Scent and sensory ideas to style up your space

These days, blending summer blooms with colour and texture to suit your interior design aesthetic is much more than creating a home you feel totally at one with.

It’s about blurring the lines between indoor outdoor living, celebrating the beauty of nature, and channelling a feel-good vibe with tactile elements and engaging the classic senses.

“With summer season in full swing, it’s the perfect time to embrace styling that engages all five senses, both inside and outside the home,” explains Alysha Alli, group interior designer at Redrow.

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In addition, she says sensory design has become more than just a trend. “It’s a powerful way to create spaces that encourage wellbeing, connection, and joy.”

Here, she shares her top tips to refresh your living area for summer through fragrance, texture, and thoughtful touches…

Embracing seasonal scents and sensory styling

“Scent is a powerful design element, closely tied to memory and mood,” highlights Alli. “As we move into [high] summer, refreshing your home’s fragrance can instantly lift the atmosphere.”

Lighter scents: Opt for citrus, herbal, or floral notes like neroli, lavender, and lemon verbena for a seasonal refresh, says Alli.

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Eco-friendly choices: Choose soy candles, refillable diffusers, and brands with clean, non-toxic ingredients and sustainable packaging, suggests the designer.

Scent zoning: She says to use energising fragrances in living areas, and calming ones like eucalyptus in bedrooms to set the tone throughout your home.

Floral accents and textural layers

“Seasonal florals are a quick way to bring summer indoors,” underlines Alli. “Style with fresh blooms like sweet peas and wildflowers, or invest in high-quality faux arrangements made from sustainable materials.”

She continues: “Combine florals with tactile details, woven baskets, linen runners, and ceramic vases, for a full sensory experience.”

Outdoor living and gardens as sensory sanctuaries

“With sun-soaked days and longer evenings, gardens are becoming true extensions of our homes,” observes Alli. “Spaces not just for relaxing, but also for working, socialising, and recharging.”

Indeed, as scent and sensory styling take centre stage in interiors, she says those same design principles are increasingly being applied outdoors.

“Thoughtful choices that incorporate fragrance, texture, and natural materials can transform gardens into immersive environments that soothe the senses and support wellbeing,” she outlines.

Especially when the next heatwave hits… chances are anyone working from home who has a patio or garden, giving them the flexibility to create a  dedicated work area, will be embracing nature as a calming antidote to screen time and stress, suggests Alli.

She goes on to say that by blending scented plants, tactile textures, and ambient lighting, you can create a seamless connection between indoors and out; enhancing atmosphere, boosting productivity, and deepening your connection to the natural world.

“Scent styling doesn’t stop at the back door,” says Alli. “The garden is a rich, immersive environment where fragrance and texture can come together to support both wellbeing and productivity.”

Here’s how to elevate your outdoor area with scent and sensory styling that enhances both wellbeing and productivity…

Fragrant flora: Incorporate aromatic plants such as lavender, rosemary, jasmine, and mint near seating or working areas, says Alli. “These naturally release calming scents while supporting biodiversity and seasonal beauty.”

Sensory planting: Layer textures with soft grasses, velvety lamb’s ear, and rustling bamboo, she suggests, as these elements create a multi-sensory experience that soothes and stimulates in equal measure.

Nature as a mood booster: Studies show finding time in the garden is one of the most effective ways to reduce stress. By combining scent, sound (birds, wind, water) and natural light, she says you can create a space that engages the senses and fosters mindfulness.

Scent-infused evenings: “Extend sensory styling into the evening with solar-powered lanterns and scented citronella or lemongrass candles that repel insects – and create a gentle evening glow,” enthuses Alli. “Pair with cosy textiles and enjoy the garden from dusk till dark.”