How to make your home cozier and calmer with candles

Candlelight used to be the primary form of light. Imagine a world, before you were born, in which there was no electricity and people solely relied on candles as the day became darker and darker.

Nowadays, with coziness and the concept of hygge, and with the fact that we discovered electricity, candles are no longer a necessity. However, this doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be used anymore.

Candles don’t only provide an archaic type of light. They are also great for decorating, creating a cozy and calm atmosphere, and having aromatherapy properties.

In this article, we are going to tackle how you can integrate candles into your home to make it calmer and how candles actually help improve your spirits.

Types of candles

Nowadays, candles come in all shapes, sizes, and aromas. Think of your favorite color. There surely is a candle in that color and, on top of that, it also smells great.

Here are all the types:

Shape:

• container and jar candles - the most common ones
• pillar (thick and tall) or votive (think and short) candles
• decorative candles - the ones which come in interesting shapes
• taper / dinner candles - the slim and tall ones
• tea light candles - the smallest candles, which can also be used in tea light holders

Scent: scented or unscented
Wax type: plant-based wax (soy, coconut, palm, hemp, apricot), paraffin or beeswax
Wick: with cotton or wooden wick
Sound: some of the wooden wick candles even make a crackling sound effect, like a fireplace
Indoor or outdoor: the only difference between them is that outdoor candles are usually larger and may have multiple or larger wicks.

How can you use candles?

As decorations

Now let’s take a look at how you can use them for decoration:

• centerpiece - if a candle is big or it has an interesting shape, it can be a beautiful centerpiece. Imagine having a flower arrangement with a matching-colored candle in the middle of it. Or on the electric fireplace, to boost the feeling of warmth. Decorative or pillar candles are ideal for this.
• by the window - if you have your reading corner there, placing candles in that area will make it feel ten times cozier. It can be a single candle or multiple small ones, and you can arrange them however you like. Your house will look cozy from outside, too! However, be careful not to put the candles too close to curtains.
• on the porch or balcony - if you love to spend time outside and you managed to decorate your balcony the way you dreamed of, candles are a must. There is nothing better than watching the stars at night with a warm cup of tea in the light of candles. 
• hanging lights - yes, you read that right. Firefly lights have become a trend lately and we can see why – they look truuuly spectacular. You can DIY this or buy decorative hanging candle holders and play with them as you wish. 
• place them in rooms you spend a lot of time in - you can place candles in your bathroom, bedroom, living room, and even office. For bedrooms, it’s recommended to go for tea lights, as they will self-extinguish after a few hours, in case you fall asleep.

To create warm light

As the daylight hours shrink, you feel the natural need for some light. Electric light is useful and necessary. However, if you are looking to wind down and relax, it may feel a bit too harsh or impersonal.
Candles are great because they give a warm, natural, and calming light. They are not too bright and their soft, dancing glow can’t be matched.

As a setup for special moments

Let’s say you are hosting a celebratory dinner with your closest friends or family members and you are looking to make it as special as possible.

Imagine placing only candles on your tables, and dining by candlelight. Or you are preparing some home date for your special one and want to spark a bit of romance.

Lighting a lot of candles in the room to prepare for some quality time is an instant mood changer. You’ll feel like you are living a fairytale.

How do candles actually help you?

Aside from being great decor pieces, candles are also proven to be of great help for your mental health, sleep, mood, and overall well-being. Let’s see how:

They create ambiance

Candles transform the way we feel in a certain space through scent and light. When you light a candle for meditation or for taking a bath, you can notice how the atmosphere has suddenly changed.

Candles that make crackling sounds take it a step further. Together with an electric fireplace, they manage to create the feeling of a gently burning fire in a magical cabin ambiance. 

Candles help with calming the mind

Floral and herbal aromas like peppermint or lavender are proven to help with calming the mind and they are recommended for anxiety or depression. The scent has something to do with calming our anxious minds and the price is small to pay.

They help with your mood

Scented candles have the power to induce calmness and they help alleviate symptoms of stress, with the ability to lower cortisol. Scented candles are crafted especially to give you dopamine and serotonin, to support your positive mood.

Support restful sleep

For good sleep, you need to limit the amount of blue light you get in the evening. And guess what doesn’t give blue light? Candles.

Candles make your home smell great

There are so many fragrances to choose from, that you can experiment endlessly. When you find one that fits your taste and keep it for a longer time, your house will soon have a „signature scent” that defines your personality. Having a home that smells good enhances everything that we talked about. A good-smelling home is a happy home.

As a final thought, before buying a candle you need to be check the ingredients. Today, the healthiest candles are made out of soy, coconut, or beeswax, which produce the cleanest burn and have no harmful effects. The good quality ones are not cheap, but overall, it’s still an inexpensive way to improve your mood.