Jo Malone London x Little Greene

This concept is what led Céline Roux, Global Head Of Fragrance at Jo Malone London, to spend time exploring the role scent plays in our lives, in our wellbeing and most particularly in our homes. ‘I’d been asking myself, “How do people choose scent for their home?” What's the reason to have different scents in your home,’ explains Céline. ‘And then I realised it is all about moods. We choose scents to match the mood we want. To evoke the sense of a “spring clean”, you want something clean and fresh. If you’ve had a hard day at work, you want to surround yourself with something comforting or de-stressing. When you’re entertaining, you’ll go for something joyful & inviting. I started to think about these different moods and how much scent – and also colour – play a role in that.’

This, it turns out, was the genesis of a beautiful meeting of minds between Jo Malone London and Little Greene, the proudly English paint and wallpaper paper brand based in the north of England whose magnificent hues have graced both historic country homes and contemporary city townhouses. This conversation between two British powerhouses has been brought to life in a collection of special-edition candles.

Five of Jo Malone London’s much-loved scents can now be enjoyed in glass vessels adorned in Little Greene’s iconic paints and prints that have been specifically amalgamated to complement different moods. Fresh & energising teams Lime Basil & Mandarin with Little Greene’s Briar Rose wallpaper design and Salix which is a fresh silvery green hue. Joyful & inviting adorns English Pear & Freesia with a Silent White Deep paint colour and the tropical bird Great Ormond Street wallpaper. Comforting & relaxing is a dalliance between Little Greene’s Masquerade paint colour – a serene dusky pink – and its Spring Flowers wallpaper design with the Jo Malone London stalwart, Pomegranate Noir. Sensual & warming pairs Myrrh & Tonka with Little Greene’s Light Peachblossom – a muted Regency pink – and Massingberd Blossom wallpaper. And for everyone seeking a tranquil & unwinding atmosphere, Lavender & Moonflower, the Bone China Blue paint colour and Ditsy Block wallpaper design have been combined to make perfect bedfellows. 

For Ruth Mottershead, Little Greene’s creative director, the natural alignment between colour and scent was an obvious reason to join forces with Jo Malone London. But what actually cemented the deal went far beyond that. More than anything, it was steeped in the realisation that both brands share very similar values: fundamentally, a proudly British heritage and an unwavering dedication to craftsmanship and creating a beautiful sense of home. ‘Manufacturing in the UK and creating for the home is really so important to us both,’ explains Ruth who took over the business from her father more than 15 years ago. ‘We are both really committed to being more sustainable and environmentally conscious. And,’ she adds with a smile ‘we are both so passionate about making things that make your home feel beautiful. Things that give a real kind of quality to your home and the mood within it. That was a real synergy between us.’

Still, one can’t help but wonder about the challenges involved in combining colours, scents and print to create a coherent product. ‘Actually, it was really easy,’ reveals Ruth with a laugh. ‘Céline had clear ideas on the atmosphere and the kind of moods the brand wanted to complement. 
And with our colour consultancy (where we specify colour for clients), this is what we do day-to-day.  We start with the function of the space, but then from there it's just a natural transition into a conversation on what they want that space to feel like and why they want it to feel like that. Somebody would say to me, “Oh, I'd like a room that feels comforting & relaxing,” and so I’d recommend Masquerade which is a kind of plaster colour. It's not too sweet. It's like a sophisticated plaster pink that has this earthy warm tone to it. And for Céline, she would say, “well this is the scent that smells comforting & relaxing.” Colour and scent really do the same thing’.

Céline is in complete agreement because ‘let’s face it,’ she says with a chuckle, ‘no one comes to you saying, “I want a spicy diffuser”. Rather you might say, “I had a long day at work and I just want to feel comfortable and relaxed and read a book in my living room”. You can imagine them doing that while burning Pomegranate Noir. So, working with Little Greene to bring this to life in colour was so natural and organic. And just like Jo Malone London, they are obsessed with the way you complement a mood within the home.’

Hence why, if there is one thing Ruth is on a mission to impart, it is exactly this passion for creating “a beautiful environment” in the home by combining colour and scent. ‘They don't even have to use our product. They don't even have to paint their room in Little Greene or use the wallpaper. I would love people to see that just having a candle and a small little injection of colour around you can make all the difference. When you light these candles, whether you are sitting doing your work or you're having a bath, you get that lovel scent and that fragrance and suddenly you are almost transported to another space. The moods they complement is a form of wellness, of escapism. It would be lovely for people to simply have that.’