These 10 Scents Will Create Different Moods Throughout Your Home

'Scentscaping' is all about using different scents for different spaces

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Scentscaping in a reading nook

Anastasiia Krivenok / Getty Images

Scentscaping your own home can turn your space into a sanctuary from the world—one where you curate a fresh floral, clean and crisp, or warm and moody fragrance that defines your space. It can even differ by room. Maybe your bathroom is a lavender scented spa, while your living room smells of tobacco and vanilla. Each space can take on its own identity, feeling, and mood, all created by a scentscape.

“Scent is the quickest and strongest form of memory and, when paired with thoughtful design, it can create peace of mind, relax you during a WFH day, or set a mood,” explains Biom co-founder and CEO Will Gahagan.

Here are ten scents, from candles to oils and beyond, to help you develop your customized scentscape.

Meet the Expert
  • Will Gahagan is the co-founder and CEO of Biom.
  • Kylie Antolini is an outdoor enthusiast and founder of Wildwood Candle Co.

Mrs. Meyer's Mint Room Freshener

Mrs. Meyer's mint room freshener

Mrs. Meyer's

Mrs. Meyer’s garden-inspired scents are crafted with essential oils and provide a cruelty-free alternative to aerosol sprays that’s also affordable. The cool, crisp limited edition mint scent is one that’s instantly refreshing, and it’s perfect for spritzing around your office space on those mornings when you need more of a pick-me-up than your first cup of coffee can answer.

Grove Co. Energize Essential Oil Blend - Bergamot & Citrus

Energize essential oil blend by Grove Co.

Grove Co.

This pure essential oil blend is made with certified organic bergamot and citrus to give you an uplighting, energizing feel for your space. You can use it in a diffuser as you get ready for the day or fill a spray bottle with 80 drops of the oil and distilled water. Use it as a mood booster any time you need something to perk you up. We love a spritz or two in the shower before we jump in each morning.

Wildwood Candle Co. Forest Park - Mint, Oakmoss, Amber Candle

Wildwood candle co. forest park candle

Wildwood Candle Co.

The hand poured candles from Wildwood Candle Co. are meant to evoke nature and the feeling of freedom that comes from being outside, surrounded by trees, animals, and open sky, making them the perfect choice for a warm living space. Founder Kylie Antolini even recommends lighting two of their scents at once, suggesting, "Light Forest Park with Firelane to create a cozy campfire energy, made nostalgic by the crackling of the wooden wick."

Biom All-Purpose Cleaning Wipes Starter Kit

biom All-Purpose Cleaning Wipes Starter Kit

biom

Rarely do you want the smell of cleaning supplies to stick around, but these Biom Santal Natural Cleaning Wipes have a scent that you’ll be happy to have linger in your home.

“Our goal was to create a plant-based wipe that could pair well with your favorite candle that you light after a tidy up,” says Gahagan, who created Santal Natural to evoke a cult classic perfume, but without synthetic fragrances. The result is an earthy, yet light fragrance that lends a calming mood to any room.

Apotheke Charcoal Reed Diffuser

Apotheke Charcoal Reed Diffuser

Amazon

Charcoal might be an unexpected fragrance, but this Charcoal Reed Diffuser from Apotheke has a warm, rich scent that reminds you of a cozy boutique hotel with a crackling fire in the next room. Similar to the best fall candles, it’s described as having notes of cedarwood, sandalwood, smokey amber, and oud, and the results is a layered, moody fragrance that will become your signature living space scentscape.

Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Room Spray

Jo Malone room spray

Jo Malone

This bright room spray adds a classic, clean scent to your space. It blends the tartness of limes with the sweetness of citrus, and tops it with a warm, herbal basil scent. It’s what you imagine a luxurious home on the seaside might smell like, and it’s a lovely fragrance to make your home feel fresh and joyful.

Otherland Black Velvet Jasmine Vegan Candle

Otherland black velvet jasmine candle

Sephora

A floral scent, with notes of alpine violet, iris woods, and midnight jasmine, Otherland's Black Velvet Jasmine candle adds a sultry feel to any space. This is the candle you want to light an hour before dinner party guests arrive, to set the stage for a relaxed evening full of intimate conversation.

Nest New York Rattan Wild Mint & Eucalpytus Reed Diffuser

Nest New York rattan reed diffuser

Nordstrom

For a space where you want to channel good energy and feel more awake, the Wild Mint and Eucalyptus Reed Diffuser from Nest New York will do the trick. Its two key notes are complemented by Thai ginger to bring an extra touch of zest to this refreshing, green fragrance.

Pura & Studio McGee Santal Vanilla Fragrance Refill

Santal vanilla home fragrance

Pura

Santal Vanilla from Pura and Studio McGee is a new take on the plug-in home fragrances of the past, and this fragrance is one of those iconic scents that immediately brings to mind effortlessly sophisticated spaces and homes where you'd curl up on a chilly afternoon with a good book. It has notes of cardamom, almond, golden amber, and sandalwood, creating a slightly sweet and warm scent that feels both nostalgic and timeless.

Hotel Lobby Island Candle

Hotel Lobby island candle

Neiman Marcus

This warm, island-inspired fragrance from Hotel Lobby is perfect for creating a relaxing, serene bedroom mood. With notes of coconut, almond, and vanilla, it's both reminiscent of a lazy day on the beach and a cozy afternoon at home. It's exactly the calming mood you want to cultivate at home.

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