
recently introduced a new line
of ceramic wall tile called
“Labyrinth” by interior designer
Michael S. Smith, known for his
ever-so-British stylings. The
cane-patterned tile included in
this collection takes a very literal approach to its subject, with
an octagonal weave that looks
like it was lifted off the seat of
your grandmother’s favorite
bentwood chair.
Echo Design, a New
York City-based maker of
fashions for women and
the home, is seeing
renewed interest in
cane-based design
across its fashion
and furnishings
lines. Its cane
wallpaper
pattern is as
traditional as
S m i t h ’s
ceramic tile,
but other products are sporting more abstract
versions.
“From the pattern standpoint, it’s very geometric” says
Meg Roberts, the company’s
home-products design director,
who sees a strong future for
cane-styled décor. “If you simplify or enlarge it, it becomes a
fun graphic pattern. It’s a bold
and modern, and yet warm and
friendly, graphic – it doesn’t get
stuffy.”
Bedroom Sets
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805 545-7917
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spring
2008
HAVEN
19
lighting
light up your garden
OUTDOOR ILLUMINATION
today is not only appropriate for safety issues, it also
creates ambience. Lighting can draw attention to a
special tree or other feature, lead you safely down
a path or provide security.
In all cases it can allow
gardens to be enjoyed
after dark, not in the dark!
(SHNS PHOTO COURTESY JOE LAMP’L)
By Joe Lamp'l
A
s our work days get longer, the only time
we might have to enjoy our gardens is
after the sun goes down. Combine that
with the desire to spend more precious free time
outdoors and the concept of outdoor lighting is
appealing, especially when you consider how
easy it is to install a system.
Outdoor illumination today is not only
appropriate for safety issues, it also creates
ambience. Lighting can draw attention to a
special tree or feature, lead you safely down a
path or provide security. In all cases, it can
allow our gardens to be enjoyed after dark,
not in the dark. Innovations in technology
allow for even the most project-challenged
homeowners to quickly and easily install a
complete system, with or without professional help.
DESIGNING THE SYSTEM
You may want to incorporate the following considerations when designing
your system:
Ambience and Interest: Most of the time,
our first thoughts when adding an outdoor
lighting system is to create accent lighting or
to add beauty to an evening landscape. There
are a number of ways to create this with the
lighting options available.
Pathway Lighting: The most common
application is pathway lighting. Even the
most basic kits are appropriate for this.
Lights are either illuminated or projected
from about ankle to knee height to light the
20
HAVEN spring
2008
walking path. It certainly has an aesthetic
appeal but its basic function is to provide
safety.
Security Lighting: Considering safety, security lighting is placed strategically to eliminate dark spots. Although this type of lighting can serve to accent special features, its
primary purpose is to provide safety and
security.
Area Lighting: This type of lighting is generally intended to cover a broad area, rather
than spot or accent lighting, which features a
specific object. Again this type of lighting is
primarily used for safety and security.
Spot Lighting: Unlike area lighting, spot
lighting is intended to illuminate a specific
feature such as an art object or special accent
tree. There is no denying that when an object
is spot-lighted, you simply can't help but
notice it.
Mood lighting offers a number of different
techniques to accent specific features in the
landscape or around your home. These features, although helpful to illuminate the general area, are usually not intended for safety
and security as their primary purpose.
Moon Lighting: This technique places
lights high in the trees to wash over a large
area giving the appearance of a full moon -all month long.
Shadow Lighting: This type of lighting is
used to cast a shadow from a tree, sculpture
or other garden feature onto the ground or
wall of a structure to create a shadow effect.
Silhouette Lighting: In this case, lighting is
placed behind an object to highlight and fea-
ture the bones or shape of the structure
through backlighting. Silhouette lighting is
ideal to feature the architectural detail of a
structure.
Down Lighting: I love to see tall trees that
have been installed with down lighting, especially in winter when the trees are void of
leaves. Down lighting always creates a dramatic effect to accentuate an interesting
branch structure.
