Candles & Votives

Luxury Scented Candles, Votives & Designer Lanterns for Premium Home Decor

A candle is not just a flame. In a thoughtfully curated home, it is a sensory anchor to add a point of warmth, fragrance, and visual calm that no other decor object can replicate. The Living Influence brings together a carefully selected range of luxury scented candles, votive candles, designer lanterns, and premium candle accessories, sourced from India's most design-forward brands and chosen for people who treat their living spaces as an extension of their personal aesthetic.

This is not a general candle store. Every piece in this collection has been curated for design integrity, fragrance quality, and lasting visual presence and every brand here carries a distinct creative point of view.

What's in the Candles & Lanterns Collection?

The collection spans four closely connected categories, designed to work together as a complete sensory and decorative system for the home.

Premium Scented Candles

Scented candles at The Living Influence are selected for fragrance complexity, wax quality, and container design — because a luxury candle should hold its ground on a shelf long after it has burned down.

Types available include soy wax candles (clean-burning, long-lasting), hand-poured jar candles, concrete-vessel candles, sculptural candles such as Big Bubble and Long Candle forms, and aromatherapy candles designed for specific moods and wellness routines.

Votive Candles & Votive Holders

A votive candle is a small, wide candle typically 5 to 7 cm in height designed to burn completely within a dedicated votive holder. Votives are among the most versatile formats in candle decor: they can be clustered on trays for a massed candlelight effect, placed individually as table markers, or nestled inside decorative holders that shape and tint the light they emit.

Unlike pillar candles, votives are designed to liquefy fully as they burn, which means the holder is essential and it contains the wax pool and protects surfaces. At The Living Influence, both votive candles and designer votive holders are available, including sculptural brass-finish holders, marble tealight vessels, and handcrafted ceramic forms that double as permanent décor objects.

Votive and tealight formats are particularly suited to:

• Dining table settings where multiple small flames create ambient warmth
• Festive and seasonal arrangements (Diwali, anniversaries, celebrations)
• Bathroom and spa-style styling around a bathtub or washbasin shelf
• Puja or meditation corners where soft, contained light is preferred

Designer Lanterns

Lanterns occupy a specific and underused niche in Indian home decor, they bridge candlelight and architecture, working equally well on dining tables, entryway floors, bathroom ledges, or balcony railings. The Living Influence stocks designer lanterns suited to both indoor and outdoor use, in materials including graphite aluminum, antique brass, black iron, and hand-finished glass.

Candle Accessories & Decor

The full candle experience requires the right supporting objects: pedestaled candle stands, tealight holders, ombre hand-dipped taper candles, candle gift sets, and candle care tools. Decorative candle stands and holders in marble, brass, borosilicate glass, and stoneware are available across multiple designer brands within this collection.

Designer Candle & Lantern Brands at The Living Influence

What distinguishes The Living Influence from a generic candle retailer is the curation. Every brand stocked here has been selected for craft provenance, design identity, and material quality. These are not mass-produced products. Here are the designers and studios you can shop online through this collection.

Muun Home — Scandinavian Minimalism Meets Indian Craft

Muun Home was founded by two brothers who spent 15 years developing products with artisans across India for international brands and decided to bring that same level of craft home to Indian consumers. The brand merges Scandinavian minimalism with the material richness of Indian artisanship, working with craftspeople from different places.

For candle lovers, Muun Home is particularly notable for its Dome Candle Holder crafted from premium borosilicate glass with a slate grey base and a translucent amber or teal dome lid that diffuses flame into a soft, ambient glow. The Ceramic Coil Candle Holder, handcrafted in Khurja from high-quality stoneware, is available in Lilac, Beige, and Olive. The Astra Marble Tealight Candle Holder and Theia Tealight Holder extend the collection into votive and tealight use.

Muun also offers Ombre Hand-Dipped Taper Candles, a rarer format in the Indian market, suited to formal dining and festive table styling.

