5 Tips to Create Spooky Curb Appeal
BWS Design • October 6, 2020

Halloween is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get into the spirit and add some Halloween decor to your front yard. If you need a break from your normal curb appeal and want to spook things up a bit, read our 5 tips on how you can create spooky curb appeal for your home.

Incorporate Pumpkins

Pumpkins are one of the easiest things you can incorporate to create a spooky curb appeal. You can either have some fun and carve pumpkins yourself or you can purchase ready-made carved pumpkins and dive right in.

One of the best things about pumpkins is that you can put them almost anywhere in your yard, which gives you a lot of room for creativity. You can add small pumpkins going up your driveway. Similarly, you can add pumpkins along your walkway leading up to your door.

Ultimately, the size of your pumpkins will determine where the best place to put them is. For instance, small pumpkins are a great idea if you want to put them along a pathway, a medium pumpkin might be best placed by your front door off to the side, while a large pumpkin could be perfect in the yard as a feature object.

Have Fun With Spider Webs

Spider webs are another fun way to get into the Halloween Spirit. Like pumpkins, fake spider webs are versatile in use. You can add spider webs to your front door if you have a wreath.

At the same time, you can try adding fake webs to your front windows to give your home a spooky feel. If your bushes could use some sprucing up as well, you can add some webs along them. The good thing with fake webs is that you can add as little or as much as you would like, and there are plenty of places to put them. With that said, play around with your webs until you reach your desired level of spooky.

Embrace Simple Halloween Objects

It’s Halloween season, which means you should be embracing all the Halloween objects. This means that it’s time to add your favorite objects in your yard to boost your spooky curb appeal.

If you have bushes in the front of your home, use this time to add fun but scary Halloween objects. For instance, you can put skeletons heads inside the bushes so that it appears as if they’re peaking out. At the same time, you can incorporate other things like flying bats, and red lettering on your front door.

Incorporate Colors of Red When Possible

The color red sends a universal signal of stop or that there is danger ahead. If you want a fun way to spook those in your neighborhood, consider adding the color red somewhere on your front lawn. One example is to add drops of fake blood on your front door. If you have a porch, you can add fake blood there as well to create the illusion of a danger zone.

Staging Props

You can never go wrong with staging props to create a spooky curb appeal. The good news is, there are many props available to fit your taste. Do you want to add gravestones in the middle of your yard? Or, do you want a disturbing pumpkin to spook those who pass by? The choice is up to you. But, just incorporating even a few staging props can take your curb appeal from normal to spooky in minutes.

As Halloween approaches, there are plenty of things you can do with your yard this season. Creating a spooky curb appeal is simple, easy, and a perfect way to get into the Halloween Spirit. If you have any questions on how you can create the perfect curb appeal for your home, contact us  today to learn more on how we can help.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

