Candle Styling Ideas: Make Candles Look Like Decor

To make candles look like decor, group them instead of scattering them, vary their heights, and give them a base such as a tray. Then choose vessels that look good unlit, because that is how most candles spend their day.

One candle on a table often looks accidental. Three or five, set on a tray with different heights and textures, look planned. The rest of this post covers how to do that and how to keep it safe around pets and kids.

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How do you group candles so they look intentional?

Start with an odd number. Three or five items read as a composed cluster, while a pair feels formal and symmetrical. Both are fine, but a cluster is easier to make look relaxed.

Then vary the height. If your tallest piece is about 10 inches, make the next one 6 or 7 inches and finish with a low votive or a 3-inch jar. The eye steps down the group and keeps moving. Three candles of identical height only work when they are spaced out evenly, like on a formal dining table.

Use a tray to hold the group together

A tray turns several small objects into one larger shape. On a rectangular coffee table, a round tray breaks up the straight lines. On a round ottoman, a rectangular one adds structure.

Leave a few inches of empty tray around the candles. That gap looks calmer, and it gives you room for a wick trimmer or matches. If the candles touch the rim, the tray is too small.

Which vessels look best?

Pick containers that contrast with what is already in the room. A glossy lacquered table makes glass holders nearly disappear, so matte ceramic, stoneware, concrete or unlacquered brass will show up better. Glossy surfaces bounce light and matte ones absorb it, so mixing the two gives the group some depth.

Think about the unlit candle too. Large brand labels rarely look good on a shelf. If you love the scent but not the jar, turn the label to the back or slip the candle inside a hurricane lantern.

Colored wax or neutral wax?

White and ivory are easy and rarely wrong. Colored tapers in burgundy, navy or forest green work like a small accent color in a neutral room. Look for candles where the color runs through the wax, since a thin outer coating can look chalky and chip.

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How do you style candles room by room?

Living room and mantel

On a coffee table, function comes first. Keep room for drinks and legs, and use low, wide candles, which are harder to knock over than tall tapers. The mantel can take height: tall tapers in holders of mixed metals look collected. If your mirror frame is gold, black iron candlesticks add contrast.

Keep flames well away from artwork leaning on the mantel. Heat and soot will mark the frame or canvas. For more ideas on where each candle goes, see our guide to candle placement for a cozy home.

Dining table

Sightlines matter here. Use tapers tall enough that the flame sits above eye level, or votives low enough to sit well below it. Anything in between ends up in people's faces.

Skip scented candles at the table, since vanilla or fresh linen competes with the food. Unscented beeswax or soy is the safer choice, and beeswax gives a warm light.

Bathroom

A small marble or stone slab on the vanity can hold a candle, a soap dispenser and a small vase, so the counter looks tidy instead of crowded. Around the tub, I recommend LED candles. You get the flicker without a flame near towels and bath mats.

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What about tapers, pillars and sculptural candles?

Tapers add height fast. Instead of two identical holders, try three at graduated heights. Block-shaped or ceramic holders feel more current than traditional silver. If a taper is loose, a bit of candle adhesive or putty holds it upright. A crooked taper looks messy and is a fire risk.

Sculptural candles, such as knots, bubbles and geometric shapes, are mostly for looking at. They lose their shape when burned, so treat them as small objects. Set one on a stack of books with a coaster under it, or on open shelving. If you like that approach, this post on styling a functional shelf shows how to balance objects there.

For an empty corner or hearth, a large glass hurricane with a wide pillar candle fills the gap between floor and furniture. Make it substantial, roughly 12 to 18 inches tall, or it looks like something you forgot to pick up. To keep soot off the glass, clean the inside, then wipe it with a very thin film of oil so the next soot layer wipes off more easily.

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How do you keep candles looking good?

A neglected candle ruins the arrangement. Two habits do most of the work.

• Let a new candle burn until the wax pool reaches the edge of the vessel, which can take a few hours depending on width. A short first burn leaves a tunnel down the middle.
• Trim the wick to about 1/4 inch before each burn. Long wicks form carbon mushrooms that smoke and blacken the glass.

Keep a wick trimmer on the tray. It looks good there and you will actually use it.

Candles with pets and kids

A wagging tail can clear a low coffee table in one sweep. If you have a dog, a cat or a toddler, move the glow up. Wall sconces made for candles put the flame at eye level and out of reach. Flameless candles in frosted glass vessels also read well from a few feet away.

Scented candles and essential oils can bother some animals, so check with your vet if you are unsure. And never leave a lit candle in a room where a pet is alone.

As an architect, I'd treat the flame as a hazard first and a decor item second. That means a stable base, nothing flammable within about 12 inches above, and a tray or plate under every pillar so wax never reaches wood.

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A quick check before guests arrive

1. Trim the wicks and wipe any blackened glass.
2. Move hanging plants, lampshades or curtains away from the flame.
3. Bump the table gently. If a candle wobbles, secure it.
4. Avoid mixing strong scents between adjoining rooms.
5. Confirm every candle sits on a tray, plate or coaster.

Metal holders and mixed finishes can be tricky to care for over time, so see how to clean copper candle holders if you use brass or copper. For a bolder look, these glamoratti candle holder ideas are a good next stop.

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