How to Use Candles in Home Decor

Candles are great for decoration, for relaxation, for establishing a mood or just as a backup when the electricity goes awry. These miraculous wax art pieces add both visual and actual warmth to any room of the home. They help to create an ambience and a general decor, and they offer extra lighting as well. How can candles be used most effectively for decorating in general? Follow the steps below to accomplish just that. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Establish a plan for how you want to use your candles before you shop for them. This will make your purchasing trip much easier.

2

Choose candles that complement your home decor or the specific theme for which they are being used. Keep in mind the textures that you want to accomplish with your candle choices as well. Also think about the holders, containers or plates that will be needed to hold the candles that you choose; they should also complement the decor.

3

Use candles to decorate your tables. Pillar or votive candles are particularly good for accenting coffee or end tables. They can be placed in individual holders or clustered together on a plate or inside a bowl. Taper, tea light, votive and floating candles, as well as pillars, can decorate a dining or kitchen table with equal ease.

4

Use candles to accent furniture pieces. For example, if you have a large fireplace on one wall of the room, with little or no other furniture along the same wall, it might look lonely and a bit odd on its own. However, placing one to three large pillar candles on tall candlesticks on each side of the fireplace immediately warms up the area and makes the fireplace a focal point of the room.

5

Use candles to accent cabinets or countertops, mixing and matching them with other items that are used to decorate those areas. For example, if your kitchen theme is fruity, then place artificial grapes or other types of fruit around candles or candle holders to accent the overall decor.

6

Put candles on decorative wall sconces that blend in with your overall home decor.

7

Place various size candles all around the bathroom to establish a relaxing mood for a luxurious bath. Choose pillars for long-term use or tea lights, votives or floating candles that can be changed out from time to time.

8

Place candles all around the bedroom to establish the mood for a night of love and passion. Making love by candlelight is both romantic and sensual.

9

Use candles in place of knickknacks, figurines, vases and plants. Place one or two on a stack of hardback books for a touch of sophistication and elegance. Use pillars with specially chosen decorative holders or with stunning hurricanes for a particular type of decor such as Victorian, Art Deco or Colonial.

10

Use candles to decorate for parties or special events. For example, for a tropical-themed event, place a bit of sand into a large clam shell and nest a tea light in the center. These can be used to accent a food table or a bar. During the spring, mix candles with spring-colored silk flowers to brighten up home decor. For Christmas, surround white candles by red bulbs on a crystal plate for a festive flair.

11

Paint special designs on your candles and candle holders. For example, if you have a nautical theme, paint anchors or lighthouses on your candles; for a romantic bedroom, paint flowers.

12

Decorate candles and candle holders with seashells, rocks, crystals, jewels and beading to jazz them up or to establish a particular theme.

13

Use decorative items like silk flowers, greenery and candle rings to surround candles.