Spring is almost in the air, and with it comes the urge to cleanse and spruce your home. A fun way to give your space a sense of renewal is by playing around with scents and, as spring rolls around, a new scented candle or a reed diffuser could be just what you’re missing to give your home a refresh and bring in a new mood for the incoming season.
Our sense of smell is the most evocative and powerful of the five senses, and so it shouldn’t be overlooked in your home. Walking into a beautifully scented room can make all the difference in how you feel about it and can tie together the aesthetics to create the perfect space.
However, choosing the right fragrance is important, and using seasonal inspiration can be a great place to start. While winter is more commonly associated with spicy aromas, spring tends to bring floral and fresh connotations. Scented candles, reed diffusers, and plug-in air fresheners are all effective ways to add some luxurious charm to your home, and we spoke to some experts to bring you the best spring scents to make your home smell amazing.
1. Floral notes
Florals for spring might not be groundbreaking, but if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it! There’s nothing like floral undertones to make you feel as though longer, brighter days are on the horizon, and spring - with its blooming flowers and luscious greenery - is the perfect time to prioritize floral-scented candles inside your home.
Wildflowers are one of the season's greatest joys as they spring up everywhere, bringing much-needed color to backyards and parks. Paul Firmin, co-founder of the luxury fragrance brand Earl of East, says that wildflower scents make for a great spring choice in the home, naming Jasmine, gardenia and rose geranium as his top choices for home fragrance.
'Jasmine, with its sweet floral notes, reminds us of a garden in full bloom making it a popular scent throughout the year but especially at the beginning of spring,' he says. The brand's Wildflower Collection is packed with scented candles and room mists which will revitalize your home with perfectly light floral scents.
Experts at aromatherapy giant Diptyque agree that floral scents ‘capture the delicate scent of spring’. Their top floral choices include rose, violet, and iris which all have soft and sweet notes that create a gentle atmosphere in any room. Display a vase of flowers that match the scent you choose to achieve real harmony throughout a room.
2. Clean Scents
Clean, fresh scents can be harder to define than obvious florals, but they can really pack a punch in a room. Subtle scents add a gentle relaxed feel as they don’t overpower the senses, and opting for a fresh scent in frequently used rooms such as the living room and bathroom keeps these spaces feeling crisp and natural. This means that your spring home will feel refreshed and clean whilst still allowing your bold interiors to be the standout feature of the room.
Much-loved clean scents include eucalyptus, sea salt, and basil. Paul says that eucalyptus, ‘has the ability to instantly transport you to warmer weather’. Fresh scents don't only make you think of those milder temperatures but they align with the urge for a spring tidy in the home, too. 'It just feels really clean, so is great to use in spring, as part of the great refresh in your home,' says Paul. 'Invigorating scents are known to promote a sense of clarity and vitality, making them the perfect fresh scent for spring.'
3. Citrus fragrances
Citrus scents are often a go-to choice for perfumes and body lotions, but why limit them to beauty products when they work equally as well in the home? One of the biggest advantages of citrus scents is that they work all year round. With a wide range of different fruity notes to opt for, there is always a choice that is well-suited to the season that you're in and the space that it needs to work for.
Spring favorites include grapefruit, lemongrass, neroli, orange, and bergamot. The zestier fruits have a fresh smell to them that aligns well with the warmer temperatures and longer days. 'Sweet and zingy notes conjure feelings of growth and sunshine,' says Paul who favors Earl of East's Greenhouse scent. Combining sweet vine tomato, basil, and lemon zest, this citrus scent is one of the best for a modern kitchen according to Paul, where the uplifting notes will help to create a lively, convivial atmosphere.
4. Woody aromas
The category of woody aromas is often associated with heavier scents which are preferred for winter, but there are heaps of lighter wood infusions that are perfect for spring with their deep yet fresh notes reminiscent of a long spring day walk.
Some of the best spring flowers like bluebells, snowdrops, and crocuses bloom in this season, and the trees start to turn green again making it a suitable time to bring a wood-based scent into your home. ‘As the days get longer and the weather warms up, we naturally want to welcome the outdoors into our homes,’ says Paul.
Dark amber, fig, wood sage, cedarwood, and sandalwood are all great woody scents to choose in spring. These refined and elegant fragrances are a great choice to use in bedrooms and cozy living rooms, and incorporating them will create a luxurious and indulgent atmosphere while still maintaining the freshness of spring. However, when using these heavier, stronger scents, remember that choosing a reed diffuser over a plug-in air freshener can help spread the scent more subtly and consistently through the room.
