Isn’t this a gloriously handsome, Georgian Irish oval mirror, c.1790, from Fileman Antiques in England? This piece, while over two hundred years old, has a modern aesthetic. Its classical design has transcended time and would be a brilliant addition to any interior, historic or modern.
Let's light some candles tonight!
I am certain that routine dinners are feeling rather monotonous during quarantine by now.
Here is an idea for you… light more candles!
Candlelight can turn a mundane event into a celebration! Mummy always said that a candlelit dinner somehow magically becomes... more memorable. Just the motion of lighting the wick transports me, for a brief moment, to a place of jubilee and gratitude. Candles have been an integral part of celebrations for centuries, from churches to dinner parties, and even atop birthday cakes; candles contribute to creating significant moments!
So if candlelight implies a celebration, dress up for dinner! If you have children, let them dress up or wear a costume. Three of my precious little granddaughters would adore being Elsa, in a “Frozen” second!
Mummy shared another secret with me: Candlelight will make whatever you are serving taste better! Now that is something to think about… go get the matches and light every candle you have in the dining room, right?
"There are two ways of spreading light, to be the candle or to be the mirror that reflects it." -Edith Wharton
Here is another idea: Double the reflection of your candles by placing them in front of a mirror. This technique has been done for centuries. Evening candlelight reflects charmingly off of the mirrors, making them alluringly majestic. We all need some magic now!
I marveled at a brilliant example of this while filming my television series at Blenheim Palace, England, with Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, in the private dining room of her family home. A dramatically tall pair of candelabras were placed in front of the two magnificent looking-glasses (mirrors) situated between the windows. What a stunning vision when lit in the evening!
One of the Georgian gilt girandoles, in the dining room at Fox Hall, reflects the distant chandelier lights in the mirror.
Millennial Tip
When our girandole candles are lit for a party, they are especially mesmeric and enchanting. But, with candlelight, beware of air-conditioning or window breezes... I found out the hard way! The newly installed a/c vent in the ceiling blew downward, near the candles, which caused the wax to drip, unbeknownst to me, onto the two silk seats of the Hepplewhite chairs below. Let’s just say, it turned out to be a “rawwwther” expensive dinner party!
Forbidden Faux Pas
No-no: To have a white wick showing on a candle. A wick must always be blackened, even if the candle is only for display. (Mummy was a stickler on this rule of thumb!)
Lovely Living
Mummy maintained that candles must be white. I never understood why she insisted on white! Well, a little peek at candle history: candles were originally made of tallow (cow, sheep, animal fat or oils) and have been around for thousands of years. Beeswax was discovered more recently, a few hundred years ago, as an alternative to tallow. It is naturally pale yellow in color, but when left in the sun, eventually, after a few days, the beeswax will turn white, which is one reason they were more expensive to make. They burn better and longer and do not smell, unlike the ghastly smell of tallow candles from years ago. Due to their expense, white candles were considered a step above any other candle and historically were used in noble residences, palaces, and churches. A white candle continues to be a timeless, traditional choice, especially for formal events.
New Sponsors!
My two new sponsors complement the topic at hand: candles and mirrors!
The gorgeous Georgian mirror, pictured on top, is from Fileman Antiques, England. It is beyond fabulous. Fileman is one of the world's leading specialists in antique English cut glass, chandeliers, wall lights, candelabras from renowned makers, and designers. Their website sparkles with elegant offerings… I know you will be tempted! Daniel Fileman said they install worldwide. I have my eye on a few pieces!
Perhaps you are enticed to learn more about beeswax candles now? Ruth Wilkerson is the founder and chandler of La Petite Abeille. Her online boutique offers the most tempting assortment of all-natural beeswax candles, handmade in the USA, with a smart array of colors...not just “Mummy’s White!”