If used simply against a wall, down lighting can accent the texture while providing
additional safety and security. One of the
nicest effects of this type of lighting, often
referred to as "wall wash lighting," is to soften the wall and or accent the texture of the
surface.
Up Lighting: Another dramatic effect is created when lights are placed at the bottom of a
structure or tree and aimed upward. This type
of lighting always gets noticed and really
commands attention and interest.
Besides the aesthetic benefits, lighting a
dark space is one of the most important deterrents to keeping potential burglars and vandals away, illuminating potentially dangerous areas for visiting family and friends and
overall, making your property safe and secure
for everyone.
(Joe Lamp'l, host of Fresh from the Garden on the DIY Network and GardenSMART on PBS, is a Master Gardener and
author. For more information visit
www.joegardener.com and
www.DIYnetwork.com.)
spring
2008
HAVEN
21
A contemporary
residence gets a
stylish update
from ’80s
to 2008
Written by Rebecca Juretic
Photographed by Lance Kinney
THE HALLVIKS’ San Luis Obispo residence
was inspired by Hawaiian plantation homes
the couple visited in Kauai.
spring
2008
HAVEN
23
T
hirty-five years ago, while sightseeing in Kauai, John and Cindy Hallvik
stumbled across a condominium complex which would change the way
theythoughtaboutarchitecture.
“I was so moved by those structures,” recalled John. “I took pictures,
and I knew I wanted to have that kind of house someday.”
John scribbled down the name of the architect and kept that piece of
paper in his wallet. A decade later, when he and Cindy were finally ready
to build a home for themselves and their two children, he dug it out and
subsequently discovered a happy coincidence. The architect, Bob Easton, had relocated from Hawaii to Santa Barbara and agreed to design
the Hallviks’ home.
The San Luis Obispo home Easton designed was heavily influenced
by Hawaiian plantation architecture, as seen in its shake roof, deep
eaves, open beam ceiling and hipped roofline. The 3,200-square-foot
house also follows the Polynesian principle of blurring the lines between
indoor and outdoor spaces. Oversized windows accomplish this, along
with large, pocket doors that slide open to merge the family room and
dining room with outdoor patios.
The house was completed in 1985, and so the couple decorated with
1980s-style contemporary furnishings in a mauve and white color
scheme, a trendy look at the time. After 20 years, however, the style
24
HAVEN spring
2008
began to feel outdated
So in 2003, the couple contacted San Luis Obispo interior designer
Anne Fortini. Fortini, who had recently relocated from Southern California, was in the process of opening Fortini Home at the time.
When the Hallviks first built their residence, they purchased furnishings primarily for the sake of economy. But now they had a more comfortable lifestyle; they owned several local service stations then, and currently own Old Cambria Marketplace and Shell station.
They approached Fortini with a vague idea of wanting more luxury
and sophistication. “I love the feeling of Four Seasons Hotels,” John
explained. “I brought Anne pictures of things like that.”
Fortini also observed that the couple had been collecting art and
items from their travels, most of which was stashed in storage because it
didn’t mesh with their dated décor.
She started in the living room and naturally turned her attention to
its focal point: the fireplace. It was clad in small mauve tiles at the time
and begged for an update. Fortini transformed it with sleek, charcoalhued ceramic tile. To balance the fireplace with the large expanse of wall
above it, she extended the surround by creating niches on either side for
(continued on page 27)
IN THE LIVING ROOM, above,
an antique scroll purchased
in China hangs above the
newly remodeled fireplace.
Lighting is by Acropolis; fireplace tiles are from Matt
Clark Tile & Stone.
THE COUPLE wanted comfortable yet elegant décor
in their living room, top
right. Furniture is by Fortini
Home in SLO.
DINING FURNITURE, purchased years ago at Davidson’s Furniture, was refinished in an ebony tone and
reupholstered to coordinate
with the new décor, right.
Cork wall covering was
applied by Susan Coffy.
FORTINI FOUND A SPOT for these Balinese wedding dolls on
a console behind the sofa.
