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The warming aroma of coffee and pastries in the kitchen, the freshness of starched sheets in the bedroom, the delicate fragrance of flowers in the living room – the most pleasant emotions and memories evoke in us the smells that we are used to at home.
The comfort of our home is given not only by a well-thought-out interior, but also by the familiar aroma. The most “homely” smell is the smell of the hearth, it gave comfort to the dwellings of cave people 200 thousand years ago, and to the houses of the Old Believers in the 3th century, who lived in chicken huts. Perfume itself also began with smoke: the Latin per fumum means “through smoke.” Fumigation of dwellings and clothes is the oldest method of aromatization, which is still relevant today. In the XNUMXst century, the aroma is no longer so tied to smoke, although the latter is still a welcome guest in many homes. In wealthy Arab families, they still burn kilograms of chips of scarlet wood (aquilaria) on coals for dear guests. A pleasant woody-sweet smell lasts for a long time. Hindus burn packs of agarbatti sticks: this is both an offering to the gods and a pleasant smell. Chinese fragrant spirals smoking for days, Armenian paper impregnated with benzene, Japanese cones, Tibetan and Nepalese incense ropes, smoking powders – the list of forms is long. Perfume brands are also offered to smoke a little. The Comme des Garcons Series XNUMX Incense series, dedicated to the religious rituals of different countries, includes incense sticks in addition to fragrances. Catholic Avignon, Orthodox Zagorsk, Buddhist-Shinto Kyoto and Hindu Jaisalmer smoke incense to the glory of the Creator in different languages.
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Aromatic interior
Our house is naturally filled with our smell, but you can also develop your own aroma design by highlighting the areas of the bedroom and living room, bathroom and dressing room using special perfumes. Aromatherapy is a science that reveals the effects of smells on health and mood. So, the sultry sound of tropical flowers (ylang-ylang, jasmine) or sandalwood is appropriate in the bedroom, and a barely audible smell of lavender will create a relaxing atmosphere there. And in an increased concentration, it will change the action exactly the opposite – it will activate the brain and invigorate, therefore it is suitable for creating a working environment in the office. Joyful citruses (bergamot, tangerine) are intended for active zones – children’s and living room.
The easiest way to scent your bathroom is with scented soap. Perfume critic Luca Turin considers Mitsouko soap, Guerlain, to be the best option, as “a luxury worth taking with you even to a desert island. Far from home, its aroma touches the soul and sounds so unexpected and fresh, as if the sounds of a Brahms concert were suddenly heard in the middle of a bleak desert. Of course, each of us can have our own “soapy” favorites, because fragrant bars are available in the bath lines of almost all perfume brands. But for those who have not yet decided on their preferences, tips are ready: the eternal classic – Knowing by Estee Lauder with a chypre fragrance; “Indian ginger” from Roger & Gallet with a “hot” composition of spices; Blenheim Bouquet from Penhaligon’s with a noble bouquet of musk and cedar.
sleeping bag
Dressing rooms, bedrooms and linen closets are the domain of fragrant sachets. The “ancestors” of bags stuffed with fragrant herbs, spices and powders are patchouli leaves and dried lavender stems, which were once used to scare away moths from expensive clothes made of wool and fur. Even birds know that lavender is not favored by insects: in Corsica, titmouse line their nests with lavender, mint, yarrow and lemon balm, and they look for herbs by smell. The role of the sachet is not limited to protection against moths. The first mention of fragrant pouches dates back to the XNUMXnd century BC. BC: the ancient Chinese used them as a decoration to ward off evil spirits, and then as a sign of love. In the Middle Ages, sachets containing benzoin, clove buds, ginger, and calamus were worn around the neck to prevent the plague. The sachets of Queen Isabella I of Castile and León exuded the aroma of rose petals and carnations, Florentine orris root and coriander. King George III of Great Britain fell asleep on a pillow stuffed with hop cones. Also, spicy bags were stuffed with pepper grains and star anise, nutmeg and vanilla pods, cinnamon sticks and clove buds. Now this somewhat old-fashioned way of flavoring is offered by the Provencal brand L’Occitane and the British Crabtree & Evelyn.
Do not want to sew bags? You can put spices, dried citruses, curly juniper shavings, dried flowers in a beautiful vase – you get a potpourri. Such decorations are much prettier than the sprigs of rosemary, sage and lavender scattered on the floor, familiar to the houses of medieval France. Or apples, which Europeans kept next to their clothes in the XNUMXth century. Even more convenient are modern ceramic or plaster sachets impregnated with a smell – such figurines in the form of a heart or an angel, smelling of lavender oil, can be found in the dressing rooms of the French. An even more “advanced” version of the sachet was invented by Frederic Malle, the founder of the House of Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle: a rubber rug with the smell of Rubber Incense incense, capable of scenting a small room or car interior. The idea to create it came to Frederic when he opened the door to the room where the prototypes of the Saint des Saints scented candles were stored. The overwhelming smell of wood, incense and stone prompted Mall to look there more often: “I felt like I was in a Hindu temple!”
Aroma mechanics
The next level of functionality is a combination of aromatization and decor. The unique amber balls of L’Artisan Parfumeur are a tribute to an elegant past: balls of gold and silver, filled with precious ambergris, protected the houses of medieval European nobility from the plague. The aroma of ambergris is also heard through the holes of modern terracotta clay balls. But not real, like two or three centuries ago, but crystals that “work” for two years. One 20-gram ball is able to create an atmosphere of an oriental harem in the room. Similar aromas – clay pomegranate fruits – are offered by the Florentine brand Santa Maria Novella.
