Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or just want to add some ambience to your living room, candles can be the perfect way to set the mood. Here are 13 types of candles that will make your home look and feel like a dream come true.
The “candles to set the mood” is a topic that will help you find the perfect candle for your home. There are 13 different types of candles that have been categorized by their mood and ambience.
In the United States alone, people spend over $3 billion on different kinds of candles, with seven out of ten homes buying at least one. Candles are one of the most adaptable items on the earth, serving as a source of light, a mood maker, an atmosphere generator, and a décor setter all at the same time.
Consider this: you could use a candle to rescue the day in almost every scenario. In summary, candles provide each location a unique vibe while also boosting its appearance, which is why electricity will never be able to replace candles.
13 Different Types of Candles
If you thought candles were only available in one shape and size, you’re in for a surprise! For some enlightenment (pun entirely intended), here’s a 101 on the many varieties of candles available.
While you’re at it, have a look at our list of candle alternatives to see if any of them fit your needs. You’ll discover something that appeals to you.
Tea Candles
Let’s begin with one of the most popular candle types: tea lights! These candles have become the go-to for low-cost, effective décor and mood setting, and are available in cost-effective bundles from local retailers to Amazon.
Tea lights are readily identified by their tiny, round form and metal enclosure. Everyone like these small candle shapes.
Tea lights, of course, won’t last very long due to their tiny size, but as previously said, the major purpose of these candles is to create an intimate ambience and set the tone, making them ideal for parties, dinners, romantic dates, or just to let you relax and enjoy some time off.
If you want these candles to light up the room, put them together—you’ll get enough light without sacrificing the atmosphere.
Candles for Pillars
Pillar candles, as their name implies, are similar to pillar candles in that they may stand alone without a holder, albeit they may not be dripless.
These candle designs may burn for hours (3-4, depending on their girth) while appearing all sorts of magnificent and gorgeous when they’re set, thanks to their rather huge size.
Pillar candles may be as short as 3 inches and as tall as 16 inches, with up to three wicks, allowing you to choose the amount of light you desire. These candles, which are often made of palm wax, are also known for their ability to burn without producing smoke.
These kind of candles, on the other hand, are easily knocked over, so they may not be the best lighting choice for a party or a busy supper. Additionally, make sure these candles are placed on heat-resistant surfaces to avoid harm to the surface while the candle burns down.
Candles for Votives
Many people confuse these candles with tea lights because they appear so similar. Votive candles, on the other hand, are larger than tea lights, with a width of around 2 inches and a height of about 2.5 inches.
These short, squat candle forms provide good illumination and, like pillar candles, do not emit smoke when burned. Given their small size, they also burn for a remarkable amount of time.
Votive candles, on the other hand, need a container in order to manage the flame simply and securely.
Votive candles, unlike tea candles, do not come with their own homes, so after they burn all the way down, they extinguish themselves, so you don’t have to worry about putting them out, damaging your surface, or your house catching fire!
Candles with no flame
If having an actual flame around the home is too risky for you (understandable if you have dogs, children, and clumsy people! ), you may want to try flameless candles.
Though the flame is electronic, some candles seem to be genuine, with some being engineered to flicker and move to mimic real flames and appear as realistic as possible.
Some even include remote controls for turning on, off, or adjusting the brightness of the light, while others may be set to turn on at specified times.
Flameless candle varieties have grown in popularity as a result of their ability to combine utility and safety while retaining all of the benefits and beauty of conventional candles.
You can still enjoy that warm, personal atmosphere without worrying about the home catching fire or someone forgetting to put out the flame at the end of the night. Aesthetic appeal is gained while fire concerns are avoided—a win-win situation!
These candles also don’t emit any smoke or heat, but they do provide a lot of light. The majority of battery-operated candles are flameless.
Lamps made with candles
Candle lights are a unique kind of candle. A base warmer may be included, but the true function is to heat and melt the wax, releasing the smells into the air using the heat of an electric light bulb.
In fact, they resemble tabletop lamps, complete with a lampshade and everything, except that the candle is sitting on a plate. For even melting, place these various candles in the middle of the bulb. You may also keep the candle in them.
Forget about the many varieties of floor and table lights. These will not only get the job done, but they will also fill the space with a beautiful smell.
Candle Holders
Candle pots (also known as container candles) are all sorts of gorgeous, useful, and utilitarian. They’re designed to relieve tension and provide a calming ambience.
These candles, which are enclosed in glass jars or pots, allow you to keep a candle burning without having to worry about the flame or the hot wax—you can even have one on your desk without anxiety!
You also don’t have to worry about the candle breaking loose or bursting out of the container since the wax is poured straight into the glass jar or terracotta pot rather than being prepared separately and then placed inside the container.
You also don’t need an older candle—in other words, these candles are already lit. Candle pots are also popular since they come in a variety of exquisite aromas, as well as a variety of colors, sizes, and styles.
Most of them come with lids to safeguard the aroma while the candle is not in use, particularly the scented ones. This makes it simple to store.
These lovely candles are a wonderful accent to just about any room! I have a lot of them that I don’t light and use as décor. You may wrap them in ribbon or twine, hang potpourri from them, and more. Use your imagination!
Candles with a taper
Candles of the taper type belong to the old school family, having been around for what seems like an eternity. Regardless, the beauty and practicality of these traditional candle shapes are ageless.