(from page 24)
showcasing accessories.
In selecting new furnishings and décor for the living,
dining room and bedrooms, Fortini took care to balance sophistication with comfort. “The style is traditional with some straight lines mixed in, so it’s actually
transitional,” she said. “It’s a classic, timeless look.”
The Hallviks were ready for higher-end furnishings,
and so they splurged on a custom-built, down-filled
sofa and chairs accented with Italian Anichini silk pillows. They purchased a large, square coffee table, and
then gave it a custom crackle finish.
The Polynesian aesthetic came into play with earth
tones and natural materials like woven shades and
bamboo accessories. Fortini even wrapped cork
around a curved wall that connects the dining room
and entryway – it now resembles the trunk of a tree.
The improvements were completed gradually and
deliberately over the course of two years. The result is a
space that is more in tune with who the couple is today.
“Anne incorporated the new pieces with our art and
things from our travels in the best way possible,” said
Cindy.
John agrees. “We have that feeling of elegance and
refinement we wanted,” he said. “I’ve always loved the
architecture of the house and now I love the inside of it
just as much.”
THE MASTER BEDROOM, far left, features pillows the couple
found in Mexico plus others made from rugs purchased in Morocco. The master bath has giraffe carvings from Kenya, and the
bedroom belongs to the Hallviks’ daughter, Carly.
THE KITCHEN, center top and bottom, looks into the family
room with its open beams and hipped roof typical of Hawaiian
plantation houses. The kitchen is original to the house.
spring
2008
HAVEN
27
AFTER THE SAN SIMEON EARTHQUAKE, the Millers hired artist Stephen Kaylor to work cracks in the home’s exterior walls into faux painting that ages and
enhances the house. The front gate was made of recycled materials by John Brigham.
at home with eco-decor
Written by Rebecca Juretic • Photographed by Elliott Johnson
28
HAVEN spring
2008
THE TEMPLETON HOME OF JAMES AND LAUREL MILLER sports an attractive pool and spa. The trellis is covered with a trumpet vine and Lady Banks roses.
T
here was a time when Laurel Miller
spent her days at a workbench, drawing inspiration from a raw piece of
wood or a slab of clay.
Lately, this local artisan is consumed with
runningFirefly Gallery, a Paso Robles art
gallery and home accents store which she coowns with daughter, Emily. Although her
workshop sits vacant most of the time these
days, Miller is no less taken with the singular
quality of handmade things.
In 1999, when she and husband James
designed and built their 3,000-square-foot
Spanish-style home in Templeton, she called
on local artisans to render the finishing
touches. She commissioned local ceramic
artist David Gurney to create a kitchen backsplash depicting the landscape around the
home. Atascadero tile contractor Charles
Hermes devised the right combination of
Saltillo and glazed Mexican tile for their
floors. Ginny Bayley-Hill, a friend and
ceramic artist, created bird motif tiles for the
living room fireplace.
One of the home’s most striking features
is the rustic furniture custom built by local
woodworker John Brigham. The furniture
gets is heft and patina from woods reclaimed
(continued on page 30)
spring
2008
HAVEN
29
(from page 29)
from sources including old homes, barns and demolished warehouses.
Old, weathered metals enhance the feeling of age. Even the paints he
uses are from recycled sources.
Miller began by commissioning a kitchen island to coordinate with
her existing rustic, green cabinets. Using his signature technique,
Brigham applied paint in a way that enhances, rather than masks, the
naturally distressed materials. Miller was instantly sold.
“It fit into my style so well, she said. “I don’t like everything to
match, but I like unique things that work together.”
And so she commissioned Brigham to build numerous pieces since
the home was built including bathroom vanities to function in lieu of
standard built-ins; a primitive, square coffee table for her living room;
a fireplace mantel; bedroom furniture; exterior shutters; and even the
front courtyard gate, which was painted to match the blooms of her
agapanthus.
