Truly relaxing resort communities are not easy to come by. Regionally, SCVians must travel to Santa Barbara or San Diego to experience the sense of nirvana that comes so naturally to places boasting an ocean breeze, seaside soaks and gorgeous views. It was surprising, then, to find the same qualities in, of all places, Saugus.

If this 3,800-square-foot, 6-year-old Southern Oaks home was a museum, it would be one geared for children, filled with signs encouraging little ones to touch the exhibits. Yes, it's beautiful, but it's also relaxed and family friendly.

Most would find the task of personalizing 3,700 square feet of living space daunting, but for Mike and Tiffany Smith, it's anything but. Their home, located in the Enclaves, has evolved from a tract home into a custom creation over the last decade. "It's been a work in progress, but we've enjoyed it," says Mike Smith. "Your house is a reflection of you; you live there. The effort is worth it," he continues.

Most girls wanted to be Ginger. The rest wanted to be Mary Ann. The boys? It was a toss up between The Professor and Skipper. But what drew us to "Gilligan's Island" weren't the characters, the silliness or the possibility of making a radio out of a coconut. Even as youths, we were drawn to the lifestyle. We wanted to sleep in hammocks and live under thatched roofs. We yearned for our own private waterfall, a nice palm tree to climb, and maybe a monkey, too - they seemed so friendly. We would have traded our suburban driveway for a sandy beach landing any day.

This three-bedroom, two-bath home is just what you're looking for: in fabulous condition, move-in ready and a decorator's dream. Take a moment now to tour this gorgeous home offered at $490,000. If you like what you see, call RE/MAX Real Estate Agent Pam Ingram at 291-1726 for a personal showing.

When one thinks of Santa Clarita, the beautifully under-developed space that is Circle J Ranch rarely comes to mind, but not for lack of interesting homes, people and stories. In reality, the area is arguably one of the finest locations in the SCV to call home. The combination of an authentic agrarian feel with the near-by proximity of the city has proven to be persuasive for a multitude of families. And after your introduction to the home of Toni and Patrick Navas, you'll see why. The Navas' estate - and it is fair to call it an estate, as it is nestled in one-and-a-half acres of lush rolling hillside - serves as a luxurious private getaway.

Few people can muster much excitement about the process of home improvement. Images of plans, contractors, dust, hundreds of fabric swatches and new furniture dizzily circle through our heads when confronted with the potential task of revitalizing our space. Combine that potential stress with work, kids and "life" and it's no wonder why so many put off the task all together. But one brief conversation with Holly Prabhu will not only put your worries to rest, but will have you singing a new tune entirely. Her excitement over both the process and the result could convince even the most revitalization-shy homeowner to reconsider their position.

When it comes to the holidays, folks can go one of two ways. The first, and seemingly most common choice, is to entrench oneself in the material reality of the moment. What to buy? What to wear? Who to be seen with? What to do? All are valid questions, true, but when not accompanied by actions that speak of a greater purpose, one outside ourselves, the result is superficial at best.

It's easy to presume that anyone in possession of a 4,000-square-feet, six-bedroom, three-floored home in the plush neighborhood of Westridge is literally living on Easy Street. That kind of bounty, most of us would guess, could only come at the hands of Lady Luck, or, since this is Santa Clarita - at least a cozy spot near the top of a successful business's organizational chart.

How do you turn a 9-foot by 11-foot bedroom into a space as limitless as the great outdoors? For a transformation this grand, you have to be inspired. "Here's a great kid who has been happy with every simple thing he's been given in life. To think about the joy he would experience with his new room was the real payout," says Dream Themes owner Michael Albert of Matthew McMaster, the room makeover recipient. The addition of a custom tree house bed, mural, themed lighting, rustic teak desk, kid-friendly carpet, shutters, wardrobe door and accessories were not lost on Lori McMaster, Matthew's mom. "This has been an amazing experience. We feel so very lucky. He loves the room. The whole experience was better than we could have ever expected. It was phenomenal."

