Traditional fall colors like bronze orange, vibrant gold and comfy eggplant bring plenty of life to a home’s decor, especially after the temperatures have dropped and you’ve closed up the house for a season. Winter colors are warm this year, with a lot of browns blended in with reds, yellows and taupe, creating a cozy interior feeling through the long winter months. And if you’re looking to transform your home into a blooming spring or summer theme inspired by next year’s anticipated colors, brighter hues in traditional primary shades are a good direction to go.

Changing a paint color is always the first big step to take in refreshing the look of a room. But many people often eschew painting a room because they think it takes too much time. Not so any more.

Another way to revitalize your decor is to bring in accent colors through fabrics. Toss a pillow or two in a contrasting shade on your couch, loveseat or chair. Or add pops of color to your windows by accenting them with colorful Venetian drapes. Another way to add accent colors to your rooms is through wall art in the form of paintings, posters or even decorations. Rotate in wall art incorporating your new colors to attract the visual attention of guests to your home.

Don’t forget the floors. Plush rugs can add warmth to the room no matter if you have carpeting or wood floors. Use a small rug under a coffee table in the living room, at the base of the vanity in a bathroom, or a larger rug under the bed in the master bedroom to bring some character a room. Match the colors of your rug to the wall colors to unify the look.

With a new paint color warming the walls of the room, and accent colors bringing added dimension to furniture, fabrics and floor decorations, your home will be transformed into a comfortable living environment for many months to come.

Experts say the record-breaking summer heat has created a bumper crop of bugs. Ohio State University entomologist David Denlinger predicts that insects will continue to do well until frost comes.

Home Invaders

Unwelcome invasive pests like silverfish, spiders, earwigs, flies and ants are typical party crashers once temperatures fall.

In the late ’90s a new pest appeared on the scene: the brown marmorated stink bug. First spotted in Pennsylvania, stink bugs are now in 38 states including Indiana, destroying gardens and landscapes and overwintering in homes.

In September and October when plants are harvested and food sources dry up, stink bugs switch gears and seek shelter indoors. It’s important to break the lifecycle now so they don’t survive over the winter months and attack your garden and landscape in spring.

To protect your home from unwanted pests, industry experts share these simple eco-friendly tips to keep pesky insects at bay.

1. Clean up brush and keep mulch and firewood piles away from the house to avoid creating habitats for critters and insects.

2. Seal cracks, crevices and holes with caulk or weather stripping around potential entry points and seal around pipes and utilities. Repair loose roof tiles and screens. Inspect windows and basement foundations and repair loose and crumbling mortar.

3. Clean cupboard shelves of loose grain, starch-based and sugary food and place food in sealed containers or plastic bags.

4. Check where stink bugs hide: warm, dark spaces like baseboards, exhaust fans, ceiling tiles and drapes. Pick stink bugs off by hand with a tissue and flush them down a toilet or drop into a bucket of soapy water. If you vacuum, be warned. When threatened, stink bugs emit a foul odor so dispose of the bags immediately.

New traps help battle stink bugs without the need to touch them. Once you see the bugs clinging to the side of the house or screens, this is a signal that they are ready to get indoors to hibernate and more may be coming towards the home.

5. If ants are your problem, try herbs. Bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves repel ants outdoors and indoors. Sprinkle dry crushed herbs around points of entry, cabinets and windowsills to create a natural barrier. Plus, peppermint and spearmint are excellent deterrents against both ants and moths.

Comments on contractor: “My guys were so very dependable, professional and likeable. Wonderful to work with. They cleaned up every day and at the end of the project they had the place spotless. My husband and I had to be out of town for a while when they were finishing up the project, and they did an excellent job communicating with us and getting pictures for us.”