Miller was comfortable working with artistic types and considers them
kindred spirits. “We wanted the people we worked with to have a great
eye, and they did” she said, “They had ideas that we could never have come
(continued on page 34)
30
HAVEN spring
2008
IN THE LIVING ROOM, above, a soft gold color wash
enhances simple, casual furnishings including a rustic coffee table built by John Brigham. The upholstered chair
was purchased from A&R Furniture, and fireplace tiles
were made by ceramic artist Ginny Bayley-Hill.
THE MASTER BEDROOM, top center, features a clock
made by Laurel Miller above the bed. The side table is
another Brigham piece. The robin’s-egg blue wall
enhances the cottage ambience of the room.
IN AN UPSTAIRS HALL, top right, a periwinkle wall was
chosen as a backdrop for a mirror and table purchased at
an Ojai gallery.
LOCATED IN AN UPSTAIRS ALCOVE, the secretary, right,
was a gift from James to Laurel. The wall adjacent to it
was painted to match.
A GUEST ROOM, far right, features another clock by
Laurel. The art above the bed is a crewel embroidery that
Laurel made early in her career.
THE KITCHEN, top left, is where Laurel displays
many of her collected ceramics. The zinc topped
island by John Brigham was built to coordinate
with, but not precisely match, the existing cabinets.
The backsplash tile and the plates on the countertop next to it were made by local ceramic artist
David Gurney.
THE FOYER, top right, features faux paintings by
Stephen Kaylor, that mimicking painted arches in
California missions.
PLATES purchased from a New Mexico pottery
shop fill a niche in the kitchen island, far left.
CEILING MEDALLIONS painted by Kaylor, second
from left, were inspired by ceiling frescos the
Millers observed in missions.
IN A GUEST BATHROOM, third from left, a candelabra by SLO artist Brian Bennett was fashioned
from old tractor parts.
THE FOYER AND STAIRCASE, left, hold a console
table and mirror from Luna Rustica in SLO.
(from page 30)
up with.”
But even after construction wrapped up,
there was still something missing.
Miller loves color, as seen in the kaleidoscope of hues in her collection of folk art and
ethnic artifacts. And yet walls were white,
both inside and out. “I tried different paint
colors, but I just wasn’t ready for anything I
tested,” she said.
What finally spurred her into action was a
6.5 earthquake on Dec. 22, 2003. The San
Simeon quake ripped cracks through their
exterior walls, crumbled plaster and fractured floor tiles.
In assessing the necessary repairs, an idea
sparked.
“We had to redo so many things, we
decided to take it a step further and make the
house feel more like early California.” said
Miller.
To Miller, “early California” is a look
inspired, in part, by Southern California
Spanish Revival homes she visited as a child.
But, most recently, she was influenced by visits to local missions. “It made me realize
what the house was lacking. It just looked
like a new home in a Spanish style, not very
authentic,” she said.
Instead of repairing the house’s elastomeric
Sources
• John Brigham’s furniture is available
at Firefly Gallery, Paso Robles, and
at Hands Gallery, San Luis Obispo.
• Landscaping by Mora Landscaping,
Atascadero
• Tile installation and design by
Charles Hermes Tile Contracting,
Santa Margarita
34
HAVEN spring
2008
exterior coating (an expensive proposition),
they decided to hire Santa Margarita decorative
painter, Stephen Kaylor, to work the cracks into
a faux paint treatment that mimics the look of
weathered adobe.
“I was never happy with house being
white, which made it look so big and boxy,”
she said. “Now it’s so much warmer.”
Once interior walls were re-plastered, the
Millers asked Kaylor to continue the decorative painting inside, a subtle way to bring
color and interest to their plain walls.
They elected to add decorative borders
around doorway arches and ceiling fixtures,
a technique directly inspired by frescoes they
observed in California missions. Kaylor, who
was given plenty of creative license, also
came up with a faux wainscoting in the foyer
that is suggestive of Spanish wrought iron.
