Santa Barbara Home & Garden Guide for 2019
Our Annual Special Issue Aimed at Improving Landscapes, Updating Interiors, and Much More
By Carolina Starin | Photos by Paul Wellman
Our Annual Special Issue Aimed at Improving Landscapes, Updating Interiors, and Much More
Sentiments about what constitutes a home vary and transform over time. For some, home symbolizes the simplicity of the sound of springtime bees working through a native container garden. For others, household comforts are as complex as a high-end designer makeover with storied European garden pieces. There are followers of Marie Kondo’s simplified spaces; others who perpetually add color, layer textures, and guard memories; and some who take solace only in a chemical-free environment with a great composting system.
Wherever you land on the tapestry, we hope you find something in the following pages to enhance your living space and brighten your feelings about it. While collecting and writing these stories about shop owners, designers, and environmental specialists, I was reminded of the abundance of knowledge, charity, and innovation in our community. Easy online clicks might add convenience to shopping from faceless merchants, but when we buy and participate in our neighborhood and towns, we build lasting experiences and connections, not just disposable things.
So as country roads clog with weekend tourists traveling long distances to view California’s “superbloom” — the expansive blanket of spring wildflowers that’s so vibrant this year it can be viewed from space — Santa Barbarans can skip the associated road rage and instead seek inspiration in the fruitful fields of our own backyard.
Native Plants for Pots
Which Indigenous California Species to Grow When Your Space Is Limited
Credit: Patrick O’Hara
Native Plants for Pots
Which Indigenous California Species to Grow When Your Space Is Limited
“Many natives do great in containers,” says Betsy Collins, the director of horticulture at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. “But you have to treat them like they are in containers.”
That may sound obvious, but it’s worth being reminded that even potted natives require a little extra attention — especially in California, where gardeners face a grueling 365 days of maintenance. “In colder climates you get a little break,” said Collins. “Here, gardening can be exhausting.”
One trick is to taper off watering in the summer to let the natives go dormant; that replicates the natural summer state when it’s dry and growing is difficult. “Even in pots,” she said, “they want a little bit of a rest.”
Imported plants range from troublesome to devastating for native flora and fauna, so cultivating natives, in pots and elsewhere, is an essential part of maintaining healthy natural relationships. Here are a few pot-friendly species that are also beautiful to look at.
Monkey Flowers: “They are stars in pots,” said Collins, noting the range of available colors and that they tend to flower frequently. “It’s hard to beat a monkey flower as a pot candidate.”
Manzanita: Manzanitas are also very slow growing, so they don’t like a lot of fertilizer or water. “When I prepare my own potting soil for natives, I take a standard potting mix and add pumice and a little sand,” said Collins, who uses two-thirds potting soils and one-third pumice and sand. For containers, try the ground-covering species over the taller versions.
Bush Anemone: These showy natives are marked by a delicate white flower with a small rose shape and dark green leaves. “A container is a very much not natural environment for a plant,” said Collins, explaining that native species need more water in pots than if in the ground. “If I water my plants once a week, then they are living large.”
Ceanothus: There are 50-60 varieties of this short-lived, vibrant wild lilac, so ask a specialist which one is best for a specific environment. Collins notes that natives like a more mineral soil and notes that flowering plants tend not to like fertilizer higher in phosphorous.
Redbuds: “They are going to want big pots,” said Collins of the tree with bright pink flowers. “People always talk about whether they are good gardeners or not, but it’s really all about knowledge,” she explained, recommending gardeners pay close attention to their plants and ask questions about what they see. “Then all of a sudden you’re an expert gardener.”
Coffeeberry: This native has a dark leathery leaf with medium black berries. “I put compost on my pots every year,” she said. “You can use a fine mulch to keep the soil moist.” Container plant roots are not insulated, so in a really hot space with no breeze, it’s best to choose a tough plant and water it a little more.
Pick some of these species up during the Botanic Garden’s annual native plant sale, which runs until May 5. See sbbg.org.
Green Cleaning for Household Health
Makes 3 Organics Develops Soaps in Santa Barbara
Makes 3 Organics operation manager Palina Dubavets
Green Cleaning for Household Health
Makes 3 Organics Develops Soaps in Santa Barbara
“Our goal is to help families reduce the amount of potentially toxic chemicals in their home,” says Kristine Sperling of the Santa Barbara–based company Makes 3 Organics. “And cleaning products can be among the worst offenders.”
