Bella Venezia 254-2246

Reclaimed Wood is Recycled in Style
Have you ever wondered what happens to the wood found in old building and church construction? Those pieces, so often found with a coveted patina, are increasingly "upcycled" into custom and home-ready furniture.

"Because of its age, it's very dense - almost petrified," says Hortencia Abouaf, owner of Bella Venezia (254-2246). "It's naturally distressed, possesses a gorgeous, rustic character and is family friendly. You can't tell if the kids nicked it!"

The store, which specializes in reclaimed pieces and newly-constructed furniture that can be made to your every specification (including exact colors and custom, specialty finishes), also boasts a collection of furniture made from reclaimed teak. "These amazing Indian pieces are often made from old, weathered boats," says Abouaf.

Bella Venezia also offers custom-created and finished pieces using environmentally-savvy plantation grown wood treated with a healthy water-based lacquer.
254-2246 www.bellavenezia.biz

Randal G. Winter Construction, Inc. 799-8089

Build a Backyard Oasis
One of the best home improvements you can make is to enhance the outdoor living areas around your own home. Now is the time to start considering renovating you're backyard before summer.

Decks and patios are the most versatile outdoor areas of all. In this economy many people are choosing to stay in their current homes and improve them for enjoyment and to increase their value, perhaps to sell at a later date. While the mainstream choice for our Santa Clarita area has been the standard concrete patio with built-in barbeque area, something to consider as an alternative to the standard is a deck.

Decks are great for many backyards, including an uneven or sloped backyard. If you have a sloped hill, you can sink piers into the ground and still build a level surface for your deck. This creates additional functional spaces that you may have thought were useless before. Decking also looks great around a pool or under a stand-alone patio cover.

Decking materials have come a long way from the splintered wooden decks of the past. Most local retailers carry redwood; lumber is generally more affordable but still requires maintenance and sealing on a regular basis. If you would like a virtually maintenance-free deck with no sealing, splitting and splintering wood, then man-made deck materials may be right for you. We have been designing and installing many more composite decks recently using Trex. Trex is a composite material made from recycled products such as wood and plastic fibers. Their products are an environmentally-responsible alternative to wood. The composite products come in a variety of colors and shades and require virtually no maintenance. Trex also offers non-wood railings that do not need to be painted and offer the added advantage of not splintering. They are weather resistant. So whether you are looking for a three-level deck with a complete outdoor kitchen, a patio and patio cover with a tile roof, lighting and fans, or an outdoor fireplace and tranquil water feature - now's the time to start planning the perfect backyard living space that fits the needs of you and your family.

Randal G. Winter is the president of Randal G. Winter Construction, Inc. 799-8089 www.rgwinter.com

"Design your Own Sofa" Sale Going on Now
Douglas Furniture, an SCV mainstay, is now hosting a sale on custom-created pieces. Design your own sofa by choosing the exact size, arms, base and back that fit your home and style. Then choose from types of cushions, thickness, fabric and more. This reasonably-priced service is even more affordable when you act now.
255-8366 www.dougfurn.com