Elsewhere, furniture dictated the choice
of wall treatment. In the relaxed living room,
a soft gold color wash complements the neutral color scheme and casual furnishings. In
an upstairs hallway, periwinkle for the walls
was pulled from a vividly painted mirror and
table purchased from a gallery in Ojai. In the
master bedroom, cottage-style white-painted furniture gets a lift from a robin’s-egg blue
treatment achieved by ragging on pure pigments mixed with glaze. Miller found the jolt
of color so appealing, she tracked down bed-
ding to match.
The same buttery hue was used as a base
color throughout the house, visible through
translucent color washes and ragging treatments. When added color seemed like a distraction, the base color alone provided a subtle warm glow. The technique creates consistency among so many wide-ranging wall
treatments.
The walls, now dressed, make the couple’s
collection of art and accessories seem more
at home. Miller has been an avid collector for
years, picking up old ceramics and tinware at
antique shops, handcrafted pieces at galleries, and folk art and artifacts on trips to
locales like Mexico, Italy, and New Mexico.
Naturally, Miller also found opportunities to display for her own work, including
several of the whimsically painted wood
clocks that she once created for San Luis
Obispo’s Hands Gallery.
Although she may return to her craft
someday, for now she finds it enough to surround herself with the works of other artists,
both at work and at home. “It’s what I
always did for a living, so I appreciate the
thought process, the creativity in making
things,” she said. “I’ll always love pieces that
are solid and handmade. To me, they will
never go out of style.”
THE DOOR to Miller’s
workshop, top left,
shows natural distressing
from wind and rain.
A PATIO SET sits under
a kitchen window, top right.
A VIEW of the pool and
patio, bottom far left.
CLEO THE DOG rests on a
bench from Habitat in SLO,
top center. The St. Francis
plaque is a Mexican piece
from Firefly Gallery.
JOHN BRINGHAM added
weathered shutters to the
house, painting them to
match the turquoise window frames, bottom right.
36
HAVEN spring
2008
picture
perfect
garden
The landscaping at this
Arroyo Grande home grows more
interesting and colorful each year.
The owners tell us how they did it
Written by Bob Brownson
Photographed by Linda Brownson
AFTER:
PLANTS IN VARYING
HEIGHTS and brilliant
colors take the garden to
a new dimension.
BEFORE:
THE OLD FRONT GARDEN was relatively flat with a small patch of grass
and a border of gazanias that soon grew woody.
spring
2008
HAVEN
37
FERNS STAND TALL in the background, and a strawberry tree with clusters of small white flowers and edible fruit grows at left.
At the center is elks blue grass, with Cape rush over six feet tall at right.
O
ur new Arroyo Grande home came with
three special outdoor features: a large
backyard deck, a small front garden with a
grass lawn … and mud.
Tons of mud. It was the winter of 1998, an El
Niño year, and torrential rains encouraged us to
plant our backyard right away to avoid a runoff
down the steep slopes adjacent to our home.
It was our good fortune to discover local landscape architect Michael Barry, whose love of wild
grasses and native plants was just the change we
wanted from our previous gardens in Southern
California.
Because our long redwood deck took up so
much backyard space, Barry had only a small canvas to work with, yet he crafted an ingenious plan,
including a pathway garden that meanders from
one end of the deck to the other with a variety of
tall shrubs for shade and privacy. He also included
seasonal surprises.
The pathway garden is lined with Barry’s signature tall grasses and lamb’s ear, plus engaging color
from yellow yarrow, pink penstemon, Santa Barbara daisies, blue catmint and stalks of bright purple Mexican sage showing off at either end. Other
features include a palette of bamboo and towering
Australian tea branches in bright white and pink.
Seasonal surprises include a weeping African
sumac bush that bursts with zillions of tiny white
summer blossoms (touring birds love to pick at
them). And, twice a year, Oregon grape hedges,
their prickly branches resembling ivy, sport crowns
of brilliant gold.
After a few years, we found we were in a losing
38
HAVEN spring
2008
battle elsewhere so we surrendered to the gophers
who enjoyed our front yard flower and grass buffet. Our groundcover had turned woody as well so
we decided to create an all-new front garden.
