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What makes a house a home?

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home is more than a roof over your head. It’s a place that provides you privacy, security and comfort.

It creates an environment that keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It’s a place that allows you and your family to feel secure in striving to fulfill your potential. It establishes an anchor that grounds you and gives your sense of being part of a community.

Whether you rent or own, we encourage you to invest in your house (or apartment) to make it yours. And with tax season finally over and hopefully a refund check in the mail, there’s no better way to invest some of that cash, than into improving your quality of living. Here are five simple and inexpensive tips to take make your house feel more like a home.

Paint: It’s the least expensive way to give your place new character. Don’t be afraid of color. Grays and greens are the new neutrals.

performing maintenance on your HVAC system, plumbing or electrical. Much like your car, regular maintenance on your home will save you money in the long run.

BarGain Hunt: Explore Sacramento’s auction houses, thrift and antique stores to discover new treasures.

In the next few pages, we’ll share more information as to how invest some of your hard earned money into your house to make it a home. Whether you’re looking to infuse your abode with a new sense of style, plant an urban garden to grow a summer harvest or trying out a few DIY projects along to YouTube videos, the Home Guide is here to provide a little extra help to all of you without or without a tool belt and put a little more “you” in your space.

Plant: Whether you have a windowsill, a patio or a 100-acre wood, plants create a sense of peace and tranquility.

Create: From urban gardens to your own artwork, create something for your home. maintain: Invest in your home by doing those much needed DIY projects or consult with a professional when

– Will niesPodzinski

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Gardening & the city It

doesn’t take a yard to grow a garden. Don’t let not having one stop you from putting those green thumbs to work. It’s all about space maximization, and, of course, how much you can alter your space.

If you own the property, your options are much greater and varied in terms of how you can change your space to accommodate the perfect garden. But renters without a yard, even those with strict landlords, can garden, too. If you have a yard, by all means start there with some raised planter boxes or dig right into the soil. But if you are an apartment dweller or a condo owner, don’t let your space (or lack thereof) keep you from a homegrown bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Patios, balconies, fire escapes or windowsills are all easy places to start a small garden.

By Kendall Fields

A key component to urban gardening is using containers, which can be anything from a specifically designated canister for gardening or, for a greener approach, something recycled and refashioned. Clay pots, old barrels and tires, teacups, kiddie pools, or even 5-gallon buckets (hey, you can’t forget about that budget) can be filled with soil prime for planting. Think vertical. Hanging pots, building shelves or making floating gardens are great ways to really grow in cramped quarters.

Now that you know you can grow, the question is: what types of vegetables or fruits will you start with? The biggest factors in deciding what you grow are how much sunlight is in the growing area and what you are planning to grow in (this is almost wholly dependent on the size of your balcony, patio, etc.).

Once you determine whether you will be growing in full sunlight or a more shaded area, you can start to pick the types of plants suitable for your space. Tomatoes are one of the easiest to start with; they can be grown in a mid-sized pot or in a hanging planter. Leaf crops like lettuce, endive and arugula do well in areas with a medium amount of sunlight and look beautiful flowing out of a ceramic pot or old barrel. If you love spicy foods, jalapenos, among other peppers, are another easy and versatile plant sure to kick any dish up a notch.

For indoor gardens, obviously growing pumpkins or melons is not feasible. But any window that gets 6 to 8 hours of sun is a prime location. If you are a newbie,

herbs are a great choice. Start with the basics, like thyme, rosemary, chives, cilantro, parsley and oregano. Not only will these herbs smell wonderful, but they will also spruce up a drab counter top or a lonely windowsill. Tiny pots, teacups, or even window planter boxes are the perfect containers for growing. Get creative, mix and match cups and pots for a cutesy feel. If you are able to drill into walls or ceilings, you can also hang pots for a cool effect.

Growing your own veggies and fruits is a great way to add a personal and functional touch to your home. Who doesn’t enjoy tomatoes right off the vine or freshly cut herbs? And look at that, you are just dressing and a fork away from the perfect salad.

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Discount decorating

By Will NiespodziNski 5 6 1 4 7

I

have a confession to make … I like the finer things in life. I admit to spending hours going through decorating magazines, scouring the Web for inspiration and “pinning” my favorites for all to see. Yet, there’s just one little problem: my bank account. If you were to ask my mother, she would say that I have champagne taste and a beer budget. Actually, I’m not even sure my budget can afford beer anymore. Yet, having a limited budget doesn’t mean that I can’t surround myself with the same things I see in those design magazines and websites.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve really honed the craft of being creative on seeking out those finer things to fit my limited budget and acquiring them.

