Roller blinds are a great way to modernise your windows while accenting the interior style of your home. There are a wide range of different styles of roller blinds available, and the different fabric and colour choices offer endless possibilities when it comes to decorating. Made from stiffened fabric, roller blinds are easy to maintain and care for, and can be operated with a cord or remote. Exploring all of the different styles of roller blinds can help you to determine which style would work best for you.

Light Control and Privacy

There are different styles of roller blinds, and they all produce various types of light and privacy control. If you are looking for the best in privacy and want to block out all light, then black out roller blinds are best. These thicker fabric blinds are made with 100% light blocking material that don’t allow any light in when drawn down, they also do not allow anyone to see into your home.

For the best of both worlds, consider a new day/night style of roller blind. These newer style blinds are a two in one system that provides a light filtering blind for the daytime, and a privacy black out shade for night. This allows a warm filtering of light to enter your home during the day, and lets you relax in absolute privacy at night-time.

Many styles of roller blinds also offer a balance between the two. Plain roller blinds are made from various types of material and allow a filtering of light all day long. Lace and sunscreen roller blinds allow you to still keep your view outside while filtering light. These types of blinds do not provide much in the way of privacy however, so they are best suited to rooms in your home where privacy is less important such as the kitchen or dining room.

Interior Design and Decoration

Exploring what kind of look or style you want to add to the rooms of your home can also help you decide which style of roller blinds you want. There are various types of fabrics that roller blinds can be made from, and you can even match the material and colour of a roller blind to the furnishings of your home.

Envelope, castellated, and eyelet roller blinds all provide a variation on regular rollers, and create a unique look with their varied shapes and accents. Envelope roller blinds have an envelope shape at the very bottom of the blind for a sophisticated valance look when the roller blind is pulled up. Castellated roller blinds have scallops at the bottom of the blind, which are reminiscent of the top of a castle. Eyelet blinds offer small metalwork circles at the bottom of the blind for added detail and a different look.

Different textures are another way that you can enhance the look of your home with the addition of roller blinds. Textured weave roller blinds give your blinds a 3D appearance that form a deep contrast to flat coloured walls. Sheer roller blinds offer a venetian look and texture to your home. These blinds have a strip of sheer fabric in between two strips of solid fabric, and can be adjusted with a pull cord to open and close the slats just like a venetian blind. When you determine what kind of look you want to create with roller blinds, you are one step closer to choosing the style that is best for you.

Colour and Care

Roller blinds are notoriously durable, but even durable blinds need care and attention every once in a while. Before you choose the type of fabric and style for your roller blinds, you may want to think about how you can clean it, how much care it will require, and how often. Some fabrics are beautiful, but difficult to clean and maintain. If you don’t have much time to spend on roller blind care, you will want to choose a fabric that can be easily wiped down and maintained.

Colour is very important when choosing roller blinds that are perfect for your home. Different colours lend themselves better to one style of roller blind than another. For example, lighter colour s can be used with black out roller blinds, but you may want to consider a darker colour for a more dramatic effect. Match the colour to your interior, or choose a colour that will make a statement while contrasting your current interior colour scheme.

With the many different types of roller blinds and the variety of features that each provides, choosing the right style for you can often be a daunting task. If you take the time to explore all of the various styles and what they can do for your home, the decision becomes easier to make. Choosing the right style of roller blinds can give your home a modern and elegant look, while keeping out light and providing a level of privacy that you are comfortable with.

About the author:
Kevin Knight is an expert in window blinds and coverings. He is the owner of Custom Blinds, a custom made blind company located in Perth, Australia, which offers over 25 years of experience in the blinds industry. Dedicated to providing consumers with the latest and highest quality window blinds products, the team from Custom Blinds go out of their way to provide fast and friendly service to their many loyal customers.

Custom blinds are a great way to highlight your personal style throughout your new home. With the endless choices that custom blinds provide, you can express yourself in various different ways in each room. From sleek and sophisticated metal blinds to rustic and warm wooden blinds, you can create a specific effect and express style just by using custom blinds on your windows. With custom blinds you get a look that is truly one of a kind and that will never be duplicated.

