Scent sure is a powerful thing. It can trigger memories, promote well-being and send signals to our minds and bodies. We hear from Fiona Janneryd, founder of scent-scaping candle brand, The Muses London, to learn all about the power of scent and why scent-scaping is more important than ever before...
Over the last 18 months, our lives have become more home-centric. We’ve lived, worked, exercised and socialised all in the same space. As we continue to embrace our homes in new ways going forward, the boundaries between each can easily blur.
Using scent-scaping to set boundaries in your home
Scent-scaping uses the power of fragrance to positively affect your mood – and the mood of your space – at different times of the day and in different areas of your home, by pairing specific scents with specific actions or spaces.
Alongside aesthetics and sounds, scent contributes to the environment in which we live and work. When the environment is deliberately designed, it can enhance moods, motivation and day-to-day wellbeing.
You not only get a beautifully fragranced home, but it’s an effective way of setting clear boundaries and bringing structure to your day at the subconscious level. These scented signals can help with focus when you’re working from home, motivation when you exercising in your front room, or unwinding at the end of the day.
Scent-scaping is also incredibly flexible. It doesn’t matter where you live, you can shape your day based on room, activity or time of day. So, if your living room doubles up as a workspace and the main space where you relax after work, you can zone by time or activity – using one fragrance for your work day and another for after work.
If you use different rooms throughout the day, scent can help you associate one room with one activity, such as work, and another with something else like rest or play.
When used consciously it’s another tool to help influence your day-to-day wellbeing.
Top tips for scent-scaping beginners
Scent scaping doesn’t have to be complicated and there are no strict rules, because fragrance is a personal affair – we all have our own memories, scent associations and preferences.
At the simplest level, you can choose one fragrance for the day and one for the evening – helping to trigger that shift from working day to end of the day.
Another way to scent scape is to find a combination of scents to accompany your plan for the day. Now that hybrid work models are on the rise, you may want to use an energising fragrance with citrus and ginger notes as you get stuck into your work day, while a greener, fresh scent will lift your mood when that mid-afternoon slump hits, and an earthy, soothing fragrance will help you unwind at the end of the day.
Or now that socialising at home is legal again, green, peppery notes will help lift mood and motivation whilst prepping before the guests arrive; floral & warm fragrances will create an inviting atmosphere when you’re entertaining; and aromatic, earthy scents will help with after-party ambiance.
You can also use different fragrances in different rooms. If you use a room regularly for the same thing, then you can create an association with a particular fragrance for that space. For a longer term fragrance feature, your best bet would be to use a diffuser.
The Muses and Scent Scaping:
Scent scaping has been very influential in my life. The idea for The Muses was born when I was living in the sun-drenched city of Johannesburg, South Africa. Suffering from a severe back condition and living a more home-centric lifestyle, I started making my own candles.
I'd always appreciated the power of scent on my mood and used this to influence my focus, perception and daily structure, as I juggled a bumpy recovery with a young family. Lighting my candles and creating distinct atmospheres throughout the day with delicate scents became part of my daily routine.
As I started to feel better, more productive and balanced, I realised how impactful scent had been in structuring my day, influencing my mood and aiding my recovery in a subconscious way.
So I set about creating a unique candle collection to inspire; to entice myself and others to create the space and atmosphere for life and loves in the modern world. The Muses was born to help you take time and balance your day.
At the same time I wanted the candle collection to look chic, to be clean burning, sustainably designed and to fit seamlessly into our modern lives and modern interiors. To achieve this, sustainability had to sit at the heart of the design process.
After I moved back to the UK, it took over a year to find all the right partners – but I found them and after much testing and experimentation the capsule collection was born.
I created The Muses because I love candles and the ambient joy they bring to any space and moment.
Because I believe we can use fragrance in our homes specifically to shape our day & to boost our day-to-day wellbeing.