Coloured candles are a great way to add ambiance to any room, and coloured candles can enhance the look of any room. These wonderful candles are perfect for any season. Why not decorate your home with coloured candles in festive shades?
The warm tones of autumn and Christmas are upon us. Nothing better on a dark evening than adding colour and light to make that living room feel extra cosy, so why not treat yourself. Here are our Top 20 Tips For Coloured Candles:
1. Pick the right coloured candles
Getting the colour spot on for the right mood or occasion is a fine balance. There are so many different coloured candles to choose from, so it's important to pick the right ones for your desired effect.
For a tranquil and relaxing atmosphere, opt for pastel shades such as pink, white, blue or green. If you're looking to create a more festive feel, go for brighter colours like red, orange or blue.
Remember that lighter shades will give off a softer light than darker shades.
If you're not sure which colours to choose, consider the existing decor in the room and try to find candles that will complement it. A mood board is a nice way to place colours, designs and effects together in one place. This will help you make your decision in the buying process.
2. Use dinner candles for a formal or casual look
If you're hosting a dinner party, or simply want to dress up your table for a special occasion, dinner candles are the way to go. They come in all shapes and sizes, so you can find the perfect ones to match your decor.
Dinner candles can also be used as centrepieces! Try arranging different coloured candles of various heights on a tray or plate, and adding some sprigs of eucalyptus for an extra touch of elegance.
Dining candles are not just for the table or dining room, they are a candle to use in a living room on a mantel or for a simple and casual romantic light. They are perfect on a bedroom dressing table.
Table candles have a more formal look than regular tea light or votive candles, which makes them perfect for special occasions. The flame of a good dinner candle is a powerful source of light. These candles have been shut away for years, as they were used as a source of light when we had the blackouts in the 1970’s.
In our current climate, with our cost of living crisis and everyone being careful, it’s important that we make the most of every penny. These candles are a fantastic way to save money on your lighting bill, while still providing ample light in your home.
They’re a great way to bring back some nostalgia, and they make a wonderful gift for anyone who has fond memories of these candles or for someone who hasn't discovered a dinner candle and their wonderful ambience.
If you enjoy reading and want to create a cosy atmosphere in your home, then these candles are ideal, as they provide plenty of light while still giving off the romantic glow that makes reading so enjoyable.
Our Shearer Dinner candles burn for 8 hours, are unscented, so can be placed anywhere in the home. They come in a box of 20, which works out £1 per candle, great value for all.
3. Consider the room's theme, size and colour scheme when choosing candles
When it comes to choosing coloured candles, it's important to consider the room's decor, colour scheme, size and how you use your room. Is it a relaxing room? An entertaining room? A busy room with flowing traffic?
If your room is quite small, try to stick with one or two neutral shades instead of opting for several bold colours. This will help avoid creating an over cluttered look.
If you have a big room with lots of light, you can afford to be a bit more adventurous with your candle choices. Large pillar candles in candle holders can be warm and inviting, and also visually stunning.
If you're going for a more modern look, try black and white or neutral shades like grey or silver. If you have an eclectic style, consider mixing different styles in the same room—you could have a vintage-style table lamp next to a modernist sculpture!
When looking for a simple and elegant look, try sticking to white or cream candles. If you're going for a beachy vibe, stick to natural colours like beige, sand, light blue or sage green.
Large pillar candles in candle holders can be warm and inviting, and also visually stunning. If you're going for an elegant look, try black and gold or silver and white.
To create a relaxing feel, choose pastel shades like pink, light blue or sage green. When you have a large room with lots of natural light, candles look stunning in beautiful holders placed on shelves or tables around the room.
For the vintage feel, try pairing candles in either candle holders or glass bottles. If you want to create a rustic look, try using wooden containers or even old jars.
A beautiful theme to try is using sleek chrome or silver candle holders that will add some glamour to your decorating scheme. You can also opt for clear glass candle holders or coloured ones if they fit in with the rest of your decor.
