Your New Year’s resolutions to keep you happy at home in the coming year.

Can you believe 2016 is just around the corner? Since you’re probably starting to work on your list of New Year’s resolutions, we have a few to add for your home. Keep these resolutions to love your abode through 2016!

Protect what’s important. You’ve invested a lot in your home. Not only is it one of the biggest parts of your financial portfolio, it’s also the place your family is making their life! Make sure it keeps its value by considering improvements with a high ROI. Both Forbes and the National Association of Realtors say that a new Entry Door is one of the most worthwhile home improvements.

Get outside more. Fresh air is waiting! Appreciate your property’s outdoor areas from the comfort of your home and enjoy the benefits indoor-outdoor living. Bi-Fold Patio Doors are a fantastic way to open up your home to the great outdoors, making it easy to actually keep this resolution in 2016.

Stay safe.  Protect yourself and your family by resolving to regularly test and replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Check the locking mechanisms on all your doors and windows to ensure they’re still in good shape, and if not, consider replacing the hardware or the entire door with something new.

We want to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions, so we’re making it easy! Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom Entry Doors, Windows, and Multi-Slide Patio Doors, Lift and Slide, and Bi-Fold Patio Doors that allow you to fully enjoy elegant home design in 2016.

Celebrate this holiday season opening your heart and getting involved in your community!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And the real reason this season is so sweet is the spirit of giving. Here are a few ways you can celebrate the season and give back to help your community:

1. Give your time. One of the best ways to give costs you nothing at all! Gather your family and friends and head to your local senior center, animal shelter, soup kitchen, etc. to lend a hand. You’ll be the one volunteering, but you’re pretty much guaranteed to get something in return: a big smile on your face as you are able to make a difference in someone else’s life!

2. Give your extras. You’ll probably get a holiday gift or two for which you need to make room in your home. Prepare for that by cleaning out closets, pantries, etc. Look for any extras you have, like unused coats or duplicate canned goods. Donating your warm clothing and nonperishable food is a great way to give back.

3. Give your money. You might be surprised how little money you need to give to make a big difference this time of year. Buying a toy for a child in need or necessary supplies for your local homeless shelter won’t cost much, but the effects will be felt (and appreciated) by many!

We’re talking about metaphorically opening your doors, but you may want to physically open your doors, too! Want to make that easier? Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom Entry Door, Windows, and Multi-Slide, Lift and Slide, and Bi-Fold Patio Doors that allow you to fully enjoy elegant home design in 2016.

Celebrate the Season by Decorating your Entryway

Whether you’ve got a steel door that makes nailing décor to it impossible or a beautiful wood door you’d never want to damage, it can be tricky to find a way to decorate your entryway for the holidays. Here are some great (temporary) ideas to liven up your front porch and entry:

1. Hang a beautiful wreath, fragrant garland or ornament on your door. There are so many styles to choose from or make your own.  Some fun     ideas on Pinterest: Wreaths and Other Door Decor. Use double sided tape, a ribbon hung from the top of door or an over-the-door hanger         for placement.

2. Fill pots or other porch containers with seasonal greenery. Check out this lovely idea from Houzz:

Deck your containers with Holiday cheer

3. Brighten up with lights. Colored, twinkling or ornate, a few strings of lights can make your home bright and more inviting! Wrap-around                support columns; hang on planters or in trees in your front yard.

Show off your great holiday décor with fabulous new entry door to serve as your canvas. Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom Entry Doors, Windows, and Multi-Slide, Lift and Slide, and Bi-Fold Patio Doors that allow you to fully enjoy elegant home design and indoor-outdoor living.

Your home’s entry doors are your key to making a fantastic first impression.

We all know how much first impressions matter. Whether it’s a job interview or a date, those first moments have the potential to shape your entire relationship thereafter. Even if you’ve already got your own first impression managed, you might think about the statement your home is making. Simply upgrading your entry door gives you the power to make a fantastic first impression and boosts everything from curb appeal to rapport with your neighbors!

Want to make this easy but effective change? Make sure your home makes a fantastic first impression by choosing one of these entry door options from AG Millworks:

Passages Entry Doors give you contemporary sleekness tailored to seamlessly blend with your home.

Landmark Entry Doors are for you if you love the classics. These traditional, elegant doors let your guests know they’re welcome.

Craftsman Entry Doors blend simple design with top-tier craftsmanship. All of our doors, including our California Craftsman doors, are created locally in Ventura, California.

Iron Grille Entry Doors offer you the chance to bring European style and luxury right to your home. We can even customize your grille to meet your specific needs and tastes.

Rancho Entry Doors ensure you don’t have to choose between your home’s Mediterranean or Ranch styling and a fabulous front door!

Custom Entry Doors are a great way to get a “wow” from your guests the second they set foot on your property! At AG Millworks we can create the perfect custom door for your home.

If you’d like more information, simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom Entry Doors, Windows, and Multi-Slide, Lift and Slide, and Bi-Fold Patio Doors that allow you to fully enjoy elegant home design and indoor outdoor living.

If you want to beautifully blend your indoor and outdoor spaces, turn to zero corner Bi-Fold patio doors.

We talk a lot about indoor outdoor living and we do it for a reason. There’s no better way to meld the beauty and freshness of the great outdoors with the comfort of your home than by mixing your indoor and outdoor spaces.

Our Bi-Fold patio doors are the perfect answer and with our unique zero corner Bi-Fold Patio Doors you are free to open up not just one wall, but a whole corner of your home. When these glass doors are closed, you can still enjoy stunning views, but when they’re open you’ll be amazed how the boundary between indoors and outdoors is blurred.

This system is brilliantly designed with the weight of the doors fully supported from above. In this way, two Bi-Fold doors meet at a 90-degree angle at a corner of your home without a post to obstruct the view*.  Our highly engineered system makes it possible to easily fold the doors out of the way to open up your living space.

If you want to enjoy panoramic views and luxurious living, zero in on perfect design with zero corner Bi-Fold patio doors!

Want more information about how you can use zero corner Bi-Fold Patio Doors to bring the outdoors in, and vice versa? Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed Bi-Fold, Lift and Slide and Multi-Slide Patio Doors are made of top quality materials. AG Millworks can help transform your home with Custom Patio Doors, Entry Doors, and Windows that allow you to fully enjoy elegant home design.

* Site-specific engineering by qualified professional is required.

Use texture to enhance the décor without detracting for your vision. 

An easy and effective solution to spice up your home’s design without adding visual clutter: add texture. Here are a few ways you can use texture to add visual and tactile interest to your home, no matter what your décor theme!

Feminine: Soft, plush, downy-looking blankets and pillows can lend a gentle feel to a room. Floral embroidered fabrics are a great choice if you’re looking to add femininity. Choose overstuffed furniture with small, tasteful embellishments.

Masculine: Want to add more to a room without losing its masculine feel? Turn to metals – particularly burnished ones – and dark wood items. Leather is another great way to add a tactile focal point to a room and can be either classic or contemporary.