We turned to Ron Carlock of Ron’s Nursery in
Grover Beach, who had helped us through various
gardening dilemmas. We asked him to transform
our front yard from a small, flat garden to one that
would appear much larger with vibrant colors and
shrubs growing skyward in a variety of heights. We
wanted striking accent plants that would add character to the garden … and more seasonal surprises.
Everything was planted in wire mesh baskets to
ward off the gophers, and it worked.
Front garden highlights include rows of English
and French lavender; variegated hebe plants with
deep purple pompoms; pink guara thriving under a
multi-trunk paper bark tree; apple blossom penstemon; tall yarrow in white, yellow and rust; purple
sprigs of Mexican sage … plus a fern grove and
Cape rush grass six feet tall. Emerald carpet manzanita and redwood chips serve as groundcover in
place of grass.
For more seasonal treats, eugenia Monterey Bay
shrubs have greenish-brown leaves and surprise us
with tiny, edible red berries and cottonlike blossoms during fall and winter. Three strawberry trees
have dark green, red-stemmed leaves and amaze us
in late summer with edible berries that turn from
gold to brilliant red.
What’s next in our garden landscape? No
doubt, more surprises.
CLOCKWISE FROM LOWER LEFT: RUST-COLORED YARROW, stems of lavender and
Swan River daisies. Native to New Zealand, the variegated hebe shrub has whitetipped leaves and violet flower spikes. Brilliant yellow yarrow dots the garden, adding
tall color accents. A potato plant vine shows off its bright white flowers with contrasting yellow stamens. Close-up of pink flowers from a bed of verbena.
spring
2008
HAVEN
39
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A redwood deck features
patio furnishings in a teal color. Brillant blue ceramic
pots create a striking contrast to the redwood deck,
especialy when planted with pink mandevilla and
bright Meyer lemons. Succulents in complementary
colors grow in a single pot.
Resources
Michael Barry, landscape designer
Los Osos
528-1181
Native Sons Wholesale Nursery
Arroyo Grande
481-5996
Ron’s Nursery
Ron Carlock, owner
Grover Beach
489-4747
Silver Fox Landscape Construction
Randy Graber, owner
Arroyo Grande
489-0182
Ultimate Vacation Custom Inground Pools,
Destination
...Your Backyard! Spas, Fountains, & Ponds
100%
110
0 Financing Available
8
05/528-7910
805/528-7910
w
www.swimscapes.net
Licence # 504614
SPIGOT & BUCKET FOUNTAIN is decorated with autumn grape leaves, top, while a
reproduction of Donatello’s ‘Head of a Woman’ shares a wrought iron bench with a
pot of succulents.
spring
2008
HAVEN
41
BROOKS GALLERY
7432 Exotic Gardens Dr., Cambria
www.brookslawrence.com • 927-2629
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42
HAVEN spring
2008
Milgard Certified Dealer
(#$"%('
)"%%&'
gatherings
Chef Brady Thomason,
Enoteca
dinner deluxe
Written by Dawn White
Photographed by David Middlecamp
S
CAL POLY CHEDDAR and Fat Tire Ale soup, top, is finished off with a dollop of
Tabasco-chive crème fraîche.
CRISP SEARED SEA BASS sits atop braised baby bok choy and is garnished with
paper-thin onion rings.
ome of the world’s most
delicious dishes were created by accident.
The French dip is one wellknown favorite but many other
delicacies were ultimately created from kitchen mishaps.
For chef Brady Thomason,
the executive chef of Enoteca
Restaurant and the food and
beverage director of the La Bellasera Hotel, his chocolate soufflé cake is one such example.
Thomason was busy baking
flourless chocolate cakes when
he accidentally overcooked a
tray of the rich and dense
dessert. After popping them out
of the muffin tins, he flipped the
airy desserts upside down and
found them to be warm and
gooey in the center. Voila! A new
sumptuous dessert to add to his
menu.
