WITH OLIVIA WALTON, FOUNDER OF CANDLE FLAIR
“I hope to encourage theexploration of design and for customers to use our candles to create beautifulambiences, act as striking and colourful home accessories or to be given as theultimate gift.”
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO LAUNCH CANDLE FLAIR?
Candles have always been a big part of my life. Growing up, my grandparents would set their table with beautiful flowers and tapered candles in colours to suit the occasion or season. Sitting for hours around the table talking, laughing and hearing all their wonderful stories. Candles bring magic into a home - whether they are placed on a mantlepiece in a cosy sitting room, on a table for an intimate family supper or at an event. With an ambient glow, they can uplift and elevate any setting into something of beauty and warmth.
During the pandemic I noticed a shift of lifestyle trends towards people's new found love for décor, interiors and tablescaping. With this in mind, it led me to start my own venture, Candle Flair.
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND?
My career began in Interior Design and after a lifelong love for luxury, design, colour and personalisation decided it was time to launch my own venture.
WHAT MAKES CANDLE FLAIR SO SPECIAL?
We offer a wide variety of candles in terms of both colour and height. With over 35 colours, there really is something for everyone and every occasion - whether you're after a maximalist, colourful look or something a little more sleek and understated. The quality of our candles is something that is really important to me. In a market flooded with poor quality candles, we've created ours with 100% premium natural paraffin wax and a 100% cotton wick, to be non drip and smokeless with exceptionally long burn times.
HOW DO YOU LIKE TO STYLE YOUR CANDLES?
Often turning to Pinterest for initial inspiration, I love to style my candles around a theme and of course, the occasion. For an intimate dinner party at home I'll often keep my tablescape wild and whimsical, with candles of varying heights, shapes and colours. For a more formal, elaborate occasion, I tend to turn to bolder tones - burgandy reds or cobalt blues, using our tallest tapered candles to bring the drama. There are so many possibilities and combinations to explore at Candle Flair and we've even created themed edits to help with the decision making process.
WHAT CANDLE TRENDS ARE YOU LOVING AT THE MOMENT?
Interior design and tablescaping trends have now moved towards more organic styling, with lots of loose, whimsy flowers and candles of varying colours, heights and shapes.
TIPS FOR STYLING CANDLES AROUND THE HOME?
I want to change the perception that dinner candles should just be used at the dinner table. I like to encourage the idea that our candles can be used as interior objects anywhere in the home - within a joinery unit, on a side table or mantlepiece. I also like to place my candles near mirrors or mirrored accessories so when the candles are lit the flames play with the light and create a magical feel. Candles are also a great way to add colour to a room without the effort or expense. In my home, I always have candles unlit to add a pop of colour and flair, with combinations that revolve around the seasons - rich and warm golden hues in the Autumn, forest greens and deep reds in the Winter, grassy greens and blossom-like pinks in the Spring and bright corals and blues for the Summer months.
READ ON FOR MORE CANDLE CONVERSATIONS OR HEAD TO OUR JOURNAL FOR STYLING TIPS AND MUCH MORE!
