We love it when our friends stop by to join us for an evening in. Often times its super last minute, leaving us little time to worry about adding a signature scent to enhance the evening...
We've always envied the unique scents of friends' homes, so we embarked on a quest to create our own. We learned that by picking up a bouquet of eucalytpus and storing it in a classic white vase, we can bring the warm scent of the outdoors into our living room. Baking a batch of cookies is another way to ensure a cozy vibe (and it makes the entire house smell like we've been baking all day). Additionally, a few orange rinds and cinnamon sticks tossed into a pot with water had us recalling memories of fall and good times. Because our space is small, even something as simple as dryer sheet thrown in with a load of laundry brings a fresh and clean scent into the space that will instantly make it feel like home.
Apartment therapy readers, how do you add your own signature scent to your home when under a time crunch?
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Tom Black Espadrille
Comments (22)
it's always candles for me but I love new ideas!
I keep a container of mulling spice around year-round (usually they go on sale after Christmas & I stock up) when I want a pick-me-up, I throw some of it into a small pot of water & boil... great for no-thinking-required prep as well!
In my bathroom, just running some hot water over a piece of Lush Karma soap fills the room with the most amazing spicy, Oriental scent.
I have several tea-light powered fondue sets that don't work so well for fondue, so I fill them with some water and whatever spices I have on hand - a couple of cloves, a dash of cinnamon, whatever. They simmer and smell great, and can be reused a few times before replacing the spices.
I like to fill the tub and kitchen sink with some Dr.Brommer's Eucalyptus soap let it stand for 30 minutes are so, then I use to clean. Love the smell of Eucalyptus.
if you have a yard and in appropriate weather, plant fragrant flowers and herbs near your windows and open them before guests arrive.
I have never once considering having a signature scent, and I don't think that's about to change!
Sandalwood soap for the bathroom. Just unwrapping a bar can fill the whole room with a lovely, subtle fragrance.
I use flower vases that can fit one inside the other - inbetween the two I insert sliced oranges, lemons, or limes and it creates a wonderful citrus scent.
www.isntitjustdarling.blogspot.com
The very concept of trying to create a 'signature scent' is making me giggle. Like trying to create a logo your home or something. Which is not to say I don't like my home smelling good, but my idea of good is if it smells like, basically, nothing.
I scatter my stash of Lush soaps all over the house.
Has anyone used this, curious. It looks good and not a bad price
http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/ProductDisplay_Bamboo%20Charcoal%20Deodorizer_10451_10001_61227_-1_11628_11628_null__
I have a bottle of lavender essence that I sometimes use like a perfume. Other days I leave the bottle open and it's strong enough to bring a subtle scent to the room that it's in.
I have oil burners that use a tea light candle to heat the oil, and use essential oil or fragrance oil. A vial of fragrance oil at Yankee Candle or Bath and Body Works is often cheaper than buying their scented candles, and you still get your favorite scent. Yankee Candle's Vanilla Lime is my favorite scent for summer. I lean more toward spice scents like cinnamon and clove for fall. Aura Casia essential oil in Sweet Basil is my favorite to use in the kitchen year round because it smells so fresh and I've also read that burning basil oil gets rid of kitchen odors.
I use essential oils diluted with water in a spray bottle. I use it to mist the textiles in the room. I use lavender in my bedrooms and eucalyptus in the bathroom. Yum!
I think every house has a signature scent, pleasant or not. Just smelling cooked noodles or rosewater reminds me of two homes of my childhood friends.
I'm trying to bring a bit of lavender to the house, but the buds and fresh leaves aren't as potent as I'd hoped.
Trying too hard, I think. I hate the smell of dryer sheets, and I love the smell of cooking. Garlic, rosemary and sausage.
I've been using an AT tip an using Chai tea bags in the bethroom. Works great! Also bringing flowers inside - it's jasmine at the moment. I hadn't thought of eucalyptus, that's a great idea.
I dislike heavy scents - sorry, editrix26 but I won't be coming to visit because Lush scents literally make me want to vomit.
Brewing a pot of coffee! Instant comfort!
I am OBSESSED with yankee candle's buttercream scent...i don't even have to burn the candle to make the room smell like cookies and frosting!
fresh lavender... in vases. no water. they'll dry out, and as they dry the oils let out that lovely scent... and once they're fully dry you can keep them in the vases, or shuck the little buds off into empty tea bags and turn into sachets!
Archipelago candles in "Stonehenge". They're super strong, so even when not burning, the scent fills a room.