Choosing the right fragrance for your home

There are so many fragrances to choose from but one has to put certain things into consideration to be able to pick the right fragrance for one’s home. A wrong choice of fragrance for instance could give the same effect of an untidy house , send the wrong signals about your sense of style and […]

There are so many fragrances to choose from but one has to put certain things into consideration to be able to pick the right fragrance for one’s home. A wrong choice of fragrance for instance could give the same effect of an untidy house , send the wrong signals about your sense of style and housekeeping habits and even make your guests uncomfortable.
Various experts have given tips on how to choose the right fragrance for your home in order to give it the right scent to appeal to your sense of smell and create  the atmosphere that you long for.
According to managing director, Ripple Fragrances, Mr. Kiran Ranga, “Fragrances are known to be very personal. Each person has their own signature style and also a special preference for a certain type of fragrance. It is important that one does not end up making an impulse decision while choosing fragrances. It is useful to spend time considering which perfume will be ideal for your home.”
He gave the following tips on selecting the perfect fragrance for your home.

  Personality is key to choosing the right fragrance
The personality of the home owner is an important fact that needs to be taken into consideration while purchasing the right home fragrance. If the owner is a young woman, then perhaps a sweet, flowery scent would be more appealing. For an older lady, more sophisticated and homely fragrances like citrus, apple cinnamon and orange blossom would be suitable. For a younger man, a slightly racy and vivacious fragrance like pine, lemon grass, basil would be more apt. For an older man, classy and soothing fragrances like green tea, Ylang Ylang, patchouli, and melon musk would be more appropriate.

Appearance of your home should be a key factor while choosing fragrances
While choosing fragrances for your home, it is mandatory to keep the style of your home in mind. For those with a cheery, colorful and bright home, fragrances like orange blossom, lavender, marigold, apple cinnamon, amber rose and pomegranate would be more suitable.
Homes that have a more minimalist look should use fragrances that are light, airy and subtle. Fragrances like green tea, lemon grass, ylang ylang and melon musk would be appropriate. For futuristic homes, fragrances like pine, lavender, rosemary and citronella would be fitting. For homes that have a woody interior, fragrances like pine, citronella, lavender and green tea would be perfect.
 
Choose a fragrance family and stick to it
While choosing fragrances for the home, some people tend to keep changing the type of fragrance used on a regular basis. Though this is not wrong, it is always better if the choice is narrowed down to scents from the same family. There are four main families of scents – woody, spicy, fruity and floral.
 
Make sure you use the right fragrance delivery system for each room
To diffuse fragrances in to different rooms, appropriate delivery systems need to be used. It is best to use scented candles, fragrance vaporizers or reed diffusers in the living room, bed rooms and guest rooms. While in the bath room and kitchen, fragrant stones, fragrance sachets and potpourris are more useful mechanisms of fragrance delivery.
In addition to the above , experts at Mosaiq Fragrance suggest selecting a few fragrances and rotating scents every few months. Some people like to go with a “signature scent” for the main entertaining space in their home, but variety is a good thing with fragrance, particularly in the rooms you use most on a daily basis. If you use the same fragrance for years, and never rotate them around, you won’t smell it as strongly and won’t be able to enjoy it.
They  said considering  the lighting of the room you’re selecting a fragrance for is also key.  If it is north facing, or doesn’t have a lot of natural light, you might enjoy a warmer scent, like cinnamon, plumeria, or vanilla, rather than a more sterile, clean linen scent. Rooms that tend to get hot and stuffy in the afternoon can feel more comfortable by using fresh clean scents like green tea or cucumber.
They also advise add seasonal favorites to your fragrance collection and to keep a few mood-creating fragrances on hand for specific occasions—lavish florals for romance, cozy baked apple for the first day of fall, or energizing citrus for laundry day.
Persephenie, a perfumer and aromatherapist, gives the following tips on scenting your home;
Fragrance is a powerful way to set a mood. The secret is to concentrate just the right amount of scent in the right area so the effect is harmonious rather than overwhelming.
 Burn bright. No one wants to be accosted by a smell, and the method you choose to scent your home matters as much as the particular smell. Beeswax or soy-wax candles give off a lasting fragrance and burn more cleanly than paraffin ones. Snuff them out when you’ve had enough, or even leave them unlit. Incense is wonderful—­and it doesn’t have to be the strong stuff you buy at the yoga studio. Japanese incense, from Shoyeido or Baieido, or Papier d’Arménie French paper incense burned in a beautiful little bowl is surprisingly subtle.
Experiment with oils. As an aromatherapist, I lean toward natural essential oils. One of the simplest ways to diffuse them is to add several drops to a small glass or ceramic bowl of heated—not boiling—water and let the steam fill the room. Or place a few cotton balls sprinkled with oils inside an unlit burner (you can use any pretty vessel with an opening at the top or holes in the lid).
Know your place. In the bedroom, florals are romantic, spices can be very seductive, and lavender and chamomile are calming—as good as counting sheep, in my opinion. Citruses and clary sage freshen the bathroom nicely; dab a few drops of essential oil inside the toilet paper roll. When you’re giving a dinner party, go with a fresh scent that won’t clash with your cuisine. Rose geranium has a hint of green that is almost like a palette cleanser after a meal.
When in doubt, choose citrus. Lemon, grapefruit, orange, bergamot, and lime complement nearly any setting or occasion because they refresh, soothe, and smell clean all at once. It’s really rare that someone won’t like the smell of citrus in the air.