Scent literacy

Words for a scent, a space, a feeling

Most of us know when a room or a scent feels right, but not how to say it. These words are here to help.

They are starting words, not a complete list. Putting a feeling, a room or a scent into words is the first step in noticing it: once we can name something, we see it more clearly. Borrow these words, change them, and add your own.

They are kept like things in a chest of drawers: for the scent, for the scent in other senses, for the space, and for how you feel. Open a drawer and choose the words that fit. They gather below into a few lines of your own.

Why other senses? Our senses borrow from each other. When we call a smell bright, sharp or warm, we are already using words from sight and touch. Research by Charles Spence and others at Oxford has found that many people make similar matches: lemon with sharp shapes, vanilla with round ones. The matches are learned, and they change from one culture to another, so there are no wrong answers. More in the Journal: The yellow we both mean.

A small practice: smell one oil, then choose one word from each drawer of the second chest. Do it again next week, and see what has changed.

The scent

What the air carries

Brightness

Seems to lift and sharpen the air. lemon, grapefruit
Small bursts of light, like fizz in a glass. lime, bergamot
Like a snapped stem or a crushed leaf. petitgrain, basil
Glows softly rather than sparkles. neroli, jasmine
Soft, as if the colour were turned down. Roman chamomile, lavender
Warm and dim, like the last light of the day. frankincense, myrrh
Low and shadowed, with no sparkle. patchouli, vetiver

Temperature

Sharper than cool, felt at the back of the throat. peppermint, spearmint
Fresh, felt in the nose as much as smelled. eucalyptus radiata, tea tree
Like air through a window just opened. rosemary, pine
Neither warm nor cool. lavender, palmarosa
Rounded, like spice or wood near a fire. cinnamon leaf, benzoin
Warmth with a bite, like pepper on the tongue. black pepper, ginger, clove
A slow, even warmth, like embers. sandalwood, myrrh

Weight

Barely there, and quick to leave. lime, mandarin
Fine and easily lost. neroli, rose otto
Thin and open, with space inside it. lavender, petitgrain
Fills the nose without pressing on it. geranium, rose otto
Full and layered, with depth. benzoin, ylang ylang
Thick and close, slow to move. ylang ylang, jasmine
Dense, staying close to the ground. myrrh, patchouli
Seems to settle low in the room. vetiver, cedarwood

Edge

Clear edges, like a cut line. lemon, basil
Snaps cleanly, like a fresh apple. lemongrass, grapefruit
Soft edges, nothing pointed. sweet orange, Roman chamomile
Even all the way through. sandalwood, palmarosa
Smooth and milky. sandalwood
Soft and dusty, like face powder. carrot seed
No sweetness at all, like paper or bark. cedarwood, frankincense
A little coarse, like bark or tweed. vetiver, black pepper

Taste in the air

Honeyed or fruity. ylang ylang, benzoin
A thick, golden sweetness. immortelle
Fruit at its fullest, just sweet. mandarin, sweet orange
Sour, like unripe fruit. lime, lemon
Like peel, or tea steeped a little long. petitgrain, grapefruit
Prickles a little, like a pinch of spice. clove, cinnamon leaf, black pepper
More kitchen than garden. basil, thyme

Character

Petals and blossom. geranium, rose otto, jasmine
Like a kitchen garden, or herbs drying. basil, marjoram, thyme
Like a cut log or a pencil. cedarwood, sandalwood
Sticky and warm, like tree resin. frankincense, myrrh
Soft, sweet resin, close to vanilla. benzoin
Like soil after rain. vetiver, patchouli
A trace of something that has burned. vetiver
Clean and sharp, like a first-aid box. tea tree, cajeput
A cool edge, like a key or a coin.

Movement

Arrives at once, fades soon. the citrus oils
Opens all at once, like peel being squeezed. sweet orange, grapefruit
Seems to climb towards the ceiling. peppermint, eucalyptus radiata
Moves out to fill the room. pine, rosemary
Comes and goes, in waves. lavender, neroli
Smells the same from start to end. cedarwood
Stays near where it is. benzoin
Stays in fabric and corners long after. vetiver, sandalwood

The scent, in other senses

If it were a colour, a texture, a sound

Light

Warm light spreading outwards, like sun through a window.
Small, quick flashes, like light on water.
Faint light that comes and goes.
Clear and cool, like light through glass.
Soft, steady light from within, like a lamp behind a shade.
Light softened, as if through mist or gauze.
Light held back, with dark corners.
So bright it is almost too much.

Colour

A thin, sharp yellow, like zest.
A thick, golden yellow.
A soft orange-pink, round and warm.
Deep gold, like resin held up to the light.
Earthy red-orange, like a clay pot.
A dusty pink, gentle rather than sweet.
A dark purple-red, rich and close.
Grey-purple, like the sky just after sunset.
A fresh green, like a young leaf.
A damp, shaded green.
A soft grey-green, quiet and dry.
A light, cool blue with air in it.
A deep, still blue.
Dark and warm, like wood or soil.
A soft grey that drifts.
Clean and clear, with no warmth.

Texture

Snaps cleanly, like a fresh leaf or new paper.
Smooth and slipping, with a soft shine.
Soft and deep, like a heavy curtain.
Fine and dry, like dust on a moth's wing.
Thin and dry, almost weightless.
Smooth and a little thick, like a candle.
Rough with tiny grains.
Fine grit, warm and dry.
Hard, smooth and cool.
Smooth with a shine, like polished wood.
Even all the way, nothing to catch on.
Soft, warm and slightly rough.
So light it barely touches.
Clings a little, like resin or honey.
Soft, damp and green underfoot.