There are many reasons you might be thinking about making some indoor home improvements this spring. Maybe you agreed to host the family reunion this summer or you've watched enough episodes of "Trading Spaces" to become sufficiently inspired. Perhaps you're just bored, or maybe you've run out of space - or patience. As creative as you might be, there is a limit to the number of convenient ways to hide scratches on the furniture and stains on the carpet. Unfortunately, for as many reasons as you might be thinking about making improvements to the inside of your home, there are probably just as many reasons you're trying not to think about making them. The cost is too great. The maze of options is overwhelming. And the inconvenience doing "construction" inside your home is enough to make even the most adventurous would-be designers lose heart.

Santa Clarita residents love to hang out by the pool or quietly read a book in a comfortable lounge chair. There is nothing like a Southern California backyard and now that winter has practically destroyed all of our yards, the sun is out and it's time to take a good look around and see what we can do to fix one of the most relaxing areas of our homes. Whether you live on an acre or just have enough room for a patio and a patch of grass, there are several inviting looks that combine water, green and warmth. When beginning a backyard project, it's important for the homeowner to have a good idea of what the desired outcome will be, said Doug Richan of Richan Landscaping.

So... where are you planning to pick up your Christmas tree this year? Instead of frequenting your usual fine tree purveyor, why not try something a little different this year? Why not try something a lot different. You can go to a tree farm or (gasp) a discount super store anytime. This year, why not find your tree at a tree festival? On November 17 to 19, the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley Foundation will host its fourth annual Festival of Trees, where the entire community can browse through more than 100 one-of-a-kind Christmas tree creations, all custom-designed by the valley's most sought-after holiday designers.

What a struggle! After reviewing over 180 amazing entries, each with a unique story and heart-felt requests to makeover bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens and even closets, we've selected a local Saugus family in desperate need of a new family room as the winners of our annual Room Makeover contest (You may accuse us of taking the easy way out, but we weren't really sure how we'd incorporate plantation shutters and television lifts into a closet!).

What do you get when you marry a self-described home-improvement magazine junkie to a general/electrical contractor? In the case of Jeri and Ray Latka, the result is both a romantic and practical match made in heaven. After 20 years of dreaming and saving, the pair came together to create their 5,109 square foot island retreat not in the Bahamas, but in Westridge. The two-story home, which contains three bedrooms, a media room, a home office, a morning room, four-and-a-half bathrooms, a martini room, a formal dining room and more, is positioned on a view lot overlooking Santa Clarita's mountains and oak trees.

Last year, Inside SCV Magazine, along with over a dozen home makeover professionals, transformed one reader's bedroom into an organized, well-appointed escape. This year, we're ready to do it again, and we've already signed on 16 of the SCV's best home-related businesses to help us make one room in your house extraordinary.

High school sweethearts Anna and Thomas Terry met at Simi Valley High because of their mutual love of music. After 22 years of wedded bliss, the pair and their 12-year-old son Andrew still come together through musical notes, but now it's Andrew's skill on the piano that inspires tender moments.

Dark wood. Rich, deep colors. Exposed beams. And leopard-print chair cushions boasting antiqued needlepoint pillows. For the Fernandez family, home is 5,000 square feet full of traditional, rustic, modern, Spanish, Mediterranean and shabby chic decorating styles. The Valencia Woodlands estate is the fourth SCV home for the family of four. Residents of Santa Clarita since 1992, it was the architecture, Spanish style and size that drew the Fernandezes to their final, and favorite, abode.

Although April showers tend to dampen the backyards of our lovely abodes, they also have the habit of highlighting the overlooked coves that are begging for our home improvement attention. Your exterior landscape should not just be an escape from your adorned dwelling; it should be an oasis of relaxation, imagination and entertainment. So you don't have a ton of space to work with, there are so many opportunities in the SCV that limiting yourself to a paddle pool and palm tree is no longer a viable scapegoat. Oh, and did we mention that revamping your landscape is one of the best ways to increase the value of your home, and all of you homeowners recognize the significance of that!

In the eight years that Kinley Farrow has lived in her Happy Valley home, she's managed to create 2,500 square feet of pure designer bliss. From hand-beaded details on pillows to flawless faux-finished walls, her home is her personal work of art, a labor of love.