Bob’s Five Favorite Halloween Home Decorating Ideas

Halloween decorating can stressful and expensive, especially if left until the last minute. So, if you’re one of the busy moms, dads, or grandparents wondering what to do to “spookify” your home while enjoying some crafty time with the kids this weekend, I’ve got you covered. Here are my five favorite decorating ideas to give your house a Halloween makeover without breaking the bank. Read on:

Short on Time Jack O’ Lantern

If you’re short on time but love the idea of carving up a jack o’ lantern, try this alternative. Pick up a few pairs of Dracula teeth and some flameless LED votive candles from your local Halloween supply store. Cut the top off a small pumpkin and clean out the pulp and seeds. Then use a drill to carefully cut two small holes for eyes and a knife to cut one large oval for the mouth. Insert the votives into the small holes with the flame facing out and wedge the Dracula teeth into the larger hole.  You can even add an additional votive inside the bottom of the pumpkin so the whole thing glows. If you’re really short on time, forget the carving entirely and just cut a piece out of the pumpkin to insert the teeth. Then insert red pins or tacks for the eyes.

Gourd Totem Pole

Give some of those not so perfect and neglected gourds and pumpkins a new lease on life by creating a simple totem pole. All you’ll need is a fence post or heavy-duty garden stake, a drill with a two inch bit, and an assortment of pumpkins and gourds. Start with the biggest piece and drill a clean hole from the top to the base. Then stack by color and size to achieve your desired look. If you have some extra time and want to carve the pumpkins or gourds, you can string some white holiday lights through to give them an eery glow.

Ghostly Mirror

An entryway mirror can become positively spooky when a ghost crosses its path. To give your mirror a Halloween twist, pick up some frosted glass cling film from your local craft store. Then draw out a simple ghost shape, including two holes for the eyes and one for the mouth. Using an X-Acto knife, cut out the shape, the eyes and the mouth and affix it to your mirror, smoothing as you go. Add a few more ghosts to make it a family affair, or keep it simple with one spine-tingling silhouette.

Tin Can(dles)

Raid the recycling bin for some clean cans and give them a simple coat of black paint. While the cans are drying, use some construction paper to draw a pattern or some words, such as “Trick” and “Treat”. Once the cans are dry, tape the paper to the cans and use a drill to create the words or pattern that you’re going for. Then add a flameless LED candle to complete the look.

Paper Bats

If you have kids that love making paper snowflakes, this is even easier. All you’ll need is some black construction paper and scissors, plus you can print an online template, or draw your own. If you’re not the artistic type, I found one at MadeEveryday.com to help you out. Once you have your template, use it to draw an outline of your bat. If you’re planning on making a bunch, I recommend layering a few pieces of black construction paper at a time and folding them in half to save on time. Then once all your bats are cut out, you can use them to decorate your front door, entryway, or even place a few on your pumpkins. At night, you can illuminate them by candlelight for an extra spooky effect.

These five ideas are some of my favorites but I know there are tons more to have fun with. What are your favorite holiday decorating ideas that can keep the little ones occupied while taking it easy on the wallet? I’d love to hear from you, so send me a message on Facebook at www.facebook.com/odonnellbros. Happy Halloween!

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Smart Jobs For Homeowners To Beat the Winter Blues

 While we’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy endless sunshine and comfortable temperatures this past week, there is no denying that winter is on the way. With mornings in the 40’s, I think it’s time to start talking about what we should be doing to get our homes ready for the cold before it actually comes. So without further ado, here are my top five tips:

Take a picture of your roof.

We’ll start with an easy one. Go outside and snap a photo of your roof from each direction. If you’re scratching your head wondering why, I’ll tell you. When we get a massive snowfall, I always recommend for people to get their roofs shoveled. Removing the snow helps to reduce the risk of leaks and other damage to your home. But when the snow is very deep, it’s impossible to see the pipes, skylights and other parts and pieces that stick up out of the roof. Keeping a picture of the surface is a great way to minimize the probability of an accident when you’re trying to prevent damage in the first place.

Mark the driveway.

Speaking of damage prevention, stop by the local hardware store and get some property markers. They are generally made of wood or metal and are sometimes painted in a fluorescent color. Use the markers to create an outline around your driveway. Just like your roof, when a blanket of snow hits, it’s impossible for a removalist to see where the driveway ends and where your lawn begins. Creating that parameter will help the snow plow truck operator know where to go, which should assist in keeping your curbs and grass intact.

