Candles for the Bedroom: Why We Keep Them Unscented

The best candles for a bedroom are quiet ones: a stable, freestanding pillar, sized for a dresser or nightstand, and without added fragrance. A bedroom is a small room full of soft fabrics, and it is the room you spend the whole night in, so what you light there matters more than in a hallway or a kitchen. This guide covers which candles suit a bedroom, why we keep ours unscented, where to place them, and how to end the evening with the candle out before you sleep.

What are the best candles for a bedroom?

A pillar candle that stands steadily on its own, in a size that fits the surface it sits on, and that does not add a scent to the room.

Three things decide whether a candle works in a bedroom:

• Stability. A wide, flat base on a heat-resistant surface. A wide pillar stands steadily on its own; a taper needs a holder that grips it firmly.
• Size. A nightstand rarely needs more than one candle. A dresser or a deep windowsill can take a small group.
• Scent. In a small room a fragrance fills the space quickly. An unscented candle gives the light and leaves the air of the room as it is.

Why choose unscented candles for the bedroom?

Because in a bedroom you mostly want the light, and an unscented candle gives you only that.

Most of us choose bed linen, a lamp and the colour of the walls with care, and then let them be. A scented candle adds one more thing the room says to you every evening. Whether a fragrance suits a bedroom is personal; some people love a particular scent at night, others would rather the room smell of nothing in particular, or of freshly washed sheets. If you share the room, an unscented candle also saves a conversation about whose favourite it is.

We wrote more about what unscented candles are for in Unscented Candles: Why We Make Them and What They're For. In short: the form and the flame carry the object, not the fragrance.

Candles for bedroom decor: where to place them

On a flat, heat-resistant surface, away from curtains, bedding and shelves above, and out of draughts.

• Dresser or chest of drawers. The most natural place for a group: one pillar with a taper beside it, or two pillars of different heights. Odd numbers tend to look more settled than pairs.
• Nightstand. One small pillar, set towards the back, with room left for a book and a glass of water.
• Windowsill. Lovely on a dark evening, but only where no curtain or blind can move over the flame, and where the window is closed, since a draught makes any flame flicker.
• Spacing. Keep burning candles at least 10 cm apart, so each flame keeps its own space.

A tray or a plate of stone, ceramic or metal under a pillar gives it a clear place and catches any drop of wax.

Burning a candle before bed

Light it when you begin to wind down, and put it out before you get into bed.

Candlelight is a warm, low light, at around 1,800 to 1,900 kelvin in colour temperature, warmer than most household bulbs. That is a large part of its charm in the evening. A candle on the dresser while you read, fold the laundry or simply sit for a moment turns the last hour of the day into something slightly different from the rest.

Before you light it, check the wick. It should be trimmed to 0.5 to 1 cm; a longer wick gives a taller, less steady flame. Our guide on how to trim a candle wick shows how.

How long can you burn a candle in the bedroom?

Up to 4 hours at a time, the same as anywhere else in the house.

For an evening ritual that is usually more than enough: an hour or two before bed is typical. If the candle is new, give the first burn a little longer so the melted wax can reach close to the edge; our guide on how long to burn a candle the first time explains why. After 4 hours, let the candle cool before you light it again.

Blowing out a candle before bed

Always put the candle out before you fall asleep, and check that the wick has stopped glowing.

A candle is something you watch, so it belongs to the waking part of the evening. Put it out while you are still up, rather than from bed. Blowing works, but it can scatter a little wax and leave a trail of smoke from the wick. A snuffer lowers the flame gently instead, and keeps the wick in shape for the next evening. We compared the options in How to Put Out a Candle: Snuffer, Dipping or Blowing.

Our Snuffer is made of brass, 16.5 cm long, and small enough to keep on the nightstand next to the candle, so the end of the evening has its own small gesture.

Our candles for the bedroom

A single pillar for the nightstand, or a small group for the dresser, all without added fragrance.

LLIOR is a Dutch candle brand that makes unscented candles from a 50/50 blend of beeswax and soy wax, with a cotton wick and no paraffin, added fragrance or dye.

• Pillar Candle I: one form repeated three times, 385 g, with a burn time of 70 to 90 hours. Compact enough for a nightstand.
• The Signature Candle: 20 cm tall, 8 cm across, 800 g, with a measured burn time of 180 to 200 hours. A calm, permanent piece for a dresser.
• Four Tapers: soy wax, 27 cm, ribbed. A taper beside a pillar adds height to a group.

Each is hand-poured and designed in the Netherlands. You can see them together in the collection.

Frequently asked questions

Can you leave a candle burning overnight?

No. Always put a candle out before you go to sleep and never leave a burning candle unattended. Check that the wick is no longer glowing before you leave the room.

What size candle suits a nightstand?

One small pillar with a wide, flat base, placed towards the back of the nightstand, away from the lamp shade and bedding. Pillar Candle I (385 g) is a good example of that scale.

Why choose an unscented candle for the bedroom?

Because it gives the light without adding a fragrance to a small room you spend the night in. Whether you like a scent there is personal; an unscented candle simply leaves the choice out.

How long should a candle burn before bed?

An hour or two is typical for an evening ritual, and never more than 4 hours at a time. Trim the wick to 0.5 to 1 cm before lighting.

Do LLIOR candles have a scent?

No fragrance is added. Our candles are made from a 50/50 blend of beeswax and soy wax with a cotton wick; close up you may notice the quiet, warm note of the wax itself.