Modern: Modernism is all about clean lines. Mix it up and enhance the look by adding a shag rug, pillow or throw for a striking look against sleek furniture, smooth surfaces and taut leather.

Elegant: Want to give your home a luxurious, refined feel? Cut crystal is a great way to add depth to a room without adding too much color. Silks, cleanly polished woods and wools are other great options for adding texture in a sophisticated way.

Don’t forget your outside areas: Rocks, wood and textured cement elements can show off the greens and florals of your yard or garden. Opening up a wall of any room to the outside with lift and slide, multi-slide or Bi-Fold patio doors can give you a seamless view to natural outdoor elements.

Want to add more visual interest by melding glass, wood and metal in the perfect combination for your home’s décor? To learn how we can do that through Lift and Slide, Multi-Slide, or Bi-Fold Patio Doors, simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with Custom Patio Doors, Entry Doors, and Windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

How to use multi-slide or lift and slide doors to make the most of indoor outdoor living.

You’ve probably already noticed that blending indoor and outdoor spaces is a luxury home trend that has only continued to heat up in the last year. If you’re hoping to achieve this style, you might be wondering how.

We can help! We offer a variety of beautiful custom patio doors that can help you maximize your space and enjoy indoor outdoor living. Our doors can either tuck into a pocket concealed in your wall or stack together, minimizing visual and spatial clutter while opening up your home.

What’s more, we can tailor doors to accent the architecture of your home and frame them to match your existing décor. Here are just a couple of your best patio door options.

Lift and Slide Doors

Leveraging European engineering, we’ve made it possible to slide massive doors with minimal effort. This makes it possible to open up an entire wall of your home with the simple turn of a handle. When you turn the door handle, your doors will lift onto wheels so you can easily glide them out of the way either into their concealed pocket or into a neat stack.

Multi-Slide Doors

Our multi-slide doors easily and beautifully glide past each other, and are the ideal solution for smaller outdoor spaces that don’t need a full lift and slide unit. We can tailor your multi-slides to maximize your space, either creating an in-wall pocket into which they can neatly tuck or utilizing a stacking system to push them off to one side.

If you’re looking to add Multi-Slide, Lift and Slide or Bi-Fold Patio Doors to your home, look no further. Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with Custom Patio Doors, Entry Doors and Windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Give your house a win with a great game room!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – for sport fans. Football, basketball, and hockey season are all in full swing, offering you plenty of opportunities to root for your favorite team.

Do you have a good place to do that? If not, there’s no time like the present to convert a room in your house or your garage into a game room! Here are a few essentials to consider when creating the perfect game room.

1. The Space: To make sure you have enough room for all the fans, think about opening up the space to your covered patio or deck. Bi-Fold, lift and slide or multi-slide patio doors are perfect for maximizing space as they can open up an entire wall and stack neatly out of the way, allowing the party to flow onto your patio or deck.

2. The TV: Obviously, you’re going to want a great screen to broadcast your game. To feel like you’re watching the action live, pick a large screen HD TV that’s big enough for everyone to see or consider installing a projector and projecting your feed onto a white wall or drop-down screen.

3. The Seats:  Opt for ample, comfortable seating. It’s also a good idea to choose seating that can be moved around to accommodate more people. Place side tables close by for drinks and snacks.

4. The Décor: You know all those fan pennants, jerseys and team memorabilia you’ve been accumulating over the years? Your game room is the perfect place to showcase it all!

When it’s time for the big game, you’ll likely want to entertain in your game room. Fortunately, having the space to do that is easy with a

smart patio door system that makes it easy to open up your room to the outdoors!

For more information about how Lift and Slide, Multi-Slide or Bi-Fold Patio Doors can help you take your game room to the next level, simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with Custom Patio Doors, Entry Doors, and Windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Remember 1997’s El Niño? Its conditions could be repeated this season; get prepared!

If you’ve lived in California for a while, you may remember a particularly rainy winter in 1997. For some people, memories of that season go well beyond just precipitation. Record breaking rainfall, large waves and mudslides wreaked major havoc costing California home owners millions in repairs.

Now, climate models and natural phenomena hint that a similar El Niño could be heading our way again this season. Are you ready? Use these tips for preparing your home and family for El Niño 2015.

Shore Up Your House. Heavy rainfall won’t pose too much danger to homes situated away from the coast, provided they’re properly maintained. Have your roof inspected, get out your caulking gun and patch up the seals of your home, install weather stripping and replace doors or windows as needed so your home can withstand the coming moisture.

Bolster Your Insurance Coverage. Did you know most homeowners’ insurance policies don’t offer coverage for flooding? You need a separate flood insurance policy—which will require 30 days to take effect—to protect your family against the financial burden a flood could cause.

Strengthen Your Evacuation Plans. Have an emergency kit ready with first aid supplies, food, water, flashlights, and other necessities so you can grab it and go should your area be evacuated. Also, map at least two routes out of town in case flooding blocks one.

Do you need to update your doors or windows before El Niño hits? Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform and safeguard your home with custom Entry Doors, Lift and Slide, Multi-Slide, Bi-Fold Patio Doors and Windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious indoor outdoor living.

Bring the fall season to your outdoor space with these fun patio decorating ideas.

Fall is here! If you live in California, you may not be feeling the seasons change just yet but that doesn’t mean you have to wait to welcome autumn to your outdoor spaces. Use these fall decorating ideas to get your patio and porch areas ready for the season.

Pumpkin Planter: Give your planters a seasonal feel that will require very little maintenance by swapping out your summer blooms for a fall look in a warm autumn palette. Nestle a pumpkin slightly smaller than the top of your planter in the soil, then surround with mums, calendulas and other fall flowers.

Lantern Love: With the winds autumn brings, you likely won’t be lighting any candles in your lanterns. Put them to a good alternative use by filling them instead with fall items like mini pumpkins (white ones are a great way to add interest and elegance to your patio), pinecones, squash or colorful fall leaves.

Creative Carving: Instead of your usual Jack O’ Lantern carving, give your pumpkin a professional look by using a dremel-type tool to get perfect circles and other shapes. With the differently sized rotary attachments, you can have more control with your design and create interesting patterns. Alternatively, you can paint your pumpkins with metallic or glow-in-the-dark paint. Stencil your family monogram for a classic, impactful motif. The bonus of painting, rather than carving, your pumpkins is that they will last longer and can be used as décor throughout the season!

Are you looking to enhance your outdoor living area? Lift and Slide, Multi-Slide, or Bi-Fold Patio Doors are a great way to open your home to increase your usable square footage and enjoy your outdoor space throughout the fall season and beyond. Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with Custom Patio Doors, Entry Doors and Windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Take advantage of the warm fall weather in California with these great events.

Although fall is well underway, California still continues to enjoy warm temperatures. Far from surprising, our state usually gets an enjoyable Indian summer.

If you’re hoping to take advantage of these last warm days, why not attend some of these great fall events?

