Light Up Your Rooms with Homemade Candles

Candles have been a home essential for nearly as long as humans have been living indoors. A few generations later, in the age of electricity and lightbulbs, candles can still offer your spaces a distinctly cozy ambience, but these home essentials have become pretty pricey. Luckily, the candle-making process hasn’t really changed over time. Consider picking up a new hobby creating warm, inviting accents for your home’s décor at a fraction of the price.

How to Get Started

All waxes are not created equal, so choosing a wax is an important first step in the candle-making process. When deciding on a wax, figure out what you want from your candle. If you want to make personalized colored and scented candles, paraffin and soy waxes mix well with dyes and fragrances. Paraffin is cheaper and burns easier, but it’s also a petroleum by-product. Soy, on the other hand, is more natural but can be temperamental. If you prefer a natural, muted option, consider beeswax or palm wax. Beeswax doesn’t mix well with scents or colors but can still add to the ambience of your space. Palm wax is more brittle, but it works well for pillar and other stand-alone candles.

Candles are made by melting wax and then pouring it around a wick in a mold. There are various methods to mold and store candles. Repurpose old containers and cups to make cheap, unique pieces, or invest in candle molds to create your own stand-alone candles that will work in any space. So long as the containers you choose for your molds are heat resistant and not cracked, your options are vast.

Home Décor Ideas

Create seasonal accent pieces without breaking the bank. DIY candles can make great seasonal decorations all year round. Anchor a votive in sand or decorate a pillar candle with pressed flowers to create a cozy, season-appropriate vibe at any time of year.

Turn your bathroom into a spa. A small mason jar votive or a few strategically placed pillar candles in the bathroom can help you feel like you’ve escaped to a top-dollar spa for rock-bottom prices.

Make dinner cozy with candlelight. Put a romantic spin on the traditional centerpiece and place candles at the middle of your table. Try a few in different sizes, or use a unique glass as a container to give a designer touch to your homemade decorations.

Refresh your mantle. When it’s too hot for a fire, consider using candles on your mantle to get that warm glow without the punishing heat.

Light the way. Your homemade candles don’t have to stay inside. Use votives to light outside walkways, and position pillars or candles set in glass containers to give patio spaces a serene ambience perfect for entertaining on summer nights.

Even if they’ve been replaced by lightbulbs in our practical lives, candles provide an undeniable ambience that can help brighten any space. Make them at home, and you can have affordable accents made specifically for your space and tastes.