10 Unique Candles That Are Too Cool To Light

By  Morgan Goldberg
greentree candles Food52

We love a fragrant, aromatic candle as much as the next gal, but there is a whole other category of candle that we're currently lusting after. The candle-as-decor-piece is a sculptural and eye-catching — yet often unscented — coffee table companion that enhances your curated style. It's not the floral jar of wax you burn to unwind — in fact, you might not even burn it at all. This aesthetically minded candle is there for its whimsical, avant-garde looks and, sometimes, nothing more. Yet if you do decide to light your squiggly candle aflame, rest assured the melted top will only add visual allure.

1. Glaze Brushed Brass U Candle, $120

Glaze Brushed Brass U CandleFood52

A sleek, brushed brass holder comes with this dynamic, U-shaped candle that's a quirky-yet-elegant upgrade from your average taper.

2. Shop of Happy Gifts Venus Candle, $11.20

Shop of Happy Gifts Venus CandleEtsy

This female figure candle is crafted in Ukraine to honor beauty and humanity. We think it belongs in the Ancient Greece exhibit at The Met.

3. Ester & Erik Cone Candles, Set of 2, $20

Ester & Erik Cone CandlesMoMa Design Store

These Danish-made, freestanding cone candles remind us of how Dr. Seuss might imagine evergreen trees.

4. Melting Sweets Zig Zag Candle, $35

Melting Sweets Zig Zag CandleEtsy

Hand-poured in California, this playful, wiggly candle is giving us major Memphis design vibes.

5. Graziani Italian Ball Candle, $16

Graziani Italian Ball CandleMoMa Design Store

Italian manufacturer Cereria Graziani uses lacquered paraffin wax to give its spherical, Christmas ornament-like candles a polished finish that resembles glass.

6. GreenTree Home Hand Poured Beeswax Pillar Candles (set of 3), $99

GreenTree Home Hand Poured Beeswax Pillar CandlesFood52

A trio of sculptural pillars, this set of pure beeswax candles comes straight from the Catskills.

7. HANDS Orange Orb (set of 6), $55

HandsHandsHandsHandsHands Orange OrbHandsHandsHandsHandsHands

As these charming orb candles burn, the fire burrows into the center and creates a more "baroque" appearance.

8. HAY x Lex Pott Pillar Candle, from $45

HAY Pilar CandleHAY

Color blocked and stacked, these LEGO-esque candles come in all shapes, sizes, and hues.

9. HAY Spiral Candles (set of 6), $35

HAY Spiral CandlesHAY

Like your favorite soft serve ice cream, these candles are swirled to perfection. We're sorry if you now want to eat them.

9. Lex Pott Twist Duo Standing Taper Candle, $40

Lex Pott Twist Duo Standing Taper CandleUrban Outfitters

With a curvaceous, twisted based, this dual-end taper candle by Netherlands designer Lex Pott is a marvel of physics and a work of art.

10. Maison Balzac Volute Candles (set of 2), $25

Maison Balzac Volute CandlesSlowdown Studio

Made up of a succession of round volutes, these plant-based stearin wax candles are a festive addition to any surface.

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