Five Easy Fall Home Updates

freshen up(BPT) – There are so many reasons to love fall. From the brisk breeze and color-changing leaves outdoors, to prepping for the holidays and watching football inside, there couldn’t be a better time to make a few updates around your house. Consider these simple fall home updates to stylishly welcome the season.

Paint to Please

Throughout the year, our walls can undergo stress from energetic kids, furniture moving and everyday traffic. If your home will be busy during the holidays, welcome guests with a newly painted entryway, or, freshen up your family room with a colorful accent wall. Painting is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to transform a room, so embrace the season and try a fall-inspired hue that harmonizes with your existing space like deep emerald green, royal purple or burgundy. Deep, rich paint colors are a top design trend of 2015, so the bolder the better. To achieve the best results, use FrogTape brand painter’s tape to attain sharp paint lines. FrogTape is treated with PaintBlock Technology, which seals the edges of the tape, preventing paint bleed. To help incorporate the color of the accent wall into the room, add décor and accessories in similar shades throughout the area, such as new pillows in your family room or a coordinating rug in your entryway.

Clever Copper Accents

Group together the season’s leaves and branches to create a unique centerpiece, or place them throughout the house to bring life to your living areas. Crafting with fall foliage is a cinch – simply gather an assortment of thick leaves, either real or faux – and after they’re rinsed and dried, spray each side of the leaf with copper paint and leave to dry for a few hours. Line these leaves up along a table runner, string them from your mantle or use them to dress up place settings. To extend the life of your metallic leaves, consider using them as place cards for holiday dinners. Easily allow guests to find their seats in shimmery style by placing printed nametags atop the leaves at each setting.

Freshen Up the Front Door

Increase your home’s curb appeal with a front door refresh just in time for the fall. For starters, give your door a new identity with a distinctive paint color – consider hunter green, colonial red or cognac. The color of your door introduces the world to those who live inside, so choose one that speaks to your family’s style. After you’ve added personality to your door with paint, add a final touch with your family’s monogram to the center of the door. If your door is metal, glue magnets to the back of the letters and it will easily adhere to it.

Proper Party Prep

During the fall, more time will be spent in the home’s entertaining spaces to accommodate holiday soirees and family gatherings. Increase the functionality of this room – whether it’s the den, family room, dining room or finished basement – and encourage guests to congregate comfortably by adding casual seating. Spice things up with a mixture of options; choose decorative stools and poufs, or upcycle vintage chairs with new, reupholstered seats. The style of your chairs can vary, but be sure to coordinate the colors and patterns. When you’re not in party mode, stow away the extra seats.

Wow With a Refreshed Washroom

When decorating for fall, don’t overlook the bathroom! A few simple changes can take this space to new heights. Start by swapping out your soap dishes and lotion pumps with new, coordinating options fitting for the season. If budget allows, replace your everyday towels with new, plush ones in fun fall colors that add a pop of color to the room. Next, add candles with autumn-inspired scents for an aromatic effect that brings the outdoor aura indoors. For subtle changes that go a long way, replace your bathroom hardware including the toilet handle, cabinet pulls or hinges and towel racks.

The fall season is a great time to revitalize elements of your home as you prepare for indoor holiday entertaining. As you choose updates, make sure they maximize your personal style. For more information on FrogTape products, visit frogtape.com.

Winterize Your Home and Protect Your Wallet

Capture(BPT) – It’s coming – the white, windy weather of winter. Are you ready? Is your home? Now is the time to protect your home and wallet with a quick window and door checkup to make needed repairs and reduce costs.

Clear sills and moving parts of dirt and debris. Debris like sand, dirt or leaves can get caught in window sills and moving parts of windows or doors. Clean these areas with a dry paintbrush to create a tighter seal and enhance window and door performance.

Check weather stripping. Re-attach or replace loose or worn weather stripping around windows and doors. Loose weather stripping can let cold air in, reducing energy efficiency.

Reapply caulk or sealant around windows and doors. To help reduce potential drafts and leaks, reseal areas around windows and doors that may have been exposed to heavy weather or extreme sunlight, creating breaks in caulk or sealant.

Install snap-in blinds or shades. Snap-in between-the-glass blinds or shades help insulate your home from cold outdoor temperatures. Pella Designer Series windows and patio doors feature convenient between-the-glass options to add energy efficiency and privacy.

Repair or replace damaged exterior surfaces. Cracked or deteriorated wood on the roof or near the foundation is typically associated with water penetration and may allow moisture or cold air to leak into your home. Look closely for signs of moisture leakage and replace damaged wood. Consult a professional to help correct any roof or drainage problems around your home.

Install storm doors. Storm doors add an extra layer of protection and help reduce air and moisture leakage.

Replace old windows and doors with energy-efficient ones. If you have single-pane glass or older windows or doors, you may be paying more to heat your home in the winter. Replace them now with energy-efficient, double- or triple-pane glass versions, such as those offered by Pella, and made with insulating argon, or install new durable fiberglass doors to help save money and energy year round.

For more home tips, follow Pella on Pinterest and Houzz and visit Pella.com to connect with your local Pella representative.