Smell is the sense that is most tied to memory, and IKEA’s latest collection is about creating them. The retailer partnered with another Swedish brand, luxury fragrance and fashion house Byredo, for a limited edition line of candles that asks: what does home smell like?
IKEA’s own research shows that over 40 percent of people think their homes have their own recognizable scent. “The way your home smells is very emotional and plays a huge part in how you feel being there,” Byredo founder Ben Gorham said in a press release. “It isn’t just about things being functional and practical, it’s the place where you come together with family and friends and make memories.”
The collection is called OSYNLIG, which is Swedish for “invisible”, to represent the non-physical items that go into home design, such as light, mood, atmosphere, and of course, scent. “Something as non-physical as a fragrance needs a tactile context,” says Iina Vuorivirta, Designer at IKEA. The handmade ceramic vessels feature a ombre of different glazes and are meant to blend into your home. The triangle stamped on each container represents how people experience the scents, with top notes at the tip, and base notes being the widest and longest-lasting part of the fragrance. You’ll definitely want to repurpose them when the candle is gone.
The 13 scents come in three different sizes, ranging in price from $4.99 to $24.99. Broken down by category—fresh, floral, and woody varieties—some of the options include cassis and freesia, peach blossom and bamboo, and firewood and spice. But if 13 fragrances aren’t enough to choose from, both Gorham and James Futcher, Creative Leader at IKEA, encouraged personalization. During a virtual press event, they encouraged the burning of multiple candles at once to create your own signature home scent.
While the collaboration is years in the making, the release of the collection for November 2020 was perfect timing. “It’s really relevant now,” Futcher said. “I don’t think any smell will be more indicative of 2020 than the smell of the home,” Gorham added.
OSYNLIG will be available at IKEA stores and IKEA.com starting in November.
Tara Bellucci
News and Culture Editor
Tara is Apartment Therapy’s News & Culture Editor. When not scrolling through Instagram double-tapping pet pics and astrology memes, you’ll find her thrift shopping around Boston, kayaking on the Charles, and trying not to buy more plants.
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