Candle Shades & Plates
A candle is a beautiful and aromatic addition to the decor of a home, but there is one drawback to wax candles--the wax. Candle plates collect the excess wax as a candle burns, and they are made of every shape, size and color. Candle shades are like lampshades, but for candles. They distribute light evenly throughout a room and prevent shadows. Does this Spark an idea?
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Types of Shades
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Candle shades have been made out of just about everything under the sun. Porcelain was popular during the Victorian era. Fabric and paper are also commonly used, although they are usually placed over a metal shield to prevent fire hazards. Candle shades are traditionally separated from candle plates so that you can change them to create a new look for a room.
Purpose of Shades
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A candle shade serves primarily as a decoration. The shade distributes the candlelight in a low romantic tone. Shapes in a candle shade can project images onto a wall. Often, you see shades used during holidays that display themed silhouettes on the side of a house. Candle shades also prevent soot from spreading onto furniture or walls.
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History of Shades
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The lamp shade became a fad with the invention of the lightbulb during the Victorian era. Lamp shades made a room look lavish and prevented lamps from casting unflattering shadows of guests upon the walls. Candle shades were a hit as a miniature knockoff of a lavish lamp shade, and it became a common pastime of wives to frequently make them.
Types of Plates
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Candle plates add color and décor to a space. They can be changed to match new themes in a room or for special occasions. Long or large candle plates make good centerpieces on a table when topped with two or three candles. Most candle plates are small enough for one candle. They are a common project for beginning mosaic artists. Candle plates come as glass, wood, clay, stone and bamboo. They may be round or square, rectangular or oval, as long as they serve their purpose.
Purpose of Plates
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Other than serving as decorative accessories, candle plates also keep wax from a burning candle from getting all over your furniture and windowsills. As a result, candle plates must be made of a substance from which wax can be conveniently removed.
History of Plates
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As long as there have been candles, people have needed something on which to place them. Plates are useful in the case of a molded candle or a rolled cone candle. It is necessary to use a holder for dipped candles. According to Robin Wood, author of "A History of Plates", the earliest plates were carved out of wood and bronze. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the standard of living for high-class Europeans increased, and wood dishware was replaced with more expensive pewter and porcelain.
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