photography by Ted Dayton

Give your Yard a Lift with Outdoor Accessories
The more you work to make your yard a place you want to be, the more you'll use the space, effectively expanding your living area without a single remodel! Lanterns, pillows that pop, GG Collection serveware that transitions from the home to the yard and back again... these are the elements that give your outdoor space the touch of luxury and comfort it needs to draw you and your guests outside.
Bella Venezia Home & Decor 254-2246

Add a Kiss of Color with Designer Stamped Concrete
Don't be hard headed when it comes to your hardscape; adding a kiss of color to your design will help delineate your space and provide a major style boost, too. Colored concrete is on trend because it provides an all-too-necessary opportunity to distinguish your home from their similar-looking sisters. Colored concretes become especially vital in providing both color and texture areas where you need to kick it up a notch!
NV Landscape 286-8888

Update your Landscape!
Learn How at CLWA's Gardening Classes
April is a great time to give your landscape an updated look! And what better way to make a change than turning your grass into cash! With rebates up to $5,000, many SCV residents are ditching their lawns to plant beautiful, drought-tolerant and colorful plants. Learn more at conservation.clwa.org.
Not sure where to start? Castaic Lake Water Agency (CLWA) offers free monthly gardening classes. April classes include:

Thursday | April 13
Creating a Landscape Plan and Budget From 6:30pm to 8:30pm, this class will help you create a landscape design and show you how to develop a working budget for your project, including plants, hardscape and labor.

Saturday | April 15
Drip Irrigation From 9am to 12pm, this class focuses on drip irrigation uses, components and system installation. Other types of high-efficiency irrigation options will also be discussed.

All classes are held at CLWA, located at 27234 Bouquet Canyon Road in Santa Clarita. Register for SCV Gardening classes at www.clwa.org or call for information. 513-1259

Luxurious Living Surroundings Transcend Time & Place
There are backyards - and then there are transcendental outdoor living spaces. If you covet the latter, this is the time to partner with a passionate environmental design expert and ignite your inner visionary. Curate an artistic expression of nature with sophisticated design that coordinates beautifully with your tastes, desires and the architecture of your home. Discerning homeowners understand that elements like a rustic stone fireplace do more than just keep guests warm; the dancing flames can mesmerize when positioned perfectly among the elements. Dramatic recirculating water features; gorgeously-hued stamped concrete and an expansive, stunning custom pool can inspire a deep pride of ownership. Flawlessly designed inspirational spaces do not happen by accident. Superior design is the result of artistry and decades - in the case of BSH, nearly three - of experience.
BSH Landscape & Hardscape Design 287-9568

Choose Beauty & the Barbecue
Too often, there's a false either-or quandary that's presented to homeowners considering the addition of an outdoor kitchen. Yes, weather and the sun are issues, but that doesn't mean you have to forgo stunning design elements - you just have to be contentious of them. Work with surface professionals who can advise you on pitting, sun bleaching, shrinkage and more; they'll direct you to products that can stand up to anything the SCV throws at them!
Surfaces SCV Design Center 775-9404

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Prepare for an Influx of Pests Thanks to a Wet Winter
California really needed the recent heavy winter rains - but the influx of water means that pests have more incentive to make their way into your house. Ants and crickets are often forced to find drier, higher ground - and may have taken harbor in the crevices and corners of your home. Flies also get a bump from wet winters; they feed on garbage that increases in storm drains, just like earwigs that can easily slip under doors. The best defense is a good offense; get to them before they get inside with Z3 pest treatments that address pest problems before they start.
CVA Exterminators 253-3070

Make a Great Escape
There are lounge chairs - and then there are "sink down, settle down and never want to get up again" loungers that cradle your every curve. Choose the latter for the ultimate escape plan - one where you must only make it to the back yard to be transported somewhere warm, tropical and luxurious. Quality loungers last for years and are worth the investment; you'll soon find that they're the best seat in or out of the house!
Oasis Garden & Patio 255-9909

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Achieve Energy Independence with the Help of the Sun
Residential solar is one of the most environmentally- and financially-beneficial home improvements available today. The sun's rays have no operating or maintenance costs, so
pre-purchasing the next 25 or more years of electricity through a solar installation can be a boon to your budget and the planet. Curious how the numbers add up? Schedule a free consultation.
Pacific Blue Solar 259-1004

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Build a Fire Pit with Purpose
The permanent installation of a fire pit isn't just an investment in your home; it's a dramatic statement about what you really value. Fire pits are about connections and today's pits can be a gorgeous, resource-efficient version of what our ancestors gathered 'round thousands of years ago. You'll be able to share stories, a favorite vintage or tips on how to make the best s'more around yours this spring when you schedule your build now.
E & J Construction & Landscape 250-1638