Meet the founder of innovative interior design business in Northamptonshire that leads with scent to evoke memories
Meet the founder of an innovative interior design business in Northamptonshire, which leads with scent to evoke memories and feelings for her clients.
Leanne Bone is the owner of Arden Grace Interiors in Daventry, which she launched in January 2025. Alongside the visual element of her work, Leanne incorporates scent selection within her designs and there is a choice of more than 1,000.
Rather than finishing an interior design project with a candle or diffuser, Leanne offers discreet integrated units – sometimes built into bespoke furniture – which release gentle bursts of fragrance on a programmed schedule.
The scent can shift with the seasons and unlike a candle, this unique offering does not depend on someone remembering to light it.
It was at the start of last year when Leanne felt she could confidently share her offering and position herself uniquely in the market. Up until that point, she was focused on studying and laying the crucial foundations for the concept.
“A lot of designers work with what you see and touch, and I lean towards scent and layering,” Leanne told this newspaper. “It reaches the memory faster and it’s the most linked. I create characterful family rooms with an element of scent layering in the design.
“It’s not just about a pretty design and different textures, it’s about evoking the memory and it’s different to just adding a candle at the end.”
Arden Grace Interiors works with customers in Northampton, Daventry, Banbury, Rugby and the surrounding villages. Leanne’s design studio is based at her countryside home and she believes her love for heritage and nature aligns with the communities she serves.
When asked what feedback she has recently received and what people like most about the offering, Leanne said: “Exceptional bespoke designs and great attention to detail. Warm, characterful and suitable for busy family homes.”
Leanne is confident she has filled a gap in the market when it comes to scent layering, which is wired directly with memory and emotions in humans. She remains committed to beautiful designs in line with clients’ requirements, with the “extra special touch” through scent.
Leanne has struck a strong partnership with a bespoke kitchen and furniture maker, as well as a fragrance company which means she has a catalogue of more than 1,000 when it comes to the integrated scent solutions.
She trained at the British College of Interior Design and hopes this instils trust in customers that they are buying into someone professionally trained and qualified.
The process at Arden Grace Interiors begins with a discovery call, when Leanne asks about a place, memory or feeling that the client wants their home to hold. She does not dive straight into the appearance of the home, but works to understand the lifestyles of the people who live there.
The scent layering begins from there, ensuring the chosen fragrances match the materials, finishes and furnishes that Leanne has picked for the home. This process can be as long as nine months but Leanne says the reveal is worth it.