Autumn is a season built upon sentimentality, and what better way to enjoy the fall than to fill your home with scents that let you revisit the past – or maybe allow you and your family to cultivate new memories.
Fall is the best season to light a candle, whether it’s during the day on the weekend after you cleaned the house (thus symbolizing to your family that it is not to be messed with) or one you light just before crawling under a blanket with a good mystery-thriller novel. If you are seeking a sense of luxury in these moments and have money to burn (literally), look to singer Kacey Musgraves’ collaboration with the boutique fragrance brand Boy Smells called Slow Burn. This rich and elaborate candle balances notes of wood, spices and fruit, and is perfect for the transition from a sweet summer into a crisp fall. However, at $52 for 8.5 ounces, you may want to save it for special evenings.
On the other side of the price spectrum, there is Trader Joe’s Honeycrisp Apple candle at just $4 a pop. Although weighing in at just 5.7 ounces housed in modest tin packaging, this scent comes across as less sweet and more complex than other candles at twice the price. Stock up while you can – they will likely go out of stock for the year soon.
My favorite personal fragrance for this time of year is actually a combination of two perfumes, both from Maison Margiela’s Replica line: Jazz Club and By the Fireplace. The former offers a sultry mix of rum, tobacco and pink pepper, while the latter brings a woody vanilla that adds some sweetness but maintains the warmth of its spicy counterpart.
Each fragrance in the Replica line is meant to evoke memories of a particular setting, and the names speak for themselves. The combination is mature and versatile enough to wear together for a night out at the cocktail bar or to host an intimate dinner party. You are sure to invite intrigue wherever you go.
For a more do-it-yourself option, try an easy autumnal boil on your stovetop. All it takes is a few oranges, a couple of cinnamon sticks, a sprig of rosemary and maybe a pinch of sage in a small saucepan over low heat to bring that fresh, earthy aroma to your home. You can refresh it by adding water every couple of hours.
Another, more obvious way to draw people to your kitchen via their noses is to cook some delicious fall recipes. From savory dishes like French onion soup to sweet desserts like pumpkin pie, everyone enjoys the scents (and memories) that cooking seasonal family favorites brings to the table.
Jennah Pendleton is a Town Crier staff writer and editor of the monthly Your Home section. Email her a [email protected].
