Elevate your candle game by using our step-by-step tutorial for painting ombre candles and create a beautiful Scandi centerpiece.

Hello friend.  I hope this holiday season is treating you right!  Casa Watkins Living and I are having so much fun sharing globally-influenced DIYs, decorating ideas, and more for A Very Global Christmas. 

Today is day 9 and we have created simple Scandi Christmas centerpieces for you to try!  If you’ve missed any posts, you can find all the holiday global projects on A Very Global Christmas page.

Learn how to paint candles!

I love the idea of Hygge (the Danish lifestyle of cozy living) and simple Nordic and Scandinavian holiday decor but I also love color!  So for this Scandi Christmas centerpiece, I added subtle colorful details with a warm patterned table runner and a quick 5-minute candle DIY in lieu of purchasing new colorful taper candles.

DIY Two-Toned Painted Taper Candles

Here’s what you need for hand-painted candles:

• 3 white taper candles
• water based craft paint in 3 pairings of colors
• paint brush
• scrap paper, paper plate, or paint palette to mix paints

What is ombre? Ombre, meaning “shading” is the blending of one color hue to another usually using shades and tints.

Continue to Content

How to Paint Candles

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Difficulty: easy

Did you know you can paint white candles in any colors you want to match your decorating style? Follow this easy step-by-step tutorial for how to paint candles to look like ombre with acrylic paint.

Print

Materials

• White taper or pillar candles
• Acrylic or non toxic water base craft paint

Tools

• Paintbrush
• Paper plate or paint palette

Instructions

1. Add a little paint to your paint palette and create a secondary color by tinting or shading the first color.
2. Paint a thin layer at the top of the candle with the first color. It will dry quickly!
3. Either hold the dried end or place the candle in a holder.
4. Add the second color to the bottom half in a thin coat letting it overlap the first color in the middle.
5. Let dry and use!

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

How to Paint Candles with Acrylic Paint

How to mix paints for an ombre look on your candle:

• Create three color pairings.  Mine were peachy pink and bubble gum pink, lemon yellow with ochre, yellow-green and ochre.
• Use the first color on the top of the candle painting a thin coat on with a paintbrush.
• Mix a little of the first color with the second color for a variation on the bottom half but still in the same color family.
• Paint the mixed color on the bottom half of the candle and overlap some in the middle for a smooth transition and ombre effect.  The paint will dry fast and a little goes a long way! 

If are worried about releasing toxins while burning the candles, look for craft paints that are non-toxic and formaldehyde free.  Most water-based craft paints are non-toxic!

Create a Scandi Christmas Centerpiece

Here’s how to set your table with a DIY Scandi Christmas centerpiece. It’s so simple and beautiful!

• Layer a colorful table runner over a white tablecloth.

• Use faux or real leaf garland (I used faux in a silver-toned) and set three taper candle holders with your DIY candles in the middle. 

And that’s it! Enjoy your painted taper candles at Christmas or any time of the year.

You might have seen these in our eclectic winter dining room tour yesterday! 

With this quick 5 minute DIY and supplies you probably already have, you can make ombre candles for a Scandi Christmas centerpiece in no time!  What do you think?  Will you give it a try?

For another Scandi inspired table centerpiece, check out Casa Watkins Living’s Simple Scandinavian Christmas Centerpieces Two Ways.

Thanks so much for stopping today!  We have 9 days down and 3 more to go.  Wahoo! Head over to the winter holidays, DIYs, and decor page for more articles and resources!

• 
  Learn how to find your design style with simple tips and tricks!
  A guide for “how to find my design style” in your house with designer tips and tricks that will help you be confident with decorating. Do you know what looks good in your space? Taking a little time to discover your design style will make all the difference. Turn your home into a beautiful haven…
• 
  Pretty and Practical: Simple Storage Ideas for Any Space
  Learn how to incorporate beautiful, creative, and simple storage solutions that elevate both form and function in your home. Are you tired of cluttered and disorganized spaces in your home, but feel overwhelmed by the thought of tackling it all? Don’t worry, because I’ve got you covered with simple storage solutions you can use in…
• 
  Making Floral Arrangements Easy and Beautiful with Simple DIY Methods
  Don’t wilt under pressure – find simple DIY methods for making floral arrangements beautiful with fake or real flowers. Who doesn’t love flowers? They are the icing on the cake in a beautiful room and have the power to brighten up any space. But if you are anything like me, creating floral arrangements can seem…
• 
  How to Paint Candles with Ombre for a Simple Scandi Centerpiece
  Elevate your candle game by using our step-by-step tutorial for painting ombre candles and create a beautiful Scandi centerpiece. Hello friend.  I hope this holiday season is treating you right!  Casa Watkins Living and I are having so much fun sharing globally-influenced DIYs, decorating ideas, and more for A Very Global Christmas.  Today is day…
• 
  Bring the Outdoors In: Decorate with These Beautiful Bird Printables
  Join over 2,000 subscribers and receive weekly newsletters, exclusive offers, and monthly freebies like free bird printables art straight to your inbox. My free bird printable art is a great way to add some unique and stylish decor to your home. The bird, butterfly, and flower buds can add a touch of whimsy to any…