Our homes have currently taken on a great deal of additional purposes – functioning as offices, classrooms, workout spaces and more – at a time when we need our homes to be a sanctuary of calm more than ever. Scent has such a close relationship to memory that it influences our mood and perception in a profound yet often unconscious way. The art of home scenting is about channelling this to add to the spatial dimensions of a property – creating and delineating new spaces within an open-plan area – and also helping to structure the day by using scented signals to direct us from work to leisure, day to night.

FRESH FOCUS

Lime Basil & Mandarin Scent To Go, £39, Jo Malone London

Jo Malone London’s portable Scent To Go disks make an ideal deskside companion that won’t distract you with the latest office gossip. On the contrary, the Lime Basil & Mandarin scented accessory will imbue the immediate area with vibrant and zesty citrus notes, lively basil and the more mellow undertones of aromatic thyme and amberwood. Place on a surface near your workstation to energise the senses, aid thoughtful concentration and bestow a focused energy for the day ahead.

TAKE A BREAK

Body and hand wash, available in various fragrances, from £32 for 250ml, Jo Malone London

Whether it’s a walk around the block or a trip to the grocery store, it’s important to take regular breaks while working from home. On your return, refresh your body and mind with an uplifting scent to accompany your 20 seconds of diligent handwashing. Jo Malone London’s liquid handwashes can provide you with a moment of pure escapism, whether that’s drifting through a blooming rose garden in high summer with the heady scent of Red Roses Body & Hand Wash, or going blackberry picking down rambling country lanes in early autumn with Blackberry & Bay Body & Hand Wash.

REVIVE AND UNWIND

Pomegranate Noir Bath Oil, from £18 for 30ml, Jo Malone London

After a chaotic day that might have entailed back-to-back Zoom calls, home schooling, or maybe even navigating ways to safely return to a workplace, finding a way to switch off and wind down is imperative. A long soak in a deep warm bath, filled with a generous dose of an aromatic bath oil is a wonderful release. Heated in water, the scent from the oil carries, filling the house and signifying a new phase in the day. Depending on your plans for the evening ahead, choose from the reviving English Pear & Freesia, Bath Oil or the sensual Pomegranate Noir Bath Oil to set the tone.

SLOW DOWN

Peony & Blush Suede Body Crème, £54 for 175ml, Jo Malone London

After bathing, take a few extra moments to gently massage the softly scented Peony & Blush Suede Body Crème into your skin. It will rehydrate and soothe the skin for a nourishing and sleep-inducing evening pamper ritual.

EVOCATIVE AMBIENCE

Home candles, available in various fragrances, from £48 for 200g, Jo Malone London

Candlelight never fails to enchant and create a restful ambience. When selecting a scented candle for your home, choose a fragrance that evokes happy memories. Jo Malone London scents are very ingredient focused, which can help you to select something personal to you, whether that’s a fragrance that reminds you of someone you’re close to, or a scent that transports you back to a special time or place. I am currently using the Nectarine Blossom & Honey Home Candle, simply because it is the fragrance my Mum wears.

SWEET DREAMS

Lino Nel Vento Scent Surround Linen Spray, £46 for 175ml, Jo Malone London

For bedtime, a mist of Lino Nel Vento Linen Spray on your bed sheets will aid the perfect night’s slumber; evocative of linen blowing in a Lavender breeze. As individuals, we all have different scents that relax us, but Lavender has a universal claim in this arena as one of the few scents proven to have soporific qualities and to reduce anxiety.

The Royal Exchange Jo Malone London boutique is currently closed, but its full range of scented fragrances for the self and the home can be discovered online at jomalone.co.uk

Please keep an eye on our boutiques page for updates on when The Royal Exchange Jo Malone London boutique will reopen. For information on the measures we have put in place in response to Covid-19, and how to plan your visit, please click here.