Candles add a personal touch
KAYLEA HUTSON GateHouse Plus

Candles have been used throughout the ages as a way to express emotion and provide light for celebrations.

Since the first colonial women extracted a sweetsmelling wax from bayberry fruit, Americans have used candles not only for their practical use - as a light source for homes - but also as a way to enhance living spaces.

Candles continue to be used as a decorating tool, because they can be added to living spaces for renters and homeowners alike.

Earliest recorded candles were made using beeswax and tallow. Today's candles may be made of paraffin or soybean wax.

Here are some suggestions for how to use candles

Piller candles placed in glass lanterns or surrounded by glass hurricanes can help make a decorating statement, especially if placed at the end of a mantel or as a focal point in the room.

+ Grouping tapers or pillars together can provide a unique decoration. Mixing colors or shapes can provide dramatic difference, for a small expense. Place the grouping on a candle base with flat gray or black stones, or on plates made of metal or heavy pottery.

+ Try mixing textures, patterns, colors, shapes and sizes of candles to transform candle groupings into unique settings.

The smell or "aromas" of candles can also play an important role in décor. The National Candle Association estimates 75 to 80 percent of candle users (regardless of gender) consider fragrance as the leading factor to determining the purchase of a candle.

Valerie Cooper, NCA executive vice president, said approximately 80 percent of all candles sold in the U.S. contain some scent.

"Consumers use scented candles to create atmosphere and to enhance mood,"

she said.

Lighting vanilla candles can help promote a relaxed atmosphere. It has even been said vanilla is a natural aphrodisiac.

During the spring and summer, candles with a fruit fragrance often promote relaxation and enhanced mental acuity.

Mint, ginger, green tea and eucalyptus can also promote a sense of calm and well-being. Sandalwood is also believed to help regulate one's mood, treat insomnia and reduced nervous tension.