Smells like home
Want to stop all those squabbles at home? A new report has found that behaviour improves if there is some lemon-scented cleaner in the air. But don’t settle for chemical aromas; instead, choose from our selection of some of the best scented candles and fragrances that could bring peace and harmony
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Ultimate Tealights, £18 for a set of six, Fresh Ginger signature candle, £16, Winter large 3-wick candle, £48, Fresh Ginger home spray, £10, and Fresh Ginger scent diffuser, £25, from The White Company (0845 678 8150/www.thewhitecompany.com)
Laura Ashley Rhubarb & Vanilla diffuser sticks, £18, room spray, £6, boxed candle, £12, six drawer liners, £7, four drawer sachets, £6, and luxury pot pourri, £7 (0871 230 2301/ www.lauraashley.com)
AS WINTER arrives, our inclination is to close the doors and windows to keep out the cold. But rooms still need to smell sweet, especially when there’s a lack of fresh air circulating.
So this is the time to think about fragrance for your home – personal room scents that enhance its atmosphere and reflect or boost your mood.
“A house filled with familiar and comforting aromas, such as log fires, baking bread, cut grass, will make us feel instantly at home. One that smells of chemical cleaners or musty, stale air will do just the opposite,” says Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company.
CHOOSING A HOME SCENT
With a huge array of home fragrances on offer, Karl Watson, leading aromatherapy consultant for Tisserand, suggests making selection easier by trying to choose scents that reflect your personality.
“Sensual types will be drawn to florals such as rose and ylang ylang, while those who are outgoing and fun will probably prefer citrus-based scents such as limes, lemons and oranges.”
Those who suffer stress and want nurturing and cosseting will appreciate earthy, calm scents such as patchouli and frankincense which are particularly grounding and reassuring.”
Alternatively, Emilie Evans, founder of online interiors boutique Milk and Honey, advises thinking about the purpose of each room.
“Lavenders and rose fragrances are perfect for the bedroom or bathroom, whereas warm berry scents are especially suitable for winter and create a welcoming and cosy atmosphere,” she says.
TOP TIP: In kitchens, Emilie suggests opting for a fragrance that has some resonance with food.
“Try cinnamon and orange, which will smell as if it belongs in the room, rather than delicate floral scents.”
USING HOME FRAGRANCE
Be careful how you use the fragrance. An overly strong perfume can be as unpleasant as a bad smell.
Chrissie Rucker, author of How To Make Your House A Home, says: “I find using a diffuser or a bowl of potpourri in the living room and hallway provides the perfect light scent around the house for daytime. When night falls, I boost scent levels by lighting one or two scented candles in each room.”
TOP TIP: Layer fragrances by using both reed diffusers and candles to intensify the fragrance. For a clever combination effect, try Diptyque’s new Beauty and the Beast home fragrance duo. Beast has a woody aroma and Beauty gives off a flowery scent. Burn them together for combined notes of patchouli, vetiver, violet leaf and wood. They cost £55 for a set.
WINTER SCENTS
You can set the scene in your home with warming fragrances to make you feel cosy or banish winter by using fresher scents that conjure memories of sunny days.
The White Company’s robust Fresh Ginger is a winner (six jumbo-size fragranced tea-lights, £18; room spray, £10). But just as appealing are its Winter Botanical candles, £18 each, infused and decorated with the scent of orange slices, red berries and cinnamon sticks.
For something a little different, Laura Ashley’s new home scent, Rhubarb & Vanilla, sounds like a curious mix but has a rich and luxurious aroma, or you could play it safe with its comforting Lavender & Sweet Basil range (room spray, £6; boxed candle, £12, and diffuser sticks, £18).
Voluspa’s home fragrances, which have long been popular Stateside because they manage to be distinctive, beautifully packaged and affordable, are now available here through online interiors company Amara. Try Makassar Ebony & Peach scented candle, £29.95.
TOP TIP: There’s nothing quite like a sweet-smelling bed. Spray scented water as you iron and spritz freshly made beds with a linen spray. Try The White Company’s Lavender & Citrus Linen spray, £10, and Lavender drawer liners, £10.
PLANET-FRIENDLY FRAGRANCES
Mike Armstead, at Wax Lyrical, says: “The traditional way of fragrancing a home has changed over recent years, with new products such as reed diffusers becoming increasingly popular because of their versatility and ‘flame-free’ scents.
“Those who want candles but are concerned about the environment should look for those that are made from soy wax, contain essential oils, and are free from colours and dyes. We also use natural cotton wicks.”
Wax Lyrical’s candle fragrances include White Tea, Lychee and Pomegranate, and Goji and Raspberry. Candles cost from £8.50; diffusers £9.99.
Milk and Honey is another company which prides itself on its eco-credentials. Its room diffuser collection, £22.50 each, includes Wild Red Berries for living areas, and Rose or Violet for a bathroom or bedroom.
TOP TIP: Tess Heslop, creator behind organic home-fragrance brand Ochre & Ocre says: “Fill one-third of a hurricane lamp with black peppercorns and place one of our beeswax candles in the middle. As the candle warms the peppercorns, a warm, peppery and fragrant scent is released which suits a dinner table.”
Ochre & Ocre soy candles start from £8, and two beeswax tapers, £6.
Alternatively, Heyland & Whittle’s Vanilla and Black Pepper reed diffuser, £20 for 100ml, could give a similar effect.
CHRISTMAS SCENTS
According to Rosey Barnet, at Shearer, frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon and orange, as well as other rich, fruity scents, are most popular at this time of year as they’re warm, comforting and traditional.
Shearer’s gift-boxed candle selection includes Frankincense & Myrrh, Orange & Cinnamon, and Victorian Plum, and costs £12 each. Its ranges are available online and from Waitrose and The Candle Store, Glasgow.
Fragrance specialist Cath Collins’s new limited-edition festive scent – created especially for OKA – is Scent for Living, £85, which contains essences of eucalyptus, cloves, cinnamon, amber and vanilla.
For a budget buy, try Tisserand’s Seasonal Joy, a traditional Christmas fragrant oil combining classic nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and orange, which costs just £3.50.
The company’s aromatherapy consultant, Karl Watson, suggests adding four drops of it to a dry log, letting it soak overnight and then putting it on an open fire to release its fragrance, or adding drops to a basket of fir cones placed near the fire.
TOP TIP: Add an aromatic decoration to a mantel or a banister. Try a handmade orange, cinnamon and pumpkin garland, £27.95 from Aspen & Brown.
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