HGTV Personality Egypt Sherrod Shares What Makes A 'House A Home'

Interior designer and HGTV personality Egypt Sherrod knows the difference between a “house and a home” and with her new partnership and her various businesses, she’s able to help others to also know that difference. 

Air Wick, known for its exceptional home fragrances, has partnered with 1-800-Flowers.com to introduce a special series of bespoke bouquets inspired by Air Wick's distinctive scents. In highlighting the significance of incorporating fragrances into your home, the brand enlisted the expertise of Sherrod.

Scent can truly infuse your living space with unique energy and character.

As a well-known interior designer, Sherrod can help others learn how to make their house feel more like a home. Through her partnership with Air Wick x 1-800-Flowers.com, she’s helping people find their own signature scent.  

“I'm a designer, and home decor is all about making your home feel like your own. That's the difference between a house and a home - when you feel comfortable, you feel like it's you and it's a perfect reflection of your heart and reflects your joy,” she exclusively told The Blast. 

“One way to do that, of course, is by unlocking your signature scent which has become very popular - you're hearing homeowners do it. You're hearing businesses do it, but it can also equally be overwhelming. That’s why I've partnered with Air Wick because they provide your space with noticeable and long-lasting fragrances to really create the feeling of home.”

Unlocking your signature scent doesn’t have to be a daunting process. Sherrod said she may be a bit “biased” because she has her own favorite scent which is the Air Wick Vibrant Lavender & Waterlily Scented Oil.

“My husband and I did one of the Air Wick commercials a few weeks ago, and I got a chance to just smell them all and that one really stood out to me,” she said. “From the time you enter my home, it smells like Air Wick Vibrant Lavender & Waterlily Scented Oil. I think people tour houses with all their senses, so it really just sets the tone.”

Sherrod said it’s easy to get involved by going to 1-800-Flowers.com and choosing a bouquet style from the Air Wick x 1-800-Flowers Collection that you love and reflects your scent and sense of style. When you receive the bouquet, it has directions on how to get a complimentary Air Wick product and fragrance.

“Then when you get it, all you have to do is either plug in or use the Essential Mist Diffuser,” she said. “I love the diffuser! Your home will smell exactly like you want it to smell.”

Real estate wasn’t Sherrod’s first love. She started out as a radio personality in New York for 20 years but also had a love of real estate and design she couldn't deny.

“I practiced real estate in New Jersey and my real estate office was in Fort Lee, NJ. I would go on the radio in the morning, then leave and go to my real estate office, then I would go check on my investment properties,” she told The Blast.

“I had to stage them which organically evolved me in the design space. I think it was just always there. As I grew from girl to woman, I wanted to do something different, and it just felt like a very organic graduation for me.” 

And from that love and hard work, Sherrod’s family of companies was born, Egypt Sherrod Enterprises. Included in that family of companies are Indigo Road Realty, Indigo Road Home Furnishings, Indigo Road Design Group, and Indigo Road Homes.

Her Indigo Road Home line will offer bedding, window coverings, towels, and shower curtains this year. Sherrod partnered with Lichtenberg to bring her products to stores across the country.  

“I love when something is just an organic migration. You often see celebrity-named companies ebb and flow with the celebrity's popularity,” she said. “I wanted to create a legacy company that could go on long after me. That is why a few years back, I changed the name of my companies from a namesake to a brand that could stand the test of time.”

Indigo Road has also been Sherrod’s personal journey. She said, "Indigo represents wisdom and purpose and we all have a road to follow to achieve that." 

When Sherrod was single and living in the city, she said her now husband, who was her then-boyfriend, Mike Jackson, said “It looked like a museum.” 

“You couldn’t touch anything, you didn’t know where to sit, everything was artsy. You definitely couldn’t bring kids to it,” she explained. “When I had my daughter Kendall and became a stepmom to Simone, I realized that something had to give.” 

She knew she had to find a balance because kids have a way of taking over.

“It became my mission to prove that luxury, comfort and sustainable design could coexist,” she said.

“A big part of design is also your sense of smell, so unlocking a signature scent, something that the kids weren’t allergic to, something that the kids, my husband, and all of us loved because there’s my signature scent, then it’s like, what is the family signature scent? That becomes important as well.” 

Sherrod and Jackson have been together for more than 20 years and also work together. Sherrod said with a laugh that the best part about working with her husband is that she gets to work with him, and the hardest part is that she’s working with him. But because they are best friends, they always have fun together.

A few weeks ago, the husband and wife team did a series of Air Wick commercials together. 

“There were total laughs just everywhere. I’m excited about it because viewers will get to see the fun, but also, I discovered how important it is really to introduce signature scents to clients this upcoming season because people really are touring homes with all their senses, even their sense of smell,” she said.

“It will be really fun to see people discover themselves with the Air Wick products.”