Material

Perhaps the most significant decision when choosing custom blinds that will make a statement in your home, is picking the material that your blinds will be made from. Choosing blinds made of certain materials can create noticable effects throughout your house. You can go with the same material for custom blinds in each room, or you can mix it up to create different statements of style.

Fabric is the most versatile material that custom blinds can be made from. Fabric allows you to choose from a variety of colours, patterns, and textures that can match the style that you display throughout the rest of your home. Or, use unique fabric blinds to make a bold statement in each room, while the rest of your furnishings remain neutral.

Wooden blinds can be sophisticated, but for the most part are used to create a rustic feel and a feeling of warmth. Set among other country style settings in your home, wooden blinds can be the perfect addition to complete your down home look.

Plastic and metal materials for custom blinds can create a simple and sophisticated look. Although colour can be used to make a statement and to match your personal style, these simply chic materials allow you to create a neutral and balanced look in any room.

Custom Blind Styles

There are a variety of custom blind styles that you can choose from for your home. Each of the styles can provide a different effect and statement of style in your home, and it is good to explore all of your options before making a final decision on the one that works best for you.

Roman Blinds are the style that works best with the use of fabric material. If you want to use fabric as the material for your blinds, then you will most likely want to consider roman blinds for your blind style. The dramatic layered effect that roman blinds create, can add instant elegance to any room. They are simple to operate and do an excellent job of keeping warmth in during the winter and sun out during the summer.

Venetian blinds most commonly come in a vinyl, plastic, or metal material. They can however be custom made using whatever material you like. Venetian blinds provide the most versatile lighting control of any style of blinds, but usually tend to be plainer in design. If you are looking for custom blinds that make a chic and sophisticated style statement in your home in a subtle way, then Venetian blinds are a wonderful style choice.

Vertical blinds can create a unique look and style in your home. Vertical blinds are less common, as most blind styles tend to be made in a horizontal direction. Again, like Venetian blinds, vertical blinds tend to commonly be made from a vinyl, plastic or metal material. With custom blinds however, you are free to choose and material that will best fit your needs. This style of blinds allows for good control of lighting, and a style that is less likely seen in other’s homes. Vertical blinds work especially well on large windows or sliding glass doors.

Roller blinds are another unique style less likely to be seen in the homes of friend and neighbours. These can be made from almost any material. For example, bamboo is a common material used to make roller blinds, but they are versatile enough to be made from fabrics and flexible vinyl as well. Roller blinds provide less control of lighting however, as they can only be rolled up or down to various heights, but they work well in rooms in which full or no lighting is required on a daily basis.

Size

Properly fitting custom blinds can make a statement of style by themselves. Even a plain white Venetian blind can give off an air of sophistication when it is fits a window perfectly. Having someone come in to professional measure your windows for custom blinds can be well worth the extra cost. Take into affect how the blinds will be used, what materials they will be made of and what style they will be made in when determining what length and width you would like your custom blinds to be.

Custom blinds are used in homes throughout the world to create statements of style. When you have the power to control every aspect of your blinds, you can manipulate the style, material, or size to create an effect that is an expression of yourself. Whether you wish to express a style of simple elegance, welcoming warmth, or dramatic appeal, it can all be done with unique custom blinds.

About the author:
Kevin Knight is an expert in window blinds and coverings. He is the owner of Custom Blinds, a custom made blind company located in Perth, Australia, which offers over 25 years of experience in the blinds industry. Dedicated to providing consumers with the latest and highest quality window blinds products, the team from Custom Blinds go out of their way to provide fast and friendly service to their many loyal customers.

When deciding what kind of blinds you should purchase, you can sometimes be overwhelmed with the many different options that you are presented with. Roman blinds have many different benefits that make them a perfect choice of blinds in almost any home. Roman blinds can create any type of mood or look that you desire, and they allow you to express your personal style in a variety of ways as well. Exploring the many benefits that roman blinds can provide will make it clear why you should choose them for your home.

Attractiveness

Many people find that roman blinds are much more attractive than many other types of blinds, especially the teardrop shaped roman blinds. Often, draperies or curtains can be eliminated completely with the use of roman blinds instead. This not only saves you money, but gives your home a neater, less cluttered look as well. Instead of valances, panels, and scarves, you need only a roman blind in a fabric of your choice.

