Outdoor living spaces bring all the comforts and design elements from the inside with us to the outside. For outfitting and designing outdoor rooms, think of using candles in all the familiar ways, and in the not so usual. Follow these ideas.

Lovely Candle Centerpiece Planter/ http://tinyurl.com/groubmr

1. Creative candles outdoors:

Votives along deck rails, pillar candles in glass enclosed lanterns sitting along steps and placed strategically around a deck or patio adds a sense of movement visually. Beautiful designs for hanging candelabras bring flowers and candles together to complement one another. Simple hanging candle holders add a vertical element to your outdoor room. Outdoor torchères placed around the garden and outdoor living space create an exotic and tropical feeling.

2. Accessories with candles:

I love to use wrought iron decorative pieces with candles. These could be small statuary, stepped planters, a sundial or armillary on a stone base. Candle lanterns placed on an up-cycled bird bath base make great use of a decorative item that might otherwise be discarded. Larger scale Asian style concrete lanterns are great with candles, and almost instantly create    the ambience of a Japanese garden.

Vintage and new lanterns with pulley hangers.http://www.serendipityrefined.com

3. Where to use candles:

To enhance any design, candles may be used outside almost as they would be inside. The placement of candles can mimic the usual arrangement and function of artificial lighting. For instance, a candelabra hanging from a pergola creates an elegant setting for outdoor dining. Floating candles in a stylish glass or pottery bowl, perhaps with some tiny flowers, is a beautiful centerpiece on a dining table or accent elsewhere. Candles can be used in the garden on sturdy bases or stands as long as the flame is enclosed and there is adequate spacing from foliage. Intentional placement of a cluster of randomly sized glass pillar lanterns brings the eye wherever you want it by creating an instant focal point.

Don’t you want to slide right into this outdoor tub? https://www.pinterest.com/source/vestidoslindosatelier.tumblr.com

4. Always, always play it safe!

Safety is a major priority when using candles, whether they are be indoors or outside. It’s always best to use candles in an enclosed holder or lantern, and be sure it is placed on a secure and solid surface. The tiniest mistake can lead to a major problem, so never take chances! Besides the danger of the candle flame, melted wax can create a big mess and pose a safety hazard as well. As the saying goes, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Battery powered flameless candles are a great, safe alternative to a natural flame. These pillar style “candles” mimic the beautiful romantic ambience of candlelight without any of the risk.

5. Eye on the flame:

Experiment and have fun placing candles, perhaps in locations you might not have tried before. Keep in mind, the eye is drawn to the brightest object in a space. If you have artificial or landscape lighting, the light output from those sources will be far brighter than candlelight. So it’s important to place candles away from artificial lighting so they will get the attention you want.

Remember carved candles from the 80’s I guess it was. These could be pretty in the right setting. I found these on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/MonnaCandles?ref=l2-shopheader-name

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LIGHT UP THE NIGHT Let There Be Light… outside