How to scent your home to mark the change of seasons

Apple speaks of autumn orchard harvests while jasmine is evocative of summer days, or at least the ones we spent abroad in sunnier climes, making my gift a gentle transitional scent for the time of year.

Alison Banton, founder and fragrance designer at Brookes & Shoals in Greystones, Co Wicklow, says: “All during the summer months I was using fresh and zesty scents to boost the energy around the house,” she says. “Then as the leaves start to turn golden brown, I switch to heavier scents that will warm up the ambience in my home.”

One of the good things to come out of lockdown for home interiors enthusiasts was the scentscaping boom, using scented candles to differentiate between areas for working, studying and relaxation. We’re still enjoying this but we’re also continuing to work with the seasons and the scents we associate with them.

“A hall table is the ideal place to put a reed diffuser and you can use a strong welcoming woody scent that will warmly greet both visitors and family as they enter the home,” says Alison. “A living room scent needs to be a bit more subtle and comfortable to be around for long periods of time so I would use a lighter woody note blended with a soft floral like neroli or white lily. As the days get colder I am introducing welcoming scents using woody, earthy notes like sandalwood or vetiver blended with jasmine or vanilla to create a comforting, warming scentscape.”

Alison’s Sweetpea & Rose candle was my introduction to her collection and it hit the summer note perfectly. As my friend who keeps a spare one to hand said: “It makes it like summer when it’s lashing outside and you’re frozen."

Speaking of frozen, before we know it Christmas and the big chill will sneak up on us with its distinct fragrance spectrum. “I will move to heavier woody scents like cedarwood blended with spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, which will amplify the festive mood and provide the perfect scent backdrop for entertaining," says Alison.

It’s interesting, though, how those spicy fragrances we can’t get enough of in December are done with by January 1, which prompts a New Year switch for Alison.

“Spring is all about newness and rebirth,” she says. “Replace the heavy scents with joyful floral blends, containing sweet pea, neroli or white lily as this will bring the outdoors in and remind us of the promise of warmer summer days to come.”

Creating a cosy atmosphere in your sitting room and turning to a long hot bath with candlelight means autumn is here, according to Lucy Hagerty, owner of Kinsale, Co Cork-based La Bougie. She’s noted for her creation of the Mission Fig candle which has something of a cult following among scented candle fans. It’s all about sultry summer days in Tuscany where her parents live and which inspired the scent. It is so popular that Lucy even developed a perfume version.

“As the nights begin to draw in, now is time to banish the bright citrus fragrances typical of the warm, sunny days gone by,” says Lucy. “At this point, we want to turn our spaces into a cosy retreat which means turning to a little sweetness and warming spices. Notes of ginger and lemongrass fulfil the spice brief nicely, while sweetness is introduced with autumnal fruits such as apples with a hint of vanilla.”

These particular scents also respond to the popular well-being aspect of scentscaping, and even though you might, understandably, want to stick to your favourite scent, introducing a few new scent notes can really get those cosy vibes going, helped by how comfortable and cocooning a naked candle flame can be, especially if you don’t have an open fireplace. It might just be a little antidote to a long and cold day.