These blinds can be made out of virtually any type of fabric, and if you can’t find exactly what you are looking for in the store, roman blinds can be custom ordered to meet your needs. With an endless choice of color, pattern, and textures, roman blinds are much easier to match to the interior of your home. The simplicity that roman blinds offer, adds attractiveness to any room of your house.

Privacy and Light Control

Since roman blinds lay flat against the window when extended fully and do not have slats to look through, they can help increase the privacy that your home receives. Venetian and vertical blinds both have slats or spaces in between the individual blinds that they are made of, and have the potential of letting others see into your home. With roman blinds, once they are fully extended there are no areas where others can peer around them from the outside, thus providing you with secure window coverings.

Light control is easily managed by the ability to raise the roman blinds to various heights. For more light the roman blinds can be raised to the top of the window, and for less they can be let down completely. When they are fully extended down the length of the window, few other types of blinds are better at blocking out light. In warm weather months, you can keep your home cooler during the day by using a heavier dark colored roman blind that will keep the heat of the sun from getting in.

Durability and Usability

The durability of roman blinds is much greater than other types of blinds as well. Where other forms of blinds such as venetian or wooden have individual slats that can be grabbed, twisted, or bent, roman blinds are one single piece that are harder to damage. Young children and pets often jump up or grab blinds, often causing damage to them and causing them to have to be replaced. Roman blinds help to eliminate that problem, as they are harder to destroy.

If the roman blinds that you choose are made of a washable fabric they will last much longer too. Washable fabrics can have stains removed and are simple to clean, where as wooden blinds require a lot of care, and vertical and venetian blinds must have each individual slat cleaned separately.

You will find that roman blinds are also easy to use. Most of them have a simple cord that can be pulled to set the blinds to the desired height along the window. Custom made roman blinds can often be set to easily work with a remote, making them adjustable form anywhere in the room. Roman blinds are perfect for remotes, as they can go up and down in one single movement, since they are not made from many tiny slats.

When looking at all of the benefits that roman blinds have to offer, the reasons why you should choose to use them in your home or office is apparent. With the versatility of design that they offer, the money they can save you by cooling your home and eliminating the need for other window treatments, and the privacy they provide, roman blinds are the perfect choice for almost any home.

Two months ago, after a long discourse at the breakfast table on the many wonderful aspects of soy candles, my 13-year-old son accused me of being a soy candle head, as in dead head. What had got me started was the soy milk e had been drinking for breakfast, and having recently discovered soy candles in a big way, my mind was understandably full of how this wonderful material was so much a part of our lives – food, drink, and now candles!

Whatever my son might say, however, I can’t stop gushing about soy candles and their unique properties, and you, dear reader, are now in my line of fire. Not only are soy candles longer lasting, they also hold a fragrance better and do not produce unsightly deposits of soot. And when I say long lasting, I mean it, because the average 14 oz wax candle will last you about 70 hours, give or take five, while a soy candle will last all of 100, if not more. That’s almost 50 hours more, and not at significantly higher prices either.

If you’ve been following these articles, you’ll know about my friend Charlene Dewitt, the one who is an aromatherapy expert. Well, inevitably, it was Charlene who introduced me to soy candles, and one of the first things I noticed was the absence of soot. All those who have spent time cleaning blackened and grimy candle jars, walls and even ceilings know what a menace soot can be. With soy candles, because they are natural, the jar remains pristine, and the walls and ceilings unsullied.

Now I come to the most important reason for using soy candles. Various studies have revealed that traditional wax candles emit carcinogens into the air. Now, as we all know, carcinogens are cancer-causing toxins that also cause other health problems. Mostly, researchers are trying to prove that anything that emits carbon dioxide when burnt, such as wax candles and charcoal, will release carcinogens. Though it is too early to comment on this issue, soy candles certainly do not produce carcinogens, which means they are healthy, too!

