A perfumer’s secret for a home that always smells beautiful – no candle required

We’ve long been in the habit of fragrancing our homes. From the baked-bread trick beloved by estate agents to flinging open the windows when the grass is freshly cut, there’s no escaping our cultural pull towards curating how our homes smell. For most of us, that means lighting a candle or setting out a diffuser. However, as a Master Perfumer, there's one product I reach for every time I want a quick hit of luxury or a final flourish before guests arrive: the room spray.

Now, room sprays aren’t new to the market, but they’re often overlooked next to long-lasting, luxurious candles and decadent diffusers. And yet, with years of experience in the fragrance industry, I can promise you that a well-chosen room spray will become your constant companion: there for an uplifting spritz while you’re working from home, a quick mist before guests arrive, or a discreet veil of fragrance when you need to disguise a less-than-lovely scent.

And I’m not the only fragrance expert who swears by the power of a mist when scent-scaping your home. Emma South, Fragrance and Lifestyle Expert at Jo Malone London, explains, "diffusers work well as a backdrop in the same way wall paints do, as a foil to the candles and room mists which play in the foreground. Layering with different notes adds greater sensorial dimension and is a way to engage with seasonal shifts."

With that in mind, I’ve rounded up the best room sprays that feel like designer perfume when you spritz them and shared how to use them to make your home feel instantly more luxurious.

A master perfumer's guide to the best room sprays - and how to use them

Once you start looking, you'll be seeing home fragrances and room sprays everywhere. As someone who really navigates life through their nose, I have notes dedicated to the most memorable room sprays I've ever smelt: from the distinctive aroma in a celebrity home (Trudon's expensive Ernesto, if you're wondering) to the simple essential oils used in my favourite spa (a blend of Neom's finest), I've got every kind of room, feel, and energy covered.

And, if you want to know which room sprays are worth spritzing, I'm ready to reveal my favourites. These six are the ones I personally use in my home, with recommendations from other experts too.

How to use the best room sprays

Once you own a room spray, it’s really important that you know exactly where to spritz and spray to get the most out of your bottle.

Emma South, Fragrance & Lifestyle expert from Jo Malone says "whether it's the final flourish on a carefully curated scent-scape or a distraction from bursting cupboards as the doorbell goes, your room fragrance should never fail to impress. I focus on entrance ways to create a welcoming aura and then use the sprays to continue the olfactive journey through different areas of your home."

She adds that you should "aim high when misting, for maximal scent dispersion and consider layering with diffusers and candles." These will give longevity to the lighter, more instantly notable fragrance of your room spray.

I like to opt for natural home fragrances that aren’t coloured, and I'll give them a light spritz over fabrics, such as curtains and cushions that won’t mark (and can be washed). I give this advice with caution, because some will leave residue, so make sure to do your research first.

FAQs

What makes a good home fragrance?

The perfect home fragrance is utterly personal, but it might also be dependent on the room, time of year, and mood that you're curating.

Naturally, you'll want to make sure you're investing in a room spray that uses quality ingredients that smell natural and not synthetic. It'll also evolve over time, so and you'll want this to be gentle and subtle, rather than cloying or overpowering. The best room fragrances will create atmosphere as much as they offer a fragrance, think of it as a perfume for your home.

I like them to reflect your personality, whilst also complimenting a room's purpose. Emma South, Fragrance & Lifestyle Expert at Jo Malone, says "over the winter months, I'm creating a cocktail of caramelized citrus using our Lime, Basil & Mandarin room spray with the glow of an Orange Bitters candle." If you've smelt those two fragrances, you can begin to imagine how sublime that will smell.

How do I make my kitchen smell nice?

The kitchen can be a volatile space when it comes to scent. With lots of cooking and cleaning going on, you can end up with a hybrid of garlic, chocolate, coffee (and dog in my house). However, there's a very simple, easy way to make your kitchen smell nice with a room spray.

Emma South, Fragrance & Lifestyle Expert at Jo Malone, says "you'll always find our Lime, Basil & Mandarin in my kitchen at parties and all the moments in-between, because citrus accompanies food well, clearing the air and building appetites with its acidulous, mouth-watering zest."

Are room sprays worth it?

Naomi Harford, Product Director of Home Fragrance at Bamford, says "scenting your home is a form of self-expression and room sprays can help to refresh a space, brighten a mood, or mask malodour." She still recommends using candles and diffusers, in fact, they're more of her go-to for slower, steadier releases of fragrance at home.

Are there any downsides or words of warning that come with room sprays?

Whilst room sprays are my trick for giving a final flourish to how your home smells, there are two words of warning that you should heed. The first is that these can leave marks on your fabrics and surfaces, so be careful about where you spray them.

Naomi Harford, Product Director of Home Fragrance at Bamford, adds that if you want longevity and strength to your room fragrance, "I'd suggest investing in a diffuser, because the scent delivery lasts longer than a room spray."

So, now my secret is out. The best way to give your home an instant burst of freshness and fragrance is to keep a room spray to hand. It's extremely effortless and I see it as a bit of a ritual.