Give the furnace a checkup.

If you haven’t put the heat on yet, you will soon. Don’t wait until you really need it to make sure that everything is in working order. Clean or replace your HVAC filters and check the temperature gauge to make sure you can power up and down with no problems. Also, now is the time to remove those window A/C units and check and clean those filters too. While you’re at it, make sure your carbon monoxide detectors are working and change the batteries if necessary.

Seal up the air holes.

I get calls all winter long from people who are wondering why their house is so drafty. If you have an attic hatch, install an insulated box to prevent the cold air from coming down into your living space. Check all your windows and doors for gaps and use weatherstripping, foam, or insulation to seal it tight. If you have a fireplace that you don’t use, get that covered too. Any passageways from the inside to the outside can act as wind tunnels when the frigid winter air comes calling.

Clean those gutters.

We have a few weeks of falling leaves before the deep freeze, but please don’t leave your gutters clogged to the hilt with debris. If you don’t clean your gutters, it will prevent winter water from flowing off the roof and down away from the foundation. If water has nowhere to go, it will refreeze in your gutters and at the base of your roof, resulting in dangerous ice dams and potential leaks. If you don’t want to do this dirty job yourself, schedule a pro to handle it for you. It will be worth it.

If you do just these five things, you’ll be in much better shape when the wicked weather finally decides to come our way. Plus it’s much more pleasant to get these jobs out of the way before it’s too cold and snowy to bother. Good luck and as always, don’t be afraid to reach out if you need help or advice.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Home Design Trend Alert - Sherwin Williams Names The 2018 Color of the Year

If you want to have the hippest house on the block this year, you’re in for a real treat. Say hello to “Oceanside”, the 2018 Color of the Year from paint authority Sherwin-Williams.

If you’re thinking, “Color of the year - is that a thing?”, the answer is absolutely yes. Every year, the home design industry takes cues from companies such as Sherwin-Williams, Pantone, and other big names in the color industry to set the home design trends for the year. In 2017, Sherwin-Williams tapped Poised Taupe as their big name in paint, which was described by the company’s director of color marketing as “... like gray and brown had a baby.” Sure enough, every living room on Pinterest became transformed into rich tones of smoky gray and requests for dark neutral vinyl siding shot through the roof. From bathroom tiles to exterior cladding, Poised Taupe was the color that we all became very familiar with in the home improvement industry.

So what about Oceanside? It looks like the color powers-that-be have decided to go bold this coming year with a vibrant, jewel-toned blue-green that compliments colors of years past with a boldness that we haven’t seen in some time. According to Sherwin-Williams, ‘“Green-blues in deep values, such as Oceanside, respond to changes in light, which is a quality that creates intense dimension. It is a tremendously versatile color, and harmonizes with other diverse color groups.”

Intense is the key word here, but Oceanside can be incorporated into any home for a bright, trendy pop of color without having to commit to a complete “house blue-tiful” makeover. Sherwin-Williams says that this year’s pick is “an opulent and mysterious green-blue color that evokes optimism” and heck, we can all use a bit of that in our lives. So let’s look at a few ways to bring the color of the year into our homes without making it look like a scene from “The Little Mermaid”.

Doors: A bright, vibrant front door is a great way to give your home a bit of personality without having to take on a massive change in style. If the exterior of your home is a neutral tone such as white, gray, or beige, injecting a jeweled blue color can give your house a bit of personality while still maintaining a classic, tranquil look.

Furniture: If you’re thinking about going with a navy couch, consider brightening up your palette instead. Dark blue is a safe and simple color choice, but going with a bolder Oceanside hue can actually be more calming and can give a room a “wow” factor without going overboard. Even an accent chair can make a statement in the company of an otherwise neutral color palette.

Pillows: Throw pillows and blankets are one of the easiest ways to update your home with the new color of the season. Oceanside pairs perfectly with sunny yellow tones and can create a fantastic beachy feel to your home, which is a great way to keep those winter blues at bay.

If you’re a lover of mid-century modern or Mediterranean-inspired style, Oceanside might just make 2018 your year to shine in the design department. What are your favorite ways to experiment with color at home? I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line on Facebook at www.facebook.com/odonnellbros.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.