I mentioned it a couple of posts back on home inspiration—I love candles. That’s not an exaggeration. My home is filled with candles—beautiful, scented candles.
(I talked about the Buddhas from Bali, but did any of you notice the two little candles in between them? There they are in the photo above.)
There’s something about the candle’s light and its beautiful scent that when it fills the room, it makes everything seem different. The mood changes and memories are triggered. That’s just me. When I choose a candle, I give it a good sniff and see where the scent takes me. Sometimes it transports me to a different place or time. Sometimes I simply remember something I’m fond of.
At home, I light my candles for many reasons. Some are personal: they make me feel good, relaxed, or refreshed. I need to light one when I start my day, when I work in my home office (like right now as I am typing this I have one of my candles lit), and even when I step into the shower (makes that me-time even more luxurious).
Some are perfect for entertaining: to set the mood or to create an atmosphere that appeals to the senses. I plan everything to the detail when I host a dinner or a party; I’m not going to forget to appeal to my guests’ sense of smell as well.
Most of the time, I choose according to scent: something that smells fresh and something that I think my family or guests will appreciate. But I also notice how the candle looks overall—its packaging, its design, and if it will look good in my home. It’s not the kind of home item that gets packed away in a storage when not in use—it’s out there on a table or a shelf, so it must provide a decorative element too. So being, you can say meticulous about my home, my candles have to fit my home both in design and functionality.
Showing you some of my favorite candles I have at home:
So if you come to my home, my office, or even my bathroom, you’ll see how I am very much in love with candles. Maybe you can say it’s one of my secrets as a homemaker and as a host. I don’t just stop at things that are beautiful and appealing to the eye, I need to complete the experience with a treat for all the senses!
I do think this is one simple pleasure that we can all spoil ourselves with.