Thomason is just 22 yearsold and could be one of the
youngest chefs heading an
upscale restaurant. In the past
year, he has been working tirelessly to help establish Paso
Robles as the next big culinary
and wine destination.
“We’re definitely moving in
the right direction,” said the
Templeton native, who uses
local products on a regular
basis.
Thomason shares three
recipes here: a hearty soup, an
elegant sea bass entree and a rich
chocolate soufflé for dessert.
His beer and cheese soup uses
Cal Poly Cheddar and while
made from Colorado’s Fat Tire
Ale, he plans to create a similar
soup soon with local Firestone
Pale Ale. The soup is ideal for a
brisk spring evening and pairs
nicely with either a crisp ale or a
medium-bodied red wine.
On the lighter side, Thomason’s sea bass recipe has pleased
many health-conscious guests
who have dined at Enoteca.
Juicy and flavorful, he recommends the use of sea bass over
halibut as it’s easier to keep
moist in cooking.
And for dessert, the chocolate
soufflé cake calls for only three
ingredients and is relatively simple to prepare.
And who knows? If you mess
it up, maybe you’ll end up with
the next great dish that was created by accident.
(Recipes begin on next page)
gatherings
(from page 40)
CAL POLY CHEDDAR
AND FAT TIRE ALE SOUP
MAKES 8 CUPS
31⁄2 ounces butter
3 ounces onions,
small rough chop
2 ounces leeks, small rough chop
2 ounces carrots,
small rough chop
2 ounces celery, small rough chop
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
41⁄2 ounces flour
5 cups chicken stock, hot
2 bottles Fat Tire Ale
1
⁄2 pound Cal Poly Cheddar,
shredded
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1
⁄2 teaspoon Tabasco
1
⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire
In a heavy saucepot, melt the butter and sweat the onion, leek, carrot,
celery and garlic until onions are
translucent. Sprinkle in the flour while
stirring to incorporate.
Add the chicken stock slowly,
while stirring with a whisk. Once all
the stock is added, add the beer.
Then add the bay leaf and thyme and
cook for 1⁄2 hour, stirring the bottom
of the pot occasionally.
Remove the bay leaf and thyme
and turn off the heat. Stir in the
Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese,
heavy cream and Dijon mustard.
Note: Do not boil the soup once the
Dijon mustard is added.
Adjust the seasoning with salt,
pepper, Tabasco and Worcestershire
sauce. Strain the soup.
TO SERVE: Spoon soup into heated bowls and finish with a dollop of
Tabasco-chive crème fraìche.
For the Tabasco-Chive Crème Fraîche
MAKES 1 CUP
1 cup crème fraiche
1 teaspoon Tabasco
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1
⁄4 cup chives, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Whip the crème fraiche in a mixer.
Once soft peaks are reached, add
other ingredients and stir to combine.
44
HAVEN spring
2008
CRISPY SEARED SEA BASS
WITH BRAISED BABY BOK CHOY
SERVES 6
Ingredients:
For the Crispy Seared Sea Bass:
6 fillets sea bass, skin on
Salt and fresh-ground
black pepper, to taste
1
⁄4 cup olive oil
Braised Baby Bok Choy
9 baby bok choy, split lengthwise,
blanched in salt water until tender
olive oil, as needed
1
⁄4 cup white wine
1
⁄4 cup chicken stock
1
⁄4 cube butter
3 cups shiitake mushrooms,
quartered
Sweet and Sour Sauce
1
1
⁄3
1
⁄2
2
1
cup sugar
cup V8 juice
cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
teaspoons lemon juice, fresh
tablespoon fish sauce
(nuoc mam)
Garnish (optional)
⁄2 yellow onion, sliced into paper
thin rings
1
⁄2 cup flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
1
FOR THE SEA BASS, heat the olive
oil in a hot sauté pan. Season the sea
bass with salt and pepper. Sear the
sea bass, skin side down until the
skin is very crisp and brown, turn the
sea bass and continue cooking until
it is just cooked through.
