Types of Candle Holders: The Complete Guide
Find the candle holder type for your home.
There are many different types of candle holders, including candlesticks, candelabras, tealight holders, lanterns, hurricanes, and votives – each with their unique shape, size, placement, and materials. Read on for a comprehensive guide on all the candle holder types available and how you can use them to complete your space.
Candle Holder Types
- Candlestick: Classic candlestick holders are a great way to add height and dimension to a surface. Whether you’re setting a table for a dinner party, or filling in your fireplace with flameless candles, using candlesticks can instantly elevate the look.
- Lantern: Lantern candle holders are a great decor option for displaying your candles in a rustic fashion. Great for outdoor spaces, lantern candle holders are typically finished with a classic glass pane and metal frame making them durable enough for decks or patios but still stylish.
- Votive: Made for votive-sized candles, these holders make for perfect accents to bathroom counters or mantles for a subtle glow.
- Tealight: Display several tealights at once with special tealight holders. Use for singles, small sets, or a long line of lights for an instant decor upgrade.
- Hurricane: For a minimalist design, hurricane candle holders offer a sleek look of a plain glass cylinder around a candle to protect the flame, without overwhelming your space or cluttering your surroundings.
- Candelabra: On the other hand, if subtlety isn’t your specialty, display your candles in an extravagant candelabra. Like the name itself, this candle holder type is an elaborate arrangement to show off your candles with elegance and whimsy.
- Wall Sconce: Doubling as a piece of wall decor, wall sconces can pair with a candle to create a modern or vintage feel in any room.
- Dish: Design an eye-catching centerpiece with a dish candle holder. Make your candle the focal point of your surface with a trendy dish surrounded by other decor like plants, books, or beads.
- Wax Warmer: Perfect for homes with pets or kids or if you tend to forget to snuff out the flame, wax warmer holders are a sophisticated alternative to candles. Choose from plenty of scents found in typical wick-candles without the stress.
- Metal: Durable materials like metal make for excellent candle holders. Metal can retain heat to keep a continuous burn and can be used to accumulate all the dripping wax from a burning candle without ruining the holder.
- Wood: Wooden candle holders can be used as candle sticks, candle trays, or even lantern holders. The durable material can be stained and fashioned to portray a weathered appearance or intricate carving designs.
- Ceramic: Another durable material, ceramic is more resistant to heat than glass, so it will last longer without wearing than other candlestick materials making it a worthwhile investment for your home.
- Plastic: Candle holders that are plastic are made from a special high-heat resistant material that can withstand a wide range of temperatures. Plastic is also lighter than glass and lightweight.
- Stone: Stone holders offer an industrial design to your space with dark colors and durable material it will hold up to any potential wear and tear.
- Porcelain: This fragile material offers more creative freedom with many candle holders available in novelty shapes and designs.
- Glass: Fragile materials like glass and crystal instantly elevate the look of candles with their delicate features and how the light reflects in the holder’s shape.
- Fireplace: Use your fireplace even when it isn’t cold outside with a trendy fireplace candle holder. This is a great option to utilize your fireplace without the hassle and upkeep of a traditional fireplace. For more fireplace ideas including candle holders, check out our guide, How to Decorate a Fireplace: 20 Fire Tips to Heat Up Your Home.
- Floor: Candle sticks, lanterns, and novelty shapes can all be floor candle holder types. You can use these to hold candles and flank on either side of a fireplace or line the steps of a back deck.
- Tabletop/Centerpiece: Use these centerpiece candle holders as a statement piece on your dining or coffee table.
Do you prefer a certain size candle? Make sure you choose the appropriate size holder so you can use them together!
- Pillar: Pillar candle holders will hold pillar candles with a diameter of 2”, 3”, and 4”. It’s important to pair the right sized candle holder so that the candle sits securely on the base and doesn’t risk falling over or spilling.
- Taper: These candle holder types are best for taper candles because their shape mimics the progressive widening at the base to support the shape of the taper candle.
- Ball: These unique candles deserve a holder that best supports their round shape. Whether it’s fully enclosed or elevated on a stand, ball candle holders will only complement their candle’s shape.
- Votive/Tealight: The importance of using the right size candle holder for votives and tealight candles is so that you can easily light and extinguish them when needed. These short candle holders come in several decorative colors and accents to also function as stylish decor.
- Flameless/LED: Even faux candles deserve to have a nice display. Choose from pillar stands, lanterns, or minimalist hurricane vases to curate the perfect look for your electric candles.
- Short/Small: Great for tealights, votives, and short pillars these candle holder types are the appropriate size proportion of holder to candle.
- Medium: Show off your medium size candles with several different candle holder designs from wall mounts, to fireplace placements.
- Tall/Large: This size is best for candles with long burn times that you won’t have to change out as often as smaller ones.
Display all of your matching candle sets at once with a cohesively designed candle holder. These holders will tier and show off your candle collection all in one spot perfect for centerpieces and mantles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main types of candle holders?
Candlesticks, candelabras, tealight holders, lanterns, hurricanes, and votives are the most common types of candle holders.
What is a hurricane candle holder?
Hurricane candle holders feature a glass cover that shields candles from drafts.
What are votive holders?
Votive holders are small cups for votive candles.
Which candle holders are best for outdoors?
Lanterns and hurricanes are the best candle holders for outdoor spaces.
