We sometimes need new and creative ways to fragrance our home. We layer fragrance in our perfumes, body lotions, and powders- why not in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom as well? This month features four original, stand out manufacturers of home fragrance; Seda France, Slatkin & Co., Xela Woods, and The Thymes.
Seda France launched in 2001 with six hand- poured fragranced candles. Since then, the line has expanded to eighteen fragrances; the top nine includes Room Mist. It is the fragrant Japanese Quince Room Mist that I have fallen madly in love with. The mist is a complex fragrance of passion fruit, rhubarb, white peach and jasmine petals. Seda France uses the highest-grade fragrance oils in their products, and is packaged in exquisite boxes. The print on the boxes is reminiscent of French “toile” fabric. Each box is adorned with a golden tassel – fit for a king. The room mist also comes in China Musk, Cutting Garden, Elegant Gardenia, French Tulip, Hyacinth, and Verveine. The fragrances are clean, enveloping, and cut through any odor and are sensual, fresh, and exquisitely beautiful. Truly a must have for any New York City chic chick. Available at http://www.sedafrance.com.
Slatkin and Co. features intrinsically designed, artistically packaged potpourri, elegantly layered in Lucite boxes. They are painstakingly packaged, and mind blowing beautiful. Two of the most fabulous fragrances are Bamboo Jasmine and Pamplemousse. The first is a blend of golden bamboo, night blooming jasmine, essence of grass and wild flowers. Pamplemousse contains Sicilian grapefruit, bitter Italian orange, Egyptian jasmine, Moroccan mint; topped with wild freesia and essence of peony. Slatkins’ other potpourris include Twigs, Black Tea and Berries, Wisteria and Lilac, Oriental Woods, Midnight Blossoms and White Flowers. Some of the fragrances also come in gift sets with complimentary candles and room mists.
Elton John has teamed up with Slatkin & Co. and launched the “Elton John Rocks”; these crystal-like rocks are made of resin. They’re heavily fragrant and very beautiful. They come in two fragrances – Number One, or Number Two. Number one is hyacinth, freesia, rose and jasmine. Number two is ginger, mango, orange, and Indian lime. Proceeds go to the Elton John AIDS foundation. This provides preventative care and treatment for men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS. Two hip and artistic ways to fragrantly adorn your home are Slatkin & Co. Potpourri and Elton John Rocks. Look for Slatkin & Co. at http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com, and http://www.neimanmarcus.com.
Uniquely simple and gorgeous, Xela Woods has created a stylish and understated way to scent any room. A glass bottle of fragrance oil holds a fan of porous bamboo reeds, which soak up the blend of essential oils, and release the woodsy, musky aromas into the air. It is relaxing, subtle, aromatherapy and delightful. Of all the home fragrances, Calming Woods is the most unisex. It is a blend of Amber, Cedar, Sandalwood, and Musk. The four other blended oils are Invigorating Citrus, Uplifting Floral, Soothing Nursery, and Stimulating Spice.
Xela Woods uses recycled outer packaging, and items are packaged and shipped by the Goodwill Industries. Goodwill Industries provides employment for people with difficulties such as illiteracy, and learning disabilities. Purchase these original gifts at http://www.xelaaromasticks.com.
Leslie E. Ross Lentz created the Thymes in 1982. Her love of nature and art inspired her to develop a line of fragrant products blended from herbs, spices, and flowers. The Thymes incorporates flavors such as green tea, basil, ginger, olive leaf, eucalyptus, lavender, cassis, cedar wood and coriander. The products range from home fragrance mists, hand soaps, to bath and body products. One of the most innovative creations is the Home Keeping Collection. It was created in order to “enhance the experience of cleaning and taking care of our own homes.” Products in the Home Keeping Collection include All -Purpose Surface Cleaner, Dishwashing Liquid, Laundry Detergent, Ironing water, Floor Cleaner and Linen Mist. The items come in either Cedarwood Mint or Mandarin Coriander scents. Cedarwood Mint is a blend of peppermint, cedar and lavender, and Mandarin Coriander is a blend of citrus and sweet herbs.
The Thymes allows you to bring home fragrance into the kitchen and bedroom. In the morning, refresh your sheets with their Linen Spray. A light spray of Ironing Mist refreshes clothes and infuses them with a light herbal scent. The Dishwashing liquid releases fragrant bubbles into the air as you do the dishes. The Home Keeping Collection was designed to clean the air, eliminate odors, and freshen any room of the house. Simply packaged, they allow for the cleanest application of home fragrance. Go to http://www.thymes.com.
This month, we present a few alternatives to livening up the home. You can mist the air, wash the dishes, soak bamboo reeds, or set out some rocks. Open a box of tiered potpourri, or wash the floor with a clean herbal soap in lieu of “insert standard lemon-scented cleanser here.” The complex scents range from floral, to intensely herbal. Fresh exotic fruits or light and subtle wild flowers can inject style and scent into your home. By layering your favorite flavors in the air, in the laundry or on the linens, there is always a way to express and de-stress yourself in creative and original ways.
