The sweet scent of home

How you fragrance your home can tell visitors just as much about you as your perfume or aftershave, as Gabrielle Fagan finds out:

There's something extremely alluring about entering a home and finding it softly scented with fig or jasmine rather than eau de dog. Not only is it relaxing and welcoming, it gives the immediate impression - whatever the reality - that because someone has paid attention to that tiny detail then everything else must be perfect as well.

Without lifting so much as a feather duster - merely lighting a perfumed candle - you can create the illusion that your home is a well-cared for sanctuary boasting beautifully polished surfaces and immaculate cupboards. Small wonder we're all increasingly susceptible to the 'power of pong'.

Either that or it's the unthinkable - that we put up with incredibly smelly houses. Whatever the reason, Britons spend more on home scents than any of our European neighbours. Last year we sprayed, wafted or plugged in £300 million worth of "smell neutralisers".

That works out per head at about £15.16 a year, which really seems a small price to convince everyone that you're a domestic goddess who knows her ylang ylang from her rosemary. One word of warning though - be careful in your choice of home fragrance because as celebrity perfumer Jo Malone points out: "The scent you choose for your home says as much about you as the scent that you wear."

Choose your home's perfumes by being nosey and experimenting with inexpensive natural oils or incense sticks before splurging on expensive ranges.

Renowned florist Kenneth Turner, one of the many designers who consider home fragrance vital to their ranges, says: "Favourite scents can evoke good memories - maybe of summer evenings or special occasions - and will help to relax, uplift and de-stress you."

Estate agents have long advised sellers to woo home buyers with the aromas of fresh coffee and baking, or to banish smoke or pet odours with home fragrance. Use different scents for individual moods and occasions. Cinnamon or rose suit romantic evenings, while essential oils such as clary sage, lime and spearmint will banish bad moods. Never leave lit candles unattended.

Stimulating tangy scents such as citrus, vetiver, basil, ylang ylang or grapefruit and lime are ideal for both kitchens and living areas.

Vetiver and geranium aid concentration and could be perfect for study areas or workspaces.

SCENT SOURCES
Crabtree & Evelyn 020 7361 0499 www.crabtree-evelyn.co.uk
Jo Malone 0870 034 2411 www.jomalone.co.uk
Kenneth Turner 01442 838181 www.kennethturner.com
Marks & Spencer 0845 603 1603 www.marksandspencer.com
Nina Campbell 020 7491 8877 www.ninacampbell.com
Oka 0870 160 6002 www.okadirect.com
SoOrganic 0800 169 2579 www.SoOrganic.com
True Grace 01985 210 894 www.truegrace.co.uk
The White Company 0870 900 9555 www.thewhitecompany.com