After another client consultation hearing that they thought their office was ‘trendy’ but 6 months later wasn't quite cutting the mustard with their workforce, we knew there had to be something deeper going on, and it wasn’t ‘spoilt’ Gen Z’ers.What if interior designers created something more than just a magazine worthy front cover? How about an experience, that you don’t know why, but when you walk into a space, it just feels right?And so began our adventure, to find the key to creating something truly immersive, all encompassing, a feast for the senses. Our first stop, Paris, to speak to the professionals about why we are obsessed with fragrancing ourselves, to create our own personal identity, but not our spaces, and what psychological effect this has on us.
Here is what we found out; There are two types of interior fragrancing - Aromatherapy & Perfume
Now, there is a third, which to put politely, we produce naturally ourselves - but fear not, it is common practice in aromatherapy to work WITH natural smells, call it a base note if you will, instead of against them.
"Anyway, back to the ‘science’ bit… our sense of smell is the closest thing linked to the part of our brain that processes a memory. It’s why they say when you walk down the street and smell your mothers perfume, it stops you in your tracks."
Interior Perfume has been used and abused in retail for many years as a marketing tool, and this may be why there is such a headache inducing negative stigma attached. But what if it was used subtly, responsibly?
We found that by blending perfume and aromatherapy in perfect harmony, we can encourage a range of feelings from calm to euphoria, to help tackle some of the increasing negative challenges we see in todays workplaces.
The ultimate anxiety buster. Team this with Lavender to create a sense of calm in a host area, to bust those pre meeting nerves.
Your best friend for those air conditioning and screen induced headaches. Best used around the general workspace. Blend with bacteria busting juniper to be rid of those shared office winter coughs and colds.
This works wonders to lift the mood, teamed with neroli, this is a must have to combat the winter blues.
Gone are the days where the colour and texture of a space are the only considerations. We like to call our approach the ‘invisible aesthetic’.
Stay tuned for our next piece on ‘Touch’ where we interview neuroscientist Francis Mcglone about how getting it right can change the game in modern workplaces.