Chic Essentials: Luxury Candles

Lighting a fancy scented candle is one of my favorite ways to complement beautiful surroundings, elevate the everyday, and when paired with some music and a bath, indulge in a little self-care. Their wonderful lingering scent can transform the ambience of any space and lift my mood. While they can be pricey, if you find one you absolutely love, I say considering their impact, it's worth the splurge. Cheaper versions often burn too quickly and can be overly strong in a nauseating way. Also, since many luxury candles look as fabulous as they smell, you can repurpose them once they've burned down. Just put them in the freezer to easily remove any leftover wax residue and then use them as a small vase or a chic makeup brush or pencil holder.

Below are a couple of favorites:

1- Cire Trudon Trianon // "The picking of hyacinth, roses, white flowers, wild herbs from the meadows and graminaceous plants, this bunch of flowers reminds us of an ideal nature, that of the Nouvelle Héloïse and the country life dreams of Marie Antoinette. Vibrating with the memory of a summer evening, when the warm, musky scent of torches fill the air, this scent is a homage to the Queen of taste..."

2- Diptyque Figuier "The fig tree scent recalls the warm summer days in Greece when the rich fragrance of ripened figs fills the soft air....It intensifies the tree's qualities: the warmth of the bark, the freshness of the leaves, and the milky sap of its fruit."

3- Aerin Trumpet Vine // "Lily of the valley and the essence of flowering garden vines are blended with lotus blossom, hyacinth and musk."

4- Jo Malone Orange Blossom // "A shimmering garden oasis. Clementine flower sparkles over a heart of orange blossom and water lily, with warm undertones of orris and balsamic vetiver."

5- Carriere Freres Lavandula Angustifolia // "She’s also called “true lavender” and grows wild on the hills of Southern France. Purple shrubs of green grey leaves, lavender’s fragrant flowers stand up straight, defying the elements with their colorful spikes. Its essential oil, of the highest quality, purifies and heals."

6- Voluspa Santiago Huckleberry // "Notes of ripe huckleberry, vanilla and crushed sugar cane."

7- Eclectic Tom Dixon Orientalist // "The faint memory of an Indian wedding with rose petal garlands- giant cinnamon sticks on the beach stalls and the musky smells of the Chinese herbal market."

8- LAFCO Master Bedroom // "Warm and enveloping; a mix of sweet chamomile and sprightly lavender promotes a sense of well being."

9- Nest Moroccan Amber // "Moroccan amber, sweet patchouli, heliotrope and bergamot are accented with a hint of eucalyptus."

10- Capri Blue Volcano // tropical fruits, sugared oranges, lemons, and limes, redolent with lightly exotic mountain greens

This list could continue on, as I know there are other amazing candles out there. Which ones do you love? What are you currently burning? Do you change it up when with the change of season?

My Pup Little Foot and Tour of our LA Home

Hey guys! Sorry I've been MIA here lately. Have been really busy working hard behind the scenes on setting up a foundation for the shop to grow to the next level.

I wanted to share with you photos from a fun home tour shoot we did late last year, just before we moved out of our Los Angeles condo.  The shoot was for the stylish pet friendly living website Pretty Fluffy and features my furry lovable companion, Little Foot. Photos were taken by the sweet and talented photographer Alicia Rius of Frame Your Pet.

This was a one-bedroom condo we had purchased back in 2008 and lived in for a few years, then decided to rent out for awhile (during which time we lived in this home), then moved back in for a couple of months before selling it so we could move closer to family and get something with more office space.

 The Kind Diet, Superfood Kitchen, The Alkaline Way, Oh She Glows Cookbook, My Father's Daughter, The Gluten-Free Vegan, Joyous Health // kitchen rug

One of my favorite things about the space was that it was light and bright.  I loved the fresh paint color which we carried throughout the kitchen, dining space and living room.

white round table, clear chairs, double gourd lamps

This spot near the window in the dining space is where Little Foot always loved to sit in the morning to catch some sunlight.

We kept Little Foot's toys stored in a stylish magazine holder, which made it easy to move from space to space and keep them out of sight when not in use.

tufted ottoman, white tray, gold tray, pillows

This was my office space, a corner of the living room. Small, but functional.

artwork, bulletin board, orange tray, desk, silver storage bins

Little Foot looked handsome in his greek key collar from Blueblood Living.

I loved having these two tall bookcases flanking the fireplace. They added height to the space and provided great storage for our books and my collection of magazines.

bookcases, floor lamps, sofa, pillows

Little Foot's second favorite spot to hang out was right on top of the sofa. I think he liked it because it gave him a view of outside and allowed him to watch over the home, like a king.

In our bedroom we went bold with dark blue paint on the walls, and dressed up the bed with Arianna Belle pillows, of course!

pillows, headboard, lamps

For more photos and a Q&A interview with me, check out the Pretty Fluffy feature.

All photos by FRAME YOUR PET