Sperling started making soap after her pediatrician suggested that she and her husband, Dan, detox the house, as it may be connected to their toddler’s severe bouts of asthma and eczema. “We discovered that we weren’t aware of all the chemicals that we had in our house,” said Sperling, explaining that most cleaning products have chemicals that range from straight-up toxins to mild irritants and allergens, and that little kids are particularly sensitive.
She started developing personal and home cleaning products as a small hobby business, and then began selling online and through stores such as Tri-County Produce and Lazy Acres. It wasn’t long before Makes 3 Organics branched out to national retailers, and the brand is now internationally distributed.
“One little household really can make the difference,” said Sperling. “We want people to have real choices.”
Because there is “a lot of misrepresentation” in the household cleaning industry, Sperling, whose products undergo rigorous USDA organic certification, suggested consumers be wary of the standard, mostly unregulated products. “This is not paranoid,” said Sperling. “Over the last 40 or 50 years, humans are carrying 300 or more synthetic chemicals in our bodies. When your blood is tested, you have more chemicals in your body than any time before [in human history].”
When it comes to changes in a household cleaning routine, Sperling thinks small moves are the most successful. She doesn’t recommend getting rid of all your bleach, for instance, because sometimes a toilet needs a deep clean. But she suggests using greener options for daily and weekly needs, and reserving the harsher chemical cleaners for when they’re really needed. “Try to reduce the frequency of the more toxic cleaning products,” said Sperling.
To do that, mix up these cleaning solutions in a 32-ounce bottle with Makes 3 Organics liquid soap, which comes in five different scents.
Dish Soap: Pre-dilute 1:10 with water. Squirt on a scrub brush and scrub dishes.
All-Purpose Household Cleaner: Use a spray bottle for easy cleaning purposes, fill ¼ of the bottle with organic white vinegar and ¾ with water, and add a few squirts of Makes 3 Organics liquid soap.
Streak-Free Glass Cleaner: Fill spray bottle with ½ organic white vinegar, ½ warm water, and 2 teaspoons of Makes 3 Organics liquid soap.
Bathtub and Toilet Cleaner: Fill spray bottle with ⅔ water and ⅓ Makes 3 Organics liquid soap. Shake a thin layer of baking soda around the bathtub or toilet and spray the liquid soap mixture on top of it. Scrub with a scrub brush.
Stage Your House — and Stay!
Tips from Real-Estate Experts on How They Decorate Houses to Sell
Stage Your House — and Stay!
Tips from Real-Estate Experts on How They Decorate Houses to Sell
“We try to bring the vibrancy of the color from outside into the home,” say Brittany Lough and Susan Manzo of Village Properties Realtors on how they help their clients bring new life to a living space by reflecting nature’s springtime inspiration. “It’s really to show how you can live in Santa Barbara.” For clients who can’t afford a professional stager to prepare their property, Manzo and Lough bring their years of experience as Realtors to advise sellers on how to give their property a fresh and current vibe. They share some of their top tips below — and even if you don’t plan to sell your house, their advice can bring some special verve to your living quarters.
• “Nobody lives the way they sell a house,” they say of moving furniture to face each other and away from the television. “If you go into staged properties, they don’t always make sense in terms of daily living.” They suggest creating spaces that are more conducive to conversation and gathering, and that may mean putting some furniture in a garage or storage to create more walking space.
• “Spring is a good time to declutter,” they say of putting away wintery and dark accessories. Fluffy bedding adds volume to a room, while wall art and mirrors tend to create a sense of dimension. Swap out wool rugs for natural fibers. “You’re going to want florals and vibrant colors,” they say of their favorite spring palettes and patterns. “Keep the warm, furry pillows for your winter couch.”
• “Our goal is really to let the light in,” they say of how a space should capitalize on windows and skylights. “Sometimes, we even tell people to take their curtains down and get rid of them.” They suggest washing the windows inside and out, and opening any remaining blinds and curtains.
• “Bringing live florals, trees, and plants will bring a whole space to life,” they say, explaining that fiddle-leaf fig trees look great in any house and that succulents and orchids are long-lasting and low-maintenance. “It can make a huge difference.”
How to Harvest Rainwater
Design a Rain Garden to Save Water and Reduce Costs
Daniel Wilson
How to Harvest Rainwater
Design a Rain Garden to Save Water and Reduce Costs
“Rainwater harvesting is an innovative solution that can make a difference in both drought and deluge,” says Barbara Wishingrad, the executive director of the nonprofit Sweetwater Collaborative, which educates the public about watershed sustainability. The goal is to collect rainwater on land with soil, vegetation, or in cisterns as a way to slow, spread, and sink the water during storms. Said Wishingrad, “We want to stop it from rushing past us while it picks up topsoil and pollution and hurls it down to the ocean.”
