French Candles Make Scent-sational Home Decorating Accents

A limited edition of Pharrell Williams' Vulcan hand salute, from Atelier WM, Paris.

I tend to dislike scented candles. They usually pass in many homes for "good interior design," and fancy smells are no substitute for good design. A lovely unscented taper or column adds romantic light and ambience to any interior -- without perfumey mess.

But I was recently asked to research scented candles and I came up with some beautiful ones that intrigued even me. Most of the candle makers are from Paris, but a few are domestic and attempt to capture fragrances depicting French life.

Try these websites to get your fill of these perfumed candles and use them when you want to add fragrance to a special interior. Set the mood for a romantic evening in bed, a spa-liscious bubble bath, or just try to mask or neutralize cigarette smoke. Be sure to avoid candles with lead wicks, and remember that SOY is JOY (natural soy candles are wonderful).

1. colette is an ooh-lah-lah Parisian website with a great assortment of designer candles, and some of them are interior design statements in and of themselves, like the Pharrell candle from Atelier WM (see photo at top).
2. Orla makes soy candles and packages them with music CDs; combine music and mood light with soy-wax candles. Check out their "enchanting" Paris candle and An Evening in Paris CD combo.
3. Spa Look features the get fresh Memories of Paris candle with the fragrance of white flowers, jasmine, orange flower, and red rose.
4. The Scented Salamander is filled with great perfume-inspired gift items, including the Memo Paris line of candles and perfumes.
5. Beauty Encounter has a vast selection of scented candles, including some French beauties by candle makes like Roger & Gallet, Christiane Celle, D'Orsay, Guinot Bougie, and Terri Michele. 
6. Cire Trudon is a true master of the candle making craft. Operating in Paris since 1643, they provided candles to the court of Louis XIV and the churches of Paris and still provide candles to churches like the Église Saint-Roch in Paris. Check out their White Pilla Candle Trianon from Liberty and the extremely WILD collection of their candles on the Aedes De Venustas website. Why wild? Try candles in the shape of Napoleon (photo at right) and Marie Antoinette and dare-to-try themed perfumed candles like Revolution and Dada. The later is described as follows:

With a touch of tea and vetiver, dressed up with crumpled mint leaves and eucalyptus, this clever scent confuses the mind. Sharp and expansive, it opens up to the magnetic field of the Dada movement, to the artistic dizziness and surrealist experiences.

Inspired by the popularity of YouTube and videos on the internet, Irwin Weiner and Jay Johnson created Design2Share in November 2006, an online podcast of advice and inspiration on homes, gardens, and architecture.

Photo credits: colette and Aedes De Venustas

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