18th June 2020 / Prue Fletcher: Ready, Scent, Sold!

Everyone's home has a scent. Some smell like expensive perfume or candles, others unfortunately like week-old socks. When it comes to the scent of your home, research suggests that it's the first thing prospective buyers become aware of as they enter a space and it's likely to have a powerful impact on their decision making.

Having lived out of my childhood home for more than a decade, walking down mum and dad's hallway still evokes the same feeling of calm and ease that I had as a child. Whether it's the fluffy jasmine fabric softener used on the woollen jumpers drying in front of the open log fire or the Ecoya Candles flickering on the kitchen bench, it still smells like home and instils in me a sense of warmth and security.

Experience tells us that buyers are often subject to the banality of typical home staging tactics, such as a fresh pot of coffee on the stove or a load of bread just baked in the oven. These smells can become quite suffocating and negatively distract a buyer from inspecting a space. Instead, what we should try and achieve is fresh, natural airflow which subtly incorporates a particular scent, creating a mood and evoking a lifestyle whereby we are elevating the experience for the prospective buyer.

We need not over complicate it, but there's a real art to getting it right, so here are my top 5 picks for the smells of the sell.

BAIES Diptyque: Fresh, Fruity, Floral & Deliciously Positive

'Imagine being in a cottage in the country, preparing roses for an arrangement and cooking blackcurrant jam on the stove and gazing out to admire the view. This is about appreciating the simple, beautiful moments in life'.

- Holly, fragrance specialist at MECCA Bondi

SOH Belvedere: Masculine, yet Subtly Sweet

Balancing the strong aroma of uncut Belvedere Tobacco and the sweet sensual hint of Rose brings life into this candle. Throw on your velvet jacket, turn the lights down low and pour yourself an Aperitif.

LE LABO Santal 26: The Signature Scent of all Country Road stores

Unleash this smokey, leathery scent and fill your home with warmth and sophistication every time you light this fragranced candle.

BYREDO Cotton Poplin: The perfect Scent for Bedrooms & Bathrooms

This luxe candle has a top note of blue chamomile, heart notes of linen and white cedarwood and a base note of sweet musk.

JO MALONE Incense & Embers: Contemplative and Relaxing

Curls of smoky incense. Brightened with silver fir and white pepper. Sensual with napa leather on a base of elegant vetiver and golden amber.