Taper candles are popular fixtures at romantic dinners and formal, small events because they are tall, slender, and beautiful, and they can quickly add a degree of refinement to the party.
Furthermore, don’t be fooled by the tall, thin shape—these candles may seem to burn for just a few hours, but they may burn for up to 10 hours. To put it another way, it’s ideal for lengthy dinners or gatherings when you don’t want to continuously checking on the state of your candles.
One disadvantage is that taper candles cannot stand on their own, necessitating the use of candle holders or a candelabra.
Candles that float
Floating candles are a great way to light up a room in a unique, appealing, and surprising way. These candles are very amazing, and they’re a terrific way to make your living area seem warm and inviting.
Floating candles are meant to float on water, and when you light and float them, the effect is stunning lighting—even more so if the container is wide and deep enough to allow the candles to move with the water.
Furthermore, you won’t have to worry about hot wax pouring onto the surface of the candles or people knocking them over and starting fires, making these candles highly safe. You may also place them down and use them as regular candles if you don’t feel like floating them.
However, because these candles are small, they burn out quickly, so unless you’re okay with replacing them as needed during the party, you might want to avoid them for longer events (though the end result is well worth it, so we don’t blame you if you still want these candle types despite the short burn time!).
Candles for a Birthday
Of course, what would a candle list be without some birthday candles? These incredibly little, thin, light candles, which come in a variety of fascinating forms, colors, sizes, and patterns, are instantly recognizable by almost everyone.
These candles are meant to light up and burn swiftly, lasting long enough for the birthday boy or girl to express their wishes without burning the cake!
Birthday candles have changed throughout time, and now come in a variety of features, sizes, and forms, including numerals, letters, and even trick candles that don’t blow out.
Birthday candles that transform into sparklers on the cake are also available to give super-fun additions to traditional birthday cakes and events.
Candles made with gel
Gel candles, a new invention in the candle business, employ high or low-density gel to feed the flames instead of wax.
These are usually sold in glass jars and may be as short as 3 mm or as tall as 9 mm—the height of the container dictates the height of the candle. If put in the proper regions of the room, they may truly improve the feng shui of your bedroom.
Gel candle designs are mildly scented, owing to the natural aroma of the gel rather than any deliberate scenting. These are excellent decorations for a poolside or dining table.
However, since the containers in which these candles are contained heat up quickly, it is not advised that you burn these candles for more than 2 hours.
Candles in Cartridges
Cartridge candles are very cost-effective and are particularly developed for emergencies and vigilance. These candles, which are available in a variety of sizes and colors and are powered by disposable liquid paraffin, may burn for up to 90 hours.
Candles that are made of liquid
These candles, which are made of soft and pure liquid paraffin, may last anywhere from 8 to 100 hours, depending on the amount of paraffin used.
They’re translucent and around 2.5 inches thick on average. These candles are not only safe to use, but they also don’t leave any nasty drippings to clean up afterwards.
Candles that repel insects
Insect repellant candles may not seem like candle kinds, but they are! They are often packaged in tiny tins or even huge pails.
When you fire them, the same chemical that you would spray on your skin disperses into the air, and they are as effective.
They’re usually scented, although you can purchase them unscented as well. The only time they don’t perform as well as you’d anticipate is when it’s really windy.
They’re amazing in every other way. If you can put a few around your sitting area, it will be much more effective. In the many sorts of castles from the past, they had candles, but I’m sure they wished they had mosquito repellant candles.
Styles of Candles
A simple rundown of the many candle types to consider boils down to the wicks, wax type, and a few other factors.
When it comes to wicks, you have four choices: regular cotton wicks, paper core wicks that may burn too quickly, metal core wicks that slow the process down, and the newer and more popular wood wicks that may crackle and pop to give some romance to the environment.
You should also think about the sort of wax you use. Personally, I don’t give a damn, however some appear to carry more aroma than others if that’s what you’re after. There are five types of wax to choose from: paraffin wax, palm wax, soy wax, bayberry wax, and beeswax. There are even new gel candle kinds available today.
Other considerations include choosing unscented candle kinds if all you want is light, however I see no reason why you couldn’t mix in some nice aromas. There are other considerations such as whether the candles you want are dripless, allowing you to leave them unattended.
Various Candles for Various Occasions
One could imagine that with the invention of electricity, candles have lost their appeal and use, and that they have become outdated, yet these simple household products have always been there to stay.
As you can see, candles come in a variety of forms, sizes, and colors, unless you’re satisfied restricting decorative candle varieties to tea lights or simply buying up packs of candles to keep for emergency situations. Your candle may serve as both a source of light and a decorative item.
Hopefully, after reading our advice, you’ll be able to choose the right kind of candle for each of your requirements rather than relying on over-the-counter options. Let there be light, but also let there be beauty and the ideal atmosphere!
You’ll Also Appreciate:
Rick Worst is the editor.
Rick is a home design expert and enthusiast who is obsessed with anything related to the house and garden. Started as a personal project, it has evolved into a hub of knowledge and inspiration for professionals and homeowners alike. Rick is the proprietor of the company and works as an editor for our various content providers. Here’s where you can learn more about Rick and the business.
Watch This Video-
The “sensual candle scents” are a list of 13 types of candles that have been recommended to set the perfect mood and ambience.
Related Tags
- best candles to set the mood
- romantic candles
- massage candles
- candle scents that arouse a woman
- sensual candles bath and body works
