15 Home Fragrances We’re Absolutely Obsessed With

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Here at ELLE DECOR, we’re big believers that every room should look beautiful, but it should also smell amazing too. Home fragrance is an important piece of the interior design puzzle after all, even if it’s not as concrete as a well-placed sofa or an ottoman. When it comes to shopping online for sophisticated room sprays and candles, though, consumers often find themselves overwhelmed by the countless options on the market from scores of different brands. Is it worth splurging and dropping hundreds of dollars on a luxury candle? How do I choose between something with passionfruit or eucalyptus notes?

No worries, because we’ve got answers to all of the above and then some. We’ve scoured the internet for the best of the best to help you set the mood in just about every room, or to help you track down the perfect gift for a housewarming or dinner party. Whether you’re shopping on a budget or looking to invest in a whole new collection of home fragrances, consider this your definitive guide to all things good-smelling in your four walls.

Volcano Reed Oil Diffuser

You know it, you love it, and it’s not going anywhere. Volcano has become synonymous with good summer vibes, with dreamy notes of tropical fruit and sugared citrus. You get eight ounces of fragrance, and the glass bottle is available in both white and blue colors. For those who love an unapologetically fruit-centric scent.

Pop Grapefruit Candle

Unsurprisingly, Jonathan Adler’s new Grapefruit candle has—drumroll, please—notes of pink and white grapefruit. In other words, it’s the perfect breezy summer scent. The website notes a burn time of about 40 hours; the box it comes in is also plenty charming, so it’s a great hostess or housewarming gift. If you’re keeping it for yourself, though, make sure you save the yellow vessel!

Baies Room Spray

What can we say? We can’t get enough of Baies. It’s become Diptyque’s signature scent over the years, and we can see why. Notes of rose and blackcurrant come together for a scent that’s floral and sweet, but also elegant and familiar. You get about five ounces of product; the scent will linger more than most other room sprays.

One Night in Rio

Would you rather be on vacation somewhere sunnier? Us too. Luckily, you can bring the sun-kissed beach vibes home with One Night in Rio, which packs in notes of passionfruit, lime, and more. Pair with a great playlist for a party for maximum escapism.

Deeper Well Candle

Who doesn’t love a good dream team? Grammy award-winning country singer and songwriter Kacey Musgraves recently teamed up with Boy Smells yet again for a candle that should be at the top of everyone’s shopping list. Named after her new album, it’s simultaneously earthy and sweet, with top notes of raspberry and eucalyptus mixed in with base notes of patchouli and oakmoss. It’s so good, in fact, that the singer joked she was changing her name to Kacey Moss-graves.

Moonlit Camomile Pillow Mist

Need to catch some z’s? Believe it or not, fragrance can be a big help. Add a spritz or two of this spray to your sheets, pillows, or pajamas for an easier, better smelling trip to dreamland.

What reviewers are saying: “This Jo Malone pillow mist is a must-have. It’s such a beautiful, grounding fragrance leaves my mom, daughter, and me feeling calm, centered, relaxed.”

Charcoal Scented Candle

Florals aren’t for everyone. Some will prefer a fragrance a bit heavier on the sandalwood and amber notes, like this one. The best part is that it has a burn time of 70 hours, so it won’t fizzle out too quickly, even if it’s in your regular rotation.

Baby’s Breath Reed Diffuser Set

A new fragrance doesn’t have to break the bank. Cocorrína’s offerings are beautiful and won’t put too much pressure on your wallet. We’re partial to Sandalwood Rose, which blends floral and musk notes together for a beautiful, nuanced scent. The brand has scores of fragrances available for the same price point, too, all on Amazon with Prime shipping.

What reviewers are saying: “This reed diffuser is like a subtle whisper of fragrance, making it just perfect for my closet. It’s not overpowering, just a delicate aroma that adds a touch of beauty to the space. Simply beautiful and light—exactly what I needed!”

Cote Maquis Gift Set

Why settle for one new home fragrance product when you can have two? L’Objet's box set is the perfect intro to home scents, and it’s one of the most luxurious brands on the market. This particular aroma was inspired by the rocky shores of Corsica in the Mediterranean, so it’s simultaneously beachy and elegant.

