Walking into a beautiful room is a treat for the eyes, but it can be a full sensory experience with the right mix of textures and perfectly paired scents. For a room to meet its full potential, I believe interior design is an art that should indulge as many of your senses as possible, from touch to hearing and smell.
Smell is one of the senses I tend to focus on since it is the most powerful link to our emotions and feelings. I rarely get as much nostalgia as I do when I come across a scent from the past. It is also an important tool for creating ambiance and mood within a space. With a new season upon us, it’s finally time to switch out some of our go-to winter scents (goodbye for now, Frasier fir) for our beloved springtime indulgences. As our pillows and vignettes change, so must our candles. This week I am pairing some of our recent designs with our favorite Pickwick scents for a fresh springtime look (and smell).
The first look I wanted to pair with a scent is the gorgeous coral, cream and rose decor found in our entrance to the shop. The texture in this room is stunning. Our design team paired and layered all types of textiles to create a dynamic and lux look. The juxtaposition between the traditional floral pattern on the accent chairs and the geometric coral cut velvet throw pillows is eye-catching and shows how dynamic the right fabric mix can be. The space has a great balance with dark stained wood pieces and bright white and cream pops of light with the sofa, lamps and vignettes. Now, how do we translate that into a scent pairing? With so much complexity in the design, I wanted a simple scent that still had the same balance of crisp brightness and moody depth. I ended up finding the perfect match in the scent Grapefruit Vanilla. The sharp and juicy white grapefruit oil blends with the earthy cedarwood and warm vanilla notes to create a scent that seems like it was made specifically for this area.
Heading upstairs, I went straight to a bedroom display that is light and airy and surprisingly fun and colorful. While at first glance it seems like a classic blue and white setting, the closer you look the more hues pop out of the lovely paisley print pillows. Soft blue accents and a pink tasseled throw blanket make for a sweet and romantic display that is stylish yet comfortable. With the youthful colors and tropical leaf print, this bedding is a breath of fresh air. Right away I knew the perfect scent would be High Cotton. Just as this design isn’t your traditional blue and white combination, High Cotton isn’t your typical linen-inspired scent. It mixes the forever favorite floral notes like lavender, rose and carnation with bright pops of lime, grapefruit and orange blossom to add a bit of energy and excitement. The scent then rounds out with comforting notes of clove, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, hay and musk for a relaxing and warm finish, perfect with which to end your day.
For our final pairing I was drawn to our customer-favorite coral ceiling room. With a spring display that reaches from dining room to living room, it has all the vibrant colors and whimsical patterns that make me so excited for the season. The design could only be matched with the ultimate spring scent, Screened Porch. The fresh blend of sweet honeysuckle petals, jasmine, musk and mandarin complement oils of crispy green grass, green rose and geranium leaf just as the patterns and colors are tempered by the natural element of wood and greenery. It creates the perfect simple scent that also has a few unexpected and fun surprises.
Adapted from nellhills.com. Katie Laughridge is the owner of Kansas City interior design destination Nell Hill’s. For more information, contact Katie at [email protected].