Painted a pumpkin for a faux indoor jack-o-lantern

I don’t know about the rest of the world, but in NY, people are obsessed with talking about the weather. Everyone loves to hate winter but simply loves fall. This past Wednesday marked the first day of the autumn season, what New Yorkers consider to be the best season of the year.

While there are a lot of great things about fall, one of the best is the atmosphere. Everywhere you look there are pumpkins, cornstalks, hay bales and apple-flavored foods. But aside from sight-seeing, apple picking and attending harvest festivals, it is fun to change the atmosphere of your home.

Drastically different from summer, when all of your energy is put towards keeping the house cool, fall is when you make your house feel more like home. Embracing the season, here are a few things that I like to do:

1. Light ’em up! To me, nothing says “home” more than a welcoming scent, especially something that sparks nostalgia. During this season, burning a pumpkin or apple scented candle is a pretty common theme.
   

   Seasonal magazines on the coffee table (Wall Street Journal’s fall fashion issue and Family Circle’s October issue)

2. Simple Decor: Decorating doesn’t have to be all-out, and a sense of decor is different for everyone. I don’t pretend to be an expert on the subject, but I know what I like. This year for fall I bought some fake leaves and pine cones and arranged them in mason jars. Simple and seasonal.
3.  Cooking Again: All summer we avoid the oven and stove like the plague, hating the heat it gives off. But in the fall we can finally use these practical devices again. Whether it be apple crisp or chili, the fall is a great time to start rejuvenating your love for the kitchen (and food).

Long story short, you don’t have to be an expert decorator to make your house feel like a home, especially in this optimal season. Part of the reason fall so charming is because it is fleeting. So enjoy while you can!