Candles. They are my ace prop, my instant go to mood lifter, my best friend in relaxing and an all rounder I count on when I need some instant prettiness. Group them with your favorite flowers and a few book, grab an old tray and add candles of various shapes and sizes, or fill a wicker basket with magazine and candles- with candles, decor possibilities are endless. And I love how versatile they are.

In part II of our collaboration with Modern Quests, I’ll show you how to style with candles, give out the links to the best candles I have ever smelt {These don’t even need to be lit to fill the room up with fabulous fragrance} and tell you a little about Modern Quests and its founder Sheena Garg who painstakingly curates every single piece so we can have the best of the globe at the click of our mouse. {My cat right now: Did you say mouse?}

How To Style with Candles 3 Ways

Silliness aside, I am often asked about my vignettes. How I style them, what are my vignette styling mantras and so on. To be honest, I don’t have a formula. It’s just that most of them have candles in them. And over the years I have styled them in many, many different ways.

So, today I am telling you 3 fool proof ways to use up these lovely lights in your home. Keep your pen and paper ready.

1. Create vignettes for your coffee table

Yes, right on top of the list. If you have some pretty scented candles at hand, just group them with books and flowers or indoor plants, and scatter them around your home. Firstly, your home will always smell good, secondly your corners and table tops will look amazing. I used Modern Quests’ Fjord, Hav and Urr candles as a part of my center table decor.

#Tip: Because they are in cool shades, I balanced them with terracotta {which is a warm shade} and added a tiny succulent in place of flowers, to pull the look together.

2. Make them a part of your dining decor

My dining table is never empty. It is never full of medicines or trays. When I get home, I sit on my dining and drink a cup of coffee and I love it. I always make candles a part of my breakfast or dinner table and it’s fills me with a sense of Hygge. When I saw the “White Lillies” candle by Max Benjamin, I couldn’t think beyond styling it in a leisurely breakfast setting. One that’s reminiscent of the simple pleasures of having a good breakfast, on a barn wood table somewhere in the country. I also read that it’s made in Ireland which completed the scenario perfectly!


3. Add life to a boring corner, instantly

Got a corner that has very little scope? Or space? A metallic candle might just be the answer. Chrome, gold or copper- all three do the trick quite well. For spaces that need a bit of focus, add in a candle stand in that is ornate or whimsical. For my end table which transforms to my cat’s snoozing place when I am watching TV, I added a few books and Black and Blum’s Copper T-Loop candle that is simple, modern and whimsical- all at the same time!

Easy, simple ideas that are doable. Easier when great decor pieces are at hand.

About Modern Quests

You know, much as it is the products, it is the people behind the products who make all this possible. When I looked around Modern Quests, I found not a single piece that I did not want. And when I say that, it means it has to be fabulous. So I wanted to know a little about Sheena Garg who spearheads the company. Here’s what she has to add in. Letting her take over.

1. Why Modern Quests. Tell me a bit about you and Modern quest. How did it all come together?

The goal at Modern Quests is to identify contemporary lifestyle products from creative global brands. So the word Quests signifies our continuous strive to search for ‘Modern’ and Unique products.
Having lived in North America for some time, I was quite inspired by the wide range of premium home accessories and contemporary décor that was available in many retail outlets. Throughout my travels, I came across many boutique stores that offered creative designs and gifts that were truly quite unique. While Indian consumers now have access to a wide range of global products and services, I wanted to create a clutter free and curated platform that would showcase distinctive and premium products that were hard to find in India.

{Okay, so that explains why I wanted it all}

2. How did a market place of only Imported decor elements strike you?

While we have started with only imported décor elements to introduce these brands to the Indian market, we are also actively searching for domestic tie-ups. Our goal is to provide consumers an elegant and clean shopping experience for modern lifestyle products – be it Indian or imported. While running a corporate gifts business for a few years, I realized that India has a vast potential for well designed, high quality products. It is sometimes a challenge to find good partnerships but we are regularly in discussions with potential Indian suppliers.

3. Which countries do you think are power house of collectibles. What’s the best product you’ve added to MQ?

The simple and minimalistic design offered by Danish brands is gaining strong popularity globally. We believe Scandinavian influence will continue to grow in the Indian market as well. Also, the innovative designs that we have witnessed in Italy makes us believe that many brands are moving away from traditional royal styles to more creative, modern designs. We’re excited to work with more Italian brands soon.

{Hi 5 Sheena, Hi 5. Dancing because we think alike. Yes, these Nords will take over and they will do it with Hygge, Fika and oodles of grey. I will very much like to be a part of this revolution}

My favorite product so far is the Glass House from Rader, Germany. The beautifully designed product is so simple but creative. You can either put mini vases in it or candles – either way, it is a great addition to the living room.

{And terrariums? Perhaps?}

Thoroughly enjoyed experiencing and shooting with Modern Quests. Do pay the website a visit or you can follow them on instagram, facebook and twitter as well for cute decor updates. You’ll see me following 😉 #justSayin

If you have any styling questions, buying questions or any other questions at all, hit the comments section or come follow me and Modern Quests on Instagram. Going live tonight.

See you all XO

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