Considering dining rooms tend to be wafting with freshly cooked aromas of their own, this can be a tricky space to scent. However, we can't have an unscented dining space lacking in olfactory character.
So, with the help of experts, I've put together a guide to making your dining room smell super inviting. It's not just about putting out your favorite candles, but catering your format to the occasion and the menu, too.
Be it a fresh vase of flowers, a silently perfuming diffuser, or even the lingering fragrance of expensive-smelling surface sprays, there's so much you can do to make your home smell good, starting with this hosting space.
1. Light a Menu Compatible Candle
Let's start with what might be the most popular way to make a space smell good — candles. But it's not just about picking the best scented candles in your rotation. It's more about selecting light-burning candles with fragrances that fit the menu.
"Light your candle 30 to 60 minutes before guests arrive. This allows the fragrance to softly fill the room so it feels effortless and considered, rather than newly introduced," says August Campbell, co-founder of AUGUST&PIERS.
"When selecting candles for intimate dinners, opt for something warm and cocooning like our Libertine or Socialite Candle. For lighter lunches, choose fresher, more uplifting notes like those found in Nomad."
Duration: 45 Hours
Not only does this Black Sesame Medium Scented Candle smell so expensive, but it can also count as your something chrome.
Quantity: 6 Tapers
These scented tapers from Carrière Frères are a great way to perfume the brunch course in your dining room.
Notes: Roasted Cacao, Milk Chocolate, Lavender, Madagascar Vanilla
Light this gorgeous candle up as you serve your dessert for a sweet surprise.
2. Use Fresh Scented Surface Cleaners
Believe it or not, another amazing way to make your dining room smell inviting is actually through your household cleaning schedule. A few drops of essential oil in a soapy solution can refresh the air in this space.
However, you can also take the easy way out and invest in some beautifully scented surface cleaners. There are plenty of designer-approved cleaning products to pick from.
Notes: Kaffir Lime, Caramel, Coriander, Citrus, Clove, Cinnamon
I'm crushing on all things Ashley & Co right now, including this natural surface spray.
Size: 739 ml
This Method Floor Cleaner is my absolute favorite thing to use; it leaves a stunning rhubarb scent in its wake.
Notes: Lavender, Cedar, Fig Tree
Let's be honest, La Droguerie Multi-Surface Cleaner from Diptyque is a classic for good reason.
3. Opt for Diffusers as a Scented Centerpiece
If burning a flame doesn't feel appropriate, Amanda Morgan, managing director at Diptyque, tells me that scented diffusers are another popular fragrance format.
"For small dining rooms, reed diffusers or hourglass diffusers can safely scent a smaller space," she notes. "Plus, they're also beautiful decorative objects that make a design-led statement, perfect for this entertaining zone."
And if you're not a fan of the humble reed diffuser, you have scented sculptures, lava stone diffusers, and matchbox fragrance diffusers to pick from.
Notes: Orange, Fig, Cassis, Orange Blossom, Musk, Woods
This Saint Ceramic Diffuser is a covert way to elevate the environment in your dining room.
Fragrance: Fig Tree
Diptyque's Hourglass 2.0 Figuier Diffuser will lure you into the dining room, even when it's not time to eat.
Notes: Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Ylang Ylang, Vetiver, Patchouli
How charming is this Scented Ceramic Sculpture from Austin Austin?
4. Consider Light Room Sprays
If you ask me, one of the best ways to use room spray is by perfuming your dining room just before you put your hosting hat on. It's an effortless, flame-free method that will undoubtedly elevate the ambiance.
Malin+Goetz home sprays are my spring favorites for the job. However, if you're looking for some more options to spritz around, here are my winning recommendations.
Notes: Cedarwood, Green Pepper, Basil, Ivy, Lavender, Mint, Tomato, Mandarin, Petitgrain
Tomato home fragrance is still on trend, and MALIN+GOETZ is leading the way.
Fragrance Family: Floral
This honeysuckle-scented room spray from Loewe will make the air smell like a sweet garden in bloom.
Fragrance Family: Fresh
If you're looking for ways to make your home smell like spring, this spray from Found Notes is worth a spritz.
5. Arrange a Vase of Fragrant Flowers
According to Asta Foufas, founder of Arena Flowers, the dining room should feel inviting but never overwhelming, and that’s where softly scented cut flowers work best. "Freesias bring a light, fresh sweetness, while matthiola adds a gentle, slightly spicy floral note," she advises.
"Together, they create a balanced, elegant fragrance that enhances the space without competing with the food. Choose the 'Spring Idyll' and 'Raspberry Ripple' bouquets for a fresh, soft, and elegant scent."
If you want something more impactful, Arena recommends hyacinths as a beautiful choice. "Their fragrance is rich and sweet, naturally filling the room and creating a luxurious, welcoming setting," she adds. "Just be sure not to place the arrangement too close to the plates, as its scent is quite powerful."
Includes: Pink Belle Rose, Eucalyptus
Pair this beautiful, fragrant bouquet with this Medium Cylinder Frill Top Glass Vase from M&S.
Includes: Tulips, Stocks, Limonium, Chrysanthemum
The Extra Special Carrie from Bloom & Wild will brighten up your tablescape and perfume the air with a floral fragrance that's not too heady.
Includes: Hyacinths, Tulips
Style the Shining Star bouquet from Arena Flowers in this Beige Small Textured Glass Vase from H&M.
6. Style a Bowl of Fragrant Fruit
As of last year, the new statement centrepiece is no longer flowers. It's fruit! My folder of table centrepiece ideas is full of runners draped in fruit. And if you prefer a minimalist approach, then a footed bowl of fruit is just as helpful.
As for which fruits to pick, anything citrus allows for a subtle fresh fragrance. Limes, lemons, oranges, and yuzu are great choices. However, I've also seen bowls of figs, apples, and pears pierced with aromatics like cloves. And if you're after a showstopper, this trending fruit centrepiece is it.
This Footed Marble Serving Bowl from H&M, this Tarifa Ceramic Fruit Bowl from La Redoute Interieurs, and this Ryu Bowl from Ferm Living are my favorites to style.
7. Keep It Ventilated
On the topic of natural home deodorizers, free-flowing ventilation is a classic. The simple act of opening up your windows and garden doors to refresh the stagnant air indoors will make all the difference.
In fact, I'd wager that none of the methods listed above would work as well in the absence of good ventilation to set a clean stage for the fragrances to waft and evolve. So if you haven't tried a good old-fashioned airing out, this is your sign.
And if your dining room lacks windows, then a portable extractor hood like this AirHood or a fan like the DREO Standing Fan are valuable additions.
It's not just about the right ways to perfume your dining room. It's just as important to know about the wrongs, too. And our guide to the scents to avoid in your home will help you perfect the scentscape.
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