With the holidays upon us, a struggling economy and budgets extra tight, costly home decorating projects may be out of the question.
So it’s time to see the light, think outside that usual paint can and add some inexpensive sparkle to your home by redecorating for the season with a blaze of candles.
Experts tell us candles are no longer relegated to mere sentinel-like adornment on dining tables or mantels. Instead, the trend is grouping all shapes, colors and sizes in containers, large and small, throughout your home to create a distinctive, personalized look.
Richard Scuderi, president of Mavin Hill Designs in Tewksbury Township, says decorating with candles has many benefits. "Candles change the look of interior or exterior space and create the mood of your choice with very little time and expense."
Imagination is key and the results are illuminating. Whether you choose pillar, taper, votives; round or square, scented or unscented, simple candles can magically transform and brighten even the most tired room in a budget-friendly instant.
Scuderi advises rummaging through closets and cabinets for assorted, unexpected containers. "Don’t worry about matching candlesticks. Clusters of candles in odd-sized holders look great whether grouped in the center of a table or placed upon a silver, wood or mirrored tray on a sideboard, desk, bookcase or counter."
He says oversized hurricane-style glass containers or clear vases also make interesting candle displays when their bases are filled with organic materials like dried cranberries, acorns, coffee beans or river rocks.
Low floral arrangements placed amid groupings of candles are in vogue and, if fresh flowers are not in the budget, a row of small white votives or pillars with some evergreen branches or pinecones from your yard will yield big impact.
Dollar stores, garage sales and flea markets are good sources for interesting holders, plates, vases, candelabras and sconces. Eclectic is the name of the game these days. So be on the lookout for unusual wood, iron, silver, brass, pewter and glass items and remember, with just a little ingenuity, one man’s trash turns into another man’s candlelit treasure.
Montclair homeowner Joan Mueller says, "A friend recently found a vintage rectangular glass battery jar at a small antique shop and it now houses a colorful pillar candle on her kitchen island. Another collected old lanterns, placed candles in them and decorated her entrance foyer."
These days candles are available just about everywhere in all shapes, colors, scents, sizes and prices. And they can be easily ordered online or picked up on a trip to the local supermarket, big box, department or drug store.
NJ Candle in West New York has 20 years candle-making experience and manufactures unscented, hand-poured candles with lead-free wicks in 49 different colors. They’re only offered for sale online and company operations manager, Elizabeth Salim, says, "We’ve seen our market consistently grow as customers realize the candle’s versatility. Round pillar candles are still the most popular but our new line of square styles are the current choice for candlescape decorating."
Candles immediately imbue a room with texture and ambiance and Salim advises, "Use unscented candles in dining areas because they create a beautiful environment without overwhelming guests with fragrance. For people with allergies, unscented candles are definitely the best choice."
DESIGNER LIGHTING
Elaine Anderocci, of Anderocci Interiors in the Hunterdon County town of Oldwick is another designer applauding home decorating with candles. "A crucial element of good design is lighting, and candles eliminate hiring an electrician to do costly rewiring. Candles can be brought into a room in different quantities and colors then placed in different locations to emphasize important elements of the space. For example, sconces hung on either side of paintings will highlight the art."
A coffee table placed in front of a sofa seems more welcoming if there’s a soft glow emanating from it and Anderocci says small tea lights placed in antique dishes create cozy ambiance and are reflective of a homeowner’s special interests and personality.
Don’t limit decorating with candles to kitchens, living and dining rooms, she advises. "Candlelight in a bedroom adds a soft glow to skin tones and sets a romantic tone. And placing scented candles in assorted candlesticks in front of mirrors and on bedside tables fosters a sense of calm.
You can also design a bathroom with fragrant, scented candles and Anderocci says, "One of my clients wanted a chandelier over her bathtub but the town building code wouldn’t allow it. My solution was to find an antique chandelier, unwire it and hang it over the tub with candles. The finished effect was beautiful." So get started and make your own home beautiful by imaginative decorating with candles. Then light them, sit back, relax and bask in their glow.
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