Luckily, a well-designed rain garden is also a thing of beauty. “In fact, they are often more beautiful than the conventional landscapes they replace,” said Wishingrad, who suggests adding a native or Mediterranean garden to your landscape, which can allow you to go cold turkey on potable water usage in your garden. You can learn how to do so in one of Sweetwater’s many classes and workshops, and they also offer evaluations to homeowners and businesses.
Another Santa Barbara company builds rainwater-capture systems. “We believe the irrigation water has been reduced by around 90 to 95 percent,” said Daniel Wilson of Wilson Environmental Contracting, discussing a rain garden that he installed for the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors that captures rain from the roof. “It transformed a previously flat, irrigated, featureless lawn into an interesting, pollinator-friendly garden.”
See sweetwatercollaborative.org and weldesign.net.
Wonderful Wandering at Seaside Gardens
Exploring the Plant-Filled World That Linda Wudl Created
Wonderful Wandering at Seaside Gardens
Exploring the Plant-Filled World That Linda Wudl Created
“When people come and say they love it, that’s what matters,” says Linda Wudl, a retired scientist who worked in biotech before purchasing the bare 10-acre lot that she turned into Seaside Gardens. “People just come and sit and eat lunch. It’s wonderful.”
Though Seaside Gardens is indeed a nursery with many plants for sale, Wudl is more enthused to welcome wanderers and pleasure-seekers to her property, which is open to the public for free. Visitors can enjoy designs from a dozen landscapers that are set around 12 garden themes, including grasslands, South American, and native. There’s even a tropical garden by internationally celebrated landscape artist Eric Nagelmann. “We recommend our landscapers if people ask who they are,” says Wudl. “We try to give them as much credit as we can.”
Here are a few of Wudl’s favorite gardens:
Australian Garden: “The neat thing about Australia is that their plants are so strange,” said Wudl while pointing out a banksia bush. “I kind of like the wild look.” The garden was designed by Jo O’Connell to be generally drought-tolerant, and it’s easy to spot a few of California’s most easily adapted imports.
South African Garden: “This is my favorite view in the garden,” said Wudl, standing at the pathway entrance to Lawrence Nicklin’s design while gazing at the blooming Ericas, leucadendrons, and African daisies. “It’s just the mixture of colors.”
Succulents Garden: This stark and ornamental garden woven over a canopy of pebbles was designed by Donna and Bill Baker and incorporates their collection of rare and exotic succulents. “Even after everything has bloomed,” explained Wudl, “there are so many unusual plants that you can always spot something you hadn’t noticed before.” She particularly admires the Hercules aloe and the Basterkobas.
3700 Via Real, Carpinteria; 684-6001; seaside-gardens.com
Lawn Love: Uber for Your Yard
App-Coordinated Lawn Service Now Available in Santa Barbara
Lawn Love: Uber for Your Yard
App-Coordinated Lawn Service Now Available in Santa Barbara
Credit: Courtesy
If you’re an Uber fan, you’ll appreciate the tech-driven lawn service, Lawn Love, which started in 2014 and serves 100 regions, but which just came to Santa Barbara last year. “You’ll get a text message when they are on their way,” says CEO and founder Jeremy Yamaguchi. “And then a text message when they are done.” This, and other features like job tracking and hands-free payments, will sound familiar to ride-sharers.
Yamaguchi says Lawn Love is also similar to Uber in that they are a high-tech solution for what’s historically been an offline industry. “We do all the matchmaking behind the scenes,” he said of how the company connects homeowners with pre-vetted lawn professionals. After new clients fill out a short online form, Lawn Love immediately applies satellite mapping tools to create a structured blueprint of a property, which then provides a near-instant quote for the job.
“It’s ultimately a much more modern, streamlined experience, versus calling a bunch of folks on Craigslist or Yelp,” said Yamaguchi. Traditionally, homeowners have had to wait for a lawn-care provider to physically come to their property, offer a quote, and then schedule a service. “It can take weeks to get the job done after the initial contact is made,” he explained.
Lawn Love service providers tend to have more than a decade of experience with grass varieties, soil composition, and fertilizers. But they do not have much experience with marketing or software applications that can make their businesses more efficient.
So the tech company gives their software away for free to small, one- to five-person lawn-care businesses all across the country. “This helps them better compete and thrive,” said Yamaguchi. “We bring them a new pipeline of customers, freeing them up to spend more time in the field.”
