Style for Your Home

Everything seems lovelier by candlelight. Candles can add warmth, style and ambiance to any room in the home.

Whether grouped for drama in the living room, paired in candlesticks on the dining table, or snuggled in colored glass votives on the mantel, candles add elegance and style to homes around the world.

Here are some popular American trends for decorating with candles:

Large pillar candles placed in glass lanterns or surrounded by glass hurricanes make a bold decorating statement during the day, and cloak a room with subtle warmth and drama when lit. They can be especially dramatic when placed in pairs at the end of a mantel or as the focal point on a coffee table or end table.

Try groupings of tapers or pillars for a compact yet striking complement to any décor. Try varying shades of one color in your grouping or the same color but with varying candleholders. Taper groupings can be especially dramatic and easily changed for minimal expense. When using tapers, don't limit your thinking to the dining room.

Add an Asian influence by placing one or more pillar candles on a pillar plate and surrounding the candle base with flat gray or black stones. This looks best with neutral colored or deeply hued candles and pillar plates made of metal or heavy pottery.

Make your fireplace a dramatic backdrop by filling it with candles. Or use the hearth for bringing the color, light and warmth of candles to a room. If using scented candles, make sure all are the same fragrance. Candle holders made especially for in-fireplace use are a great way to enjoy the visual pleasure of a fire when it's too warm for a log fire.

Think metallics and textures. Square and round pillars with intriguing textures and patterns, and uniquely shaped candles with soft-toned patterned metallic surfaces, are rapidly gaining favor with home decorators seeking to merge the traditional appeal of candles with artistic flair.

Candlelight can transform the garden or patio into one of your home's most enchanting areas. Bring a shimmer of candlelight to your patio dining with groupings of white or cream candles protected by hurricanes or votive holders. Consider sconces for an outside or garden wall, and luminaria to light the garden walkway.