First and foremost, I refuse to pay full retail price. If you ever go shopping with me, we’re heading straight to the clearance aisles or “as is” racks to see what new treasure can be found. I’m keen on scanning the paper for a good “going out of business” sale as well as making weekend trips of visiting auction houses, thrift and antique stores.

More over, I’m not afraid to haggle. Don’t be afraid to ask what the dealer’s best price is or if there’s a discount available. You can often save another 10 to 20 percent off the listed price with this tip. For me, getting that additional discount sometimes outweighs the pleasure in acquiring that new treasure for my home. Some may say that this is an unconventional way to decorate one’s home, but in these tight economic times, I think it’s a smarter way to give my home personality.

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1. Black & White framed orchid print, Marshall’s, $19.99; 2. Reproduction mid-century modern glass end table, Furnish 123, coffee table and two end tables, $350.00; 3. Glass vase, Goodwill, $3.00; 4. White silk orchids, Michael’s, $2.99 ea; 5. Black circular mirror w/silver nail heads, Pier 1, clearance $39.99; 6. Metal antelope head, Roseville’s Antique Treasure Trove, $45.00; 7. Antique Silver & Cobalt blue compote jars, 57th Street Antique Mall, set of 2, $100.00; 8. Brain coral, Ft. Lauderdale Beach, FREE; 9. Mercury glass Christmas tree topper, Target, $9.99; 10. Glass apothecary jar, Marshall’s Home Good, $19.99; 11. Barometer nickel-plated floor lamp, IKEA, $59.99; 12. Brushed nickel-painted fireplace screen, Second Sunday Antique Fair, $25.00

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Photos by Tara Noel Patrick

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A special advertising supplement to Sacramento News & Review

Sacramento • 1615 D St. GraSS Valley • 117 Neal St rancho cordoVa • 10309 Folsom Blvd

A

s the owners of Bell Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning, located in Elk Grove and Manteca, Jerry and Kenny Bell have followed their career vision—to operate a family business that provides unparalleled customer service and satisfaction.

The Bell brothers opened their heating and air conditioning company in 1991. The groundwork began a decade earlier when Jerry and Kenny enrolled in Universal Technical Institute (UTI) in Arizona following their graduation from high school.

Upon graduation from UTI, the brothers took diverse early career paths. Kenny specialized in the refrigeration field, while Jerry tackled heating and air conditioning. Then the brothers’ father, an Elk Grove dentist, got his sons together in the pizza business.

While still working in their respective fields, a new shopping center opening in Elk Grove provided an ideal location for Pizza Bell. The brothers’ experience in the restaurant field provided further knowledge in their pursuit of business excellence.

Heating & air with integrity

by James Raia

Photo by Josh Burke

“We learned from our dad that treating customers like family is the number one key to a successful business,” Kenny Bell said. “We have always run our business that way, and we are fortunate that our employees hold those same values.”

The Bell brothers began their heating and air conditioning business humbly. They had one pickup truck and advertised with fliers on the top of Pizza Bell boxes. But the Bell brothers were also cultivating their philosophy that the customer always comes first. And now, as the largest family–owned and operated residential business in the area, the Bell brothers’ standards have remained.

Customers, employees and vendors are treated like family.

As a result, Bell Brothers has an impeccable reputation, and its employees are dedicated to excel and surpass their expectations. The Bell brothers strive to provide their employees with industry-leading training. Technicians are knowledgeable in all areas of the heating and air conditioning business, and they can provide homeowners with energy saving tips to help lower utility bills.

As their business has grown, Kenny and Jerry Bell have never lost focus of their hands-on approach. The Bell brothers are in the office daily, and they’re directly involved with each department’s goal to maintain top customer satisfaction. If a customer has a concern, the Bell brothers work behind the scenes to make certain it’s resolved with complete satisfaction.

With their success, the Bell brothers have returned some of the support they received from the community.

Last summer, for example, the company donated $5,000— half the start-up costs—to the Elk Grove Youth Jamboree.

The inaugural event featured scrimmages among different levels of the city youth football program.

Now in business for more than 20 years, the foundation and hallmark of the Bell brothers remains. Bell Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning offers a one-year, no-risk, 100 percent money-back guarantee with its heating, cooling or customer service.

Further, the Bell brothers keep their word to customers. If additional work is needed after a price has been quoted, there are no surprises and no additional charges. Or, as the Bell brothers like to say, “The price quoted is the price paid.”

A special advertising supplement to Sacramento News & Review

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April 26, 2012

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Home Guide

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