Pumpkin Patches: Throughout our area, there are pumpkin patches popping up so you and your family can pick the perfect canvas for your Halloween carving. Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark is open to the public for pick-your-own produce all year round, but you won’t want to miss their great pumpkins, corn maze, wagon rides, and other seasonal celebrations this month! If you live in Northern California, don’t miss the Tolay Fall Fesitval near Petaluma for hayrides, games, a straw maze, a pumpkin seed spitting contest, and more!

Farmers’ Markets: Similarly, there are a lot of great farmers’ markets throughout California where you can bite into the flavors of our warm fall – literally! If you haven’t been to the Original Farmers' Market in Los Angeles, which opened in 1934, this is a great trip with the kids to learn about farm-fresh foods and take home some delicious souvenirs!! Alternatively, the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market has been recognized as one of the top in the country, and San Francisco foodies love it for its organic-certified produce paired with delicious bites from local chefs.

Backyard Movie Party: Have fun in your own backyard while the weather allows! Barbecue a tasty meal, string up a sheet for a movie screen, throw down some cushions, pop some popcorn then gather your family and friends for dinner and a show!

Want Multi-Slide, Lift and Slide, or Bi-Fold Patio Doors to enhance your indoor-outdoor living? Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with Custom Patio Doors, Entry Doors and Windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

What you need to know about the latest luxury home trend: Bi-Folding Patio Doors.

If you pick up a luxury home magazine, you won’t have to flip very many pages before you see a home that has opened up one (or more!) of its walls to the outside via large-scale patio doors. These types of patio doors give homeowners the opportunity to bring the outside in, taking advantage of a beautiful view, remarkable landscaping, and/or great weather.

Bi-Folding patio doors (Bi-Folds or accordion doors) have a unique design made up of individual glass door panels that are hinged together and slide on a track, stacking accordion style to completely open up the wall. This innovative configuration makes it possible for you to enjoy blending the indoor and outdoor spaces of your home and increase the usable square footage.

Choosing a Bi-Fold system with an odd number of doors gives you the convenience of a single door panel for easy everyday use when you just want to pop outside without opening up all the doors. Optional retractable screens provide protection from pests as well as giving you the added comfort of cool breezes (and energy costs savings!)

Do Bi-Fold patio doors sound like a good fit for your home? If so, contact AG Millworks, a California manufacturer of custom Bi-Fold, Lift and Slide, Multi-Slide Patio Doors.

AG Millworks custom Bi-Folding door systems:

- Are manufactured and fully assembled by our expert staff to ensure you get a perfect fit

- Feature furniture-quality joinery and craftsmanship with a low V.O.C. factory prefinished

- Comes with all hardware factory-installed saving you time and money

- Are available in either all wood with 18 premium wood species from which you can choose, or wood/clad in five standard clad color options or custom clad color matching

- Are offered with optional retractable screens that are fully factory installed for ease of use

- Are produced in our California mill, established in 1986

Bi-Fold patio doors are making their mark on luxury real estate; let them make their mark on your own home! Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom patio doors, entry doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Need some extra room? Imagine what your garage could be!

Sure, plenty of people use their garage as something other than a place to keep their car. Specifically, they use it as storage. Have you ever considered converting your garage to a more usable space? The modern family can have plenty of uses for a converted garage, from a kids’ area to a home gym to an office. If you’re hoping to make the most of your house’s square footage, use this guide to converting your garage (or shed!) into a more usable space to suit your lifestyle.

Figure Out Your Storage Needs: If you’re like most people, you probably have a decent amount of stuff stored in your garage. Figure out what you need to keep in your garage and what you can move elsewhere, then invest in storage solutions to minimize and organize your storage space in your garage.

Improve The Space: The remaining space is yours to play with! Hide electrical wiring, put in insulation, drywall and paint and install good lighting. Move workbenches or tools that don’t fit in your storage solution to a designated area. Transform the setting by incorporating Bi-fold, Multi-slide or Lift and Slide doors to open up to your yard and add usable square footage.

Imagine What Your Space Could Be: Now that you have your space organized and pleasing to the eye, the fun begins! What suits your needs? A recreation room for the kids, man cave, artist studio, personal gym, home office, practice room for your band or cat habitat? Use your imagination to create whatever best suits what you want for your newly improved space!

When transforming any part of your home, you may find Bi-Fold, Multi-Slide or Lift and Slide Patio Doors can make all the difference. To learn about how you can get the best product for your project, simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with Custom Doors and Windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

With this guide, you can have your indoor/outdoor remodel done by spring!

Haven’t you loved the summer season? The warm sun, the fresh air, and the long days of sunlight that melt into warm evenings all make this one of the best times of year. You’ve probably been wanting to soak up every minute of it! Fortunately, if you start planning your indoor/outdoor remodel right now, you can have it completed by spring so you can enjoy the next warm season in a space that fosters indoor outdoor living. Here is a guide to the steps of planning your remodel.

1. Find Your Inspiration: Before you start your remodel, you need to figure out what you want the finished product to accomplish. Browse Pinterest and Houzz, pick up design magazines, and visit properties to get inspired.

2. Assemble Your Team: You will need an architect, contractor, and/or design professional to take on your remodel. Start interviewing people now to put together the right team

3. Create A Plan: Once you have your professionals assembled, create a plan together. You should end this step with a blueprint and a budget.

4. Gather Your Materials: Start pulling your materials together, including flooring, paint, entry doors, patio doors (consider Bi-Fold patio doors to really get indoor outdoor living), landscaping materials, and furniture.

5. Get Your Permits: Before you break ground, make sure your project has been cleared with your city and that you’ve paid for your permits.

6. Begin!

Getting the doors and windows your remodel will require is easy. Simply click the Match Me With A Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom patio and entry doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Take the Indoors Out with the Outdoor Living Room.  

People have long worked to bring the outdoors in, incorporating potted plants, lots of natural light, and nature-inspired textures, fabrics, and patterns into their interior décor. Today, there is also a shift in the opposite direction, as more and more designers bring what would traditionally be seen as an indoor space into the great outdoors. Here are just a few ways you can capitalize on the new outdoor living room trend and incorporate indoor outdoor living into your home.

§  Warm It Up with a Fire Pit: You love cozying up around the fireplace in your living room during the winter months. Why not enable your family to do just that under the stars by installing an outdoor fire pit? Beyond the physical warmth it adds, it also creates a cozy, glowing ambience and is a great central point around which people can gather when you entertain.

§  Make it Inviting with the Right Furniture: Part of what makes your living room such a great place to spend time is the comfort. Bring that relaxation outdoors with L-shaped sofas and comfortable chairs for lounging. Newer all-weather materials are softer with many color and pattern options to enhance any décor.

§  Define the Space: Just because your outdoor living room is outdoors doesn’t mean it has to lack structure. Add a pergola, hang curtains or anchor the area with an outdoor area rug so it will feel like a separate space from the rest of your yard. Add Bi-fold, Multi-slide or Lift and Slide patio doors to open up a wall of your home to the outdoors for a seamless living space from the inside.

The right entry doors and patio doors making bringing the indoors out and vice versa much easier. Want to learn more? Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Use Native Plants for a Beautiful Water-Wise Yard.

