Home Scents Decoded: How To Make Your Space Smell Like You

Every home has a smell. You notice it the minute you step into someone else’s space. The sharp zest of a lemon floor cleaner, the sweet comfort of vanilla candles, or let’s be honest the unmistakable gloom of forgotten laundry. Funny thing is, you rarely notice your own until someone points it out. That’s the strange power of scent: it shapes the way we feel about a space, often without us realising.

Some smells cradle you in comfort, the earthy waft of rain-drenched soil drifting in through half-open windows, the whiff of marigolds at the door, or your grandmother’s kitchen that somehow always smelled of cloves. Others, though, drag your spirit down (hello, monsoon dampness and three-day-old socks). And that’s why giving your home an olfactory upgrade isn’t indulgent, it’s essential.

Read on for some of the most fragrant (and fuss-free) ways to refresh your space. Because whether you give it a second thought or not, you can't deny that home scents are the real MVPs.

Room Sprays

Got a guest coming over and need a quick fix? A room freshener spray can instantly mask foul odour and make your living space smell fresh. Be sure to choose a subtle fragrance that complements the atmosphere as opposed to an overpowering one. 

Try: L'occitane Cocon De Serenite Relaxing Pillow Mist, Diptyque Paris 34 boulevard Saint Germain Room Spray

Fragrance Sachets

Scented sachets are the most convenient of the lot, available in a number of scent variants. These sachets are handy and hassle-free. You can place them in your wardrobes, bathrooms, and even under your mattress. Just remember to swap them out once the scent starts ghosting you.

Try: Iris Assorted Fragrance Pack, Wishing Chair Duchess of Blossom, The Purple Pony Scented Wax Sachet 

Scented Candles

The best thing about scented candles? You can never have enough of them, and that makes sure that the scent of your room mimics your current mood. Whether it is a gourmet vanilla and coffee blend or a refreshing lemongrass number, scented candles can instantly elevate the aesthetic of your room and your mood.

Try: Rad Living Cold Brew Coffee Scented Candle, House of Aroma Handcrafted Soy Wax Pomegranate Rouge Candle, Bath & Body Works Picnic Petals

Fragrance Diffuser 

Diffusers are now electric, convenient, quick, and effective.Wallflowers from Bath and Body Works, available in multiple designs, are worth trying. How to use them? Just fill the Wallflower with essential oil and plug it into an electric outlet. As the oil heats up, the pleasant fragrance will permeate your room and linger for hours. One refill could last you up to 30 days. 

Reed Diffusers

Reed Diffusers are a safer, flame-free alternative to scented candles, ideal for homes with pets and toddlers. Pour essential oil into a glass diffuser tumbler, place reeds into the oil, then allow the fragrance to diffuse over the next 24 hours. The evaporating scent ensures that the fragrance lingers. 

Try: Jo Malone London Pomegranate Noir Scent Surround Diffuser, Psychic Sisters Crystal Infused Reed Diffuser - Rose Quartz 

Scented Dry Flowers 

Think of these as potpourri’s cooler, more design-savvy cousin. The evaporating essential oil from the bloom leaves a pleasant lingering fragrance in its trail. As a bonus, dried flowers also make for the perfect tabletop decor. 

Try: Fabindia Pink Sughandh Dried Flowers, Fabindia Pink Mehak Dried Flowers

Incense Cones & Sticks

Used commonly in temple ceremonies, incense cones are for when you need to uplift the aromatic aura of your living space. Since using incense cones involves both light and smoke, it is ideal for rooms with good ventilation. 

Try: Forest Essentials Frankincense Incense Sticks, Phool Natural Incense Cones, Fabindia Nagchampa Wood Incense Cone, Fabindia Brass Antiqued Mehnoor Diffuser

Potpourri

Choose your potpourri mix based on the fragrance profiles you adore and place the mix in a beautiful glass, ceramic, or metal bowl. These classic bowls can be placed on dining tables, bedside tables, and even bath counters. 

Try: Madagascar Vanilla Acetate Potpourri, Iris Ocean Breeze Potpourri, Home Centre Blossom Lemon Grass Potpourri, Fabindia Winter Forest Potpourri

Simmer Pot

For this one, you get to do the fun job of raiding your pantry! Using a simmer pot is a natural and chemical-free way to freshen your home. And the best part? You can create your own concoctions and combinations to develop a signature fragrance that is uniquely yours.

• Based on the fragrance profile you’re going for, choose your ingredients: orange peels, apples, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla are some popular choices. 
• Add these to a pot, fill it with water, and bring it to a boil.
• Let it simmer for as long as you’d like. You can keep adding water as it evaporates!

Fresh Flowers

Fresh flowers can liven up any room they are placed in. Not only do they smell great, but these vibrant blossoms, when kept in statement stained glass or ceramic vases, positively elevate the look and feel of any room. 

The only catch? They demand a little TLC—trim, refresh, repeat. Change the vase water, trim drying leaves, and trim the stems for optimum water absorption. Add flower food to the water to keep your blossoms bright and blooming!

Crack Open A Window

If you’re constantly tossing dirty laundry on that one chair in your room, you’ve not changed your bedsheets and pillow covers in months, and fresh air and sunlight are alien to you since you never open the windows, your home is going to smell foul despite all the damage control you attempted with that room spray. 

In the end, no one remembers your perfectly fluffed cushions. But they’ll always remember how your home made them feel. And more often than not, that begins with a scent.