It’s officially Fall, even if it doesn’t feel like it in LA. My sweaters and boots are still lined up in the back of my closet, patiently waiting to make their debut. But there's one Fall habit I’ve already started in earnest: Home fragrance. Scent is one of our most powerful senses, with the power to trigger fond memories, soothe anxiety, and even improve my mood at home. This is especially important since I’m in it all the time now!
Murchison-Hume is famous for its sophisticated scents, and it’s impossible to pick a favorite, so I won’t. But my boyfriend will, and his is English Red Currant. It's woodsy and fresh, and just plain sexy…it’s the candle we use the most. When we have a guests over, I always reach for the Gooseberry. A little more of a show-off, it keeps the earthy notes but with an underlying sweetness that everybody loves.
I learned almost everything I know about creating a beautiful space from my mother, and she has diffusers on every nightstand at home. Diffusers are visually compelling, and a more constant (and flame-free) way to scent a room. The Red Currant is a perfect transitional scent. It starts sweet with berries and ends with an earthy, mossy finish. It smells like the Holidays (in a fancy house) to me!
And speaking of fancy, did you know that incense has rebranded? I used to associate it with retro-hippy thrift stores and patchouli. But these scents from Nippon Kodo completely changed my mind. It’s a subtler, more elegant take on incense that wafts through my entire apartment. Plus, the sculptural cast-iron holder looks as good as it works. Good design happens when form meets function. The Addition Studio Brass Oil Burner is a great example. Just a few drops of essential oil and water makes for a subtle scent wafting through my apartment, and the tea light means instant atmosphere. Both make wonderful gifts and beautifully hold jewelry on your nightstand when you’re not burning incense.
Speaking of gifts, I just moved into a new apartment and got myself a fresh smudge bundle, Palo Santo incense, and a smudge bowl to cleanse any bad energy that might be left behind. The last thing I need in 2020 is bad juju in my living room! There are other, more practical, benefits to saging your space. Sage smoke clears airborne bacteria and releases negative ions into the air that elevate your mood. Plus, the soapstone bowl is the kind of earthy, beautiful thing Kelly Wearstler would have casually lying on a bookshelf. I love it.
Campo’s sleek, minimalist oil diffuser is another great way to scent your whole apartment without lighting or burning anything. Essential oils are more aromatherapy focused than a candle. Think of it as a CBD gummy, and a candle as a glass of wine with friends. I mean, they literally have a Sleep scent. And a Love scent, for when you don’t want to sleep.
Here’s to a cozy, fragrant Fall,
xx mlk
