Sculpted candles
Would you light them?
- Yes39%
- No21%
- Maybe. But I'll wait for you to go first.39%
The competition has ended.
These candles are too beautiful to light
30.10.2020
Translation: Megan Cornish
Are these pieces of art, or can you light them? These candles look like sculptures. But they're made to burn.
Candles are now more than an attachment for pots and lanterns. They're being hyped as standalone interiors accessories on all social media platforms. Violaine Carossino styles her fruit-shaped candles on her dining table, while Andrea Burke showcases her neon mood-setters on her sideboard. Both posts received up to 2,000 likes. What's all the hype about?
Light my fire
When you think of candles, you probably have an image of a tea light or a pillar or straight candle in your mind. When it comes to candlesticks, though, it's more difficult to work out what you're looking at. That's because they've always been varied. Candles on the other hand have always been standardised, mostly white and unspectacular. However, recently there has been a change: creative minds are getting more from this everyday item. They're producing designs that are both functional objects and changeable sculptures.
Studios like Grain started things off. In 2014, it redesigned its bestseller and called it the «Totem Candle». The sculptural candle made from paraffin wax was created by chance during an experiment with beeswax on a lathe. It became so popular after pop-up sales that the American interiors accessories brand «Areaware» later became its official retailer. That same year, the «Milk Candle» design by Andrej Unam from Brooklyn also attracted attention. This candle has a 3D-printed mould to thank for its characteristic spherical shape. It's now frequently copied. But the original only comes in white.
In 2016, individual candles in the shape of a Romanesco or a bitter melon by artist and designer Piera Bochner followed. To create the candles, she melts different coloured waxes separately and moulds them into a shape. She leaves the previous layer to cool before adding the next one. This year, Lex Pott's design «Knot Candle» has been particularly popular. The Rotterdam-based designer is known for using pure shapes and materials for his minimalist aesthetic. Although the «Twist Candle» is made in a mould, it can be burned at two ends, unlike other candles. Since the start of the year, it's been featured in the most popular posts on social media along with Totem, Milk and Romanesco.
Expensive pleasures
It's no surprise that the hype around candles of all things is gathering pace in this time of social distancing. They've always been a way to make homes more cosy. Otherwise they wouldn't be so widely featured on social media. Since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic, candles have become the latest object to spruce up your Instagram profile, like beds (in German) and mirrors (in German).
I feel that it would be a shame – and an expensive shame at that – to light these elaborate candles. On closer inspection, Instagrammers seem to agree. The candles in their photos are often untouched. Ultimately, the price is almost comparable to a sculpture too at 50 francs. Do you think it's worth the hype?
Pia Seidel
Senior Editor
Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.chLike a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.
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