Even without candles in them, candlesticks provide an instant boost of elegance to your dining table, coffee table, or mantel. They come in such a wide variety of materials, shapes, sizes, and textures that you’re bound to discover something that fits your taste and price point. To find some of the most beautiful tapered candleholders out there, I chatted with a handful of designers and stylish candle obsessives about where they source their favorites. As you’re shopping, try not to be too focused on matching. As food writer, recipe developer, and host extraordinaire Anna Stockwell says, “Lean into mixing candleholders and candles together. It’s fun and keeps life interesting.” And if you need help finding tapered candles to go in your new candlesticks, we’ve got tons of recommendations for those, too.
Alishia Ramos, founder of Girls’ Night In, has had this candleholder in black in her home for years. (It also comes in a speckled brown.) Ramos calls them “true works of art that are basically like sculptures, sure to add fun visual interest to a mantel, desk, or coffee table” — even without a candle inside.
Recipe developer and cookbook author Claire Safftiz also has a Sin candleholder (hers is black, too, but this style is currently only available in white). “It always gets compliments, and I like having a single piece as opposed to multiple candlesticks,” she says. “The curves are just so pleasing to look at.”
For a classic look, brass candleholders are the go-tos for many of our experts. Ramos has had some from Hawkins New York for several years and loves the patina that comes with the material as it ages. “These are eye-catching on any table and will instantly add a level of refinement,” she says. “They’re also quite heavy, which I like. A sturdy base is never a bad thing.” (The company also makes some natural-wood and stained-wood holders in the same style that cost less.)
For a slightly more geometric option, I like these from Be Home. (I have a couple this height and a couple squatter versions that aren’t currently available.) They’re sturdy thanks to the wide base, and the simple, clean lines go with any tablescape.
Strategist senior editor Hilary Reid found these at the Annie Selke store in Lenox, Massachusetts, and was charmed by their tall, not-uniform shape — and then even more charmed by how affordable the price was. “They remind me a little bit of plants (if you picture the part where the taper goes as the bloom),” she says. “And they look great with just about any color candle and on any kind of tablecloth.” She has three — one short, medium, and tall — and likes to group them all together on a table. (“They make a great gift too,” she says. “My boyfriend and I gave some to my parents, who also loved them and started using them right away.”)
Cheaper brass candles can be found at Jamali Garden, a “florist and prop stylist haven,” as writer Caroline Mullen calls it, in Manhattan’s flower district. “The place is brimming with vases, trays, planters, votives, and anything you can possibly imagine needing for an event,” she says. “One of the best little finds are these candle holders that have a vintage vibe but cost only $6.50 apiece. I don’t think you could find a better price at a yard sale. They’re perfect for clustering on a dining table or mixing in with genuine brass candle holders to beef up your collection.”
If you want to go real vintage — as two of our experts recommend — Etsy is the place. Mullen and Stockwell constantly comb the site to find old brass holders, and Mullen notes that collectors often bundle a variety of them together, “perfect if you want a few shapes and sizes.” Stockwell has a huge collection, thanks to the low prices. That way, she says, “I don’t mind when they get covered in wax drips.”
Private chef and recipe developer Maddy DeVita has these in all three sizes (four inches, 5.9 inches, and eight inches), which she sets on her table all at once to create a layered look. They come in brass, black, and — her favorite — a “sleek and timeless” chrome, she says. The biggest plus is the round base, which resembles a dish. Not only does it make the holder extra sturdy, but it allows you to get creative with your table setting. “I’ve plated food in the dish — things like roasted nuts or even using it as a salt cellar or butter dish,” DeVita says. “Just make sure to use non-drip candles.”
I bought two of these candleholders from Merci in Paris this past spring — and luckily, they’re available online. The chunky glass is elegant, but not overly so. They go with every table I set, formal or casual, and have slight imperfections and differences so you can tell they’re handblown.
Emily Fiffer, co-owner of Botanica in Los Angeles, also loves Merci’s candleholders. She has this one (a very different style from mine) — but this is your signal to peruse the brand’s many offerings.
[Merci lists its candleholders in euros, so the price shown is an approximate conversion in U.S. dollars.]
Cookbook author Rebekah Peppler has a few vintage brass holders that she uses daily — but she has long dreamed of layering in one or two of these from Astier de Villatte, made from black terra-cotta clay and finished with a white glaze. “I don’t often play mix-and-match, but the combination of the white glazed ceramic and patinated metal feels timeless,” she says.
DeVita also loves this set of holders and matching tapers from Sézane. Again, there are color options: green, white, and this burgundy, which DeVita thinks is perfect for the holidays and winter season. She likes that they “sit relatively low so they don’t obstruct your view from the guest seated across from you.”
EyeSwoon’s Athena Calderone loves these ceramic holders from Common Body. “The dark stoneware clay is oh so dreamy, and I love how sculptural they are,” she says. “They’re perfect for adding contrast when styling a space.”
I’ve long admired this Hay holder: I love how the flowerlike shape looks in contrast to the sleek material. It’s bound to look beautiful with a flame flickering and reflecting off the surface.
Another option from Hay are the brand’s simple Tube candleholders, recommended by Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens. She groups some small blue ones with taller peach and light-gray versions and says the varying heights look nice clustered together. There are some lovely muted tones available at the MoMA Design Store, and bolder colors at Finnish Design Shop.
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