5 Unexpected Places Homeowners Are Installing Outdoor Shades

March 13, 2025
We all know and understand the concept of installing outdoor shades on a patio. It is the classic way to create a cool and comfortable space for yourself and your friends to spend some quality time together outdoors. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting to think that the patio is the only part of one's property where outdoor shades are appropriate. There are some surprising and unexpected places where homeowners have taken to installing outdoor shades recently. We want to take a look at some of these to provide you with ideas for your next home improvement project. 1) Balconies Some homes are built quite close together, and some homeowners naturally feel like they would like to do more to protect their privacy. Although their neighbors might not intentionally be looking through their balconies, it is easy for the human eye to drift. Thus, some city-dwelling homeowners have made the choice to install outdoor shades in this area. On top of keeping prying eyes off of your property, outdoor shades also block the sun rays from your balcony as well creating a more comfortable space to spend some time. 2) Outdoor Kitchens One of the most delightful social experiences that someone can have is to invite over a large group of friends for a meal cooked outside. It gives everyone the opportunity to share stories, laughes, and a bit of food all at the same time. Of course, this is best done in an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen is a space where you should feel comfortable and have the ability to entertain a large group of people all at the same time. This means looking at installing outdoor shades to provide an extra layer of protection from the heat of the sun. Thus, this has become another area where homeowners are quickly installing outdoor shades. 3) Poolside Lounges Now we are really talking! Who doesn't love to kick back with their favorite cold beverage and spend some time relaxing next to the pool? That is what you can enjoy more completely when you set up a poolside lounge with outdoor shades. Poolside lounges are meant to be a place where you can spend several hours at a time. However, it can get pretty hot while doing so if you don't put some outdoor shades in place. Get those shades up so you can let all of your worries melt away as you take in the smell of pool water and sunscreen. 4) Garden Areas Do you enjoy a little gardening in your downtime? You might like it even more after setting up outdoor shades that protect you from the excessive heat of the sun. Gardening is labor-intensive work and can take several hours of diligent labor to do it properly. However, you don't want to overextend yourself and end up getting physically overworked. Keeping some of the sun away is an excellent way to ensure that you don't overdo it. Just make sure that you check up on the sunlight needs of the various plants that you intend to put into your garden before installing outdoor shades. 5) Exterior Windows Did you know that it is possible to reduce your energy bills by installing outdoor shades? It's true! If you place outdoor shades on the exterior windows of your home, you can reduce the strain placed on your air conditioning by naturally reducing the overall temperature within your living space. This means less money out of your pocket and more money for working on your next project.  There are many interesting places where homeowners are installing outdoor shades these days. For more creative ideas on what you can do with yours, reach out and contact us now.

The #1 Blind Mistake People Make in Each Room- And How to Avoid Those Mistakes

February 7, 2025
One of the most frustrating things that can happen to someone trying to improve their home is to find that they have somehow made a common mistake. That person will be upset that they didn't stop and do a little research prior to making a change. That is why you are here today, and that is why we want to provide you with some details about the most common mistakes that people tend to make when putting up blinds in various rooms. Let's also examine how you can avoid making those same mistakes. Living Room - Let the Sun Shine In! A major mistake that many people make when setting up blinds in their living room is that they select an option that does not permit enough natural light to enter the room. Heavier blinds like this might have a look that you like, but you certainly don't want them to block out all of that natural light. That is just setting yourself up for a living room that is gloomy and unnatural. Go with a more lightweight option that allows plenty of light into your living room. Bathroom - Avoid Moisture Sensitive Blinds Do you know what there is a lot of in any bathroom? Moisture! From the water running in the faucet to the moisture that gathers in the air after a shower, there is plenty of moisture in the atmosphere in any bathroom. Therefore, you must make sure that you don't use any kind of material that is moisture sensitive when it comes to your blinds in the bathroom. Kitchen - Keep it Easy to Clean The blinds that you set up in your kitchen should be easy to clean. These blinds are more likely to attract things that you want to clean off of them. Why? Because you will be doing all of your cooking in the kitchen, and it is all too easy for things to splatter or otherwise cause issues for you while you are working in the kitchen. Make sure you use blinds that are straightforward and easy to clean when you set them up in your kitchen. Make things as easy as possible on yourself. Home Office - Watch Out for Glare Many people have a home office set up so that they can get things done even while they are at home. That is a wonderful thing, but you also need to think carefully about your lighting needs when it comes to this. This is to say that you should look for blinds that do not cause excessive glare on the screens that you have in your home office. When you have blinds that keep the glare off of your screens, then you won't have to strain your eyes quite as much as you might have otherwise. Dining Room - Don't Forget to Keep it Stylish One room where you can truly focus on the stylish nature of your blinds is in the dining room. In fact, this is one area where style outweighs so many other considerations. You want blinds that go well with the other colors and styles that you have set up throughout your living room. It is very easy to fall into making common mistakes when selecting blinds for different rooms in your home. Don't fall into the same traps that others have before you. It is now clear and obvious what you should do for each room in your home. Keep these tips in mind as you begin the search for the blinds that you require. For more detailed information about the mistakes that people commonly make with this purchase, reach out and contact us today.