Can you believe summer is already wrapping up? It seems we were just enjoying the beginning of the warmer season, and yet the fall is quickly coming our way. That doesn’t mean you need to store your pruning shears just yet, though. In fact, by investing some time and energy in your outdoor areas now, you can get beautiful blooms in the spring.

While preparing your garden in the past you may have opted for whichever plants caught your fancy, our current drought might shift your focus. When looking for ways to create a functional, beautiful outdoor space and reclaim your yard from the arid California climate, opt for native plants. Not only will these plants be much more drought-tolerant and consequently require less water, they will also add seasonal interest of textures and flowers throughout the year.

When planting your native selections, avoid overcrowding them and group them together based on the amounts of hydration they require. Cover your flower beds with at least 3 inches of mulch to prevent evaporation and protect your roots from the heat.

Once you get your foliage planted, lay a drip irrigation system and adjustable timer. This will conveniently deliver the water your plants need without waste so your garden can stay beautiful throughout the year while still being water wise.

With all of the work you put into your yard, you deserve to be able to enjoy it. Open your home to the outside and bring indoor outdoor living into your life with Bi-fold, Multi-slide or Lift and Slide patio doors. Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom patio and entry doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Make the most of Labor Day weekend with these events in and around California!  

Did Labor Day sneak up on you the way it did us? It feels like just weeks ago that we were celebrating the summer’s start and yet we’re already quickly coming up on the weekend that is traditionally viewed as its end. The good news is that there are a number of exciting events that can help you make the most of these last days of summer. Here are just a few happenings you won’t want to miss!

§  Sonoma Wine Country Weekend: Sonoma County’s signature, and largest, charity event, brings together over 200 of Sonoma’s top winemakers and growers, along with a collection of the area’s best chefs. Rub shoulders with winegrowers, winemakers and chefs, from pioneers to up-and-comers. Named one of America’s top three wine charity fundraisers, it’s quite possibly the most fun you’ll ever have while supporting the community.

§  Festival of Sail: Experience the largest Tall Ship festival on the west coast. Hosted at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, the event transforms the North Embarcadero into a nautical theme park with fun for the entire family! See and explore the tall ships and enjoy the festive parade, mock cannon battles, swift boat, twilight sails, street fair, art exhibits and much more.

§  Santa Barbara Studio Artists Tour : Have you ever wonder what inspires artists or wanted to see an art studio up close? Join art aficionados from across the country in discovering fascinating studios, meet the artists and learn more about their creative process. The self-guided tour features a treasure trove of world-class original art and a view inside Santa Barbara’s leading artists’ private studios. Go for the weekend and enjoy an artist reception on Friday evening.

§  Just want to stay home and chill? Try this recipe for success with a classic end of summer cook-out to enjoy with family and friends: BBQ ribs, grilled corn on the cob, chilled garden fresh vegetable salad with heirloom tomatoes, cool crisp watermelon and refreshing lemonade.

If entertaining over the holiday weekend is part of your plans, you may be wishing you had Bi-fold, Multi-slide or Lift and Slide patio doors to make the most of your indoor/outdoor living space. Get ready for next year by simply clicking the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom patio and entry doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Many homeowners building new homes or considering a major remodel are left wondering why they are required to have a Title 24 energy report completed and choose Title 24 compliant fenestration. The state of California has mandated that all new and altered structures comply with the new California Energy Commission Title 24 energy standards. This statewide directive, which took effect on July 1, 2013 but became mandatory July 1, 2014, allows California to increase energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint so our beautiful state can prevail.

While you may be concerned that the new Title 24 requirements will get in the way of your project, the mandate will benefit all in the long run and compliance is not as complicated as you may think. By reducing our state’s energy usage, homeowners will spend less on electric bills, and the state’s electrical grid will not have to work as hard to supply the needs of its customers, and the environment as a whole will be less impacted.

When you choose AG Millworks products, you are choosing the most energy efficient route. We go above and beyond to exceed the Title 24 requirements, offering you the most benefits with aesthetically pleasing results.

Each of our handcrafted doors and windows is made with a timber core, allowing energy efficiency to be maximized. Wood is nature’s insulator, so timber core products are the most energy-efficient fenestration you can choose. Our doors and windows will keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter with less help from your HVAC system. Timber based fenestration products provide far greater insulation compared to other materials, including hollow aluminum products. Our top quality American-crafted fenestration products will not only exceed your design needs, but the requirements of Title 24 as well. We’ll be glad to provide your architect or builder the specific information they need to include AG Millworks products in your plans.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started building the energy efficient home of your dreams!

Perfecting Your Patio with a Pretty Pond.

Many homeowners dream of a yard that is a welcome reprieve from the hustle and bustle – and this often includes visions of the relaxing by a backyard water feature. Adding a pond to your yard or garden area can be aesthetically pleasing and enhance your entire property. Incorporate this unique home design for the perfect outdoor space:

§  Koi Pond – Adding a koi pond to your backyard is a great way to beautify your home. These striking fish will make a lasting impression on guests and will significantly enrich your outdoor space.

§  Container Garden – If your backyard does not allow enough space for an entire garden area with a pond, maybe a container garden will work. Transform an empty area on your patio into a lush container garden that incorporates a small re-circulating cascading waterfall.

§  Indoor-Outdoor Living – Why not create a pond with stepping stones that lead to your outdoor seating area? There is nothing quite as magical as enjoying your morning coffee under a covered patio area while listening to the relaxing sound of a tranquil pond.

§  Water Fountain – Increase your backyard’s charm by incorporating a water fountain into your design. By using re-circulating water in a cascading fountain, which results in much less evaporation than a spraying design, there no need to worry about the drought when adding this beautiful feature.

Open up your home to enjoy the outdoors with new patio doors, entry doors or windows – Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Best Sellers and Rooms to Enjoy.

Summer is in full swing, which means it’s time to enjoy some relaxation in your favorite spot and indulge in a great summer novel. Even if you don’t have a reading room in your home, there are probably areas, indoors or outdoors, where you could settle in and enjoy a good book. Choose a comfortable place with lots of light. We recommend indulging in these top picks featuring idyllic places to laze away the summer days:

§  A Room with a View – The ideal place to read this romantic and whimsical 19^th century British story is on a comfortable sofa in the living room with lots of natural light shining through. Enjoy the vista with expansive custom Bi-Fold, multi-slide or lift and slide patio doors.

§  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – This thrilling novel takes you through the magical world of Hogwarts and is perfect to read from your comfy nook tucked under the stairs.

§  Under the Tuscan Sun – Enjoy a glass of wine on your shady patio or deck and take a virtual trip through the Italian countryside.  As our heroine follows her dream of undertaking the remodel of a Tuscan Villa, you may even be inspired to knock down a wall or two and incorporate a new Bi-Fold, multi-slide or lift and slide patio door.

§  Like Water for Chocolate – This magical tale about a girl who is only able to express herself when she cooks – her strong emotions become infused into the meals she prepares – affecting the people who consume them. Indulge in the delicious recipes included as you devour this story in your sunlight filled kitchen.

