A Scented Home is a Happy Home
Pull out the scented plug-ins and abandon the miasma of mould and lack of ventilation that wintertime often means. A beautifully scented home is a happy, lovely to live in home. Especially during the holiday season, when families gather around the table and people come together to feel close to each other.
Scientists tell us that blood pressure can be lowered when a pleasant scent is introduced in our environment, signifying the powerful bond between smell and wellness.
Did you know that even the perception of the size of a room can be subtly manipulated through the introduction of certain odors?
But the actual choice of how to scent your home CAN be daunting. Are scented candles better than room sprays or reed diffusers? Does classic potpourri feel terribly outdated? Are cooking smells always a bad thing? Let's profit from the latest research, the DIY tricks home makers know as well as some beautiful products which can make your home smell like a truly blessed one, for this holiday season and beyond.
So click our slides to find out all about it!
Scented Products: Candles, Reed Diffusers, Ornaments
Avoid the pitfall of buying those pitiful candles sitting at the stores for ages or the musty potpourri. If you're going to opt for a home fragrance it's best to check quality first. Good quality scented candles not only "throw" well when lit (they're manufactured to) they even release a waft of aroma when unlit. Whatever you do, however, don't bring them on the table, as they will interfere with food and wine.
The gorgeous edition Silvered Gems Candle by Acqua di Parma is probably the best newcomer for the holidays. The "amber citrus" scent (check out what "amber" is made of in our link) is at once invigorating and intoxicating!
Brands such as Diptyque (their Feu de Bois smells of a log fire), Voluspa and Pacifica (I recommend their Tuscan Blood Orange) also make some gorgeous scented candles with vegetable soy wax and lead-free cotton wicks to protect your health.
Reed diffusers are also practical. Basically a bunch of porous sticks dipped into a fragrant solution that wafts continuously without the need of fire, they add a decorative accent. Brands such as Molton Brown (Frankincense & All Spice is very wintery!), The Body Shop and Archipelago Botanicals make great reed diffusers.
Last but not least, the classic "Amber" terracotta ball from chic French brand L'Artisan Parfumeur is a posh, artisanal made "ornament" in the shape of a ball which slowly diffuses a soft, sensuous scent of amber in your living room and can be refilled.
Mmmm.....
There is nothing better than a home that smells freshly ventilated.This is especially beneficial if you suffer from allergies triggered by mites and dust.
The faint smell of home cooking can be inviting, provided the aroma is of something appetizing: apple pie, sugar cookies, or freshly baked bread have shown to boost sales by 33% in home appliance stores or even to make us kinder to strangers, so imagine what they can do for your home!
It's not always necessary to actually bake in order to achieve it though.
Put a pan with water on the stove and add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and star anise and bring to the boil. If you want to whet the appetite of those visiting pour half a can of beer in a pot and simmer; it will fill the house with the scent of freshly baked bread. Add a zingy energy for a congenial & happy sentiment by cutting big rolls of citrus fruit rind (mandarin, orange, lemon) and boiling that instead; it goes very well with scent of the Christmas tree and the food to follow. The combination of clementine & vanilla has been found in a West Chester University experiment to reduce the perception of time by 26%, making people linger. Great for a successful party! Cut slices of clementine, dry them out for a couple of days and hang them from the Christmas tree.
A combination "Christmas scent" pot can be achieved by blending a sliced orange, a sliced lemon, 3-4 cinnamon sticks, a handful of cranberries, and a couple of bay leaves.
Festive!
If you need to refresh your sofas and carpets, making your own linen spray is easy: mix white vinegar and vodka in equal parts in a plastic sprayer and add 10 drops of your favorite essential oil (check with your manufacturer if suffering from allergies). Shake and spray away!
Additionally get some small glass or ceramic jars, fill them with baking soda, pour a few drops of essential oil on top and set them around the house. A lovely but subtle scent should ensue.
Furthermore scent doesn't need to be limited to food, the Christmas tree or the products that you specifically buy or make for your home. You can even use inventive tricks like spraying a handful of cotton balls with your own fragrance and placing them in strategic nooks and crannies all around the house. They will create a subtle reminder of the hostess. Or open up those shrink-packaged guests' soaps in the bathroom and let them waft their aroma free of their constraints.
After all your guests will appreciate eschewing the dilemma of whether to use them or not!
Enjoy your scented home and share it with your family and friends this season!