4. Be careful with placement of coloured candles
When you use coloured candles, it's important to be careful with placement.
If you have a lot of windows in the room, avoid placing candles near them, as direct sunlight will cause the wax to melt, particularly in the summer heat. However, in the winter, they are a lovely feature in a window, making your home feel warm and inviting.
Also, be sure to keep candles away from flammable objects like curtains or rugs. It's best to place candles on stable surfaces where they can't be knocked over. A nice safe touch is to add them to shelving units or higher shelves and mantels, so your candles are out of reach of small fingers and waggy tails at all times.
5. Use candle holders to protect surfaces and prevent accidents.
If you're worried about wax dripping on your furniture or carpet, use candle holders to protect them.
Candle holders also help keep the flame burning evenly, which prevents the wick from getting too high and potentially causing damage.
If you don't have any candle holders handy, try using heavy glasses or jars instead. Just be sure to place them on a stable surface so they don't fall over!
6. Trim the candle wick before lighting.
When you're ready to light your coloured candle, be sure to trim the wick first.
If the wick is too long, it will take longer for the candle to melt, and may cause the flame to become uneven.
This can lead to large amounts of smoke, so it's best to avoid this by trimming the wick before lighting.
Ideally, the wick should be trimmed down to about 0.25 of an inch, and do this before lighting your candle. This will ensure the flame is even, and there isn't any excess smoke when you burn your coloured candle.
7. Don't over-burn your coloured candles.
Coloured candles are made of different materials than regular white candles, so they require a slightly different burning process.
If you're not sure how to burn coloured candles properly, be sure to read the instructions that come with them.
Ideally, you should never let a coloured candle burn for more than four hours at a time.
After four hours, extinguish the flame and let the candle cool before relighting it.
This will help keep the wick from getting too hot and prevent the wax from melting too quickly.
8. Don't leave burning candles unattended.
This one goes without saying, but it's important to remember that you should never leave burning candles unattended.
Even if you're just stepping out of the room for a few minutes, it's best to extinguish the flame and let the candle cool down first.
This is especially important if you have children or pets in the house, as they may accidentally knock over a burning candle.
9. How to store your coloured candles properly
When not in use, be sure to store your coloured candles in a cool, dry place.
If you keep them in direct sunlight or somewhere where it's hot and humid, the wax will start to melt and the candles will lose their shape.
It's also a good idea to keep them out of reach of children and pets.
10. Use caution when blowing out candles.
When you're ready to blow out your coloured candle, be sure to do it slowly and carefully.
If you blow too hard, you may end up extinguishing the flame before all the wax has melted.
This can cause problems with the wick, as it will be harder to stay lit if there's not enough wax left on top.
11. Don't let candles drip on your furniture or cushions and fabrics
This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you let candles drip on your furniture or cushions, they will become stained and may be difficult to clean.
It's a good idea to place a cloth or napkin underneath the candle holder to prevent any wax from dripping onto your surfaces.
12. What to do if you spill coloured candle wax onto furniture or fabric?
It is best to act quickly by scraping off as much wax as possible with a blunt object, such as a spoon. Then, place an ice cube on the wax and leave it for about 20 minutes. The cold will help solidify the wax and make it easier to remove.
Finally, use a damp cloth to wipe away any residue.
13. Experiment with different coloured candles
The great thing about coloured candles is that there are so many options available.
If you're not sure which colour is right for you, why not experiment with a few options?
You may find that you prefer certain colours over others, or that some colours work better in certain situations than others.
14. Consider using scented candles
Scented candles can add an extra level of ambiance to any room.
A candle infused with fragrance oils or essences is known as a scented candle. Most candles are available in both unscented and scented varieties, but scented candles are by far the most popular type. Paraffin, soy wax candles and beeswax are the most popular types of wax for scented candles.