§  Lust for Life – Told through a series of letters is the passionate life story of impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. Enjoy this colorful book in the splendor of your garden by a patch of vibrant irises or sunflowers.

Looking to add more light and life to your home? Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Transforming Your Home for Relaxation.

Far too many of us spend each day longing for the time when we can finally retreat to a relaxing space. Rather than imagining the perfect tranquil spot as a place far away, why not transform your home into your very own personal retreat? When it comes to creating a personal sanctuary, try some of these ideas for a successful transformation:

§  Find a place in your home where you can R-E-L-A-X! Select an area with very little traffic to create a space you can call your own. Surround yourself with things you enjoy and choose to do whatever makes you most happy in your personal retreat, whether it be reading, brainstorming or listening to music.

§  Create a truly inspirational retreat simply by utilizing one of the best gifts from the great outdoors – natural light. By installing custom windows and adding luxurious seating you can create the perfect private haven. Enhanced with your own personal touches, this nook will be a beautiful and well-used addition to your home.

§  By installing a multi-slide, lift & slide or Bi-Fold patio doors system you can transform any room in your home into a peaceful personal hideaway. Blend the outside with the inside by sliding your pocketing patio doors directly into the walls to completely open your space and enjoy the cool outdoor breeze from the comfort of your couch.

§  By taking advantage of the architecture of your home you can actually make your entire home feel like a special getaway. There is nothing quite as amazing as waking up to natural light and fresh air coming through your sliding door system with retractable screens.

If you are thinking of new patio doors, entry doors or windows – Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Eliminate the Chaos and Let in the Light.

When it comes to feeling happy and healthy in your home, the answer may be as simple as cleaning up the clutter and replacing your doors and windows to open up the space and let in more natural light. When your home is filled with clutter and the light levels are compromised, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and out of sync.

Better organization means more open space and by increasing the natural light coming in through new custom windows, Bi-Fold, multi-slide or lift and slide patio doors, your home will feel cleaner and brighter – natural mood enhancers!

There are a wide range of potential benefits to living in a well-organized home with lots of open space and abundant natural light:

§  Enhances Productivity

§  Boosts Mood

§  Increases Sustainability

§  Augments Vitamin B & Vitamin D Exposure

§  Improves Digestion

§  Promotes a Healthy Complexion

§  Increases Endorphins & Serotonin

§  Improves Sleep

§  Promotes Balanced Hormones

§  Supports Healthier Organs

If remodeling your home to increase natural light and opening your space to incorporate indoor-outdoor living with innovatively designed windows and doors is on your to-do list, please visit our website. We can match you with a local dealer who will work with you to craft a custom door and window package to enhance your home and make your remodeling dreams a reality.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Your Garden Wedding.

Upcoming nuptials?  If your backyard would be the perfect place to say “I do” to the love of your life, why not opt for a garden wedding? These unique ceremonials make for the perfect celebration of love as you are joined in matrimony in your own homegrown, intimate setting surrounded by the people you love. Here are some great ideas if you are thinking of hosting a garden wedding.

Saying “I Do” In Your Garden:

§  Indoor Outdoor Experience – There is nothing quite as amazing as being able to open your home and provide guests with the perfect atmosphere to celebrate your commitment to your soul mate. With beautiful multi- or lift & slide pocketing patio doors tucked away into the walls, your home and yard transition seamlessly, allowing guests lots of room to be comfortable throughout your special day.

§  Entertainment – With Bi-Fold patio doors opening up your living area to connect the inside of your home with the outside, this may be the perfect spot to have your entertainment set up.  Guests can mingle, dance and enjoy themselves both indoors and out. This will also give your band or DJ easy access to electricity and other facilities.

§  Dining – Where will your guests dine and how will the refreshments be served? Since you will be hosting the event in your yard or garden, a more relaxed dining experience may be best.
With multi-slide, lift & slide or Bi-Fold patio doors that can be open for the big day, caterers can utilize the space inside your kitchen to prep and move easily outside to serve your guests.
Bi-Fold pass-through windows from your kitchen give you the option of a convenient counter area buffet.

§  Your grand entrance – Is there a more beautiful way for the bride to start her walk down the aisle than to be framed by stunning fully open patio doors? All eyes will be on you and just imagine how gorgeous your photos will be with the superb light and picturesque view from your exquisite custom patio doors.

If you are thinking of new patio doors, entry doors or windows – Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Fulfilling Your Design Dreams with AG Millworks.

When it comes to designing your dream home to fully enjoy luxurious living at its finest, you can maintain a global viewpoint and still use local products. At AG Millworks, we provide you with the ability to see your home design dreams come true. We take pride in each of our products, made right here in California, supporting local dealers and builders to offer U.S. made, high quality patio doors, entry doors, and windows.

As a leading manufacturer of custom architectural millwork, our customers can feel confident in our commitment to top quality construction and old-world craftsmanship. We have had the privilege of developing customers for life by providing both businesses and homeowners with American-crafted products since 1986.

Each of our hand crafted door systems are made of high quality wood materials or aluminum clad. Our wood species include Cherry, Walnut, Genuine Mahogany, Sip Mahogany, African Mahogany, North American White Oak, Rift Sawn White Oak, Quarter Sawn White Oak, North American Red Oak, Knotty Alder, Clear Alder, Knotty Cedar, Clear Cedar, Douglas Fir, Teak, Poplar and Pine. Our aluminum clad can be custom matched to any color.

Our slogan: “A Quality Point of View” is rooted in our location and responsibility to our community. Situated in the heart of the beautiful seaside town of Ventura, California, we are inspired by the view each and every day. Staying committed to our vision allows us to fulfill the design dreams of each of our customers.

As a privately owned business, we value building long lasting relationships with our dealers. This approach, in combination with our top quality craftsmanship, allows us to create lifetime customers.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Enhancing Your Home’s Entry Way.

Whether you are meeting a new person or welcoming guests into your home, you only get one shot at making a good first impression. Since one of the first places visitors will see is your entry way, here are some design tips to capitalize on your home’s first impression:

§  As it is also a home upgrade that has proven to yield high values for return on investment, it may be time to invest in a beautiful new entry door. Whether you choose a passage entry door, landmark entry door, craftsman entry door, an iron grille entry door or a custom entry door, it should complement the rest of your home’s architectural style.

§  Is it time to invest in new flooring? If you have outdated flooring in your entry way, it may be time to invest in hardwood flooring or Italian tile for a beautiful home improvement. See this guide for advice and inspiration on installing new hardwood flooring.

§  While it may be easy to toss your keys, purse and jacket on the shelf in your entry way, clutter can be distracting. Control the clutter in your entry way by utilizing a storage ottoman or baskets.

§  Your entryway should have a beautiful focal point. Consider an eye catching mirror, original wall art or just let a beautiful custom entry door take center stage.

§  If your home is filled with neutral hues, a bold color may be all you need to enhance your entryway. Painting one wall a bold color or simply adding a dramatic vase to your entry way table can make all the difference.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Gardening Tips for Outdoor Space.

