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10 best candle holders
Here we wax lyrical about our favourite eye-catching vessels that turn a simple candle into a show-stopper
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Go back just over a century and every major high street in the country would have probably had a candlestick maker, alongside a butcher and a baker.
Thanks to the arrival of the electricity, we need no longer rely on candlelight to illuminate our homes. Yet, there is still no beating the allure of a naked flame and there are some situations that will always call for a flicker of candlelight.
Candlesticks have moved from being a necessity in every home to a luxury item. Use them to lift a dinner-party table setting, to create a spa-like feel in the bathroom, or to set the scene for romance in the living room or bedroom.
Here we wax lyrical about the best candlesticks on the market, tried and tested in our homes.
Artisani clarion silver metal candlestick: £15, Artisanti
This elegant, tall, polished aluminium candlestick really has to be bought in a pair for full effect. Fit two of these with graceful, tapered candles, light and watch as the shiny surface of the candlesticks bounce light across your room. Designed in the traditional style, this will never date and must be left out on display even when empty. A timeless, sophisticated candlestick that looks at least ten times more expensive than it actually costs.
LSA oak candlestick holder & glass shade: £60, Printer + Tailor
If your home is draughty and you’ve given up on candles because they blow out soon after lighting, this oak candlestick with a glass shade to stop premature burn out is for you. The sleek glass frame gives the traditional wooden candlestick within a timeless, yet modern feel. Best displayed as part of a pair, this is bound to become a design classic.
Audenza crocodile candle holder: £28 each, Audenza
Designers have always had fun with candle holders, as these snappy little pieces demonstrate. These quirky creatures in on-trend gold work best in a pair. Fill with equally-sized colourful tapered candles and place on a mantelpiece or dining table for a flaming lovely show. A fun candlestick for those who like a design with bite.
Abode Living nordic light candelabra: £74, Abode Living
Sometimes one single-stemmed candlestick just won’t do; a multi-candled candelabra is what’s called for. Available in black or white and designed by Jono Grundell for Design House Stockholm, the four arms on this wooden candelabra can be moved around to create different shapes. A lovely piece of Scandi chic, ideal for a pared-down table centre.
Eichholtz livia candle holder, set of three: £565, Sweetpea & Willow
Traditionally the family candlesticks were always passed on from generation to generation and this classically designed set of three crystal glass and metal candle sticks will definitely become such keepsakes. Once filled with lit candles their reflective surfaces throw splinters of light all around the room. Pricey, but classy heirloom pieces.
Live Laugh Love tall grey rustic wooden candle stick: £49.95, Live Laugh Love
Another candlestick that needs to be bought in a pair to be fully appreciated, standing at 38cm tall, a couple of these carved, distressed-finished holders dressed with bulky pillar candles add a homely touch to any large side board or dining table, lit or unlit. A fabulous statement candlestick for fans of shabby chic.
Hurn & Hurn bloomingville gold candlestick holder: £29, Hurn & Hurn
There aren’t many candlesticks that look better in solitary, but this one really is at its best when all on its lonesome. This golden contemporary take on a Wee Willy Winkie-style candle holder looks just wonderful placed on a coffee or bedside table and lit with one slim colourful candle. A super stylish understated candlestick.
Ian Snow orange glass bead candlestick: £15, Ian Snow
Crafted in India using hand-cast pressed enamelled metal and moulded orange and amber glass beads, when lit this colourful candlestick adds a magical quality to any dinner-party table setting. Best bought in a pair, it also looks lovely when left empty on the top of the mantelpiece or console table. A jewel of a candlestick at a great price point.
Cult furniture handmade terrazzo candle holder: £13, Cult Furniture
Broad enough to catch any dripping candle wax and to stop it staining your surfaces, this little handmade candlestick is created from fashionable concrete in the terrazzo style with chips of marble, glass and granite – and no two are the same. Install one in the bathroom, on a bedside table or side table and go for a pair of them on the dining table, window sill or console table. A cool candlestick made for a modern setting.
Habitat klein nickel tea light candelabra: £40, Habitat
If you prefer the low flicker of tea lights to tall candles, then this tea light candelabra will be just up your street. Made from chrome-plated brass, it holds nine tea lights and each arm is adjustable, so you can play around with how it looks each time you use it. A striking, contemporary table centrepiece.
The verdict: Candle holders
Each and everyone of these candlesticks is beautiful, yet the one that stands out above the rest is Artisanti’s clarion silver metal candlestick. Its simple, yet classic design is proof that it will stand the test of time and never date. Every dining table needs a pair of these, just don’t ever let on that they only cost £15 each. Bargain.