How to Make Your Home Smell Like Autumn — 7 Tips to Create a Cozy Scentscape Indoors
And not one of them includes lighting fake-smelling pumpkin-scented candles
I'll admit I began scenting my home for fall a little early this year, in part to manifest the end of an uncomfortably sultry summer. And there's nothing like fragrance to put you in the mood for this crisp time of year.
Since autumn typically feels like a moment to pause after a vibey summer and just before a festive winter, the scents you choose should evoke a similar ambiance. So, I recommend fall-inspired candles, cozy simmer pots, room sprays, incense for evening rituals, styling fragrant foliage, baking seasonal treats, and opening your windows to make your home smell good this autumn.
Without further ado, let's get into these tips to cap off your autumn reset and bring you into the spirit of the season.
1. Burn Fall-Inspired Candles
Warm nutty scents like this Sweet Almond Midi Candle from Loewe is the easiest way to make your home smell like autumn.
Scented candles are by far the most popular way to channel fall. But the key is to choose fragrance blends that layer together for a cozy, understated aroma. Warm woods are a classic choice for these months. However, I also recommend balancing these resinous scents with rich spices.
This turn of the year is also the best time to bring out your favorite gourmand notes. Steer clear of artificial-smelling saccharine candles and opt for natural, nostalgic sweet candles instead. And if you're wondering where to look, Anthropologie's autumn scented candles are my go to.
2. Put on a Cozy Simmer Pot
Simmering some freshly cut fruit and spice on your stove is a treat for the senses.
Even more than Christmas, I tend to associate fall with deliciously aromatic simmer pots. The hints of spice cut with citrus are a clever way to make your kitchen smell amazing in a pinch. And if you're wondering what to boil to make a home smell good, a mix of apple, orange, lemon, cinnamon, cloves, and a dash of vanilla makes for delightful stovetop potpourri.
If you'd prefer a hob-free approach, try studding your fruit. A couple of cloves pierced into a ripe orange, grapefruit, or clementine work just as well.
3. Spray Your Soft Furnishings
There's nothing quite like a quick spritz of a room spray to instantly elevate the way your home feels.
Regardless of the time of year, room sprays remain a clever and quick way to perfume a space. However, with all the plush throws that find themselves laid out across an abundance of couch cushions, fall might be the best time to spray your soft furnishings.
This Citrus & Cedar Fabric Spray from STEAMERY and this Baies Room Spray from Diptyque are perfect if you need to make your living room smell refreshed.
4. Light Incense by Dusk
Once the sun sets, incense droplets usher in the evening and set a soothing mood.
Doesn't incense naturally feel autumnal? If you ask me, the ember of an incense cone, the whisper of wafting smoke, and the earthiness of this ritual feel right at home in a fall home.
Considering rensning is one of my favorite Scandi wellness rituals for these months, it feels like an opportune time to get creative with scented incense. I recommend these P.F. Candle Co. Milky Santal Incense Sticks from Urban Outfitters and the new incense sets from Jo Malone London.
5. Bake Cinnamon and Vanilla Recipes
For when you have time to spare, there's nothing like a home-baked treat.
Unlike the aforementioned ways to make your home smell like autumn, this is not a quick and effortless trick. However, it is definitely worth all the effort and time that goes into it. Especially if you prefer scenting your space naturally, a vanilla or cinnamon recipe is a heartwarming touch.
Plus, it's the kind of offline ritual that will make your fall kitchen feel so much more authentic. Cozy Café Cookie Recipe Book by Libby Silbermann or Morning Baker by Roxana Jullapat are worth a flip.
6. Style Naturally Fragrant Foliage
A couple of clippings from your garden can make a subtle difference.
There's an abundance of autumn flowers that make a home smell nice. I'm currently loving this Purple Bloom & Ilex Bouquet from M&S and this British Mixed Dahlia Bouquet from Arena Flowers.
And if you're lucky enough to have a blossoming fall garden, then there's nothing like a quick daily forage for a subtle but altogether enriching arrangement of stems.
7. Open Your Windows
A blanket of fresh air sets the perfect foundation for everything else.
As the seasons cool, we forget to open up our windows and let our homes breathe. However, it might be one of the most important things you can do to let your space's scent make a good impression.
It cleanses the home and welcomes in a natural green scent of crisp leaves and petrichor that's tough to emulate. So, remember to cross ventilate your space, even if it momentarily disrupts your cozy mood.
The most important thing to consider when perfuming your space for autumn is to avoid layering in unseasonal notes. And the cheat code to a perfect fall vibe is woody home fragrance.
While you're here, sign up for the Livingetc newsletter to keep up with all things design.