There is nothing quite as enjoyable and satisfying as harvesting fresh veggies from your own edible garden. Growing your own healthy and nutritious food can also be convenient as all of these fresh picks can be found right outside your door in your patio garden. Here some ideas to help you get the most out of your edible garden:

§  A key component of a successful edible garden is good soil. You can make your own organic potting mix that includes garden soil, peat moss, course sand or perlite and fertilizer to provide your plants the right nutrients and drainage.

§  Proper irrigation is important for an abundant harvest. Watering by hand can be relaxing and tranquil, but using an automatic drip line can also be a time and water saving way to properly water your plants.

§  If you are planting a container garden, there are many options to choose from such as clay or ceramic pots, raised bed wood boxes or metal planters, so do a bit research to see what’s best for your specific crops.

§  Space out your planting area to provide your plants with ample room to grow and thrive.

§  Your edible garden should have enough sunlight throughout the day. For the right exposure and close proximity, place your garden right outside your Bi-Fold, lift and slide or multi-slide patio doors that are either South or West facing.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Design Elements for Entertainer of the Year.

A backyard party at home is a great way to celebrate a graduation, Father’s Day, 4^th of July or simply just the arrival of summer! To ensure that your guests have a great time, stage your home to maximizing indoor-outdoor flow. Keep these creative design tips in mind to improve the party space for your summer festivities:

§  Enhance the flow of your celebration by connecting your indoor-outdoor space. Investing in Bi-Fold patio doors or lift and slide patio doors is a great way to blend two of the most important party spaces of your home – your kitchen and patio. Lift and slide patio doors can even be hidden in pockets within the walls to make this transition seamless.

§  When planning your event set-up, keep in mind any floor level changes that may hinder the ease in which your guests can circulate.  Spacious doors patio doors that can tuck away such as a pocketing multi-slide patio door system can also increase indoor-outdoor flow allowing your friends and family to mingle effortlessly.

§  Take advantage of the covered area of your patio by designating this space for entertainment. Guests will be comfortable in the shade and able to enjoy the ambiance of the open-air.

§  As you set up the grilling area, kitchen and patio to accommodate your guests, try to stage everything for efficient entertainment. Set up a nice bar area near the grilling station so that guests can grab a drink while waiting for their delicious homemade barbecue.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Achieve Indoor-Outdoor Living with Patio Doors

If you are looking to add more party space to your home for more enjoyable celebrations this summer, consider new patio doors for an open-air feel. Patio doors in combination with other design strategies can make for an aesthetically pleasing place to host those summer festivities by opening your home to include the outdoors. Here are some helpful tips for adding more social square footage to your home:

§  The most effective way to add more entertainment space is to open your home to the outdoors with the help of patio doors. By utilizing Bi-Fold or swinging patio doors, you can make for the perfect festive environment, where guests can converse both inside and out.

§  Having a covered area with ceiling fans and heaters can allow you to enjoy the fun no matter what the weather. If it is too hot, everyone can gather in your open-air patio to enjoy the cool breeze from the fans above. If it is too cold, people can enjoy the warmth from the heat lamps or fire pit.

§  By utilizing stylish patio doors that seamlessly blend the outside with the in, you can make your get-together more inclusive by eliminating physical barriers in your entertainment space. This will create a more festive gathering where no guest feels secluded from the bunch.

§  Whether your home overlooks the ocean, the mountains, a beautiful cityscape or a lovely garden, it is essential that you can enjoy the view. By opening your multi-slide patio doors, you can allow guests to watch the sunset while enjoying your event.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Patio Doors That Don’t Bug You

Summer is just around the corner, which means it is a good time to start implementing energy saving tactics that will help you save on costs once the scorchers arrive. One cost effective ways to save energy is to invest in windows and patio doors with retractable screens. These are specifically designed to increase airflow while providing shaded, filtered light – the perfect balance to decrease energy use.

Benefits are extremely favorable for both aesthetic reasons and your pocket, which is why we have put together some helpful guidelines to determine which type of energy efficient option might be right for your next home remodel:

§  Bi-Fold Windows and Patio Doors: These innovative windows and doors have the ability to expand your lifestyle by blending the out with the in as they fold away to increase living space. When you add retractable screens to the mix, you have a product that can increase air circulation as well as protect you and your family from pesky insects, letting you enjoy the beauty of the outdoors from the cool comfort of your home.

§  Multi-Slide Patio Doors: Most effective for maximizing your view and admitting daylight, multi-slide patio doors blend the in with the out seamlessly. Since the retractable screens will remain out of sight, you can keep enjoying the view when your screen is tucked away until you are ready to use them.

§   Swinging Patio Doors: Retractable screens can complement even the most custom, high end swinging patio doors, as they can be coyly tucked away in the door’s frame. These beautiful doors provide you with a clear view of the outside or a bug-free indoor haven without losing the benefit of the summer breeze.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Making a Backyard Family Retreat

Summertime is family time and there is nothing more enjoyable than spending time with the ones you love most in your home that has incorporated indoor-outdoor living. When you have an outdoor area that allows you to feel just as comfortable as if you were inside, your family can enjoy the warmer seasons to the fullest. Here are a few helpful tips for creating summer patios made for indoor-outdoor living:

§  Patio space is essential to indoor-outdoor living. There are many different types of patio doors that you can choose from to make the perfect outdoor space that is connected to your home, including Bi-Fold, lift and slide, multi-slide and swinging patio doors. Each of these have the ability to blend the out with the in, making for the ideal open-air living space.

§  You can also have your patio doors open up into an outdoor living room. Think about incorporating an overhang or pergola that can shade you from the sun but still allow you to enjoy the fresh outdoor breeze and you have mastered indoor-outdoor living. Make this outdoor living room feel like a home away from home but where you can indulge in the great outdoors.

§  Indoor-outdoor living can also be achieved by having a beautiful garden retreat. Why not create a space in your yard that can allow you to feel as if you are in an exotic place, you can get the most out of your living space. We highly recommend tropical or native plants, flowers, and trees in this area to yield an aesthetically pleasing and relaxing atmosphere.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Conserving Water In and Around the Home

As California drought conditions continue and a solution seems out of sight, it becomes increasingly important that homeowners make efforts towards conserving water. There are a variety of landscaping ideas to conserve water that will not only make your outdoors looking beautiful, but will also contribute to the overall greater good of our beautiful state and planet. We highly recommend trying out these water conservation ideas for your landscaping and gardening:

§  Running sprinklers can be detrimental to California drought conditions, which is why it may be time to make the switch to hand watering, overhead watering or drip irrigation. These methods are more effective in both managing water use and providing your greenery with proper hydration.

§  Utilizing big potted plants in your gardening can not only be aesthetically pleasing, but it can also be more water efficient with less water run-off. Make a day of creating your own arrangements in half wine barrel planters, as these beautiful gardening displays can make for a gorgeous and water efficient backyard.

