Lutens’ World of Home

It is said that in order to seduce Marc Anthony, Cleopatra scented her room with rose water and rose petals, a mystifying and sensual aroma to work her feminine charms. Yes, the idea of scenting rooms goes much further in the past than we think. Find out more in Serge Lutens’ World at Home.

Image Abi Perkins

Long ago, before Cleopatra was seducing men in her boudoir, the idea of using different aromas in order to scent a room can be traced back to Ancient Egypt and even China. Initially, scenting spaces were used for religious purposes before they were ever used for lovers.

In Egyptian temples, it’s interesting to note that particular essences would indicate the passage of time in a day: Frankincense in the morning, myrrh during the day, and Kyphi in the evening.

In addition, scent was used in order to please gods in religious rituals; cassia, myrrh, and resin were common ingredients for this in Egypt. The idea of scent was also used to create a sort of harmony between the people and the gods as royalty, such as and Queen Hatshepsut, used to scent their palace halls.

Meanwhile, in Ancient China, scents in spaces were associated with the Tao religion. Fragrant fruits like Buddha’s Hand ( a citrus fruit ) and flowers were popular in scenting spaces. Woodcrafts made of sandalwood and other woods were also used. Other types of aromas were also used for traditions, for example, citrus scents became prominent during the Lunar New Year as mandarins, tangerines, etc. are considered good luck. 

Eventually, people began to transition from perfume for the GODS to personal use of aroma for spaces. The use of fragrance in Chinese tradition as well as the scenting of palaces in Egypt were possibly some of the first steps towards the use of home fragrance. Fragrance was seen as something holy, and people realized they could bring this spirituality into sacred spaces in their own homes.

It is now known that scent evokes emotional responses. This occurs because of the olfactory nerve sits next to the part of the brain that deals with memory. Scent is something that can make us feel nostalgic and sensual, whether it be the people of Ancient China emulating certain traditions or Cleopatra using the seductive scent of roses to charm her lovers.

So, scenting particular rooms in our home can actually have more of an impact on our outlook for the day than we give credit for. Scents have a powerful effect on our psyche. Lavender is noted for stress relief, Lemon can be used for mood elevation, and Rosemary is known to aid concentration.

One of the true heroes of perfume Serge Lutens has created a home perfume collection including five scents inspired by different destinations, and now we’re able to discover Serge Luten’s world at home.

Serge Lutens is a revolutionary in the world of perfume. He has a long history in the creative world including working for Vogue, creating a makeup line for Christian Dior, and eventually creating the first-ever unisex perfume, Féminité du Bois. He created his own perfume brand in 2000, and has been non-stop working his magic ever since. Now, he is expanding his expertise and is launching a series of home perfumes.

Serge Lutens’ at Home is carefully curated to fully capture art, history, sensuality and our love of places. His perfumes are, after all, almost like a modern-scented history book. His inspiration is taking the core ideas of places and people, and combining them with the present, through carefully curated fragrances.

His five scents include: Pierres sèches, laine et cuire, Mesk el-laïl, L’armoire à linge, Le palais des sables, and La dame de Heian. Each fragrance has its own unique characteristics and story. 

Pierres sèches, laine et cuire, is inspired by the Scottish House in the Highlands and has essences of leather as well as hints of wood to represent the fireplace and bookshelves. This scent is perfect for experiencing the nostalgia of a cold winter’s night in a bottle.  

Mesk el-laïl emulates the Arabian Garden with hints of jasmine as well as other floral scents to create a delicate perfume. It can bring the joy of wandering through a beautiful garden while also helping to unwind with the aroma of jasmine.  

L’armoire à ligne recreates the scent of the linen cupboard to create a clean smell with hints of linen and notes of wood. When you want to add the perfect touch to Sunday cleaning, this is exactly how to enhance the joy of a freshened space.

Le palais des sables, “The Sand Palace” is inspired by his current home in Morocco and is fragrant of rich woody notes as well as hints of an earthly scent, closely resembling ambergris. It is almost like a holiday in a bottle, except you don’t even have to step outside the house. 

Le Dame de Heian was inspired by the Japanese home and culture with essences of incense. Incense also played an important role throughout the history of Japan, as it was used to create a sacred space for prayer but evolved into a lifestyle. Scent-making, called Kodo, was a popular past-time as well as it was considered a form of art for the wealthy. And all this history is encapsulated in one spritz of this perfume, with a fruity and floral aroma closely resembling mohair.

Overall, Serge Lutens at Home collection does a beautiful job of linking a rich history to the modern user. Whether you are familiar with the history of perfume, or not, this home fragrance is a great way to embrace it in the comfort of your own home thanks to Serge Lutens.

Scented spaces, places, and buildings may have their heritage in religious ceremonies but scenting a house is just as important because after all, our homes are our sacred spaces.

If you would like to learn more about the Serge Lutens at home collection please click Here for Serge Lutens.

If you enjoyed this piece, Lutens’ World of Home, make sure to check out Newness by Serge

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