→ Shop Muun Home at The Living Influence

FIG Living — Functionality-Inspired, Origami-Influenced Design

FIG Living (Functionality Inspired Goods) was founded in 2024 as part of Inmark Exports Pvt. Ltd., India's largest decorative paper lighting manufacturer and a Government of India-recognised Star Export House. The brand blends Scandinavian geometry with India's craft vocabulary, and has fulfilled over 10,000 D2C orders in its first year — one of the fastest-growing focused lighting and living brands in the country. FIG Living's designs have been selected at MoMA New York, Messe Frankfurt, and Formex Stockholm.

Within the candles category at The Living Influence, FIG Living aromatherapy candles are curated for mood enhancement and everyday ambience. These are well-suited to pair with the brand's origami-inspired pendant lamps and portable lamps for a cohesive fragrance-and-light environment. 

→ Shop FIG Living at The Living Influence

Studio Saswata — Jaipur-Based, Material-Led, Since 2013

Studio Saswata has been creating handcrafted home decor objects, lighting, and accent furniture from Jaipur, Rajasthan since 2013. Founded on a design philosophy driven by Indian crafts, cultural heritage, and the geometry of nature, the studio has built a material vocabulary that spans brass (its founding material), wood, marble, aluminium, copper, and bronze. Every piece combines traditional artisanal technique with contemporary restraint.

For candles, Studio Saswata offers the Boat Candle and Boat Candle Gift Box, distinctive sculptural candle forms that read as objects of design rather than functional commodities. Their candle and votive collection sits within the same design language as their broader range of handcrafted brass and metal objects: precise, culturally rooted, and built to last. The studio also undertakes bespoke art installations for interior design projects 

→ Shop Studio Saswata at The Living Influence

Taho Living — Sculptural Candle Holders & Lanterns in Patinated Brass and Aluminium

Taho Living is a luxury home decor brand built on the principle that objects should acquire character over time, not resist it. Working in hand-cast aluminium, antique brass, black iron, and brushed nickel, Taho produces candle holders, lanterns, and decorative objects that function as functional sculpture within a room.

Their candle holder range is among the most design-forward in the Indian market. The Sanee Candle Holder in brass-finish metal is conceived as a patinating object and the surface intentionally unsealed so it deepens with use and light. The Stūmah Tea-light Holder is intimate and textural, designed for vignette layering. Taho's candle stands are available in multiple forms — from slender long candle holders suited to tapers, to low tealight vessels and commanding pillar-ready bases.

For lanterns, Taho offers architectural pieces in graphite aluminium, antique brass, and black iron, each with materials left unsealed so the finish evolves with time. Whether a tall rectangular form for an entryway threshold or a low lantern for a balcony setting, Taho's lanterns are conceived as structures of stillness rather than generic lighting accessories.

→ Shop Taho Living at The Living Influence

How to Choose a Luxury Scented Candle: A Buyer's Guide

Choosing a premium candle is different from buying a standard home fragrance product. These are the factors that genuinely matter:

Wax type and burn quality

Soy wax burns cleaner and longer than paraffin, with a more even scent release. If a soy candle shows faint crystalline patches or slight surface variation (called frosting), this confirms the absence of synthetic additives and it is a quality marker, not a defect. Beeswax has a naturally warm, honey-adjacent scent and an exceptionally clean burn.

Fragrance intent that match the scent to the room and mood

• Calming and sleep-supporting: Lavender, sandalwood, vanilla
• Focus and productivity: Peppermint, eucalyptus, lemon, lemongrass
• Refreshing and uplifting: Orange, citrus blends, spearmint, rose
• Warm and ambient: Vanilla, coffee, amber, woody notes
• Festive and celebratory: Oud, spiced blends, jasmine

Candle format: which type suits your purpose?

