Home is where the heart is... oh and where the nose is! For me, choosing the right scent for my space is the best part, as it sets the atmosphere and ambiance I want to capture in that moment. In the evening I like to light a soft scented candle to prepare me for the late night slumber. But during the day, I enjoy dousing my home with natural floral scents. The scent of a home is just as important as the accessories you place in your home, and the experts seem to agree.
"The saying, 'only one chance to make a first impression' comes to mind when thinking about an amazing-smelling home," says accredited perfumer Darryl Do at Delbia Do Fragrances and Flavors, located in the Bronx. "The decor, layout and placement are fixtures but do not overlook how your place smells. Your homes scent should match with the decor — whether it is a homey, classic or relaxed vibe."
We've spoken to fragrance admirers and experts about how to make your house smell good and they revealed all their secrets.
How to Make Your Home Smell Good
If you want a better smelling home, this expert says you should look at for cleanliness, hygiene and ventilation. There are a few things to buy for an amazing smelling home, whether that's essential cleaning products or your favorite candle to bring an element of allure to your space — there is much to do to make your home smell fresh.
Jamila Musayeva an Etiquette expert and lifestyle content creator tells us: "Hygiene comes first, and then you can put on a diffuser, incense stick, or light a candle. Opening the windows to ventilate the air is also essential for creating a fresh, clean smell at home. Nothing works better at cleaning the bad odor than fresh air".
Without further ado, here are 7 simple ways to make your home smell good.
1. Clean Your Home
The foundation of a good smelling home, begins with a clean home. First you can learn how to declutter room by room before bracing your space for a deep clean. This will give you a neater space as well as a cozy smelling home. Once you've decluttered, you can then clean and wipe down major surfaces are clean in order to get the best out of your space.
Etiquette consultant and lifestyle content creator Jamila Musayeva tells us we should start by, "wet cleaning of all major surfaces such as floors, cabinets, windows by using a damp microfiber cloth or towel, mop, or cleaning solution, where appropriate." Jamila says the next step is to air out rooms, opening windows and closing doors will help ventilate the room.
Accredited perfumer Darryl Do at Delbia Do Fragrances and Flavors says, when it comes to finding the right cleaning product, you should "make sure your cleaning products smell good — if it's not wonderful, add a room spray to the cleaning process if you elevate the ambiance, you set the tone."
2. Scented Candles
I love to light a candle or two to set the ambiance. If you're looking for the best candle scents for your home to energize and uplift your mood, try opting for fresh scents such as citrus, spice and peppermint. And if you're wondering where you should place a scented candle, try a central area of the home to get the most out of the candles scent.
Joyce Barnes a perfume expert and the Chief Operating Officer of TOCCA perfumes tells us candles are a great way to bring a long lasting scent into a home. "Candles help bring scents into the home that fill up the home with a longer lasting scent to linger. There are a wide range of scents, even within a particular scent family — for example, within the floral family, you have spicy flowers, powder flowers, green or spring flowers, so rather than focus on scent families, I find it helpful to look at fragrance personalities."
Joyce continues: "Choosing a fragranced candle and/or diffuser should be an enjoyable and approachable experience, think about the mood and the depth of the fragrance (does it smell joyful, flirtatious, moody) or maybe a particular scent evokes a memory of a time or place."
Jamila says if you have a small room, try using a smaller candle as larger candles tend to be quite overpowering. "Aim to light the candle in a bigger area such as hallway or living room and keep the doors to other rooms open so the scent can diffuse," she adds.
3. Scented Sachets or Bars
For a hidden tick to make your home smell amazing — scented sachets are a great place to start. Scented sachets can be used in many different ways. The tiny bags hold a lot of power with their scents that can truly change the way a home smells and feels.
"Keep scented sachets or bars of soap (if you are allergic to scented sachets) in your wardrobe or drawers. Especially near underwear, socks and woolen things to keep them fresh," Jamila tells us.
