The Best Home Fragrances, According to Interior Designers

Text by Julia Cancilla

Interior design's best-kept secret? The perfect scent. Here's what the pros are using to create spaces that feel as good as they look.

Have you ever walked into a room that just feels right, but you can’t quite put your finger on why? Chances are, it’s not just the perfectly placed sofa or statement light fixture—it’s what you’re breathing in. Designers have long understood that one of the most powerful design elements may be the one you can’t see at all.

In fact, most people remember just 5% of what we see, but 35% of what we smell. That’s because scent bypasses our rational brain and heads straight for the limbic system—the emotional control center that help govern our feelings and memories. That’s precisely why it’s thought that something like 75% of our daily emotions are influenced by smell, and why our mood can improve by up to 40% after encountering a pleasant fragrance.

Beyond creating ambiance, the right scent can actually transform our perception of a space—studies show that certain fragrances can alter how we experience temperature, scale, and even daylight. A well-chosen scent doesn't just mask cooking odors or pet smells—it can make a room feel larger, warmer, or more illuminated without changing a single physical element.

We asked the designers whose job it is to make spaces look good what makes their own homes smell irresistible, and we've rounded up a selection of scents that have earned permanent spots in their own homes—and the ones they’re sneaking into their clients’ spaces, too.

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