Science shows humans have a unique relationship with smell.
Of the 22,000 or so times we inhale each day, we have the opportunity to smell something unique. And smell, we can. Humans have the ability to detect more than 1 trillion unique smells.
Scent is an easy, inexpensive, yet powerful way to transform space. If homelife has felt a little monotonous over the pandemic, you can switch things up with the addition of a candle, diffuser, or fresh plants.
When Laguna Beach resident and author Christina Adams was researching her last book, titled “Camel Crazy: A Quest for Miracles in the Mysterious World of Camels,” it took her to the United Arab Emirates and India. Adams was already someone who loved scents, but spending time in this part of the world opened up new memorable experiences.
“When you enter a lobby of certain fine hotels in Dubai, the air is lightly scented, so you unconsciously experience a feeling of refreshment, creating the relaxation of an oasis in the desert, she said. “Oud is a scent that I learned about in the Middle East. Oud comes from a tree resin and has an earthy, strong smell that simply isn’t something you often smell in the US.”
The scent of oud was pleasing enough that Adams uses it as a room scent in her home and has a perfume with it, too.
Still, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that smells have an emotional component.
Smells affect our memories, according to Dr. Rachel Sarah Herz, a cognitive neuroscientist, professor and author of books, including “The Scent of Desire: Discovering Our Enigmatic Sense of Smell,” and numerous scientific papers on the subject.
“Olfaction is our most emotional sense,” Herz said during a 2015 Washington and Lee commencement speech. “Scent helps form emotional memories, making these recollections more intense, whether good or bad. If you’ve ever walked into a place and smelled something putrid or offputting, say the New York City subway or while a filling at the dentist’s office, it’s memorable in a visceral way. The same goes for pleasurable scents.
The odor triggers an emotion. The emotion alters your mood and affects your behavior. This is how aromatherapy works, Herz explained.
Smell may be our most overlooked of the basic human senses, but it’s never too late to harness its power to reshape our inner worlds.
Laura Pavolich, owner of interior design firm Therese Carmel Bespoke Interiors, based in Laguna Beach, said scent is integral in a complete and curated home experience.
“When you walk into a home you will subconsciously or not smell something,” Pavolich said. “When you choose a home fragrance, you have to consider how it will harmonize with the environment around you.”
Pavolich offered these 5 tips on using scents in your home in tasteful ways:
1. Use nature as a guide
In Southern California citrus fruits are plentiful. A bowl of lemons in your kitchen will provide a natural, understated fragrance for the room. Lemon is purported to relieve stress and anxiety and, you know, it smells good.
Look to Southern California’s lush foliage, as well. Pavolich said fresh plants are integral in her room design.
“They’re living, they clean the air,” she said.
If you don’t like scented flowers, consider some with a minimized smell, like an orchid.
2. Candles are great additions anywhere
You don’t need a spice-forward perfumed candle that will dominate your whole house, unless that’s your thing, of course. There are candles with a minimal scent that are made with 100 percent organic essential oils and wax.
Pavolich said they create an inviting mood in any room. Use them outdoors on the patio too.
“Candles are going to offer a subtle scent but they’re charming and they show a person cares about their home,” she said.
3. Open those windows
Fresh air can never be overstated. “In California, we have indoor-outdoor living, and what’s growing outside your window is important,” she said. “If you are fortunate to have that coastal breeze near your home, you want to bring that in.”
A fresh breeze will clear out any stagnant scents that may accumulate in the home. This is especially true if you have pets. And a clean environment will help change the room’s scent, too.
4. Switch your scents for the occasion
There isn’t much seasonal change in Southern California, but that doesn’t mean your home should smell the same year-round.
A good way to add an element of scent, without it being overpowering, is through small additions like soap in the room. You can bring in a scent from the fall season: almonds, rosemary, pine.
“The smell of fresh herbs and nuts might signal autumn,” Pavolich said. “I would change this up based on what is growing during the season.”
If you’re throwing a holiday party, it’s easy to throw some apple cider and cinnamon sticks on the stove.
5. Always keep food the center smell when you can
This is a great tip for the holidays because that’s when people bake. Who doesn’t love to walk into a room with cookies baking People love to smell food.
“When I’m at a dinner party, I want to smell the food,” Pavolich said.
So when you’re having dinner, make sure the candles or flowers do not overpower what’s on the menu.
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October 18, 2021 at 12:59AM
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