Master Backyard Composting with the Earth Machine
City of Santa Barbara Sponsors Sustainability with Discounted Composting Device
Master Backyard Composting with the Earth Machine
City of Santa Barbara Sponsors Sustainability with Discounted Composting Device
“There’s a disconnect with people and waste,” says Bryan Latchford, the outreach coordinator for the City of Santa Barbara’s Environmental Services, about how consumers tend to ignore their daily waste creation. “It’s a weird psychological thing.”
It could be that the city so quickly and neatly removes trash and recycling from our space that many people don’t recognize how quickly it piles up in landfills. Food garbage makes up about 37 percent of the waste in Santa Barbara.
“Composting is a really necessary thing for items that couldn’t have been avoided,” explained Latchford. “When we’re not planning our meals efficiently, then we’re just purchasing all the energy, water, and time that went into making it and wasting that too.”
So plan accordingly as much as possible, but when you still have food scraps to compost, take advantage of the County of Santa Barbara’s sponsorship of the Earth Machine composting system. Here’s how:
Step One: Get an Earth Machine. “There’s a big benefit for having something like an Earth Machine,” said Latchford of the all-in-one composting bin that screws into the ground. “It’s like a big cup turned upside down, and you don’t even see anything.” The lid provides an easy way to dump in food waste. Earth Machines are provided by the city for a significantly discounted $45.
Step Two: Dump in all food scraps. Period. “People don’t know how easy composting can be,” said Latchford. Step Three: Keep it balanced. Mix an appropriate amount of wet food with dry, wood-based materials, which includes leaves, grass, paper towels, and manufactured compostable materials. Think three parts brown, two parts green, and a little water to keep it all moist.
Step Four: Follow your nose. If there’s an odor, then there’s an appropriate tactic. “It’s just about reading a little bit,” he said of using one of the many online resources posted by the city and county. “The information is there, and the ways to get the answers are there, but for some reason with waste, it’s a big divide.”
Step Five: Wait about three to six months. “Over time, you’ll be able to open that up, take a shovel, and start using the compost,” he explained of the built-in door at the bottom of the bin. Then just sprinkle it on lawns, gardens, or pots.
Get your Earth Machine by visiting lessismore.org or calling 882-3600.
Donna Dickerman Marries DIY with Full-Service Design
New York City Interior Designer Brings Innovative Packages to Santa Barbara
Donna Dickerman
Donna Dickerman Marries DIY with Full-Service Design
New York City Interior Designer Brings Innovative Packages to Santa Barbara
Donna Dickerman recently presented her hybrid business concept, which marries full-service design with DIY techniques, at the Architectural Digest Design Show in New York City. The seasoned architect and interior designer offers clients a detailed design map menu, which she recently brought to Santa Barbara.
What brought you to Santa Barbara? What’s there not to love about it? The natural beauty and the architectural integrity. I immediately knew that the community had a high standard of design awareness and appreciation, and that’s rare to see. I just felt a kindred spirit.
How does your process work? It’s really a simplified approach to luxury interior design using a three-step process. First, there is a design discussion in a client’s home, where I guide the conversation while I’m assessing their space. I can immediately see a lot — where the light comes in, their frustrations and concerns. As a designer, it’s all about my eyes and all these things I’m processing. Next, I design and curate, where I look at their wishes and their budget, and that guides how I’m going to build their room. I often work with existing things, so it’s not always completely new. That adds a richness because I often can add new love to a piece that they weren’t seeing and can give it the sunshine that it needs. Then I put it all into a design map, which is a step-by-step set guide to implementing their interior design package.
Where does the DIY come in? The design map has everything they need: a floor plan, a mood board, and easy ordering sheets, and I walk them through it if they have any concerns. But a lot of people don’t need that much handholding — they really want to participate in creating their interiors. When I deliver the design map, they are feeling empowered and participatory because they are ordering pieces and talking to their contractors. And this plan keeps them focused so that when they finally finish, on their own time, their interior isn’t a mishmash. All this is empowering.
How can clients stay within budget? This is the ultimate transparency in interior-design service at a high level. In my packages, I put together a concept that gives a floor plan so that they can get really accurate bids from contractors. It makes it really easy to know what the cost is going to be and what is going to be delivered, so it feels very safe for the homeowner.
How does your style stand out? This is really interior design, not interior decoration, so I’m not selling my style. I’m also an architect, so they get that benefit through me because there’s a lot of specific and very technical elements. I’ve seen it time and again that when a client has a room they really love, they start showing up for themselves differently and it really changes their whole perspective on life. I’m inspired by my clients finding their style and then helping them to own it.
Dickerman Design offers a variety of packages for different rooms. A design package for the living room and dining room runs around $2,400. Call 215-6650, email dickermandesign@gmail.com, or see dickermandesign.com.
