Back in the Summer Miranda featured a post about natural cleaning products mentioning Method. As a result several weeks ago I was lucky enough to be invited to the home of interiors guru Abigail Ahern to attend an interior design trends workshop hosted by the eco cleaning brand.
Abigail’s interior style needs a post all of its own so I won’t dwell too much on her stunning home. Only to say it is EPIC and one of the most beautifully curated houses I have ever stepped foot in. Would you just look at that bathroom?! Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have a soak in a bath in a room with a fireplace?
At the workshop we sat in Abigail’s studio (with pony skin walls, decadent chandeliers and two huge fireplaces – just saying) and met with the style maven herself and Method’s brand expert Claire. She invited us to have a sniff of a fragrance swatch and say the notes we could all smell. Some of us picked out sage, others eucalyptus and some the scent of salty air. Turns out we were all right and we were having a good old whiff of one of Method’s new fancy air fresheners, Beach Sage.
During the session, Abigail also shared her tips on decorating with fragrance which I’ve shared below. Some of them are also mentioned in a short little video you’ll find on our Facebook page too.
Set the scene
Abigail spritzes her hall with fragrance before guests arrive so the minute they walk through the door they are greeted with an invigorating smell. I’ve had a diffuser in my entryway for ages now and the juice has more or less evaporated. Must get myself a new one to set the scene when folks pop round.
Bring in herbs
Thanks to Method, you are able to scent your home naturally with eco friendly products. While flowers may be the obvious choice to scent your house, Abigail also suggests snipping herbs from the garden adding eucalyptus, sage, rosemary and thyme into small votives dotted around the home.
Match a room to the fragrance
Abigail encouraged us to think about a room’s purpose before deciding on the fragrance, so for the bedroom go for a relaxing scent such as lavender but for the workspace choose something more invigorating. Again this makes perfect sense but I think it’s often overlooked and we tend to go for a one size fits all approach. While lavender may smell beautiful you don’t want your guests nodding off mid way through your cocktail party! Try to go for something a little more fruity instead. I tend to go for a grapefruit or lemon candle in my dining room as I find floral scents don’t work so well when you’re tucking into your dinner.
Introduce scents you have an emotional connection to
Claire reminded us fragrance can evoke memories and spark emotions. In her words fragrance can be a ‘photograph for your nose’. For that reason I love to have coconut candles in my own home because they remind me of summer nights and beach days. Heavenly.
At the workshop we all went around the room divulging our favourite smell and the memories they invoke. Freshly cut grass, wood fires and herbs were all mentioned so to end the post I’d love for you to do the same. What’s your favourite scent and what memories does it hold for you?
Lauren – is it just airfresheners Method do or are plug-ins also available? Just wondering if they mentioned it on your workshop.
Hi Emma, It’s just air fresheners (in a fancy contraption powered by air!)
I love making my house smell nice and always have a scented candle on the go when I am home. It’s amazing how a smell can bring back a memories. One of my favourite smells is Oil of Ulay – my Gran always used it and it reminds me of playing with her make up whenever I stayed at her house. This is the main reason I use the Olay product I do and I’m lucky it suits my skin. Another great smell is holiday – coconut sun lotion tinged with a salty air. Just the thought of this makes me feel relaxed.
Me too Claire. Would be lovely to have a real holiday but for the moment I’ll settle for my coconut candle! x
I’m a huge fan of home scent, I love scented candles, essential oils in a diffuser and even a pan of simmering herbs and spices.
Mrs Myers are another great brand for lovely scented cleaning products
Oooh simmering herbs and spices – lovely idea to add scent. I love the smell of mulled wine on the stove at Christmas precisely for that reason x
Can you just join me in a moment of silence for how *beautiful* that bathroom is…
…. sigh.
Thanks! Back to work!
I know Jo! Out of this world! x
Massive bathroom envy!
I’m not a huge fan of air freshener type smells as I’ve found them quite over-powering in the past. But I like a good smelly candle as I feel it’s more subtle and not as in-your-face.
In terms of smells & memories – my mum does an orange with cloves that she leaves in the living room over Christmas. It always hits me with memories of Christmas as a kid.
A stranger one is the smell of my grandma’s flat. I can’t describe it but there have been odd occasions where I’ve smelt something similar and it’s such an overwhelming and also quite disorientating sensation as I’m not expecting it. I only see her once a year or so, which is why I think it has such an impact on me (she doesnt live in the UK – I’m not a bad grand-daughter!) and all I can think of is the moment she opens the door and gives me a massive hug!
Ah so sweet Jo.
Its’s funny isn’t when you can smell the scent of someone else’s house when you’re elsewhere. It’s always a bit disorientating. x
Ariel washing powder, despite that fact I can’t bear to be near it as it makes me sneeze and itch, because it was the stuff my now husband used when we first met and it was his smell. Knocks me sideways if I get a whiff now, I’m right back there in his flat.
Ditto Lipsyl, the smell of my Grandma. A photograph for your nose is dead right isn’t it?