• Scented jar candles — best for room fragrance, long burn, everyday use
• Votive candles — best for clustered displays, table settings, festive ambience
• Taper/ombré candles — best for formal dining, tall candlesticks, occasion settings
• Pillar candles — best for pedestaled stands, lanterns, centrepieces
• Sculptural/concrete candles — best as permanent décor objects that happen to burn
• Tealights — best for votive holders, lanterns, bathroom styling

Vessel and holder as permanent decor

A luxury candle in a concrete, marble, or borosilicate glass vessel retains its value as a décor object after the wax is gone. This is a key consideration for design-conscious buyers: the vessel should earn its place on the shelf independently of the candle it holds.

Where to Use Candles, Votives & Lanterns in Your Home

Living room: Tall pillar candles on pedestaled stands, or a designer lantern flanking a console. For vignettes, group a Muun Dome Candle Holder with a Taho Sanee stand and a sculptural object for a layered tabletop moment.

Dining table: Votive candles clustered on a tray create warm, intimate table lighting without blocking sight lines. Ombré taper candles in tall holders add height and colour. The Big Bubble Candle creates an architectural focal point as a standalone centrepiece.

Bedroom: Soy wax jar candles with calming fragrances like lavender, vanilla, sandalwood placed on bedside tables or windowsills. Keep away from curtains and direct sunlight.

Bathroom: Votive holders and tealights around a bathtub create a spa-like atmosphere. Citrus, eucalyptus, or spearmint fragrances work well in humid environments. The Muun Dome Tealight Holder performs particularly well in this setting.

Balcony and outdoor: Enclosed lanterns in metal like Taho's graphite aluminium or black iron lanterns, or the Anna Lantern that protect flame from wind and create a warm outdoor atmosphere.

Puja and meditation room: Unscented beeswax or lightly fragranced votives in brass or marble holders. Studio Saswata's brass-finish objects integrate naturally with puja room aesthetics.

Candle Styling: How to Layer Light Like an Interior Designer

Most people underinvest in candle styling by buying single candles without thinking about composition. These are the approaches used in high-end residential and hospitality design:

The votive cluster: Group 5–9 votive holders of different heights and materials on a decorative tray with a mix of marble, brass, and glass reads as a curated collection rather than an accident. Light them together for a soft, multi-point candlelight effect.

The trio rule: Three candles of different heights — one tall pillar on a Taho stand, one medium jar candle, one Muun Dome Holder that creates visual depth without visual clutter.

The lantern anchor: One statement lantern (Taho's antique brass lantern, or the Anna Lantern) as the structural point in a vignette, with smaller votives and objects arranged around it.

The concrete contrast: Concrete and sculptural candles read as sculptures in rooms with soft furnishings and particularly effective against linen, marble, or oak surfaces. The Studio Saswata Boat Candle functions this way.

The taper moment: Ombré hand-dipped tapers from Muun Home in tall Taho pillar holders transform a dining table for occasion settings without requiring elaborate florals or centrepieces.

Candles as Luxury Gifts

A premium candle gift set communicates thoughtfulness through the combination of fragrance (personal, sensory), design (visual pleasure), and ritual (the moment of lighting). The result is a gift that outlasts most alternatives.

For gifting, consider sets that pair candle and vessel like the Muun Dome Candle Holder (which comes with a matched soy blend candle), the Rose Petal Diwali Set, or Studio Saswata's Boat Candle Gift Box. Taho Living's candle holders, designed to patinate and age with the owner, make particularly meaningful housewarming or anniversary gifts because they carry a sense of permanence.

The Living Influence ships candle gifts across India, with packaging suitable for direct delivery.

Shop Luxury Candles, Votives, Lanterns & Candle Decor Online

The Living Influence curates designer candles, votive candles, premium lanterns, and candle home decor from a select group of India's most thoughtful design brands. Whether you are building a layered fragrance and light environment across your home, selecting a statement lantern for an entryway, choosing votive holders for a dining table, or finding a premium candle gift set for a special occasion, this collection is assembled for buyers who approach their spaces with intention.

Buy online at The Living Influence, with nationwide and international delivery across India and a curation focused on quality, craft provenance, and lasting design value.

What is a votive candle and how is it different from a tealight? 