15. Use coloured candles for festive occasions
Candles are a great way to add some extra Christmas spirit to your home.
Try using coloured candles in different combinations to create a festive look.
For example, you could use:
- Red and green candles for Christmas
- Pink and white candles for Valentine's Day
- White, green or yellow candles for Easter and Spring
- Red, brown, orange candles for Autumn.
- Black candles and white candles are good all round colour candles for anytime of the year.
16. The introduction of coloured wax melts
As an alternative to coloured candles, you can always think about using coloured wax melts.
These are small pieces of wax that you place in an electric wax warmer or a burner heated with a tea light candle. As the wax melts, it releases a beautiful scent into the air.
Here at Shearer Candles, we have a choice of a block or colour or a small slab that can be broken off as needed. Both of these options are available in various colours that suit any room. Not only do they look great, but they also make a wonderful talking point and can be relaxing when used in your home.
17. How do you add shimmer to coloured candles?
One way to add shimmer to your candles is by adding metallic paint or powder to the wax. You can either do this if you're making your candles using a candle making kit.
Another option is to use a candle holder with a metallic finish. This will reflect the light and create a shimmering effect. We have a great addition to our Shearer Candle candle range here called Iridescent.
You can see these gorgeous candles here: https://www.shearer-candles.com/en/our-collections/iridescent-collection
18. Different styles of coloured candles.
There are various styles of coloured candles available on the market.
Some examples are:
- Pillar: A popular style of candle, pillar candles are the main feature because of their size. They come in many lengths, widths, heights, thicknesses, colours and fragrances. You can combine a pillar candle with a beautiful candle holder, this will be a knock out centrepiece to your room.
- Tin Candle: A tin candle is made by pouring hot wax into a metal or tin can with an opening at one end for dipping wicks. Once cooled, these candles are easy to handle and easy to travel around with you. These are also one of the more inexpensive styles on this list.
- Dinner candle: or taper candles: A dinner candle, or taper candle, is a long, thin candle often used in formal settings. They come in many colours and styles. They are also referred to as rustic candles. Another hugely popular candle, as they are so competitively priced.
- Tealight Candle: A tealight candle is a type of small candle that is about the size of a fifty pence piece, but round is usually shaped and typically has a diameter of about an inch. They are made to fit into small candle holders and produce very little heat, but amazing light when placed together or near each other.
- Jar Candle: A jar candle is a type of container candle usually made from glass or ceramic. These candles come in many shapes, sizes, colours and scents. A great way to combine candle holder and candle all in one candle vessel.
- Wax melts: and electric burners or tealight burners are two popular methods of adding fragrance to your home. They come in many shapes, sizes, colours and fragrances. You can also buy packs with multiple scents, so you can change the smell of your room depending on your mood.
- LED Candle: An LED candle is a battery operated candle that uses light emitting diodes (LEDs) to create flames rather than actual fire. These candles are available in both traditional and flameless.
19. Use caution when burning coloured candles
Especially around children and pets, coloured candles are a beautiful addition to any home, but it's important to use caution when burning them around children and pets.
Be sure to keep them out of reach of little ones, and never leave a candle burning unattended.
20. Coloured candles are not the only option for home decor
There are many ways to add colour and fragrance to your home. Reed diffusers and home fragrance room sprays are two popular methods that can be used in conjunction with candles or on their own.
Both of these products come in various scents and styles to match any decor.
Time to treat yourself to some coloured candles
Thanks for reading our top 20 tips on coloured candles!
We hope you found this information helpful, and that you can use it to create beautiful candle displays at home.
Remember to have fun with coloured candles! Coloured candles can add some extra personality and fun to any room in your home.
Try using different combinations of colours to create unique looks, or use themed candles for specific occasions. Be sure to experiment.
At Shearer Candles, we have experts to help you either online here or at one of our candle stores in Glasgow.
Visit us today for all your coloured candles and home fragrances.