Collecting Stories at Eye of the Day Garden Design Center
Brent Freitas Sells Historic Outdoor Art in Carpinteria
Brent Freitas
Collecting Stories at Eye of the Day Garden Design Center
Brent Freitas Sells Historic Outdoor Art in Carpinteria
“Pretty much every piece here has a story,” says Brent Freitas of his array of garden decor while gently caressing his shop terrier, Shorty. “And I can tell the story.”
As the longtime owner of Eye of the Day Garden Design Center in Carpinteria, Freitas gathers, preserves, and sells those stories from far and near. His prolific collection of mostly large, vintage, and antique pieces comes from 20 years of traveling to Europe, where he’s cultivated personal relationships with collectors and suppliers. Calling his sojourns “Eye of the Day expeditions,” Freitas explained, “I’m just a guy who likes to travel around Europe with a good eye.”
His assembly, which also comes from estate sales around Santa Barbara, attracts designers and architects, and he often ships pieces across the country. It’s worth taking an expedition of your own to the store to browse the collection of early Spanish olive presses, Francesco del Rayo pots, Italian terra-cotta, 30-year-old Italian fountains, and Diego Garcia pots.
“We focus on authentic, as much handmade as possible, original, European quality,” said Freitas, while showing the French limestone pots that were imported by Barbara Israel, the New York–based grand dame of garden antiques in America.
He also points out a recent shipment that contained some rough Spanish stone works, which he endearingly calls “early Fred Flintstone” pieces. “Some were found 18 feet below ground and more than likely came from Roman times,” he said. Nearby are some French stoneware pieces from Provencal farms that were originally used as water cisterns and animal troughs.
If the prices on the bigger items are too intimidating for the average shopper, there are some wonderful smaller pots with interesting shapes and stories. And there’s always Shorty the shop dog, who’ll put a bright spot in anyone’s day.
4620 Carpinteria Ave., Carpinteria; 566-6500; eyeofthedaygdc.com
Update Your Home for a Good Cause
ReStore Sells Donated Home Items to Benefit Habitat for Humanity
ReStore Assistant Manager Joel Delgado (left) and Manager Ruairi Bateson
Update Your Home for a Good Cause
ReStore Sells Donated Home Items to Benefit Habitat for Humanity
“Most of our customers travel from more than six hours away,” says Ruairi Bateson, who has managed Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore for more than eight years. “That’s the best testament.”
The shop, located near M.Special Brewing Company in Goleta, is stocked with gently used, donated items such as tiles, vanities, sinks, stoves, lighting, bathrooms, mirrors, and frames. “Because of the area we are in,” he explained of being in Santa Barbara, “we tend to get a better quality of stuff.”
All this good stuff leads to good deeds, as purchases directly benefit Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County’s efforts to provide housing in this cutthroat real estate market. The nonprofit is nearing completion on three homes in Carpinteria, and it has built nearly two dozen since 2000, providing shelter for more than 70 people, half of whom are children. They’ve also repaired more than 30 homes as well.
ReStore also runs on another factor of goodwill: human capital. They have only two staff members for the large store — the rest are volunteers.
Here are a few of Bateson’s favorite items:
Architectural Millwork’s Kitchen Cabinets: “You can have a Ferrari for the cost of a Corolla,” said Bateson of the blonde kitchen available for purchase, which cost $3,500. “That’s a steal.” The store also carries a range of cabinets and kitchen appliances.
Doors: “We do not take any hollow or particle-board doors,” said Bateson, explaining that a quarter of the store’s monthly business comes from doors. They offer a large selection of them, from French double doors to single interior and exterior doors. The selection is organized from one panel to five panels. “Within 45 seconds, we can find if there’s a door that will fit your dimensions,” he said.
1870s London Apothecary Chest: “It’s a special item,” he says of the dark wooded piece with doors that costs $8,500. “It’s a true antique.” While examining it, Bateson is interrupted by a customer who is looking for a piece from a bar that he had seen on a previous visit — he’s clearly disappointed upon hearing it’s been sold. “The Biltmore doesn’t have [anything] what that bar was like.”
Chandelier: “This is a real deal,” he says of the $2,500 hanging lamp, which is $4,000 less than it should be. “This is not a Chinese copy.”
How to Donate: Donors can drop items at the store during store hours or call for a pickup request. ReStore does have guidelines on the items that it will accept, so it’s worth checking their website before loading up a truck.
6860 Cortona Dr., Goleta; 692-2226; sbhabitat.org/restore