FOR THE BOK CHOY, heat the
olive oil in a pot and then add the shiitake mushrooms and season with salt
and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are very brown, stirring occasionally. Add the bok choy, cut side
down and sear. Season with salt and
pepper and deglaze with white wine
and chicken stock. Reduce the liquid
by half and stir in the butter. Keep hot.
FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR
SAUCE, combine the sugar and vinegar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture turns
amber in color.
Remove from the pan and whisk in
the tomato juice, lemon juice and fish
sauce. Keep hot.
FOR THE OPTIONAL GARNISH:
1. Season the onion rings with salt
and pepper.
2. Coat with flour and deep fry until
golden brown and crispy.
3. Drain on a paper towel and while still
hot, season with salt and pepper.
TO SERVE: Place 3 halves of the
braised baby bok choy and spoon
the shiitakes into a pile next to the
bok choy. Place the seared sea bass
on pile of bok choy, then drizzle the
sweet and sour sauce around the
plate and on the fish itself. Place the
onion rings on top of the fish.
CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ CAKES
MAKES 6 CAKES
Ingredients:
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
chopped
4 ounces butter, diced
3 eggs, room temperature,
whipped until frothy
Combine the chocolate and butter
in a stainless steel bowl and melt
over a double boiler. Combine with
whipped eggs until completely
homogenous. Spoon the mixture into
a buttered muffin pan, filling the
molds no more than 3/4 of the way.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12
minutes or until the sides of the cake
are set and the very middle is a little
undercooked. Note: Over-baking will
produce a dry cake. When the pan is
cool enough to handle, invert the
small cakes onto waxed paper.
TO SERVE: Place cake on a plate,
top with vanilla bean ice cream,
chocolate sauce and the optional
garnish of a pistachio florentina and
mint sprig.
For the chocolate sauce (Optional):
MAKES 2 CUPS
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate,
chopped
11⁄2 cups cream
11⁄2 ounces butter
1 tablespoon sugar
In a sauce pot, bring the cream to
a simmer. Add the sugar and stir to
dissolve. Add chocolate and butter to
the cream and stir until homogenous.
For the Pistachio Florentina (Optional):
31⁄2
4
1
6
1
ounces heavy cream
ounces sugar
ounce butter
ounces pistachios
tablespoon flour
Combine pistachios and flour in a food processor
and pulse until finely ground. If you do not have a
food processor you may put the pistachios and
flour in a Ziploc bag and roll with a rolling pin until
finely ground.
Meanwhile, bring cream, sugar and butter to a
boil. Remove from heat. Add the nut mixture to
the cream mixture and stir until homogenous.
Spoon by the tablespoon onto buttered parchment paper and bake on a sheet pan at 325
degrees until golden brown.
While still hot, mold or cut the florentina into
the desired shape.
CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE CAKE is served with a pistachio
florentina, chocolate sauce and vanilla bean ice cream.
OLD WORLD RUGS
P U R V E Y O R
O F
T H E
F I N E S T
H A N D M A D E
R U G S
T U E S - F R I 1 0 - 5 : 3 0 S AT - S U N 1 2 - 4
1021 BROAD STREET DOWNTOWN SAN LUIS OBISPO 805 546 9198
w w w. o l d wo r l d r u g s . c o m
spring
2008
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45
final touch
Written by Rebecca Juretic • Photographed by David Middlecamp
recycled
décor
with
michael
sagouspe
Decorating with antique and vintage furniture is an oft
overlooked approach to recycling, and one that San Luis
Obispo designer Michael Sagouspe often employs. He discovered this early 20th century Chinese Shanxi cabinet at
San Luis Obispo’s Habitat.
“I like this vintage piece from Habitat for its clean line contrasted with complex decorative painting,” he said. “It also
acknowledges our Central Coast with its Mediterranean color
palette and the historical contribution of the Chinese who
helped build the railroads across California.”
Lamps are from Bewley’s Rerun Productions; each lamp is 80 percent recycled materials.
spring
2008
HAVEN
47