We’re honoring our commitment to reducing waste as members of the Good Future Design Alliance (GFDA - https://www.thegfda.com/). This week we’re talking about something most of us enjoy, especially when entertaining, or on a chilly evening...fragrance!
When furnishing a home, the finishing touches really elevate the project and the feeling of home. Scent is such an important part of that experience and traditionally, scented candles would be just the thing. But lately, we’ve been saying goodbye to old habits. As a candle lover, this one is difficult, but in the United States, we spend over $3 billion annually on candles, and this leaves its mark on landfills. Essential oil diffusers are trending lately, and do have some great benefits, but we need to keep in mind the massive quantity of plants needed to produce these oils. Luckily, flowers, herbs, and spices make excellent alternatives to offset candle and essential oil use.
Pick wildflowers or visit your favorite flower shop and adorn your spaces with aromatic flower bouquets. Fun fact - these hydrangeas were a housewarming gift from Lauren and they have been dried and retained their beautiful muted colors. They now serve as a lovely addition to my laundry room. If you look closely you may recognize the periwinkle vase - can you guess its original use?
Clip greens from your yard like spruce, pine, and cedar. Bring them indoors to fill your home with their fresh scent. Fun fact: You can also use spruce tips to make tea!
Make a clove ornament- Did you ever make one as a kid? Back then, we poked tiny whole cloves into a styrofoam ball until our fingertips were numb and then wrapped them in a holiday ribbon for hanging on the tree. You can eliminate the styrofoam and add another layer of fragrance by using an orange instead. Display a couple of these in a beautiful bowl for a pop of color. When the time comes, you can pluck the cloves and slice the oranges for your winter birds.
Boil water for an hour or so with your favorite scents added to it (set a timer so you don't forget about it). Some of our favorite things to experiment with are lemon and orange slices, cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, lavender, rosemary, and during the holidays, nutmeg and cloves.