GET IN THE FRAGRANCE ZONE!
This new wellness trend will be a breath of fresh air for your living space
Our homes are now working harder than ever for us. They’ve evolved into offices, gyms, classrooms and private escapes from the chaos of the pandemic – all while still being a place to eat, sleep and unwind. As those old dividing lines dissolve and our routines blend into one, it’s little wonder that many of us are feeling a bit fatigued.
If that sounds like you it might be time to try fragrance zoning. Also known as scent-scaping, it’s the practice of using different smells to create separate areas for work, rest and play.
“Fragrance zoning is exactly as the term suggests,” explains Andrew O’Keefe, director of Scent Australia Home. “Assuming you have a different scent in each zone, it can work really well when executed properly.”
HOW IT WORKS
The reason fragrance zoning is so effective is all down to our brain. “The nose is linked directly to a part of the brain that the other four senses are detached from,” O’Keefe explains. “The other senses are fed directly through the logical part of the brain, [while] smell leads to the amygdala and hippocampus where we formulate emotions and memory.”
It’s the reason the smell of crayons or cut grass can instantly transport us back to our childhoods, or why some perfumes can remind us of people close to our hearts.
Scents can also be used to create associations. That’s where fragrance zoning can help transform the spaces in your home. “Zoning can curate differing environments, decided by you,” O’Keefe says.
THE RULES
The key to fragrance zoning is to match each smell to how you want to feel. “The scent of a room dictates the mood of the room, directly affecting behaviour, frame of mind and overall disposition,” O’Keefe explains.
It could mean using a fresh, invigorating scent like bergamot for your home office, and a soothing fragrance like sandalwood in the living room. If your room doubles as both, switch scents depending on time of day.
Remember to keep each fragrance light, so they don’t blend into an overpowering cloud that could ruin the mood you’ve set out to create.
“If not set up properly, all the different scents can mix and create a conglomerate of flavours,” O’Keefe explains. “We recommend starting super-light with the scent, almost so light it’s absent, and then turn up slowly day by day until you hit your desired diffusion.”