4. Brew Coffee or Tea
I for one absolutely love a good cup of tea and coffee. The smell of coffee truly awakens my senses and takes me to cloud nine. But who would have thought that the scent of coffee and tea may just make your home smell absolutely divine. Well, Jamila says coffee may just be the natural fragrance fix you seek in the mornings and evenings.
Jamila says natural home fragrances are ideal if you do not want to add any harsh fragrances or chemicals into your space. She adds: "My go to scents are ones that occur naturally in the home — make a freshly brewed tea or coffee or bake a cinnamon roll or orange zest cake at home for that extra hypnotizing scent. Also, place coffee beans in your fridge and kitchen in an open jar to absorb bad odors."
5. Place Flowers Around Your Home
There are many indoor plants that people with amazing-smelling homes use to scent their space naturally. The best plants for this are jasmine, coffee plant, kumquat trees, gardenia and Tuscan rosemary.
If you're wondering what herbs grow best in the kitchen, you can test some of your favorites and watch them bloom into an aroma or beauty and freshness. Herbs have a way of cutting through tough odors and smells, so if you're cooking up a storm and need to cover the scent, herbs may help to do just that.
"Herbs are a fantastic addition to your kitchen," says Andrew Gaumond, Horticulturist & Editorial Director at Petal Republic. 'Not only do they bring a lovely natural perfume into your home, but they can also provide an array of flavors at your fingertips for all your culinary endeavors."
So what herbs are particularly fragrant and easy to maintain? "Learning to grow mint indoors is always a worthwhile investment, as it's an excellent herb that provides both a fresh, natural scent and a variety of edible uses," says Andrew. "Spearmint and peppermint are fantastic options, and both can grow in partial shade if the light is a little restricted in your kitchen."
6. Mix diffusers With Candles
Diffusers and candles are an easy and great way to bring freshness and an array of scents into a home, but when used together — they will certainly make an impact!
Who would have thought the best place for a diffuser would be close to a candle? Well, Interior Designer and founder of Marie Flanigan Interiors, Marie Flanigan, tells us: "To make your home smell good, start by placing diffusers near the front entry way, behind the toilet in bathrooms, or any surface throughout your home."
The designer says diffusers are a great addition to a home as they bring out a subtle fragrance, but carry quite the impact. Marie adds: "I also love continuing the scent with matching candles in the kitchen, dressing room or near the tub. I love the ambiance that a candle adds to a space, so we try to place candles in rooms made for relaxing."
7. Try Scent Layering
Ever heard of scent layering? This clever little trick is a great way to make your home smell absolutely magnificent.
Fragrance layering is essentially using different method to create unique aromas with some extra depth. This can be done by adding a candle next to a diffuser for example or maybe even mixing potpourri with candle — both carrying its own scent but matching in harmony.
FAQS
Can I make my own home fragrance?
Yes you can! Jamila says when it comes to creating your own home scents she recommends using 'the aforementioned methods for a natural scent — bake something with the main ingredient being what you want your home to smell such as vanilla, coffee, oranges, cookies, and lemon.
'If you don't want to cook, make a simmer pot with the aromatic ingredients you want. Just like with a signature perfume, you can get a signature fragrance for home. I think the best smelling home is the one that smells cozy, yummy, welcoming and warm. It is the one that is cared for, tended for, celebrated, frequented by guests and loved by the owners,' she adds.
What are some home fragrance mistakes?
It can be tricky to know how to make your home smell good without doing too much. So here are some home fragrance mistakes you should avoid if you want an amazing smelling space.
1) Choosing artificial scents
2) Forgetting to layer your scents
3) Choosing the wrong scents for your space
4) Using candles to mask bad smells
5) Not taking care of candles
On your journey through finding the right scent, try to stay away from making these mistakes and you'll have a better smelling home.
Ultimately, whatever you decide to choose for your home fragrance, let it be unique to you and your home.
Choose something that grants you and your guests comfort and create a space that welcomes guests, rather than doing the opposite.