Material

Cool, dry and a little rough.
Warm, soft and close.
Smooth, light and cool.
Dry, plain and quiet.
Dry wood, warm and clean.
Solid, old wood, steady.
Earthy and cool, a little damp.
Cold, smooth and heavy.
Clear, cool and hard.
Warm metal with a bright edge.
Soft, warm and gently sweet.
Cool, solid and still.

Sound

Bright and clear, ringing out.
Light, airy and rising.
Short, sharp and bright.
Low, warm and long.
Deep and steady in the background.
Gentle and close, never loud.
Papery and light, like leaves underfoot.
Moving, green and alive.
Soft, cool and steady.
Warm, sharp little sounds.
A short flare, then smoke.
Small, steady, regular.
A quiet ending; something settles.
So quiet you notice the air.

Shape

Soft all over, no corners.
Bending gently, like a bowl.
Rising and falling.
Sharp corners and straight lines.
Narrowing to a sharp tip.
Even, with no rise or fall.
Moving upwards, getting lighter.
Turning and turning as it moves.
One thing on top of another.
Open in the middle, with space inside.
Packed close, no gaps.
Spread out in small pieces.

Season and weather

Fresh, cool and green, with light coming in.
Soft warmth after a long cold.
Full heat, bright and heavy.
Wet earth and clean air.
Warm air that seems to shimmer.
Cool edges, golden light.
Soft, grey and close; edges disappear.
Sharp, cold and clean.
Still, cold and dark.
Quiet, pale and very clear.

The space

What the room is like

Light

Full of direct light.
Clear light reaching every corner.
Low, warm evening light.
Light broken by leaves or blinds.
Steady light with no strong shadows, as from a north window.
Lit by lamps rather than windows.
Low light, with soft edges.
Corners left in shade.

Air

Air that hardly moves.
Open, with air moving through.
Newly aired, cool and clean.
Moving air you can feel on your skin.
Warm and a little stuffy.
Damp and warm, like a bathroom after a shower.
A little stale, closed up for a while.

Warmth

Warm enough to stay in a while.
Warm in patches, where the sun falls.
Neither warm nor cold; you stop noticing.
Pleasantly cool, like a pantry or a stone floor.
Cold enough to want a jumper.

Sound

No sound you can name.
Quiet enough to hear small sounds.
One small, steady sound you notice.
A low sound in the background: a fridge, a boiler.
Softened by fabric, rugs and books.
Sound that carries and rings.
Hard surfaces giving sound back.
Full of voices and movement.

Shape

Holds you on more than one side.
Curves around you, like a deep chair or a window seat.
Hidden from the rest of the house.
Small enough to feel near everything.
A low ceiling that brings you closer.
A high ceiling, with air above you.
Wide, with nothing close around you.
Large enough that you can spread out.
Between two places, like a threshold or a landing.
Off-balance in a pleasing way, like a sloping attic ceiling.

Surfaces

Textiles, cushions, things that give.
Rugs on floors, throws on chairs.
Stone, tile, glass.
Brick, raw plaster, unbleached linen.
Polished, even, easy under the hand.
Softened by years of use.
Wood, wool, cork.
Concrete, marble, metal.

Order

Almost empty.
Little in it, each thing chosen.
Everything has a place.
Things gathered over years, on show.
Signs of daily life, in a good way.
Mid-project, work left out.
More than the space can hold.

Pace

A place where time seems to stretch.
Waiting, like a guest room between visits.
Used the same way every day.
People coming and going.
A place you cross rather than stay in.

The feeling

How it sits in you, by aspect

Storage Secured & Grounded

Comfortable

When something’s off

Restoration Exhale & Renewal

Comfortable

When something’s off

Kinship Warmth & Belonging

Comfortable

When something’s off

Intimacy Vulnerability & Trust

Comfortable

When something’s off

Productivity Clarity & Momentum

Comfortable

When something’s off

Stimulation Spark & Discovery

Comfortable

When something’s off

Put it into words

A room record

A few lines on how one room feels to you today. Keep one for each room of your home, and come back in a month to see what has changed.

The room

The scentchoose from the first chest

In other sensesfrom the second

The spacefrom the third

I feeland from the fourth

Your records stay on this device only; nothing is sent. Words that feel “off” are not bad: they are information. Took the Self-Reflection Quiz? Try describing the room where your quietest aspect lives.

Words we use on this site

Self-Place Bond: The relationship between us and our homes, and how a home shapes how we feel.
The six functional aspects: The six things a home does for us: Storage, Restoration, Kinship, Intimacy, Productivity and Stimulation.
Emotional Topography of Home: A map of how different parts of the home hold different feelings.
Emotional landscape: The changing mix of feelings we move through.
Top, middle and base notes: The layers of a scent, from first impression to what lingers.
Scent family: A group of oils that share a quality. Neighbouring families blend smoothly; families across the wheel make a contrast.
Intensity, reach, lasting power: How strongly a scent registers, how far it travels, and how long it stays.
Active and passive diffusers: An active diffuser uses electricity; a passive one, like a cedar cube, lets the oil leave slowly on its own.
Micro-zone: A small part of a room our body touches: a reading chair, a windowsill, the counter beside the kettle.
Felt Map: A plan of our home, marked where we feel at ease (+) and where we feel tension (−).
Room posture: How a space feels to us today, in one word: Aligned, Obligated, Demanding, Fortified or Unanchored.

The feeling words come from A Year of Rooms, our 365-day practice. Bachelard wrote of drawers, chests and wardrobes as the places where a home keeps its secrets; a vocabulary is a small chest of that kind.