Out-of-the-box Candle Design. A4 CANDLE by Kazuhiro Yamanaka – Courtesy of Kazuhiro Yamanaka
Design. Light shapes atmosphere, sparks conversation, and quietly choreographs togetherness. From poetic minimalism to playful excess, contemporary candle design transforms festive rituals into expressive design statements, balancing warmth, wit, and innovation—equally at ease on the dinner table or beneath the Christmas tree.
X-mas Treet by Minji Jung – ©Minji Jung.
Japanese designer Kazuhiro Yamanaka proves that invention can be wonderfully modest. Using only an A4 sheet of paper and a coin battery LED, he creates a flickering illusion. Roll the sheet, and it switches on. This candle design celebrates simplicity, adaptability, and the quiet poetry of everyday materials.
Courtesy of Kazuhiro Yamanaka.
From scent to form, Normann Copenhagen‘s Crooked candlestick bends expectations. Designed by Uffe Buchard, it references brutalist architecture yet embraces festive colour. Its character constantly changes depending on the angle from which it is admired. Named after “scoundrel” personalities, the piece is sculptural, humorous, and knowingly irreverent.
Photo by Normann Copenhagen.
Staying Nordic, Iittala introduces its first scented candles. Made with 80% rapeseed oil, the wax fills ceramic vessels shaped like the iconic Alvar Aalto vase. Three scents evoke forests and lakesides, with earthy notes of oakmoss, suede, and cedarwood. The result gently connects landscape, sustainability, and one of Finnish modernism’s most recognisable silhouettes. Read more…
Photo by Iittala.
With Rocc, Michael Anastassiades translates the unlikely scent of stone into a sensory experience for Alessi. Created with the historic Robertet perfumery in Grasse, the collection gives odourless materials an emotional presence shaped by memory and lived experience. Six fragrances—Marble, Clay, Flint, Amethyst, Amber, and Basalt—distil solidity into atmosphere, allowing matter to linger as a subtle, volatile echo in the air.
Photo by Amina Marazzi Gandolfi.
Technology enters softly with Moritz Waldemeyer‘s Flame collection for Ingo Maurer. 256 high-quality LEDs recreate the complexity of fire and the ancient allure of a candle flame. From afar, the illusion is perfect, evoking the natural flow and flicker. Up close, pixels reveal themselves, celebrating the low-resolution poetry of light translated into code.
Photo by Tom Vack and Team, courtesy of Ingo Maurer GmbH.
A playful detour follows with IKEA’s Vinterfint collection by Gustaf Westman. “This was an opportunity to turn traditional holiday decor on its head,” he explains. Available in light blue and vibrant red, the collection’s candleholder stands sturdy thanks to its flared legs. Venterfint also comprises ceramic plates, cups, candleholders, a spiralling vase, and even a Swedish meatball plate.
Photo by IKEA.
Organic cell growth inspired Zaha Hadid Design’s stainless steel collection of candle holders and centrepiece. The amorphous bases resemble cell nuclei, balanced on long, narrow stems. The complex perforations remain undistorted and precise through laser technology, reflecting the studio’s fascination with fluidity, technology, and controlled complexity.
Photo by Zaha Hadid Design.
Jaime Hayon’s Instrument N 01 introduces a human presence. A smiling tribal face becomes a convivial object, its ears forming expressive handles. Produced using techniques borrowed from metal wind instruments, the magical artifact blurs sculpture and function with joyful ease.
Photo by Matteo Imbriani.
Minji Jung‘s X-Mas Treet celebrates the intimacy of Christmas with stackable porcelain pieces. Versatile and playful, they work as candle holders, espresso cups, dipping bowls, or cup covers. When assembled, an earthy brown cup forms a tree trunk, while dark green saucers create the pine tree’s foliage. This clever, tactile design invites interaction, slow rituals, and shared moments around the festive table, blending function with festive charm. Read more…
© Minji Jung.
That sense of balance continues with Audo Copenhagen‘s Interconnect by Colin King. A sphere, a line, and an angle meet in brass or painted steel. Constructed from rods and stamped elements, the unique piece doubles as a centrepiece, quietly asserting structure and rhythm at the table.
Photo by Audo Copenhagen.
Juicy colours take centre stage with Marcantonio‘s Vitamin collection for Seletti. Totemic stacks of fruit and vegetables form candlesticks and candelabras. The exuberant compositions extend into lighting, transforming the domestic landscape through playful excess.
Photo by Antinori.
For those drawn to tactile nostalgia, Richard Haining‘s Closer candlesticks close the circle. Crafted from salvaged, ink-stained wood, they are poetic in their simplicity. They evoke longing—both for absent loved ones and the joy of being together.
Courtesy of Fredericks & Mae.
Together, these projects reveal how light shapes atmosphere. At the festive table, thoughtful candle design becomes a language of care, creativity, and shared presence.
- RELATED STORIES: discover more eclectic tableware design on Archipanic…
Iittala AW25, Aalto Candles Collection – Photo by Iittala.
