How Do You Decorate Candle Holders For Fall?

With cooler weather and shorter days, autumn makes the perfect time to cozy up your home. Decorating with candles and candle holders is a classic way to usher in the fall season. Candlelight creates a warm glow that feels comforting yet celebrates the beauty of fall at the same time.

Decorating candle holders is an easy DIY project that allows you to add your personal flair. You likely already have candle holders around the house that you can repurpose. With a few simple natural elements and accents, you can give any candle holder an autumn refresh. The variety of textures, colors, and materials means you can customize your look.

Gather Supplies

A wide variety of natural materials make for perfect fall candle holder decorations. Here are some recommended supplies to gather:

• Leaves – Collect an assortment of colorful fall leaves, like maple, oak, and birch. Press them between sheets of wax paper to dry and preserve their vibrancy.
• Pinecones – Look for pinecones in an array of sizes, from tiny to extra large. Keep some closed and glue others open.
• Acorns – These miniature fall treasures are great for filling gaps. Varieties like red oak and white oak add nice contrast.
• Cinnamon Sticks – The warm scent and color of cinnamon sticks evoke cozy fall vibes. Break some into smaller pieces for variety.
• Gourds – Mini decorative gourds in colors like green, yellow, orange, white, and speckled make beautiful fall accents.
• Burlap – Cut burlap into small squares or strips to wrap around candle holders or shape into rustic bows.
• Raffia – The natural tan texture of raffia complements fall colors nicely. Use it to tie elements together.

Gathering these materials from nature allows you to decorate candle holders with beautiful, organic fall charm. Avoid purchasing decorative items, and opt for foraged finds instead.

Clean the Candle Holders

Before decorating your candle holders for fall, it’s important to thoroughly clean them. This removes any wax residue, dust, and grime that may have built up over time. Start by filling a basin or sink with warm water and a small amount of dish soap. Submerge the candle holders and allow them to soak for 10-15 minutes. This helps loosen any stubborn wax or dirt. Use a soft cloth to gently scrub every surface of the candle holders—inside and out. Pay close attention to hidden crevices where gunk can collect. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry completely with a lint-free towel. Your candle holders should now have a clean canvas for fall decorating!

Taking the time to properly clean candle holders before decorating is a crucial first step. Any lingering debris could prevent decorative elements like foliage, ribbon, or raffia from adhering properly. Grease residue may also lead to dust and lint accumulating more quickly on the finished decor. Thorough cleaning removes these obstacles, allowing you to decorate with a blank slate. It also helps your fall candle holders maintain their beauty longer. Proper cleaning clears the way for your creative vision to shine.

Create Foliage Bases

A fun way to decorate candle holders for fall is to create foliage bases. Start by gathering leaves, pinecones, acorns, and other natural elements that complement your fall color scheme. Fake leaves and pine needles work nicely too if you don’t have access to the real thing.

For a quick and easy base, simply hot glue leaves around the bottom of the candle holder in a single layer, alternating colors and textures. Try using maple leaves, oak leaves, and pine needles in autumnal shades of red, orange, yellow and brown.

For a fuller effect, begin with a ring of pine needles or other greenery glued around the bottom edge of the candle holder. Then start layering additional leaves, pine needles, and other elements, building up texture and volume. Alternate the direction of the leaves, and insert sprigs of berries or baby’s breath to fill in any gaps.

Finish off your foliage base by adding a few acorns, slices of mini pumpkins, cinnamon sticks or other decorative touches on top. The layered effect creates an organic, woodsy base for your candle that perfectly captures the colors and textures of autumn.

Accent with Natural Elements

Autumn offers a bounty of natural materials that are perfect for decorating candle holders. Acorns, pinecones, sticks, dried leaves, nuts, and seed pods are wonderful accents that evoke the colors and textures of fall.

Gather acorns, small pinecones, and other interesting pieces from your yard or on walks through the neighborhood. Look for acorns with their caps still attached, as these look more visually appealing. You can also find bags of acorns and pinecones at most craft stores if you don’t have access to natural ones.

Arrange a few acorns or small pinecones around the base of the candle holders. Try clustering 3-5 together in a corner or staggering them at intervals around the rim. For large pillar candle holders or lanterns, you can line the bottom with a layer of acorns.

Incorporate sticks or small twigs to add height and visual interest. Prop sticks up against the sides of the candle holders so they make a little “fence” or tepee shape. You can also crisscross two sticks and bind them with raffia or twine.

For a bit of color, glue dried orange, yellow, or red leaves to the base of the candle holders. Try using leaf shapes that complement the shape of the holder.

Allow the textures, colors, and shapes of nuts, seed pods, and other natural objects speak for themselves. Place them creatively around the candle holders to make stunning organic decor.

