How to Choose Taper Candles for a Candle Sconce

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By midcenturymaven
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Vintage french sconce

Nothing beats the romance of a candle sconce, especially during the fall and winter months. Candle sconces evoke warmth, tradition and continuity with the past when candles were not only decorative but a staple of everyday life.

Choosing taper candles for your sconce sounds easy enough until you start shopping for them. Whether you're buying them online or in a shop there are a dizzying array of styles and prices to choose from.

Use the following instructions to guide you towards tapers that suit your needs and budget.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Decide if you wish to actually light your candles. Candle sconces look a little naked without candles in them, yet they are often charming in their own right. Not lighting your candles opens up all options and is certainly the safest choice. See tips below for making your unlit candles look their best.
Step 2

Choose economy candles if you wish to use them on a nightly basis. These usually come in a box of twelve or twenty four. Usually they are made of pure white paraffin. White is the best way to go for candles you use all the time. Remember, if you choose inexpensive colored candles, the color may not go all the way through.
Step 3

Look to beeswax and soy or tapers made from a combination of waxes if pure paraffin is a problem for you.
Step 4

Pure beeswax candles- romantic but drippy, sticky and difficult to remove

Purchase only tapers specifically labelled as dripless, if that's what you want. It is a commonly held misconception that pricey candles are dripless. Nothing could be further from the truth. The candles pictured at left cost four dollars a piece and dripped considerably.
Step 5

Decide if you want hand dipped or molded candles. Molded candles will always be the same diameter at the bottom and may need shaping to fit your sconce. Hand dipped candles, on the other hand will vary and often come in many thicknesses depending on how many times they were dipped. They may be the best fit if the candle sconce itself is hand made.
Step 6

Choose a style of taper candle to complement the sconce and your decor. Hand dipped candles often evoke country charm. Carriage candles like those used the colonial and federal periods are good for traditional rooms. Mass produced molded tapers are great for mid century modern interiors. Square tapers are a little harder to find, but can look sharp in a minimalist modern setting.
Step 7

ruffle edge bobeche

Finally, use bobeches for extra protection. These clear glass saucers have a hole in the middle allowing them to slip over the taper and catch any drips. They can be plain and inconspicuous or be festooned with crystals for extra sparkle.