Don't use a fragranced pillar candle near food

 
With so much choice available, the way through this maze of options is to ask yourself some questions.

Scented pillar candles or non scented?
Non scented pillars are the only real choice if food is involved.

Do you want a completely clean-burning candle? That narrows the field to beeswax pillars or soy wax pillar candles.

Where are you going to site them? Can the décor stand tall pillar candles, or would shorter ones be better?

What’s the existing colour scheme? Do you want the candles to blend in unobtrusively, or make a striking contrast? Do you want to use pillar candles all the same colour, or would a palette of complementary colours work better?

Are you going to use the candles singly, in small groups spaced well apart, or as a striking mass display? If it's numbers you're after, think discount or wholesale. Do you need them as a centrepiece (very popular at weddings)?

Can you use varying heights to create more impact, or would you be better off with all candles the same size? Would small be better? Cute? In which case unusual shapes can work well – small ball candles, pyramids, and so on.

Should you mix and match? You could use a range of complementary colours with the same shapes, or the same colour in different shapes, or different shapes in complementary colours, or... You get the idea.

So let loose that creative spirit; go through this checklist and you'll soon decide what will work best. Surprising, isn't it, what options the humble pillar candle opens up?

Once you've worked your way through some of the possibilities suggested by this checklist, even those who think they are uncreative often discover unsuspected depths within themselves.

And the wonderful thing about candles is that they are so forgiving.

You're most unlikely to make any real mistakes, and you'll be thrilled to see just what you can create either by experimenting a little, or even if you stick with the most popular option, the fragranced pillar candle.