What emotions do you feel when you smell fresh pine or the aroma of
just-baked cookies?
Does the color yellow brighten your outlook?
Sometimes all it takes is a little stir of the senses to evoke memories and change the mood. This is especially true in your home.
The idea is to create a pleasant ambience using fragrance, color and lighting without being overwhelming.
Making scents
There are plenty of options to tickle your sense of smell.
Fresh cut flowers from your garden can bring the outdoors in, not only with fragrance but visually. Nothing says spring like a beautiful spray of roses, lilies or a heady bunch of lilac blossoms. Adding fresh flowers in unexpected places, such as the bathroom or in the bedroom, can give an instant lift.
If you don’t have a green thumb, aromatherapy candles and reed diffusers come in an array of scents designed to evoke emotion. Whether it’s lavender for relaxation, peppermint to wake you up, or vanilla for a calming effect, try changing fragrances with each season or mood to create the desired feeling. Subtlety is key, as many people are sensitive to strong scents.
Color me happy
Why not use your walls or ceilings to control the energy in your home? Warm colors, such as caramel, cinnamon or green, can be inviting and cozy; cooler tones, including periwinkle, charcoal gray or plum, can inject an unexpected bit of whimsy into a room.
If you can’t commit to all-over color, try painting an accent wall or using shots of color in your accessories to create a certain mood.
A light touch
Don’t underestimate the power of lighting in creating ambience in your home. Overhead and task lighting is great when you need to see what your doing, but if you want to really transform your room, consider adding floor lamps, a torchiere and/or table lamps to create a variety of moods depending on the occasion.
A simple trick of switching out ordinary light bulbs to soft pink ones can add subtle warmth in key spaces, such as the bedroom or a reading nook. And don’t forget dimmer switches to set the mood anytime.
