A sensory tour

 A couple of weeks ago, I reflected on the sense of smell in a domestic setting, where I touched on the idea of a more conscious "curating" of the smell of your home by introducing some of the vast range of aroma enhancers. As I am such a novice in this arena, I was given a guided "scent tour" of one of my daughters' homes. It is interesting that both of my children are very much more aware of their "smell environment" than I am - one can speculate whether this is innate, inherited from their father's gene pool, or whether this has emerged through its high profile on social media.

We started at the front door, to simulate the experience of a guest visiting for the first time. The entrance area is dominated by wooden floors, fittings and furniture. She has enhanced the natural timber smells with a subtle scent of bergamot and lavender, from a reed diffuser in the guest loo that opens into the entrance.

A reed diffuser for a subtle background effect

In the guest bathroom, there are other scents: an aerosol that is great for "toilet" odours with a jasmine aroma that complements the bergamot and lavender; cherry blossom hand soap; and a liquid diffuser with a "Spring" label. I am struck with the analogy of music, where each scent is like an instrument, and their combination blends as if in an orchestra.

Moving on to the kitchen, fresh lavender flowers from her garden, a block diffuser ("wild lemongrass") and a lingering smell from a Zoflora spray, which she uses for countertop cleaning, all contribute to a background palette that complements any cooking smells.

A lemongrass block diffuser and freshly cut lavender in the kitchen

The dining area is intentionally quite neutral in terms of smell, so that the smells of the food are not masked - essential as this aids in digestion as well as the complete experience of eating. There is a collection of candles for special occasions, including one in a cinnamon bark holder that activates the cinnamon oil when it heats up from the candle flame.

The music room opens off the dining area, with a gel air freshener inside the grand piano to clear the mothball smell - it has recently been acquired from a previous owner in Nelspruit. In this space is one of the collections of scented candles in the house, ranging from the unusual  "smouldering fynbos" to a more familiar vanilla.

The music room collection of candles

In the same space one will find some aerosol alternatives: a Cape fynbos and a "fresh laundry" scent. When one is in this room, one can choose an option that suits ones mood, time of day or activity - there is an extremely comfortable couch that is ideal for reading novels!

Aerosols offer alternative aromas in the music room

The lounge extends along one side of the dining area, and here are some mood-enhancing candles, including a "cinnamon and apple" for cozy winter evenings. At the other end of the scent spectrum is a "sea spray" scented candle for a refreshing mid-summer vibe.

Upstairs, as a visitor you would be introduced to the guest bedroom. This space is purposely kept fairly neutral, with a background of very lightly scented fabric softener. The guest has a number of options if she or he would like a more specific olfactory experience: three matching candles offer "bergamot and ylang-ylang"; "orange, grapefruit and raspberry"; and "rose, almond and white musk". On the bedside table is a bottle of lavender pillow spray, especially handy for the inter-continental travelller who may be overcoming jetlag.

In the study is a reed diffuser ("warm almond"), while in the main bedroom is where the sensory extravaganza can be found. The background smell comes from a reed diffuser ("under the leaves"), a candle ("herb garden") and a range of pillow sprays, each with a specific purpose. The "midnight jasmine and bergamot" is for when one is feeling contented; the "and now to sleep" (by Ren) is for stress; the "jasmine and rose" is for when one is happy; and the "lavender" is for when one is plain tired!

Another option which lives in the bedroom, but is sometimes moved to another room when the mood directs, is the humidifier that takes essential oils.

The humidifier that has an essential oil reservoir

Here the selection of smells is vast - my daughter has quite a collection that she is constantly expanding and experimenting with.

A selection of the essential oil collection

The tour saved the best for last: the main bathroom! Here the background platform is a Lenor "springtime" liquid diffuser. For bath time, be prepared to spend a few minutes selecting a candle that goes with the bath product of your choice. The candles include six different options, some from commonly available brands, such as Yankee Candle, while others have been gifts from boutique brands. Another candle is always a welcome "thankyou" gift if you ever stay with her! The bath products include bath oils and bath salts, including one she makes herself with seasonal dried flowers and herbs, blended with turmeric.

For very special baths (the two hour ones) she has a collection of Lush bath bombs, most of which have been bulk bought on their annual post-Christmas sale. She keeps these in one of the cupboards in her dressing room that houses her knitted dresses, as a duplicate use for them is to deter fish-moths - a far better smelling solution than mothballs.

In taking me on the tour, my daughter took me through what, at first, seemed like an overwhelming range of products and aromas, but as she explained her logic, from room to room, all of it started to make sense. As I noted before, our sense of smell is often seriously ignored by space designers, but a conscious strategy and careful curatorship can make a big difference in shaping your mood and enhancing your experience of the space.