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Young House Love » Decorating » How To Keep Candlesticks Straight

| By Sherry Petersik | July 28, 2009 | 70 Comments

How To Keep Candlesticks Straight

You guys already know that we like to keep all of our idle decorating objects in one cabinet that we lovingly refer to as the Decor Store for easy (and free) new arrangements whenever I get the urge:

img_5758

So when I started jonesing for a new look for our dining room table, I looked no further than our trusty little collection of already-on-hand options. Here’s what the table looked like before the mini makeover (I did love having table-setting items right at arm’s reach, I just wanted something new…):

tray-on-table-to-set-the-table-causal-centerpiece

So I stashed the bowls and the silverware back in the kitchen and decided to keep the plant and the napkins for the green pops of color that they (literally) brought to the table. And I wasn’t quite ready to retire my favorite woven & glass cups so those stuck around too. But what else could I introduce to keep things interesting and maybe even a little romantic? One peek into the accessory cabinet- er, Decor Store- had us seeing red. Wine that is. A giant ziplock bag of collected wine corks (thanks to friends and neighbors who save theirs up for us- no we didn’t actually “earn” them all ourselves) caught my eye and a plan began to emerge. I love corks as vase filler, but did I have a larger vessel for the center of the table? Yessss, I quickly grabbed a cheap hurricane snagged a while back at Ikea and a pillar candle for the center. Here are my supplies all laid out before the super simple “assembly” process began:

hurricaine-candle-centerpiece

But what’s that juice glass in front? Well, I introduced that after I tried putting the pillar candle and corks in the hurricane only to notice that it didn’t look as full or as dramatic as I’d hoped. See, by placing the glass upside-down under the pillar candle it became a stand of sorts and raised the candle up a few inches…

dining-table-centerpiece

… it also took up a good amount of volume in the center of the hurricane so the next time I began to add the cork “vase filler” it instantly looked a lot more full. Score.

cork-centerpiece

Here our new centerpiece bursting with corky goodness. Isn’t it funny how some collected corks, a juice glass we had hanging around, a pillar candle and an old Ikea hurricane can come together like they were meant to be?

cork-centerpiece-display

I love how the woven basket-turned planter works with the woven cups and the corks for a natural and rugged texture that really complements the more polished looking ceramic candlesticks and the gleaming glass hurricane.

And speaking of those candlesticks that we snatched up at Goodwill for $1 a few months ago, we actually have a little oldie-but-a-goody taper candle tip to share with anyone who is at their wits’ end with a wobbly candle (because the last thing that you want a flaming stick to be is precarious). It’s actually something that John’s mom taught me in passing, and it has since come to the rescue many many times (and possibly saved Casa Petersik from going up in a cloud of smoke). Just light the wick of your candle a bit and drip some hot wax into the base of the candlestick. Then place your candle base in the candlestick (taking care that you’re inserting it so it looks straight and even) and the hot wax will bond to the bottom of the candle to hold it in place like glue.

candle-tip

Ta-daaa. No more obsessive candle straightening necessary. And no more fears of your new cork centerpiece going up in a fiery blaze. Wax on, guys. Wax on. And you gotta love how candles and wine corks keep the dining table feeling inviting and even a little, dare we say it, romantic…

So that’s our latest little mini makeover around these parts. Any favorite candle tips of your own? Any unusual vase filler suggestions or centerpiece solutions? We wanna know what’s living it up on your dining table.

Update: One of our readers replicated our corks-&-candles-in-a-hurricane idea using skinny taper candles instead of a big fat pillar candle and did note that they burned down a lot faster and posed a potential fire hazard if they weren’t being watched (since corks are certainly a flammable material if the flame burns down to that level). We definitely recommend using a large slow-burning pillar candle set about eight inches above the corks and never leaving it unattended. Safety first!

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Comments

  1. Lynn says

    August 30, 2009 at 1:44 am

    Love your website…. I have a question, regarding the 3 Ikea shelves behind your dining room table how much room is between the outside shelf base and the dining chairs? Not sure about how much clearance is needed. I am wanting to put something like this for more display options behind my table. Right now I have 2 mirrors but not sure if I have enough space to do it. Thanks

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      August 30, 2009 at 9:31 am

      Good question! Around 35″ from the wall to the edge of the table should do the trick. It allows people to pull out their chairs quite a bit, although if you want people to be able to walk behind the table while the chairs are in use you might want to add even more space (we use the other side of the table to do most of the ciculating and serving). Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  2. Molly says

    August 5, 2010 at 10:38 pm

    This has been a really fun project for us. And our father-in-law loves to bring a handful of corks every few weeks when we see him. “I wasn’t GOING to open that 2nd bottle of wine, but since its for decorating your new house, I had to do my part, har har har har.”

    Reply
  3. melarse says

    September 26, 2010 at 6:57 pm

    Thanks for this tip!! I used it this weekend twice. You guys are the best.

    Reply
  4. MamaMae says

    August 5, 2011 at 9:47 am

    We were always taught that all the wicks of candles in your home should be burnt, never left white because it is a sign of your warmth and hospitality. It’s ambiance and folks also know it’s ok to use your candle.

    When I see a white wick in someone’s home, I find it so surprising.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      August 5, 2011 at 9:52 am

      I love that! Better go burn some wicks!

      xo,
      s

  5. sarah says

    September 14, 2012 at 12:45 am

    I just came across your cork wine centerpiece and it is exactly what I am looking for. I am getting married next summer and it is a wine themed wedding and I am in love with this idea! Thank you for posting this, and if you have any more cork suggestions I would really like to know them.

    Reply
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John and Sherry Sitting On Woven ChairHey, we’re John & Sherry. We’ve fixed up 7 homes, written books, designed products, started a podcast, and then downsized & moved to the beach! Here you’ll find over 3,000 DIY projects & home updates. More about us…
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