The way you perceive your home is dependent on many things. Is it comfortable? Modern? Charming and cosy? What exactly do you pay attention to when trying to answer the question? Interior design will obviously play a role. The same applies to the ambiance that’s created through the use of light, music and even scent.
The scent of a home is often underestimated but it can have a powerful effect on enforcing an interior design concept. If you’re looking for ways to make your Singapore apartment more comfortable and welcoming, the exploration of scents should definitely come under consideration.
How Scent Affects Interior Design
Experienced Singapore interior design professionals recognise and harness the power of scent to enhance their work for a much more holistic residential interior design solution.
Research suggest that olfactory perception is the most powerful link to emotions and memories. Just think about the cookies your grandma used to make. The scent of freshly baked home desserts will spring to mind immediately and it will create an entire picture and a memory of a powerful emotion.
This is why scent is often used in retail interior design to draw customers in!
Scents in different rooms can produce specific moods and mind states. Citrus, for example, has an energising vibe to it. Lavender has a calming scent and it’s an ideal choice for a modern bedroom. Smell does affect our moods and studies carried out with odourless placebos prove this fact.
Choosing the right scent for each part of the apartment will depend on the function of the room and the preferences of the people living there. As a general rule of thumb, bathrooms benefit from fresh, ocean or forest-like scents; thyme and pine are ideal for the home office; fresh and clean fragrances like lemon will work well in the kitchen and warm soothing scents can be incorporated effortlessly in the bedroom (gentle florals, cinnamon).
There are many ways in which scents can be incorporated in interior design. Essential oils are an obvious choice. The same applies to air fresheners (a more budget-friendly option). Natural options like flowers and potpourri are also perfect because they enhance the appearance of the interior design, as well as the scent. Finally, scented candle arrangements will be ideal for setting the mood while also playing with colours, symbols and textures.
Interior Design and Scent Choices: A Few Important Tips
Choosing scents on the basis of your personal preferences is obviously the best choice. You gain comfort in your apartment and you will also create an ambiance that carries some relevance to your experience.
Still, it may be a good idea to consult an interior design professional. A Singapore interior designer will rely on science and their professional experience to suggest the fragrances that are best suited to each part of the house, if not they may even recommend some scent professionals who will recommend fragrance combination suggestions that you would have never tried otherwise.
The colour, the shape of the room and its function will all play a role. A small room, for example, is going to feel even more crowded and tight when a powerful, heavy or florally sticky scent is chosen. Something light and airy will result in a much better atmosphere in such a space.
Designers have to strike a fine balance between all of these considerations. While the size of the room is an obvious practical one, the function is also important. Eucalyptus, for example, isn’t a good choice for a part of the house aimed at meditation or relaxation. While the scent is really invigorating, it doesn’t have a calming effect and it will be far from the best choice.
Finally, the scent chosen should reinforce the interior design concept. A modern apartment that features minimalist interior design should have a light and breezy scent profile. A heavy mixture of cinnamon, vanilla and florals will be much better suited to a rustic apartment. As already mentioned, olfactory branding is more powerful than the visuals an interior designer has chosen. Thus, when they’re not in harmony, these two elements of home design will come in sharp and pretty obvious contrast with each other.
The Power of Scent Goes beyond the Home
The very same rules apply to office and retail design.
You may have noticed that upscale boutiques and most malls/shopping venues feature a delicate but noticeable scent. The aim of the fragrance is to enhance your mood and affect you in a positive way. You’ll feel more welcomed and excited to spend a lot of time exploring products and both designers and marketers are aware of the fact.
Scent selection at the office can enhance cognitive abilities, increase alertness and boost the productiveness of employees. The choice of the right fragrance blend for a corporate venue will also impact the manner in which potential customers or business partners perceive the company. Every single detail plays a role in establishing the right reputation for your brand. Don’t underestimate the importance of your office’s scent or just leave it to chance.
An experienced, reputable interior design team like Home Guide will help you understand the power of olfactory perception and the role that scent is going to play in creating comfort and appeal.
Home Guide is such an interior design team from Singapore.
We’ve worked on numerous residential, commercial and retail projects over the years. We do our best to understand client specifications and suggest a tailored approach towards the implementation. The use of scents and fragrance combinations plays an important role in interior design and we’ll be more than happy to learn about the olfactory profile you have in mind for your home, office or commercial venue.
Contact us today to inquire about the possibilities or to commence work on the execution of your interior design project.
