How to be the Hostess with the Most(est)

When hosting holiday parties—whether Thanksgiving with the family or the hottest holiday bash, every detail counts…in every room of the house. Traci Arntsen, home stylista and founder of VOLUSPA, gives easy and simple tips on how to be the hostess with the mostest this holiday season. From complementary cooking candles for the kitchen to scented blankets and throws in the bedroom, Traci’s Tips are the easiest way to get your home in tip-top, guest-ready condition.

Kitchen Scenting the kitchen can be tricky as you never want to fragrance over the delicious smell of your gourmet meal.

Traci’s Tip: Try out scented candles that either complement the meal you’re cooking or cancel out any fishy, garlicky, or overpowering scents.

Voluspa has developed a collection of scented products, in collaboration with professional Chef James Boyce, that are designed to accent the food in your kitchen and to remove any unwanted odor. The James Boyce Collection by VOLUSPA includes 6 kitchen-worthy fragrances and comes in two candle sizes and a professional hand scrub.

Living Room The perfect place to use candle light. Traci’s Tip: Large three wick candles make excellent centerpieces and will easily scent even a large room. Collections of 6 or more small candles also make a beautiful statement and will scent even a large room.

Try: VOLUSPA’s 12 oz Three Wick Metal Tin Candle. Packaged in a festive metal candle bowl, this SEASONS fragranced candle made from VOLUSPA’s proprietary wax formula gives off a rich glow and easily scents a large room. Suggested retail price: $18.

Holiday scents include: Frost Pinecone, Winter Cherry, Makassar Ebony &Peach, Snow Flakes, Winesap Apple Spice, French Bourbon Vanille Japanese Plum Bloom and the new Truffle White Cocoa.

Bedroom Make the bedroom a sanctuary by bringing in scents and colors that promote relaxation and make you feel pampered.

Traci says, “Warm sensual fragrances like vanilla and amber should be paired with spices like clove or star anise for a combination that is both calming and exotic, not boring.”

Traci’s Tip: Spritzing your linens with your favorite linen or room spray (make sure it is safe for fabric first) will release a fresh draft of your favorite scent when you turn down your bed for the evening.

Try: VOLUSPA’s French Bourbon Vanille Room Fragrance—autumn chocolate, featuring creamy, rich vanilla from Bourbon, France. A 5.25 oz custom designed colored glass bottle filled with an intoxicating amount of SEASONS fragrance. Housed in a gorgeous metallic box.

Bathroom Diffusers are the perfect way to keep a small space well scented throughout the year.

Traci’s Tip: Flip the reeds weekly and replace the diffuser when the fragrance is gone or after 3-4 months. Special occasion? Light a small candle and place near the sink to create ambiance for guests. Mixing scents can lead to fragrance over-load in a small space so have the same scent in multiple formats (diffuser, candle and room spray) allowing for easy usage.

Try: VOLUSPA Fragrant Oil Diffuser in Winter Cherry—holiday red, featuring bright red, tart winter cherries layered with pomegranate and mangosteen. Uniquely shaped glass accompanied by chocolate brown bamboo reeds hold and diffuse concentrated fragrance that gently releases without the use of heat and is alcohol-free. Spectacular metallic box reflects classic holiday imagery that’s sure to please everyone at the party. Suggested retail price: $48.

Traci Arntsen says, “Candles and scents should be an experience.” Whether you’re putting together a cozy get-together with friends or planning hottest holiday bash of the season, stick to these simple tips from Traci and you’ll certainly be the hostess with the mostest.

Over the last decade, VOLUSPA has come to be regarded as one of the most innovative brands in Home fragrance. Traci Arntsen (fragrance designer and co-founder) has truly mastered her craft—perfectly mixing, blending, and designing all things VOLUSPA. She has had her hand in every aspect of her brand—inception to completion. From artistic inspiration and scent creation to design conception and product packaging, Traci Arntsen is known for upping the creative ante in home fragrance. Her famous fragrances and candles have attracted equally well-known fans including Hayden Panettiere, Halle Berry, Jessica Simpson, Steven Spielberg, Annalynne McCord, and Scarlett Johanson (to name a few).

Voluspa candles and home fragrances are available at Anthropologie and other retailers nationwide. For a complete list of retailers and more information on Voluspa go to www.voluspa.com.