From Breakfast Room to Boudoir, Penthouse to Pool House…and everything in between!

A sampling of the Lafco "House and Home" Candle Collection

(l to r: Master Bathroom: Marine, Game Room: Blue Bamboo, Media Room: Spike Lavender)

How you doing on candles? Let me guess – you’ve got a few choice ones scattered around your place? A couple on the mantle for decoration, your new favorite one on the coffee table, a few votives near the bathtub (because you envision yourself taking baths by candlelight)? And then a drawer or cabinet full of the ones you’re currently sick of. Something like that, right?

You may even go through phases with candles. I know I have! Discovered them initially for my college apartments. Then I went on to work at Pier 1 Imports for a while. And let me tell you – the last thing a candle-loving 21-year-old needs is an employee discount on candles. Let’s just say I amassed a collection! Then on to Party-lite candle parties. . . It was out-of-control there for a while. And then I lost interest in candles.

Sure, I’d still sniff every candle in a store (and still do), but for the longest time, nothing “wowed” me. “Practical E” was always in my head telling me I had plenty of candles at home to light and love.

Then along came the “House and Home” Collection by Lafco.

Before I commence with the love fest, I should get this off my chest: these were part of Oprah’s “favorite things” last year. And I got a little uppity because I figured everyone would think that I jumped on the Lafco bandwagon because of Oprah. No people, no. In the most immature, obnoxious way, I’m here to say, “E discovered them first!” But thanks, O, for agreeing with me. :)

Annnnywayyyyy….the candles! You know I’m going to say they’re great and worth every penny! They are soy-based wax candles, with a natural cotton wick, housed in a wide hand-blown glass jar (approx. 4” x 4”) that’s pretty just sitting there doing nothin’. A 16oz candle will yield about 90 hours of burning. Retail is $55. I currently own “Kitchen: Cilantro Orange.” I tend to move a lot and it’s made sense in every kitchen I’ve had it in. And you know why it makes sense in every kitchen? Because it was designed for the kitchen; it’s in the “Fragrance Floorplan.”

Yes! You heard me! There is a Fragrance Floorplan! And let’s pause for a moment to discuss the Fragrance Floorplan, shall we? Um, it’s F-a-n-t-a-s-t-i-c! I need you to picture me reaching through your computer screen, grabbing you by the shoulders, and sticking the Fragrance Floorplan in your face. And then I’d tell you to take a good long look at it, concluding that yes, it’s the coolest thing you’ve seen all week! (Link to the coolest thing you’ve seen all week – when you’re done reading this – below.)

I’m going to go ahead and put this Fragrance Floorplan up near the tippy-top of my “loves.” Other companies may woo you with fragrance and packaging (which, don’t get me wrong, will often work for me), but Lafco doesn’t stop there. The Fragrance Floorplan gives these beautiful candles a story. They were thought about and planned for. They were incorporated.

As if all of this weren’t enough, a sub-group of the “House and Home” Collection is the “Dream Home Candles” Collection. Oh yes, a candle for your ski lodge, a candle for your beach house, a candle for your ranch house, and a candle for your treehouse (yep!). On and on the options go…..

So, buy yourself a Lafco candle. Buy one for a friend. Lafco candle(S!) would make a GREAT housewarming gift - - you could buy for several rooms of the house and put them in a great basket! Or, best of all - - buy a TON of them for a wedding gift. I am waiting for just the right people to get married so I can gift them a boat-load of room-specific candles, setting the tone for their blissful, tasteful, beautiful, Lafco life together. (I’m corny, but I’m serious!)

The very least you could do is follow this link so you can see the Fragrance Floorplan in all its glory, hovering over all the rooms, then moving on to see the “Dream Home” collection. Look. And Love.

The "Fragrance Floorplan": http://www.lafcony.com/hh/floorplan.php

- E

p.s. If you find yourself in New York City, visit the Lafco collections at Santa Maria Novella on Lafayette St. in SoHo. It’s a beautiful store full of beautiful things!