A votive candle is slightly larger than a tealight; it is typically 5–7 cm tall and 4–5 cm in diameter and is designed to burn fully within a snug-fitting votive holder. Tealights are flat, disc-shaped, and come in their own thin metal or plastic cup. Both are designed for contained, low-profile burning, but votives burn longer (generally 10–15 hours versus 3–5 for most tealights) and produce a stronger fragrance throw due to their larger wax volume. Votives are well-suited to clustered table settings and dedicated votive holders; tealights are better for lanterns, floating candle displays, and quick mood-setting.

What is the difference between a luxury candle and a regular candle? 

A luxury or premium candle differs from a standard candle in wax quality, fragrance concentration, vessel design, and burn consistency. Premium candles typically use soy wax, beeswax, or a high-grade blend; carry fragrances developed at a higher concentration (typically 8–12% fragrance load); and their containers are glass jars, concrete, or handblown vessels. They are designed to be kept as objects after the candle burns down.

What are the best scented candles for a living room? 

For Indian living rooms, which often host mixed uses, the most effective fragrance profiles are warm and ambient rather than sharp. Vanilla, sandalwood, amber, and woody blends work well for daily use. For monsoon and winter months, oud and spiced notes add seasonally appropriate warmth. Larger jar candles or sculptural pillar candles suit the scale of a living room better than votives or tealights, which are better suited to dining and bedroom settings.

Are soy wax candles better than paraffin candles? 

For most home uses, yes. Soy wax burns cooler, longer, and cleaner than paraffin, producing less soot. Soy candles also release fragrance more gradually and evenly. The surface irregularities (frosting, wet-spots) sometimes seen on soy candles are natural characteristics of the wax, not quality defects — they confirm the absence of synthetic hardeners.

What is the difference between a decorative lantern and a candle holder? 

A candle holder supports a candle directly designed for visibility of the flame and candle form itself. A lantern encloses the candle within a structure (glass panes, metal frame) that diffuses and softens the light, protects the flame from drafts, and functions as an architectural object regardless of whether it is lit. Lanterns are more versatile for outdoor use and generally read as statement décor. Taho Living's lantern range illustrates this distinction clearly and each piece is designed to be as compelling as it is when holding a flame.

What makes a candle holder a luxury object? 

A luxury candle holder is distinguished by material quality (solid brass, marble, borosilicate glass, cast aluminium), finish treatment (hand-applied patinas, unsealed surfaces that age with use), proportion and form (designed as sculpture first, utility second), and production method (in-house casting, artisan finishing). Taho Living's candle holders, for example, are intentionally left unsealed so they develop nuance with light and use. Muun Home's Ceramic Coil Holder is handcrafted in Khurja stoneware — each has individual variation. These are objects that improve with time rather than degrade.

Can I use votive candles without a holder? 

No, votives are specifically designed to burn in holders. Because the wax melts fully to a liquid pool, a votive without a holder will spread across the surface it is sitting on. The holder contains the melt, protects surfaces, and in the case of glass or metal holders, shapes the light cast by the flame. Some votive holders also tint or diffuse the glow (amber, smoke, clear glass), changing the mood of the light significantly.

How do I store candles and preserve their fragrance?

Keep candles away from direct sunlight and heat sources, both degrade fragrance oils. In warm areas, avoid windowsills and areas near cooking heat. Covered candles with lids preserve scent longer. Most well-made soy candles retain their fragrance for 12–18 months if stored in a stable, cool environment.

What candle format is best for a Diwali or festive gift? 

For Diwali gifting, sets that combine candle and vessel are most effective — they offer both immediate fragrance pleasure and a lasting decor object. The Rose Petal Diwali Set (hand-poured soy wax), Muun Home's Dome Candle Holder Set (borosilicate glass with soy blend candle), and Studio Saswata's Boat Candle Gift Box all work well in this context. A votive holder set with a set of votives is also a strong gifting option — it introduces the recipient to a candle format they may not have used before.