Apartment lobby scenting means running one light, consistent fragrance through the ground-floor lobby, lift lobbies and corridors on a fixed schedule, so residents and visitors walk into a building that smells clean and looked after. A waterless diffuser such as the Beacon or Pillar, set from an app, does this with no daily work from building staff.
This guide is for apartment developers, building managers and body corporate committees planning scent for common areas.
why the lobby matters
The lobby is the first room anyone sees, and the one every resident passes through twice a day. It's also where buyers form a view of a building during sales inspections. Common areas tend to pick up smells from car parks, bin rooms, cooking and closed-up corridors. A light scent, on top of good cleaning, helps the whole building feel cared for.
zone by zone
ground-floor lobby
- Beacon: covers up to 300sqm with cold-air diffusion, no water, heat or flame. It sits on a floor or console with a 0.5m cable to a power point. See the Beacon diffuser.
- Pillar: floor-standing, for larger or double-height lobbies. See the Pillar diffuser.
- Placement: near the entry but out of the main walkway, away from automatic doors that pull scent straight outside.
lift lobbies
Lift lobbies are small and enclosed, so a little scent goes a long way. One lobby diffuser on a low setting often carries into the ground-floor lift lobby. On upper floors, keep it very light or leave them unscented.
corridors
Long internal corridors with no windows can smell stale. A Beacon at the lift end of a corridor, on delicate, is usually enough. Check that a power point is available, or plan one in at design stage for new buildings.
bin rooms
Be realistic here. Fragrance won't fix a bin room. Regular cleaning, ventilation and bin washing do the real work. Where a bin room opens onto a corridor or car park lobby, a diffuser in the space outside it helps the area people actually walk through.
setting the schedule
Run times and intensity (delicate, subtle, radiant or intense) are set in the kirri app.
- Mornings: switch on before the morning rush, around 6am.
- Evenings: run through the after-work return, then off overnight.
- Intensity: start on delicate. If people can smell it from the street, it's too strong.
- Oil: Beacon and Pillar take 30ml Macro Oil or 100ml Aura Oil. A 100ml bottle typically lasts 6 to 12 months, depending on hours and intensity.
choosing a scent for a building
Many people will smell it every day, so pick something easy to live with.
- Santal woods: sandalwood, cedar, cardamom, papyrus, violet, iris and amber. Warm and dry, suits stone and timber lobbies.
- Dream: citrus, bergamot, jasmine, tea, musk and amber. Light and fresh.
- Bondi: mandarin, watery ozone, green cardamom, black pepper and musk. Our lightest scent, suited to coastal buildings.
for developers
- Sales suites and display apartments: scent them with the same fragrance planned for the finished lobby, so buyers recognise it at settlement.
- Design stage: plan power points for lobby and corridor diffusers alongside lighting.
- Handover: include oil type and refill details in the building manual for the owners corporation.
for body corporates
- Get approval: raise it at a committee meeting and note it in the minutes.
- Sensitivities: some residents are sensitive to fragrance. Keep it light, and any unit can be paused from the app.
- Refills on a plan: scheduled deliveries mean the building manager isn't reordering oil.
frequently asked questions
how many diffusers does an apartment lobby need?
Usually one Beacon for a typical lobby up to 300sqm. Larger or double-height lobbies may suit a Pillar.
can residents complain about the scent?
They can, which is why it should stay light. Starting on delicate and pausing on request keeps most buildings happy.
do the diffusers need water or a plumber?
No. They're waterless. The oil bottle screws straight in, and they only need a standard power point.
scent your building
See our Beacon scenting program for scheduled refills with no lock-in, including larger buildings and developments. To talk through your common areas, contact us or email partners@houseofkirri.com.