5 Genius Tricks From HGTV Stars That Will Keep Your Home Smelling Amazing

When it comes to our homes and making them feel like perfectly curated, cozy retreats, a lot of us focus on things like paint color, thread counts, and sofas. But did you know scent has a major impact on making spaces their best? Smell is one of our most developed senses with strong ties to memory, and it makes a huge impact on how our spaces effect us, even if we aren't conscious of it. That's why it's so important to make sure your home stays smelling great. But that doesn't mean you have to run out and buy out the entire candle aisle or make your home's atmosphere 99% air freshener. To learn how, we turned to five major HGTV stars to learn their go-to fragrance tricks, from easy simmer pot recipes to seasonal scent swaps, so you can create a home that smells as good as it looks.

In addition to all of these genius tips, remember that you don't want to be in a position where you're just masking foul odors. You need to be working with a clean space to make any of these tips fully effective, so be sure to keep on top of your chores that might be making your home stink, like cleaning sink drains, taking the trash out regularly, and maintaining pet areas.

We couldn't make a list without including the queen of Magnolia Joanna Gaines and her brilliant use of linen spray to keep her space feeling and smelling fresh. You probably won't be surprised to learn that she makes her own DIY fragrance blends using essential oils, witch hazel, and water. Linen spray differs from air fresheners because it is typically misted directly on fabric rather than into the air. You can use them on clothing, bed linens, pillows and even upholstered items like dining chairs and sofas. Gaines says linen sprays like hers are "nice to keep on hand." Expanding on the many uses in her home in a post on her blog, she said, "I love using it to refresh the linens in the spare bedroom when we're expecting a guest, so the whole room smells fresh when they arrive. I also like to give the folded towels and throw blankets in my linen closet a quick spritz if they've been sitting for long periods of time."

Gaines offers two linen spray formulas: one lavender and linen blend, and one rose spray. While she only provides those two recipes on the blog, she noted, "This natural linen spray has a light scent, and is completely customizable based on the essential oils you use to prepare it," so don't feel like these are your only options. Cedar or pine essential oils would make for a nice earthy, woodsy scent, while mandarin and thyme essential oils could make for a bright, invigorating combination. 

Have you ever walked into someone's home or even smelled their cologne and been struck by the unique blend you can't quite put your finger on? They are likely using a method called fragrance layering, and it's a favorite tool of HGTV favorite Jeremiah Brent. In a conversation with Airwick, Brent said, "I think you should blend. There's a lot of ways you can add different dimensions. You should explore, find different scents that you want to connect to, and then have fun with it." Nate is married to fellow HGTV star Nate Berkus, and notes that fragrance layering is a great way for them to both get what they want, saying, "Nate loves floral scents, which is not what I gravitate to [more clean scents], but what we end up with is a great mix of woodsy scents. Juxtaposition is key. But, be careful — you don't want it smelling too strong."

To try fragrance layering at home, start by picking a base scent — something versatile like vanilla or amber that can blend easily with other notes. Then, add one or two accent scents to bring in contrast or depth, such as a floral for freshness, a citrus for brightness, or a spice for warmth. You can layer these by mixing essential oils, making your own potpourri, or simply combining different sources — a candle here, a diffuser there, or maybe a DIY essential oil room spray. The goal is balance, as each scent should complement the others without overpowering them.

Erin Napier of HGTV's "Home Town" series believes in telling a signature scent story in each room rather than choosing a single scent for the entire house. She determines this by thinking about the mood, memories, and meaning each space holds. For instance, she shared in a blog post, "Our bedrooms are our private places, where we do our storing and burrowing. It's the cedar blanket chest where we keep love letters and old photographs, the drawer where the socks and underwear live. It smells of wool and cedar, and it is the finish line of the day in my mind's eye." While her smell association goes toward cozy cotton smells and cedar wood, yours may be very different. To pull inspiration from Napier's approach, consider what smells you associate with your own finish line — is it the floral steam from chamomile tea, or the woodsy calm of a sandalwood bubble bath? Let those personal scents guide your choices in candles, room sprays, or essential oils.

In her kitchen, Napier lights a coffee-scented candle, inspired by her daily ritual of making coffee for her husband each morning. Your kitchen's fragrance story might be bright and herbaceous, recalling afternoons chopping basil, or fresh and citrusy, like slow weekend mornings with a glass of hand-pressed juice. By matching scents to the feelings and routines that define each room, you can create a home that smells like your own life.

We all know that it's easy to get nose blindness to foul odors in our homes, but did you know that can happen with our favorite smells too? When you first bring a candle home, you may be able to smell it a mile away, even when it's not lit, but over time, it can go unnoticed. That's why Jasmine Roth, who stars in "HGTV's HELP! I Wrecked My House" and "Hidden Potential," shares that one of her go-to methods for livening up a space is swapping out candles. In addition to making small changes to the space with things like throw pillows and blankets, Roth recommended in a blog post to, "refresh your space with a new scent," adding that, "There's nothing like lighting a fresh candle to give a room a bit of ambiance." 

Try to find a fragrance that differs quite a bit from your previous go-to — if you were using a candle with light floral notes, try something a bit heavier and woodsy, or lean into citrus scents. Need a little inspiration? Be sure to check out Roth's own line of candles at The Shop by Jasmine Roth. It currently includes three signature scents: Blush Peony & Mandarin, Cashmere & Vanilla, and Sea Mist & Palm Wood. 

You don't always need to head to the candle section to make your home smell great according to HGTV star Sabrina Soto, who instead turns to her kitchen cupboards. All you need? Lemons and rosemary. In a video on Instagram, Soto wrote, "Fresh rosemary + sliced lemons = the easiest way to make your whole house smell amazing." She recommended adding a few sprigs of rosemary and lemon slices to a pot of water to create a potpourri simmer pot, saying, "Just let it simmer.... you're going to be shocked how well it works!" Simmer pots allow the citrus and herb to infuse the water with its scent, which can then spread throughout the home via steam. You're not trying to boil the items, as they will lose their scent quickly and be more susceptible to burning, but kept at a gentle simmer and consistently topped off with water, the mixture creates a fragrant steam that will leave your home smelling fresh. If you don't want to keep your stovetop burner on, you can still make simmer pots in your slow cooker. As an added bonus, the steam can add humidity to the air, which is a major perk if you live in a dry climate. 

While Soto opts for lemon and rosemary for her summertime combo, you can experiment with a number of simmer pot recipes, and even swap them out seasonally according to what fresh items are in season. For instance, in the wintertime, you can try orange slices and anise seed pods, or apple and cinnamon in the fall.