Scents for around the home – how you can make sure that you’re getting the most from your rooms

Fragrancing your home isn’t just a question of sticking a reed diffuser on the side and hoping that it will mask the smell of cooking and wet dog.  Each room in your house is designed for a specific purpose, and we associate each room with different things.  Smell is one of those senses which is often overlooked but it can trigger the strongest emotional response.  You want to have different reactions in different rooms.  I mean, I can only imagine a lot of your dinners would end up charred if you felt cosy and sleepy in the kitchen.

Deciding which fragrance to put where is a matter of personal preference but there are types of scents which are known to work well in different rooms.

If you want to create the perfect scent for around your home, you can create your own reed diffuser fragrances using essential oils and fragrance oils.  Whether you are experienced at mixing your own fragrances or whether you are a complete novice, we can help you to get the most from your rooms.

Here are some tips to inspire you.

Hallway

The hallway is the entrance to your home.  When you get in after a long day at work, it’s lovely to be greeted with a familiar scent to welcome you home.  Something sweet and fresh is perfect for the hallway, since it gives the impression that the house is clean and airy, yet the sweetness makes it homey.

Floral scents work well to create this effect. Ylang Ylang is sweet and floral but has a slight fruity tone that adds depth.  It’s a natural energiser, which is what you want as you get home ready to face the evening. 

There are classic floral scents such as Rose or Peony, which can bring just a subtle hint of spring to your hallway.

If you want a little something added to your floral scent, you could try Neroli, which has a hint of citrus to add a little zest, or if you don’t want to blend your own fragrances then a ready-made diffuser scent like English Pear and Freesia has the delicious blend of fruit and flowers to make that first step into your home smell fresh and sweet.

Living room or Lounge

For me, the living room or lounge is all about comfort, putting your feet up and relaxing. Rich and exotic scents help to accentuate the luxury and peace of your living room.

Amber is known to be calming and the warm, woody aroma suggests comfort.  Blended with something rich and sweet like Fig can create an indulgent fragrance that helps you to relax and makes your house a home.

Add a hint of decadence to your scent with exotic Oudh or Patchouli.  The blend of sweet and smoky, perfumed and earthy, give real depth to your living room fragrance.

If you want the richness of the scent without the musky overtones, then a delicious warming fruit scent is perfect for the living room.  It has all the richness but is more natural.  Dark Blackberry or ripe Mango are two of the most popular fragrances to help you settle down in your living room.

Kitchen

Often considered the heart of the home, a lot happens in the kitchen.  The range of odours that already fill your kitchen means that choosing an additional fragrance needs to be done carefully; you want to dispel the cooking smells that gather throughout the day but, at the same time, you don’t want an overpowering aroma clashing with the smell of your food.

Fresh and clean scents are best for the kitchen.  Natural fragrances – often fruit or herb-based – are the top choice.  A fresh herb smell like Basil lifts the mood in your kitchen with a delicious, peppery fragrance.

Citrus flavours are popular for the kitchen since they give the impression of cleanliness and freshness.  You could go for a classic citrus scent like Lemon, or you could add a twist with Grapefruit or Mandarin, which balances the citrus tang with a hint of sweetness.

One of our favourite ready-made refills for your reed diffusers is Lime, Basil and Mandarin. This is perfect for the kitchen because it doesn’t overpower the food aromas while you’re cooking but it has a zesty, clean smell.

Home Office or Study

If you are working at home, it’s important to get the right mindset.  Your sense of smell is key to getting you ‘in the zone’ for work and bright, energising scents help to clear your head and aid concentration.

Something to uplift and give you energy is the smell of a fresh Sea Breeze.  It is a clean and fresh scent.  Another good fragrance choice for your study is Cucumber.  It is a light scent and has a summery feel which will freshen and energise. Perfect for getting all that work done.

Bathroom

Bathrooms are notoriously difficult to fragrance effectively.  Often, bathroom fragrances like aerosols or sprays simply mask unpleasant smells with a more powerful smell but reed diffusers provide a constant light fragrance. We all want our bathrooms to smell fresh and clean, and citrus scents are the best way to achieve that.

Lemon and Orange are great fragrances for your bathroom. Citronella is more unusual but is an uplifting, citrus scent.

If you want to mix your own fragrances for your bathroom reed diffuser, our Citrus Reed Diffuser Gift Set contains everything you need to make your own scents and includes a range of fragrance oils: Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Basil, Mandarin and Ylang Ylang.

Bedroom

A lot of people turn to natural fragrances in their bedrooms to help them get the healthy sleep they need. 

A tried-and-tested scent to treat anxiety and restlessness is Lavender.  A less well-known fragrance to help relax and sooth is Jasmin.  It is a sweet and exotic scent that can help promote a calming and restful atmosphere in your bedroom.

If you’re looking for a fragrance that will benefit your sleep but don’t want anything floral, there are more musky or earthy scents to choose from. Cedar Wood has natural sedative properties which can help to combat insomnia. It also has a warm, woody aroma. A good accompaniment would be Sandalwood which has a rich and creamy fragrance.