Halloween is almost here, and it seems as though no one in the North Bay is holding back when adding to the community’s shared sense of seasonal excitement.

But fall isn’t only about proudly displaying a carved-up pumpkin on the porch or allowing all those fallen leaves to linger long enough to make the lawn look autumnal.

No, fall is all about slowing down and taking time to indulge every sense, especially in the comfort of one’s home. From the scent of cinnamon brooms and brewing cider to the cozy assortment of blankets, pillows and seats to curl up on, there’s no shortage of small ways to make the home just a little bit homier for the fall holidays.

“Fall is the perfect time to warm up your home with simple decor changes,” said resident home decor expert Craig Miller, who just so happens to own a Sonoma-local home goods store called Harvest Home.

Miller’s advice for easy, festive and effective ways to add some autumn to home decor begins as early as the front door:

“Start with the front of your house,” he advised. “The easiest major change is to add two stacks of pumpkins on each side of your front door [starting with the biggest pumpkin on the bottom and stacking up from large to small]…if you can find some local cornstalks, add those as well.”

Past the front door and into the foyer, Miller suggests warming up the entranceway and giving it an autumn air by incorporating woods and other natural elements, including mini pumpkins, colorful squash and fall floral arrangements.

“This look could easily be duplicated to your mantle, coffee table, kitchen island or [as a] table centerpiece,” said Miller. He added that “an easy living room switch is to add orange or rust throw pillows…and a warm-toned throw for the cooler nights.”

Even the lighting can benefit from a festive fall touch. And though it may be cliche, finding that perfectly cozy candle to keep company through the holiday season is a sublime sensory experience for the nose and the eyes. After all, mood lighting is everything, especially with increasingly long, dark nights ahead that could benefit from a bit of candlelight. For lighting, Miller suggests carving a small hole in the top of mini pumpkins, just large enough to fit a small candle, and setting the pumpkins to float in a bowl or sit on their own.

In decorating for the fall, just be sure to remember that while all the pumpkins and other visual elements are most certainly crucial to adding a festive feel to one’s home, so too is the inclusion of the other senses: touch, smell, sound and, of course, taste.

So, grab a slice of pumpkin or pecan pie and some hot spiced cider or cocoa and cozy up with some candles and a soft, fuzzy blanket by a fire—cause ’tis the season that reminds everyone to enjoy all the little things that add up to that quintessential feeling of fall.

Anyone looking to spruce up their living space to reflect the spirit of all things fall (all the while managing to keep shopping local) can visit the Harvest Home website at harvesthomestores.com, call 707.933.9044 or check out the Harvest Home storefront in person at 20820 Broadway in Sonoma.