Incorporate Fall Colors

Fall is a beautiful time of year with the changing colors of leaves and plants. Incorporate rich autumnal colors throughout your fall candle holder decor to really capture the season. Look for ribbons in deep reds, oranges and yellows to tie around candle holders. Choose faux flowers and berries in warm autumn tones like marigolds, sunflowers, chrysanthemums, roses and hydrangeas. You can find stems of real or faux foliage in fall colors to place in and around candle holders as well. Cluster real or dried leaves in the centers of holders or around the bases. Warm metallics like copper and bronze compliment fall colors beautifully too. Embrace the palette of autumn by bringing as much seasonal color into your candle holders as possible.

Add Burlap and Raffia

Burlap, raffia, and twine are easy ways to add natural texture to your fall candle holders. You can wrap candle holders with these materials or use them to make bows, tassels, and other accents.

For a simple look, wrap burlap ribbons or strips of raffia around pillar candles or lanterns. Use hot glue to adhere the ends. For a more rustic vibe, wrap thicker burlap around the entire candle holder and secure with jute twine.

Cut 6-8 inch strips of burlap or raffia. Fold the strips in half and tie them around candle holders with twine to make simple bows. Fluff out the bow loops and ends for added texture. For fancier bows, cut longer strips, loop them into bow shapes, and hot glue before tying on with jute twine.

You can also use burlap and raffia to make beautiful tassels. Cut strands around 12 inches long. Gather a handful of strands and wrap tightly with a smaller piece of burlap about 1 inch down. Tie jute twine around the wrap to form the tassel neck. For fuller tassels, wrap and tie additional strands of burlap or raffia below the neck. Trim the ends even and fluff the tassel. Glue or tie tassels onto candles and lanterns.

Get creative with different ways to incorporate burlap, raffia, and jute to give your candle displays natural fall flair. The texture and earthy feel of these materials is perfect for the season.

Make Mini Pumpkins

A fun way to decorate your fall candle holders is by making miniature pumpkins. You can easily create tiny pumpkins from materials like clay, oranges, or craft supplies from around the house.

To make mini pumpkins from clay, choose an orange colored modeling clay. Pinch off a small piece and roll it into a round ball shape. Then press your fingers on the top and bottom to flatten them into more of a pumpkin shape. Use a toothpick or skewer to carve ridges into the clay to make it look more like a real pumpkin. Make a bunch of clay pumpkins in different sizes.

You can also repurpose oranges by turning them into mini pumpkins. Start by cutting an orange in half crosswise. Use a sharp knife to carve out the inside pulp, leaving about a 1/4 inch of the peel. Then use the knife tip to etch lines into the peel to create the pumpkin look. Cut a small piece of the peel off the bottom so it sits flat. Make a few of these for a fresh take on pumpkins.

For a paper version, cut freehand pumpkin shapes out of orange and green construction paper. Glue a green stem onto the top of each pumpkin. Draw or glue on details like ridges and faces. Vary the pumpkin sizes for variety.

However you make them, cluster your mini pumpkins in and around the candle holders for a handmade harvest touch.

Create Cohesive Displays

When decorating with candles for fall, it’s important to create cohesive displays that tie all the elements together. Here are some tips for creating coordinated fall vignettes with candles:

• Choose a color palette – stick to 2-3 complementary colors like oranges, reds, browns, and cream.
• Incorporate natural textures like burlap, raffia, leaves, acorns, pinecones, etc. Repeating these textures throughout the display will create harmony.
• Use candles in matching colors and styles for visual continuity. For example, opt for all pillar candles or all votives in the same color family.
• Create vignettes in odd-numbered groupings – try clusters of 3, 5 or 7 candles for a pleasing arrangement.
• Layer heights by combining tall and short candles, candle holders, foliage, and other elements.
• Tie designs together with raffia, twine, or ribbon in one of your accent colors.
• Scatter small pumpkins, gourds, leaves, pinecones, and other foraged elements throughout to reinforce the fall theme.
• Make sure candle holders relate to one another – use a cohesive style or material like all glass, all wood, all metal, etc.

Paying attention to these decorative details will help create a coordinated display that feels purposefully composed for fall. The result will be a warm, inviting vignette that sets the mood for the season.

Maintain and Refresh

Once your fall candle holders are decorated, be sure to properly maintain them for safety and longevity. Here are some tips:

• Never leave a burning candle unattended. Extinguish candles before going to sleep or leaving your home.
• Trim wicks to 1⁄4 inch before lighting to prevent smoking and uneven burning.
• Use a candle snuffer or wet fingers to extinguish candles – never blow them out.
• Keep candles away from flammable items like curtains, books, furniture etc. Allow 12-18 inches clearance.
• Avoid moving candles when lit – extinguish first.
• Don’t let wax pool higher than 1 inch deep to prevent cracking and breaking.
• Store extra candles in a cool, dry place. Heat can cause candles to warp or melt.
• Freshen up dried botanicals and foliage weekly by spritzing lightly with water and rearranging.
• Replace sunflowers, pumpkins, and apples as they start to deteriorate.
• Wipe down candle holders regularly to remove dust and wax buildup.

With proper care, your autumnal candle displays can remain beautiful and safe to enjoy all season long. Refresh tired decorations to keep your fall style going strong.