You probably put a lot of thought into making your home look nice when having guests over – but do you give as much consideration to how it smells?
With the rise of the ‘scentscaping’ trend, Jen Nash, Senior Design Lead at Magnet, says that the scent in your home can actually make or break guests’ experience and determine just how memorable the get-together is.
Jen comments, ‘’Smell is often called our most powerful sense as it is strongly linked to the parts of our brain responsible for memory and emotion. Having a unique scent for entertaining, therefore, is likely to mean your guests will remember the day in years to come.
Different scents also have the power to evoke different emotions, meaning you can tailor your scent to elevate the desired ambiance you are looking to create for the day of entertaining.
It’s a common misconception that for your home to smell ‘good’, the smell has to hit you the second you walk through the door. But the opposite is true. This can be overwhelming and off-putting to people as everyone has their preferred scents.
For that reason, it’s a good idea to stay away from overly sweet and intense smells and opt for more natural and soft scents like woods, flowers, and citrus. These can be incorporated into the space in many different ways but opting for a candle, diffuser, or wax burner is the best way to subtly diffuse a scent throughout the room’’.
The top home scents to please your guests & set the mood:
Sandalwood: For an evening of intimacy
Jen says, ‘’Sandalwood is a subtle, seductive scent so it’s perfect for hosting dinner and cocktail parties in the evening when you are looking to create an intimate and cosy atmosphere. It induces relaxation and calmness, helping your guests to sit back and enjoy the soiree.’’
Orange blossom: For a summer get together
‘’With a complex mix of floral and citrus notes, orange blossom is an energising scent that will uplift a room and the people in it. It’s particularly ideal for summer parties and entertaining as it works well in an open space and can help detract from any lingering cooking smells’’.
Vetiver scent: For tranquil socialising
‘’Vetiver is a warm and pleasant aroma that is known to have a relaxing and grounding effect – helping to reduce anxieties and keep the mind focused. Often referred to as ‘the oil of tranquillity, it’s a perfect scent to incorporate into your home if you are hosting a more relaxed event such as coffee with friends or a book club.’’
Eucalyptus scent: For family activities
‘’Although the Eucalyptus scent is most commonly used in spas to help re-energise the body, this scent is perfect in your home when hosting family gatherings or activities. Eucalyptus will stimulate your senses and keep your mind clear and relaxed.’’
Cinnamon scent: For all occasions
‘’You may associate cinnamon scents with the festive period, but this scent is actually a great addition for hosting guests. Especially when dinner is involved, as the sweet aroma of cinnamon is likely to heighten your guests’ senses and appetite. The cinnamon scent can work with any social event and remains a familiar scent for all’’.