Big Sur After Rain Candle

If there’s one thing D.S. and Durga is known for, it’s creating a mood. The buzzy brand executes that brief perfectly with this candle, which evokes the feeling of driving through a beautiful vista in the rain. (Soaked clothes not included!)

Bamboo Scented Candle

Not every scent has to be in-your-face intense. Nest’s subtle Bamboo candle smells exactly like it sounds and will seamlessly blend in with just about any interior design scheme. All of the brand’s scents are available on Amazon with Prime shipping, too... so happy shopping!

Luce Di Colonia Room Diffuser

You can’t beat the classics. Acqua di Parma’s beautiful blend of citrus and woody notes has become a favorite, even a status symbol in the fragrance world. You can get it in candle or perfume form too, if you really fall in love with it.

My Way Room Spray

Luxury hotels usually smell amazing, so why not take a piece of that home with you? The My Way spray takes inspiration from the 1 Hotel in Miami Beach, blending top notes of leather and lemon. Why check out when you can give your living room a good spritz and check back in? Room service (sadly) not included.

Baltic Amber Reed Diffuser

Want something a bit moodier? This reed diffuser is a great place to start. We love Voluspa for their glass vessels, which feature intricate, swirling designs, and this amber fragrance is no exception. Bonus: The box is similarly stylish, so it’s great for gifting.

What reviewers are saying: “This is the third time I bought the Voluspa Baltic Amber Reed Diffuser. The scent is strong but not too overpowering, with a nice mix of amber and hints of vanilla.”

Nectar Pop Mango Scented Candle

Summer is almost here! At least, it’ll feel that way with this candle burning in your living room. Notes of mango and coconut come together for a true island escape, even if you’re just plugging away at your laptop from home. Like all of Otherland’s products, the jar is also beautiful and totally reusable. The brand's other candles are also available on Amazon with Prime delivery for the same price point, so even if this scent isn’t for you, there are plenty more where it came from.

What Home Fragrance Is Right for Me?

The category breaks down into a few different groupings, so it can be a bit tricky to navigate!

For starters, there are candles, a tried-and true choice that just about everyone has had in their home at one point or another. The biggest advantage is that they tend to be the most aesthetically pleasing, with beautiful vessels that double as home decor. Most smaller candles have a burn time of around 20 hours, with regular sizes ranging from 40 to 60 hours, depending on the manufacturer. If you’re really savvy, you can even reuse the container as a stylish vase—recently, I started used the stone toppers for these Tom Dixon candles as coasters after I burned through it. The obvious downside? Constantly lighting these up and then remembering to blow them out, all while keeping it from tunneling and wasting wax.

Next, there are reed diffusers. The biggest perk here is that, unlike candles, you can leave a reed diffuser “turned on,” so to speak, all day long without worrying about potential fire hazards. They also last a bit longer, with a properly maintained reed diffuser easily pushing three to four months in terms of longevity. The trick, of course, is remembering to flip the reeds to keep the good-smelling vibes going.

Finally, there are room sprays. These are all about instant gratification. You don’t have to wait for a candle to start melting or a reed diffuser to start, well, diffusing. Instead, you can just give the room a quick spritz and it’s good to go.

Which Fragrance Family Should I Choose?

This is totally up to you! Fragrance is deeply personal. Discovering what you like and dislike in terms of scent notes is a process, and it’s all about diving in and getting hands-on experience. Here, we largely focus on fresh, floral categories—spring is here, and we couldn't help ourselves—but there are a few that fall into the muskier amber and woody families here too. Our advice? If it sounds intriguing to you, give it a try at home and see how you like living with it. It’s one thing to take a whiff while shopping at a Sephora or an Ulta; it’s another to integrate that scent into your day-to-day life.

Why Trust Us?

I’ve spent the past five years writing about luxurious gifts for publications like Robb Report and ELLE DECOR, often with a focus on home fragrance. During that time I’ve met with all the top brands in the scent space, collating their latest and greatest into seasonal candle gift guides, shopping stories (like this one), and more.

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