Pull out the scented plug-ins and abandon the miasma of mould and lack of ventilation that wintertime often means. A beautifully scented home is a happy, lovely to live in home. Especially during the holiday season, when families gather around the table and people come together to feel close to each other.
Scientists tell us that blood pressure can be lowered when a pleasant scent is introduced in our environment, signifying the powerful bond between smell and wellness.
Did you know that even the perception of the size of a room can be subtly manipulated through the introduction of certain odors?
But the actual choice of how to scent your home CAN be daunting. Are scented candles better than room sprays or reed diffusers? Does classic potpourri feel terribly outdated? Are cooking smells always a bad thing? Let's profit from the latest research, the DIY tricks home makers know as well as some beautiful products which can make your home smell like a truly blessed one, for this holiday season and beyond.
So click our slides to find out all about it!
Scented Products: Candles, Reed Diffusers, Ornaments
Avoid the pitfall of buying those pitiful candles sitting at the stores for ages or the musty potpourri. If you're going to opt for a home fragrance it's best to check quality first. Good quality scented candles not only "throw" well when lit (they're manufactured to) they even release a waft of aroma when unlit. Whatever you do, however, don't bring them on the table, as they will interfere with food and wine.
The gorgeous edition Silvered Gems Candle by Acqua di Parma is probably the best newcomer for the holidays. The "amber citrus" scent (check out what "amber" is made of in our link) is at once invigorating and intoxicating!
Brands such as Diptyque (their Feu de Bois smells of a log fire), Voluspa and Pacifica (I recommend their Tuscan Blood Orange) also make some gorgeous scented candles with vegetable soy wax and lead-free cotton wicks to protect your health.
Reed diffusers are also practical. Basically a bunch of porous sticks dipped into a fragrant solution that wafts continuously without the need of fire, they add a decorative accent. Brands such as Molton Brown (Frankincense & All Spice is very wintery!), The Body Shop and Archipelago Botanicals make great reed diffusers.
Last but not least, the classic "Amber" terracotta ball from chic French brand L'Artisan Parfumeur is a posh, artisanal made "ornament" in the shape of a ball which slowly diffuses a soft, sensuous scent of amber in your living room and can be refilled.
Mmmm.....
There is nothing better than a home that smells freshly ventilated.This is especially beneficial if you suffer from allergies triggered by mites and dust.
The faint smell of home cooking can be inviting, provided the aroma is of something appetizing: apple pie, sugar cookies, or freshly baked bread have shown to boost sales by 33% in home appliance stores or even to make us kinder to strangers, so imagine what they can do for your home!
It's not always necessary to actually bake in order to achieve it though.
Put a pan with water on the stove and add cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and star anise and bring to the boil. If you want to whet the appetite of those visiting pour half a can of beer in a pot and simmer; it will fill the house with the scent of freshly baked bread. Add a zingy energy for a congenial & happy sentiment by cutting big rolls of citrus fruit rind (mandarin, orange, lemon) and boiling that instead; it goes very well with scent of the Christmas tree and the food to follow. The combination of clementine & vanilla has been found in a West Chester University experiment to reduce the perception of time by 26%, making people linger. Great for a successful party! Cut slices of clementine, dry them out for a couple of days and hang them from the Christmas tree.
A combination "Christmas scent" pot can be achieved by blending a sliced orange, a sliced lemon, 3-4 cinnamon sticks, a handful of cranberries, and a couple of bay leaves.
Festive!
If you need to refresh your sofas and carpets, making your own linen spray is easy: mix white vinegar and vodka in equal parts in a plastic sprayer and add 10 drops of your favorite essential oil (check with your manufacturer if suffering from allergies). Shake and spray away!
Additionally get some small glass or ceramic jars, fill them with baking soda, pour a few drops of essential oil on top and set them around the house. A lovely but subtle scent should ensue.
Furthermore scent doesn't need to be limited to food, the Christmas tree or the products that you specifically buy or make for your home. You can even use inventive tricks like spraying a handful of cotton balls with your own fragrance and placing them in strategic nooks and crannies all around the house. They will create a subtle reminder of the hostess. Or open up those shrink-packaged guests' soaps in the bathroom and let them waft their aroma free of their constraints.
After all your guests will appreciate eschewing the dilemma of whether to use them or not!
Enjoy your scented home and share it with your family and friends this season!
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