In an electrified world, we may not need candles, but we certainly long for them, and in the dark days of winter, candlelight is almost impossible to resist. While elegant candleholders are a decor staple, the prominence of candles at home is only growing. More designers are creating artful holders, scented candle sales are booming, and the soft glow and traditional atmosphere that candles create are the perfect fit for today’s interiors.

Candlelight creates a calming, intimate atmosphere—something that modern, stress-filled lifestyles often call for. The ritual of lighting candles at home can bring a sense of occasion or mark a moment of transition, such as from work to relaxation. Unlike electric lamps, candles feel connected to nature, making the art of lighting a more sensory one, and with their ancient origins, they bring a sense of timelessness to the home. It’s even been shown that the low light of candles can help improve mood and sleep.

“I often start the day with a candle at breakfast, letting its glow set a quiet, mindful tone,” says designer Lola Lely, co-founder of London candlemakers Wax Atelier, which uses traditional methods and sustainable waxes in its products. “Candlelight softens a room, highlighting the warmth in colors, textures and objects, while the gentle play of shadows creates a beautiful atmosphere.”

In the home, Lely recommends a candle on a dining table to bring warmth and enhance conversation; on a mantelpiece or coffee table to make the room feel inviting: and in the bathroom to create a “spa-like moment.” Interior stylist Colin King lights taper candles when he needs quiet or wants to make dinner feel “more cinematic.” “They are my shortcut to warmth, my go-to design therapy,” he writes in his popular newsletter, “The Last Layer.” Candles can be used in myriad ways, he explains—sconces, standalone tapers, chandeliers, candelabras—and the fact they are old-fashioned adds to their “magic.”

Jamb, a brand specializing in antique furniture and fireplaces, launched its new Scipio candleholder in January. Inspired by the aesthetic of English country houses and ancient Roman artefacts, the candleholder is carved from precious marble fragments and is designed to become a conscious part of a curated home collection of art and antiques.

Candles certainly lend themselves to this moment of peak collectible design. Inventive or sculptural holders created by contemporary designers are becoming covetable objects for the home: a focus for a dining table, a crafted accent in a living room or an eye-catching feature in a hallway.

Mariah Nielson, director of the Blunk Space gallery in Northern California and daughter of American sculptor JB Blunk (1926-2002) has brought together contemporary designers from all over the world for the exhibition “100 Candleholders” (running until March 28). From small ceramic pieces to a chandelier decorated with shells, the 100 pieces on show demonstrate the creative potential of candle decor and its current design prominence.

Big-name brands are also getting in on the action. Italian designer Osanna Visconti recently collaborated with Dior Maison to create a range of delicate bronze candleholders with floral motifs. Centering craftsmanship and elegance, the tall pieces are made using the lost wax technique, an ancient method of metal-casting used for jewelry and sculpture, befitting of the storied French fashion house.

LA- and Michigan-based designer Sarah Sherman Samuel, celebrated for her luxuriously crafted interiors and furniture, has created a range of decorative sconces and candlesticks for interiors brand Lulu and Georgia. Characterized by ribbon-like bows, the metal pieces bring elegant charm to a room. “In a world saturated with digital glow and artificial light, candlelight restores something human,” she says. Flanking a mirror or piece of art with  candles in sconces, she says, feels “considered, architectural, and timeless.”

In 2025, New York-based architect and designer Ramona Albert designed a range of polished brass candleholders inspired by tree roots, presenting them in a spellbinding candlelit installation for the NYCxDesign festival. The Ramus collection, she explains, was crafted for “poetic” interiors. “They bring a quiet drama to the room—anchoring space with texture and shadow… The collective flicker of flames interacts with the divergent lines of the metal to cast a complex web of shadows, inviting stillness and a sense of quiet.”

At home, Albert recommends grouping candleholders into clusters to create “a visually dynamic arrangement” and varying the height of the pieces to build depth. “This deliberate layering of form and materiality transforms a space into a ritualized sanctuary,” she says

Living with candles is special because it introduces a “rhythm of light” that grounds a space in a sense of peace, says Albert. Unlike electric lighting, candlelight creates a layering of lighting that “drapes a room like silk on skin.” What’s more, as candles can be moved and rearranged depending on mood, they become the ultimate flexible vehicle of elevated decor, creating the exact atmosphere and aesthetic in each room that is desired, whenever the flame of inspiration is ignited.

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