At the perfumed court of Louis XV, curtains at Versailles were decorated with decorative birds, skillfully made from feathers: under the feathers was hidden a fragrant mixture of resins, balsam and spices. The most modern in form and laconic in design, we again find jewelry at Frederic Mall. The red cube of Fleur Mechaniques, silent and wireless, exudes the scent of flowers, from lily of the valley (1er Mai) and wild rose (Rosa Rugosa) to tropical night gardenia (Gardenia de la Nuit) and even Jurassic Flower. The cube is powered by a battery on the same principle as the anti-mosquito fumigator. L’Artisan Parfumeur also came up with the high-tech Chez Moi system. The diffuser can not only be used at home, but also taken on business trips. Fragrant beads of the six most popular compositions fill a room of 3 square meters with a pleasant smell in just 50 minutes.
candle factory
The most popular means of adding aroma to a home is perfumed candles. A romantic souvenir, a practical gift that can create a holiday in the house – do not be surprised that almost every self-respecting perfume company produces them. Among dozens of others, Cire Trudon can be distinguished – the oldest Parisian house that has been supplying scented candles to royal courts since 1719. And of course, Guerlain, Acqua di Parma, Annick Goutal – classic shapes, great scents and the highest quality. Usually the size of candles is small: weight is about 100 grams, burning time is about 8 hours. But there are also giants: for example, Jo Malone four-wick candles burn continuously for 230 hours. Berge catalytic lamps are somewhat similar to candles. By burning isopropyl alcohol with aromatic additives, they purify the air of foreign odors, giving it the desired aroma. Several brands make combustible lamp blends, such as Parfums de Nicolai, which offers over thirty scents, from lavender and strawberry to Ambre Precieux and Cafe du Paris. Speaking of candles, one would like to remind one of the careful handling of fire, especially if there are children and pets in the house. A separate word – the owners of poultry. Birds have a complex and very sensitive respiratory system, and all ways of scenting rooms (except for sachets) can be fatal for them.
Magic wands
Another “fire” way to aromatize a house is an aroma lamp. The use of vessels with water and a few drops of essential oil was suggested by aromatherapists in the 1960s. To make the evaporation go more intensively, the water is heated from below with a candle. Is it possible to do without fire? It turned out, yes – if you increase the area of evaporation. This is how reed diffusers appeared – decorative vessels with a bunch of sticks. Diffusers do not heat the air, do not give off smoke and soot – only pure aroma. If you close your eyes, you can imagine that there is a cup of cocoa with cinnamon (Warm Interlude in St. Moritz, Orifl ame) or a vanilla-coconut dessert (Coco-Vanilla Aura Spa, LaRic) nearby. For connoisseurs of wine House Dr. Vranjes offers crystal decanters with notes of noble red wine (red berries, rose, violet), and dried grapevine instead of sticks.
Fragrant Spray
The air freshener in the form of a spray gives you the opportunity to perfume your home like yourself. Spray into the air, onto the curtains, onto the fabric – and the interior becomes complete. The House of Guerlain offers its secret remedy – the Eau de Lit bed linen fragrance, especially for sheets. Green Tea Leaves from Acqua di Parma or warm Ambre and woody-smoky Feu de Bois from Diptyque are so good that they are often worn on attire. Of course, they are not as persistent as full-fledged perfumes – however, it is better to renew the fragrance when you want than to inhale an unloved one that accidentally got into the room. It is worth recalling the revenge of Josephine, who, in spite of Napoleon, soaked her boudoir with the smell of musk. According to contemporaries, this smell remained there for years. And to end on a cheerful note, let’s talk about “guerrilla” flavoring. The respected Parisian House of Cire Trudon has created ampoules with pleasant and strong scents especially for boring parties. Feeling that the atmosphere has become less lively, discreetly break open an ampoule with spicy Nazareth, amber Spiritus Sancti or citrus Roi Soleil in the room and enjoy the emotions of guests and hosts. A sharp change in the atmosphere – and a topic for conversation is found.
What smells (not) pleasant to us
About 100 million olfactory receptors allow us to distinguish more than 5 thousand shades of smells. Fragrances surround us, creating a backdrop that subtly influences our mood. “Most of the information about the world around us is given by sight and hearing,” explains psychologist Evgeny Osin, “so we often underestimate the role of smells in our lives. And it can be fateful: for example, judging the attractiveness of a person, we largely focus on the smell.
The limbic system of the brain is responsible for recognizing smells and tastes, which is also involved in the formation of emotions. Therefore, it is easier for us to regard the smell as pleasant or unpleasant than the sound or color. “Thanks to emotions, traces of events happening to us are laid in our long-term memory,” the psychologist continues. – Therefore, the smell often turns out to be the “key” to memories of significant moments in life. When we hear a familiar aroma, we have sensations associated with a certain event – pleasant or not. He can also instantly take us to where we were comfortable. That is why many of us are so dear to the smells of our home.”
It is important for us that we are always accompanied by familiar aromas. For example, while traveling, we can come to terms with the fact that the hotel has different furniture, but we want to hear our own aroma, dear: only then do we feel secure. Therefore, on trips we take perfume or our favorite soap with us, and in a new or rented apartment we light scented candles, put sachets in the closet. “Home” smell creates a feeling of comfort.
Julia Varshavskaya