7 Ways to Use Candles

Candles are one of life’s affordable luxuries.  They add warmth, atmosphere and sometimes even scent to your home, but I am guilty of owning them without actually lighting them very often.  If this happens to you too, here are 7 different ways to use candles in your home as part of daily life.

1. Use Candles in the Fireplace

Inspiration Image   |   Flameless Candles from Pottery Barn

Candles look great stacked in a fireplace.  Use the same colour, but mix up the height and width of the candles to create a balanced collection.  Flameless battery operated candles are a safe solution, as you can leave the room without worrying about the risk of fire.

2. Use Candles on the Dining Table

Inspiration image   |   Tealights from Kmart

A display of candles on the dining room table instantly creates a warm and intimate setting.  Tea lights are a great candle to use as they sit low on the table so you can easily see over them to the person sitting on the other side of the table.

3. Use Candles in the Bathroom

Inspiration Image   |   Scented Candle from Alfresco Emporium

Whether you’re soaking in the bath or just cleaning your face, why not light a fragrant scented candle?  They also help mask unpleasant odours.

4. Use Candles on the Coffee Table

Inspiration Image   |   Votive Candle from Dusk

Don’t let the glow from the television be the only lighting in your living area.  Place some candles on a tray on your coffee table and enjoy the warm glow of the light.

5. Use Candles in the Bedroom

Inspiration image   |   Scented candle from Ada & Darcy

As with the bathroom, it’s lovely to use a scented candle in the bedroom, and how delicious does this freesias and fresh strawberries candle sound?

6. Use Candles in a Lantern

Lantern image from Nordic House   |   Marbled Finish Candles from Shadow Homewares

Use candles outside too in a lantern to protect them from the breeze, or bring the lanterns inside and place them on the floor or a console table.  For more ideas on how to decorate with lanterns see our story Decorating with Lanterns.

7. Use Candles for a Celebration

Inspiration Image   |   Jubla unscented candles from IKEA

This is such a gorgeous idea to tie a ribbon around a bunch of candles and create a candle birthday cake.  These Jubla candles from Ikea will burn straight as they are made from 100% stearin.  They are unscented at at $7.99 per pack of 20, they are very affordable as a 40th celebration.

So there are 7 ways you can use candles in your home, so don’t just let them sit there, light them and enjoy the ambience they create.

Note: Safety First – You should never leave lit candles unattended or within the reach of children.  Be sure to extinguish candles and matches properly.

I'm Kylie, and I love to share practical home decorating and styling tips. I'm a qualified interior designer and self taught crafter and DIY'er. I'm addicted to decorating, and can't walk past a homewares shop without going in for a look. I live in a 1930's Queenslander in Brisbane's inner suburbs which I'm turning into a home one project at a time.