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.

Get Prepped for the Big Leaf Fall

Enjoy the incoming foliage while it lasts because before you know it, all those colorful leaves will be covering your lawn and clogging up your gutters. Yes, we all love the picturesque change of seasons, but the clean-up can be a killer. That’s why now is the time to get prepped and save your lower back some pain and suffering when those leaves start to fall.

In the winter months, gutters perform the very important function of carrying melted ice and snow away from the roof. They prevent ice dams and other wet weather issues that can cause leaks in your home. The problem is that if your gutters are clogged up with leaves, the water can’t properly drain, which means it will end up in one of three places. If it’s very cold, the water will freeze into dangerous, heavy icicles and ice dams which can pull your whole gutter system down. If it’s warm enough for the ice to melt, it will end up seeping into your roof, causing leaks in your attic, ceilings or walls. If there is a lot of water, it will overflow over the gutters and pour down into the foundation, causing leaks in the basement. None of these scenarios are cheap to fix, but they are all entirely preventable.

If you get a lot of falling leaves on your property, I recommend having gutter shields installed on your home today. Gutter shields can be made of metal mesh or plastic and can either work as a filter or a complete gutter cover. The type of guard you choose will depend on your home and needs, and installation can be done by a professional contractor in one day. For those of you who are handy around the house, you can even install them yourself -  provided you have safety equipment and feel comfortable on a roof. It’s important to note that if your gutters are very old or have been not been maintained properly, you may not be able to cover them.

If gutter shields aren’t an option for you, you can also get your gutters cleaned, which should be done at least twice a year.  Many homeowners tackle this job themselves but it can be both difficult and dangerous. If you’re not up to the task, I suggest hiring a professional who can not only clean the gutters but can also do a quick inspection to ensure everything is in good working order and ready for the winter. Whenever I do a gutter cleaning or gutter guard installation, I always look for leak warning signs and report them back to the homeowner so they are aware of any potential problems before they happen.

Once your gutters are ready for the leaves, you can think about your yard. Raking is one of my least favorite jobs around the house, so I use my sit-down mower to go around the grass, sucking up the leaves and chopping them up into mulch that we use in our garden. If you don’t mind doing the job manually, make sure you get a good ergonomic rake to protect your back and don’t fill your bags up to the point where you’re struggling to lift them. An autumn cleanup isn’t worth a trip to the emergency room.

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.

Say So Long To That Old Concrete Patio and Update Your Outdoor Space

Back in the 70’s and 80’s, pouring a concrete patio was an easy and inexpensive way to enjoy an outdoor living space with relatively little upkeep. But over time, that surface has likely begun cracking and crumbling, leaving you grumbling and wondering what to do to breathe new life into the backyard. Luckily, there are plenty of options that will allow you to give that old concrete patio a facelift without having to jackhammer it out and start all over again. Also, autumn is a perfect time to kick off a project like this because the weather is beautiful and you won’t have to forgo any summer fun to get the job done. So if that old concrete is giving you the heebie-jeebies, here are a few ideas to bring it up to date with the times:

Stain.

If your concrete is in good condition without a lot of cracks, a color treatment might be all you need to give it new life. Best of all, this is an easy do-it-yourself job that can be tackled in a day or weekend. Staining concrete works by breaking into the surface to create a different color or texture, so you’ll need to add a non-slip sealant to ensure the concrete stays strong. Also, never use an indoor product for outdoor purposes as they will make the concrete very slippery after rain. The most popular staining trend right now is transforming the cold gray color of concrete to a warmer, more natural reddish brown.

Scoring.

People love pavers because they break up a patio with more texture than one huge slab of concrete. You can achieve a similar look by scoring your current concrete and adding patterns and lines to mimic the look. This will require a professional who will come in and use a machine to cut one-quarter inch lines into the original pavement. What’s neat about scoring is that you can choose tons of different designs - from traditional square or rectangular shapes to diamond or intersecting lines. What I love about scoring is that you get a similar look to pavers without having to worry about weeds growing through the cracks.

Veneer pavers.

If you really love the look of pavers, it’s possible to lay thinner stone over your existing concrete slab, just as long as the finished height won’t cause any drainage or walking issues. It’s always a good idea to have a professional look at the property first to make sure you won’t have any problems down the track. If you have the height clearance for it, the project is simple and the veneer of your choice can simply be mortared onto the existing concrete for a whole new look. If your current concrete has visible cracking, this is a great way to cover it up, but if the patio is crumbling, you might need to have it repaired before going over it with a veneer.

Walls.

If you’re not into refinishing your concrete, you can create dimension by adding walls or fencing to the backyard. Creating individual spaces for dining, cooking, or lounging can be done with low walls which can double as seating, or higher walls to create privacy and intimacy. If you’re looking for a less expensive option, a trellis or vertical garden can be built to create a beautiful green wall in the warmer months. Even rows of potted palms will do the trick, plus they can be moved around depending on the different ways that you’ll be using your space.

No matter how you choose to update your concrete patio, there are plenty of options based on both your needs and budget. Do you have another idea that you’d like to try? I’d love to hear from you. Send me a message on Facebook at 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.