Transform your home into a welcoming retreat with the subtle fragrance and soft glow of scented candles. There’s an amazing array to choose from, so have some fun combining sizes, shapes and colours, and experiment with different fragrances to create different moods. For a more personal touch, spray the outside of unscented candles with your favourite perfume before lighting. Or add one or two drops of essential oil to the pool of melted wax formed around the wick when a candle has been burning for a little while. (Be sure to extinguish candles before adding perfumes or essential oils.)
Often associated with exotic religious and ceremonial rituals, the burning of incense may well add an aura of mystery to your own humble abode. The aroma of incense varies according to the plants and herbs used and can sometimes be very strong, so use sparingly to begin with. To personalise the fragrance, one or two drops of essential oil may be added to each stick. It is wise to invest in good quality incense sticks, as low-priced products use very poor materials which tend to exude smoky fumes and synthetic aromas – definitely not the desired effect!
The textures, colours and aromas of pot pourri vary greatly, so it's easy to find a blend of flowers, leaves and spices that will please your eye, suit your decor, and smell divine. Generous bowls of pot pourri look attractive in any room, and need only an occasional quick stir to release fragrant aromas. Bring your pot pourri back to life every two or three months by sprinkling a few drops of essential oil into the bowl and stirring well.
Bloom Incense - burning brings inner peace and spiritual freedom to the mind.
Vaporising essential oils is a popular method of creating a fragrant environment, and oil vaporisers vary from handpainted cottage ceramics to stainless steel works of art. A few drops of essential oil are added to a small dish of water suspended above a candle flame, usually an inexpensive tealight. As the water is heated, the fragrance of the oil is released into the atmosphere. Pure essential oils have powerful therapeutic qualities, and using different oils will create different moods – try lavender and camomile for a comforting, soothing environment; lime, lemon and bergamot to lift your spirits; rose and geranium for sensuous ambience.
Make your own fragrant room spray by mixing 10 drops of essential oil with 300ml of warm water in a clean water spray bottle. Shake well, and use to spritz your rooms for a clean, fresh atmosphere. Vary the blend according to your needs - lemon and lime essential oils to rid the kitchen of unpleasant cooking smells; citronella or lemongrass to remove the odour of pets; eucalyptus, thyme and lavender to counteract unpleasant aromas. Or simply a blend of oils that imbues every room with a fragrance that brings you pleasure.
Fragrant fresh flowers and indoor plants will help to refresh and purify your home. Living greenery absorbs the carbon dioxide we expel, transforming it into oxygen and releasing it back into the atmosphere, and there is nothing quite like the pleasure of catching a drift of fragrance from fresh flowers. Delicately perfumed flowers and plants can be displayed in small, enclosed areas without becoming overpowering, but heavily scented flowers are best suited to large rooms or mixed arrangements.
Blooms oil burner combines style with the natural therapeutic effects of aromatherapy.
