Change is the word for October. Colorful change. As the temperatures cool, we love the seasonal transition and want to bring the scents and colors of Fall into our homes and places of business.

Candles are the easiest décor item and lend scents from apple pie to pumpkin spice to create a cozy and festive atmosphere from October to Thanksgiving. But to elevate the interior design of your space, use candles in conjunction with pumpkins, glass jars, antique items, gourds, colorful autumn foliage, chrysanthemums and pinecones to dress up your mantle, planters, bouquets, entryway, tablescapes, and stairways. Add to your unique creations using twine, red dogwood branches, kale, colorful dried corn cobs, branches of red maple leaves, dried hydrangeas, raffia, topiaries, cattails, ivy, whatever you find on your walks and visits to farmer’s markets — and Longenecker’s Hardware!

Involve your kids or grandkids in the fun by letting them choose Fall themed décor or pick things on your hikes to use. Of course, pumpkin carving is expected. But there are more Fall crafts to introduce to youngsters. Kids like making orange pomanders by sticking whole dried cloves in oranges to make a pretty, scented centerpiece on a wooden tray with bits of pine branches. Let them find colorful leaves and preserve them with wax. You can either dip pretty leaves in a small crock pot of melted paraffin wax and let them dry on wax paper, or you can use your clothing iron to iron an assortment of leaves between sheets of wax paper. Just arrange your favorite leaves on a piece of wax paper. Lay another piece of wax paper on top, and cover with a towel on both sides (so that there is no wax paper showing). Using a hot iron, gently iron on top of the towel until the wax paper inside fuses together. Hang your collage of leaves in a window and let the light illuminate them for a stained glass effect.

October is a super month for interior painting. The humidity is lower and the temperatures perfect. The combination of cool and dry air is ideal for applying paint smoothly and uniformly and coats will dry evenly. Timing is everything. Apply a crisp new look inside before the holidays arrive. We anticipate spending a lot more time in our homes in the coming months, so why not adore your rooms?

Latex paint is the most common type of paint for interiors and it is water-based. Water-based paint dries more quickly than oil-based paint and latex paints are very durable so good for high traffic areas. It cleans up easier too. We carry several brands of paint from inexpensive to luxurious, from eggshell finishes to high gloss, in many thousands of colors by True Value Paint and Benjamin Moore paints.

Fall colors warm up a cool room and give a rich, relaxing vibe. Think natural, restrained palettes like terra cotta, fossil tones, stone, putty, linen, cotton, gold, ochre. We have free booklets and paint chips you can use for color and design inspiration to find compatible colors. If you have a sample of a color you love at home whether a piece of fabric or paint chip, just bring it in. We can mix paint to match any item using our state-of-the-art technology. We will blend the perfect color, in any finish you desire. From living areas to dining rooms, October is the special month you should revive your interior.

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