§  When you have a produce garden, you are not only eating fresher food, but you are also eliminating the cost of transportation, storage and maintenance of packaged foods and items sold in grocery stores. Having your family set-up an edible garden in your backyard or on your patio with all of your favorite fruits and veggies is a great way to start enjoying fresh produce as well as introducing your children “home farming.” By assigning each of your children a portion of the garden to water and care for, they can start learning the importance of taking care of something and the joy of growing their own food.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

How Newly Renovated Homes Appeal to Buyers

House flipping has been going on for years, but many are still unaware of how appealing the upgraded homes are to buyers. Home buyers are often more eager to purchase homes that have recently been transformed for a variety of reasons, the most obvious being: everything is new! When it comes to home remodeling and improvements, often a complete house renovation is the most effective in boosting a property’s value.

Here is why newly improved homes appeal to buyers: Not only is the buyer looking for a home that they can see themselves living in, but buyers are also looking for a home that will yield minimal repair costs for the most part. With all of the latest trendy design elements such as kitchens upgraded with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances; marble tile and soaking tubs in the bathrooms; and Bi-Fold or multi-slide patio doors for that indoor-outdoor living experience, a buyer can enjoy these modernizations and expect to pay less in maintenance costs for an extended period of time.

Likewise, many recently flipped homes are most often equipped with the latest eco-friendly features such as dual-paned windows and glass doors and water efficient appliances and bathroom fixtures, since many coding requirements now implement efficiency standards that are much higher than in previous times. This means that house buyers can feel confident that utility costs of a flipped home will be optimized.

If you are thinking about purchasing a home in 2015, it may be advantageous for you to look into homes that have recently been renovated. Not only will you be able to move into a newly transformed home, but you will likely have the luxury of take advantage of the latest design trends on the market!

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

How the Right Remodel Can Boost the Value of Your Home

Despite popular belief, all home renovations are not created equal. Some remodeling projects yield higher return on investment rates than others, so it is important for homeowners to do their research before making any final decisions and consider how improvements to your property will pay off best at resale. Here are some home renovations ideas with the ROI in mind so that you can determine which areas of your home to focus your attention on:

§  While bathroom and kitchen modeling is traditionally more expensive than most remodels, they often yield the highest return value and pay for themselves in the long run. Since these are often the most utilized areas of a home, it is important to focus on boosting the value of these essential rooms.

§  Any remodel that includes increasing the square footage of your house is extremely favorable in terms of ROI. You can utilize outdoor space that you already have without doing major construction by adding Bi-Fold patio doors or a multi-slide patio door system that allows you and future owners to enjoy open-air living to the fullest.

§  Adding beautiful passage entry doors can also help to increase your ROI. Utilizing this design element, you can transform the entire atmosphere of your home and its curb appeal. By using high quality materials, such as Genuine Mahogany or Douglas Fir in your door and window remodels, you can enjoy the elegance of the upgrade now while boosting your home’s resale factor in the future.

§  It is sometimes thought that adding a swimming pool will increase your home’s value but it is most commonly viewed as maintenance bother as opposed to a perk. Rather than taking up valuable yard space with a pool, you might want to consider creating an indoor-outdoor living area by adding Bi-Fold patio doors or a multi-slide patio door system so that the feeling of increased square footage can be enjoyed without adding extra upkeep.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Plan Your Home Remodel: The Design and Drawing Phase

If home renovation is on your to-do list for 2015, it is time for you to start organizing and designing your home remodel. While you may be inclined to assume that working with a contractor means that the task of creating the design for your remodel is unnecessary, it is important that you have the creative ideas for your home outlined in a detailed and efficient manner. This will ensure that the contractor and architect are able to make your design dreams come to life in an effective and timely manner. Gathered here are just a few helpful tips for planning your remodel:

§  Before you set your heart on any remodel ideas, it is important that you check the local building codes, ordinances, and regulations to ensure that your dreams are realistic. Figuring this out in advance will allow you to feel confident that issues are less likely to arise in the midst of your construction.

§  The second step is to create a budget and a wish list for your remodel. This means establishing exactly what you want and comparing it to what you can comfortably afford. Completing these two tasks in unison is important.

§  Take time to develop a basic sketch so that you can discuss the most effective way to approach the project and see your dreams come true. This can be done by utilizing a drawing program, such as Sketch Up.

§  Think about how new patio and entry doors might enhance your renovation. Will you be able to include Bi-Fold patio doors to your remodeled living room to increase your living and entertaining space? Will your home upgrades change the entire story of your home, calling for a new entry door?

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

How to Work With An Architect When Designing Your Home Update

When conducting a home remodel, accurately relaying your design ideas to an architect is extremely important. Working with an architect for your home remodel is a great way to watch your construction dreams come to life, however, you must choose the right architect for the job. Here are a few helpful tips for finding success in working with an architect:

§  Before meeting with an architect, make sure to have your own design ideas written down. This will allow you to show them your vision, give them the opportunity to make suggestions and tell you whether or not your ideas are possible.

§  You must work with an architect that matches your style and that you work well with, as this individual and their team will be working in your home for an extended period of time. It is best to have an initial interview where you can determine your compatibility. It is important to realize that there is no “one size fits all” in regards to architects.

§  It is important that you trust that your architect has your best interests in mind and they also have the best design intentions. Therefore, if you believe the best way to transform the space is to update your entry door but your architect has a different vision such as revamping your patio doors, it is important to listen to their perspective as an experienced professional.

§  Most importantly, do not be timid about asking questions and for opinions. While you may initially think that a pocketing lift and slide patio door would work best in your living space, take a moment to ask for your architect’s opinion. They may have a different, more efficient vision that multi-slide patio doors might work best.

If revamping your doors or windows is in your plans, simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Indoor/Outdoor Kitchen Space

As one of the most aesthetically pleasing and convenient design elements, you may want to include indoor-outdoor living in your kitchen remodel ideas. By utilizing varying patio doors features such as pocketing lift and slide patio doors, extending your kitchen to include an outside area is the best way to accomplish the goal of bringing the outdoors inside. Here are some helpful tips for planning a kitchen that extends outside:

§  A great design element to include is extending the boundaries of your kitchen counter. By making it so that your kitchen counter can be utilized both inside and outside, you provide yourself and your guests with ultimate convenience, beautifully blending the “out” with the “in” with a custom pass-through window.

§  It is important that you blend the materials used so that your indoor-outdoor living arrangement looks seamless, by utilizing the same woods and metals in both areas.

§  Most importantly, you should make this extended kitchen area a safe haven of comfort. This means having heat sources available such as overhead gas heaters so that you can always enjoy your new outside-inside living area.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Transforming Your Backyard into a Staycation

If you dream of having a backyard getaway where you can seek peace and tranquility whenever you please, it is time to start designing your backyard to incorporate indoor-outdoor living. Your backyard getaway can be the perfect place to get away from the outside world or invite friends to enjoy your staycation zone. If bringing the outdoors in is on your priority list in your home remodel ideas, consider these design ideas:

§  The most logical route in outdoor designs is working with low-maintenance materials and equipment that will allow your backyard getaway to withstand varying conditions and situations without a lot of upkeep.

