It takes vision, creativity and a good amount of gumption to convert a former auto repair shop into a living space and art gallery. Pamela Skinner, local art consultant and curator, has those admirable traits.
Formerly Tony’s European Auto Repair in the Mansion Flats neighborhood Downtown, the 4,600-square-foot building is now home to Skinner and more than 100 pieces of original artwork by artists throughout Northern California.
Spring is more than the Easter Bunny and cherry blossoms. As Earth rotates around the sun to fetch spring, there is a strange gravitational impulse to launch landscaping projects. Excavators, backhoe loaders and trenchers descend upon Sacramento neighborhoods to deliver the desired result: curb appeal.
Whether you are selling or staying, curb appeal adds value to homes and pride in home ownership. Consider how many people pass your home by walking, running, cycling or driving, compared to those invited inside. First impression is a lasting one.
In Sacramento’s sizzling real estate market, a stunning front yard will sell any home faster than one down the street with weeds, overgrown shrubs and worn paint. According to a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors and another by Michigan State University, a beautiful front yard will add 5 percent to 11 percent to home value.
Admit it, you’re longing for big, bodacious tomatoes.
We’re not talking about commercially grown processing tomatoes—those thick-skinned orbs that escape trucks and bounce down Interstate 5. Great tomatoes are home grown. And Sacramento’s long, warm growing season is ripe for the tastiest tomatoes on the planet.
Tomatoes are the most popular home garden vegetable in the country. The bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich, featuring thick slabs of fresh-plucked tomato, is reason enough for the popularity. But BLTs aren’t the only perk.
Once home to a single ranch-style house, the sprawling 2-acre lot is now a luxury gated community. Situated off Fair Oaks Boulevard in the heart of Wilhaggin, Plaza de la Fuente features eight home sites overlooking a Spanish-style stone-paved square. A striking water fountain lends credence to the development’s name.
Four homes have been completed featuring mission-style architecture, white stucco façades, red tile roofs and bell-shaped gables. Among them is a 2,900-square-foot abode with two bedrooms, three baths, a library, family room and state-of-the-art kitchen that opens to a generous great room. Ceilings soar to 10 and 12 feet throughout.
Multicolored lights against an all-white bathroom. A painting of tiger’s eyes glaring down as you enter the study. An I-beam spanning the entryway ceiling. These were just a few of the eclectic elements you would find in Kristan Otto’s Campus Commons home.
The daughter of John Otto, Kristan and her family were well known in the community as the folks behind Otto Construction. When Kristan Otto passed away last spring, she left an unforgettable legacy—part of which was displayed throughout her home. Every feature was unique and custom created, not found in any other house.
Sharing gardens with our precious pets means coming to terms with diggers, chewers and poopers. Pets can be weapons of mass destruction. A dog chasing a squirrel has no regard for tulips. Cats don’t ask permission to use the vegetable garden as a restroom.
Ideally, you can mitigate destruction and keep furballs healthy and safe while the garden stays gorgeous and productive. Acceptance and forgiveness make a righteous path. But where you draw the line is a personal choice.
