Personalize your Outdoor Oasis
This luxury free-form pool was built over a two-month span, which is usually the time it takes for a Thomas Pools creation to come to life! The natural-stone formation features a grotto with an air bubbler, a water slide, raised spa, fire pit, LED lighting, built-in bar stools and a Baja ledge, which serves as a large landing to kick back with a beach chair in shallow water. The Thomas Pools team crafted this particular project with natural flagstone, rock and boulder from the local area and features a quartz finish. Their pools and masonry have structural integrity, long-term/low-maintenance care and quality craftsmanship. Their expansive list of styles and materials help clients personalize their own outdoor oasis.
Thomas Pools 441-3411



Let the Cool Breezes In
The stylish Executive Screen by Phantom fits most custom and oversized applications. Depending on the application, it can supply complete ventilation, shade from the sun, protection from pests and enhanced privacy. With Executive Screens, it all happens at the touch of a button.
Phantom Screens of Southern California 799-9226



The Top Three Exterior Paint Questions
Q: Is name-brand paint worth the expense?
Yes! Poor color retention, a shorter lifespan and thin coverage are all side effects of low-quality ingredients. This means that you'll need to paint more often and use more product, ultimately making cheaper paint more expensive.

Q: How often should the home's exterior be painted? While quality paint may stand strong for seven to 10 years, ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING pros, who happily provide free estimates, suggest more frequent touch-ups, cleaning and maintenance. This will not only keep your surfaces looking their absolute best but also give your paint a long and healthy life.

Q: What should you look for in a painting company? Make sure that they are licensed and insured; that you can find quality examples of their work online; that their reviews and feedback on trusted sites like Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, Houzz and more are good and that they include surface preparation in your estimate.
ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING 846-2928

Made in the Shade
When choosing an umbrella for your patio, the question is: Which one will best suit your needs?

Packed with features and function, Treasure Garden's cantilever umbrellas provide shade that is versatile, practical and, coming from a company like Treasure Garden, you know that it is the latest design with the most durable construction. Their multi-position cantilever umbrellas can shade multiple areas: dining, seating and lounging. For instance, The AKZ13 is a 13-foot octagon European-style cantilevered umbrella that features a patented tilt and lock system to tilt the canopy at virtually any angle. It also includes an easy-to use foot pedal to rotate the canopy easily over multiple settings. It is the perfect shade alternative! Umbrellas like these are offered in many fashion-forward fabrics.

An important tip that umbrella owners need to keep in mind is this: If you are not using the umbrella, make sure you have it closed down and bound. With unpredictable Santa Clarita winds, a single gust can cause extensive damage to your umbrella and anything in its path.
A heavy-duty umbrella stand is a necessary accessory.
Oasis Garden & Patio 255-9909

Do more for the Drought
Newhall resident Eileen Mann used professional designers to install and transform her mediocre, "hard to maintain" grass into a beautiful landscape with color, texture and variety. For her project, she removed 1,900 square feet of grass, including the grass on her parkway. She replaced it with plants native to California and Australia as well as a stone and gravel path to give her yard a more natural look. Her favorite plants are the Germander Sage because it has lovely texture and color and Dianella Little Becca for its strappy leaves and pretty flowers. Her favorite elements are the steps and path through the yard. She even placed a gliding bench under her Carrotwood tree and uses it as a place to relax and unwind. To learn more about Eileen's project, including the materials she used, visit
www.clwa.org/doing-more/eileen-m. For more information and more inspirational lawn replacement projects, visit www.clwa.org/conservation.

courtesy of Shutterstock

Go Solar to Avoid Rising Energy Costs
Rising energy costs and a deeper awareness about how we affect our environment are two reasons that Santa Clarita homeowners are flocking to solar. This smart alternative to purchasing power from the utility companies, residential solar benefits both the bottom line and global climate change. By "pre-purchasing" the next 25+ years of your electricity through a solar installation, you bank not on a company to fuel your home's energy needs, but the sun. And isn't that a much more dependable resource? Grid-tied residential solar systems are less expensive than ever and reduce the amount of electricity you purchase from your local utility. The initial capital investments and subsequent cash flow benefits make a home solar system comparable to other long term, purely-financial investments. The first step towards considering going solar is to request a free Solar Electric Financial Analysis Report.
Pacific Blue Solar 259-1004