§  It is important that you apply the same design principles that you would for a functional zone in your actual home. This means ensuring everything flows and that the proper materials are used.

§  Try to keep your outdoor designs cohesive with the design of your home’s landscape and architecture. The last thing you want is to complete the job only to realize that your backyard getaway does not blend with or compliment your home.

§  You may also want a heat source for chilly nights. Your backyard getaway will be most effective if you are able to enjoy the space no matter what the weather. A portable gas or an overhead heater can provide your entire relaxing zone with warmth.

§  You may also want to think about entertainment and music. While you may be inclined to push off this part of the design until after the main construction has been completed, many architects can incorporate the designs to include technological enhancements.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

How to Have a Little More Fun with Your Décor

If you are one of the many individuals who find decorating your home to be a daunting task, it may be advantageous for you to look at the home décor ideas of others for inspiration. There are so many unique ideas you can use to make your living space more aesthetically pleasing, including:

§  A unique way to decorate your home is to play with scale. Despite popular belief, you do not need everything in your house to be neatly arranged and symmetrical. Get playful with the placement and size of your furnishings and accessories.

§  Quirky shelving is a great way to revamp the design elements of your home. Choose interesting shaped mounted pieces and place them at an angle for an edgy feel.

§  Do you have interesting unused items stored your garage? Utilize your favorite pieces such as old stereos and cameras as design elements and mount them on the wall. This will give your home personality and you can feel free to pick and choose which elements you want to be reminded of daily.

§  Get rid of your bland white ceiling and dress it up with a unique color or design. But be careful with darker palettes, as they can possibly overpower the room.

§   As challenging as it may be, you must fight the urge to match everything. Just because the walls of your living room are navy does not mean you need shades of navy blue throughout your entire home.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Your Spring Home Checklist

With spring just around the corner, it might be time to start thinking about home maintenance so that your space can feel fresh and clean for the start of the new season. Updating and keeping your home in the best shape possible is one good way to enjoy the changing season. Following this Spring checklist to refresh your home can help you complete this task with ease:

§  Welcome the arrival of spring with a warm, clean and bright greeting by washing the interior and exterior of your windows, letting the light shine through.

§  If you are finding that the chill is entering through your doors or windows, even as the warming weather arrives, check to make sure that there are no cracks in the weather stripping.  If yours seems to have gone through a beating, it might be time to upgrade to new energy efficient windows and beautiful Bi-Fold patio doors. These make a wonderful addition to any home, creating a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor spaces. What better way to appreciate the new season?

§  Maybe it is time for a fresh coat of paint or change of color on the walls. Why not check out the new palettes, pick up some paint swatches at your local hardware store and get creative. Your home will reflect its best during the upcoming season.

§  Do you still have your winter wreath and decorations scattered throughout the house? If so, it is time to stow all winter décor and bring out the spring charm. A bouquet of fresh flowers and a bit of spring décor can really waken up the senses.

§  Why not take this time to clean out your “junk” drawer – that one drawer in every house that accumulates the most random yet necessary items. After a while the buildup can be so cluttered it becomes difficult to find what you need.  Take a moment to recycle or toss any
un-useful items.

If new windows or doors are on your list, simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Planning Window, Door, & Patio Renovations

Before finalizing your home renovation plans for 2015, it is important that you take a moment to do some research and observe your home to ensure that you have covered all the bases. Whether you are thinking about patio doors, entry doors, or windows, consider the following:

§  While it is raining, grab an umbrella and take a moment to see how the water flows over and through your property. This is the most obvious way to determine problem areas because you can see where water pools on your patio and other hardscapes surrounding your home. If you find areas where water pools excessively, you will need to incorporate a drainage system into your renovation plans.

§  Additionally, analyzing how much rain hits the windows and doors on each elevation of the house when it is raining can also help you avoid future problems and determine which type of window (solid wood, wood clad with aluminum, vinyl, all aluminum, etc.).

§  Most importantly, during all winter storms this winter season make sure to identify any areas of vulnerability in your home so that you can repair them before the next rainy season arrives. This means looking at how well your entry doors, patio doors, and windows withstand high winds, rain, and whatever else Mother Nature might throw your way.

If you are ready to transform your home and make your wildest home renovations become a reality, it is time to start planning, especially if you want your project to be wrapped up when summer arrives!

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Doors and Windows for Indoor Outdoor Living

In some regions of California we do not get much of a winter season, especially when compared too much of the rest of the country. Despite common belief, when it comes to winter wellness, it may not be in your best interest to close up your home during the winter. Just because it is winter does not mean that it is too cold to go outside or open your doors and windows.

Sometimes, it is even warmer outside than inside our homes. Rather than locking the doors and saying goodbye to the beautiful outdoors, we recommend opening your Bi-Fold patio doors and inviting the fresh air and light to enter your home and provide your body with much needed Vitamin D. This can also be a great way to reduce energy costs since you will be utilizing both the light and midday warmer temperatures to warm and illuminate your home.

While you are enjoying indoor-outdoor living during the winter, take a moment to think about which renovations you would like to conduct during 2015. Perhaps it is time to incorporate some new doors and windows for indoor-outdoor living. Our multi-slide patio door system allows you to blend the out with the in, as these patio doors can be hidden in the pockets concealed within your walls. This addition will be perfect for throwing parties year-round, because guests can seek shelter inside or enjoy the fresh air without having to even open a door.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.

Winter Patio Decor Ideas

Although there is no snow on the ground, it is winter! As a homeowner, it is important that you take the time to winterize.  As California residents, we often neglect the task of winterizing our outdoor living spaces when temperatures are hitting seasonal lows. Following are some helpful tips we suggest you incorporate to winterize your patio:

§  It is time to take down the holiday-themed and colored lights and replace them with simple, classic lights for winter. Standard icicles or strings of white LED bulbs are great options for winter patio décor.

§  While you may be inclined to keep your patio doors closed and put the indoor outdoor living experience off until temperatures begin to rise again, there is nothing more enjoyable than gathering around the fire pit on your patio and reveling in the crisp evening air, even if only for a short time. Great memories can be made under the stars this winter!

§  Many homeowners take a break from gardening activities during the winter, assuming it is impossible for any plants to flourish in such chilly temps. In reality, there are a variety of plants that can withstand low winter temperatures and beautify your home, including:

§  Camellia – As one of the most popular winter plants, the camellia bush will cheer up a dull winter landscape with its bright and beautiful blooms. It is also drought-resistant.

§  Winterberry – Planting winterberries near your patio will not only be aesthetically pleasing, but it will also provide you with striking foliage for use in customizing centerpieces and bouquets of flowers.

§  Heather – Many Californians are becoming aware of the practical advantage of planting heather. Blooming in graceful mounds of lavender or pink year round, heather is a great landscaping choice for homeowners in almost every region.

Simply click the Match Me with a Dealer button to get started! With our innovatively designed products made of top quality materials, AG Millworks can help transform your home with custom doors and windows that allow you to fully enjoy luxurious living.