All in all, it is no surprise that soy candles are gaining in popularity, considering they were only launched in 1991, and their discovery is credited to a certain Michael Richards, who found out by trial and error that mixing soybean oil with palm and coconut oils produced a perfect wax. He added a small amount of beeswax to the mixture to improve it even further.

Today, it has been conclusively proved that 100% natural soy wax does not contain petroleum or other environmentally unsafe ingredients. And it is much less expensive than other natural waxes like beeswax.

So I end my rave. Go ahead, call me a soy candle head, but remember what I’ve told you the next time you buy your candle supplies!

Hardwood floors are truly a sign of elegance and beauty.  Hardwood floors provide warmth, luxury and grandeur to any home. There are many other benefits of hardwood floors as well, such as the cost value they add to your home, their simple care and cleaning, their great style coupled with durability and as always, they’re a natural and a safe flooring choice for the environment. 

The hardwood floor selecting process can be a bit overwhelming though.  Experts state that the selecting process for your home or office is simply a matter of knowing the facts, comparing the types and prices, and selecting a reputable wood flooring professional to install your new floor.  There are many factors to consider when shopping for types and materials.  The looks, feel, color, and even the sound of real hardwood are important to the choosing process. 

Everyone knows the longevity that these floors have. They can be refinished several times and they will look like a new one. Hardwood floors will last a lifetime, and also will be the investment of a lifetime.  Certainly hardwood floors will stand up to the demands of everyday life due to their durability.  Many people believe flooring such as laminate, cork, vinyl and tile just can’t hold a candle to the beauty and authenticity of hardwood floors. 

There are three types of hardwood floors: solid, engineered, and acrylic impregnated.  Solid simply means solid constructed.  Engineered means products constructed in various layers with graining alternating in various directions.  Acrylic impregnated is wood injected with an acrylic material resulting in a very hard and durable hardwood flooring choice.  There are also three styles of hardwood floors:  strip, plank, and parquet.  Strip is hardwood flooring with a lineal tongue and groove construction that comes solid or engineered, unfinished or prefinished. Plank is the same as strip except in comes in varying widths.  Parquet is hardwood flooring that is pieces of wood constructed into a pattern or design, most often geometric in nature. 

         Experts also agree there are certain things you should remember when setting out to choose a hardwood floor for your living or work area.  First it is always important to set a budget.  Remember, if the price sounds too good to be true, it’s most likely of lesser quality.  Choose a wood floor according to the rooms use – many types of wood are more suitable for a certain room than others.  Next, choose a style or design to match or compliment the room’s décor.  Nowadays experts suggest picking a floor shade that is opposite the color of furniture in the room to avoid a serious clash.  Choose a wood floor product with proper finish that can handle the traffic for that specific area/room in your home.  And lastly, and probably the most important factor, is to always use a professional wood floor contractor.  There are many technical concerns that can adversely effect or compromise the life of your beautiful new wood flooring. 

      There are a plethora of types of floors that are available to homeowners today.  Carpet, hardwood floors, laminate flooring, cork, bamboo, and ceramic tile are some of the most common that are readily available to consumers today.  Many households have many types of flooring as well – leaving even more questions about what type for what room.  Just hardwood floors alone come in many varieties and types:  distressed & hand scraped, engineered wood floors, and glueless floating wood – those options alone can leave one pondering what to pick.       

      Let’s start with carpet.  Carpet normally brings luxury, fashion and comfort to mind. Carpet is often the preferred flooring for bedrooms and living rooms.  It’s quiet, insulates well from cold and the color options are numerous. There are many materials and styles available; so many that you may need a little help choosing. Carpet can be selected based on fiber, density and texture.  So like soft, some like a little firmer.  Regardless of your preferences many options are out there.   

      Although it may initially be confusing when it comes to choosing hardwood floors, they can be very attractive and can really add some appeal, and worth to your home.  First, you should decide what type of finished look you want to achieve. If you’re going after a modern or contemporary look, you may want to lean towards a type of wood hat has a cleaner look with less texture and grain such as Maple, Birch, or Cherry. If you prefer a more casual or rustic look, then you may want to consider an Oak or Pine.  

      Laminate flooring was first introduced into the US in 1982. Since then the sector has experienced growth of up to 20%, making laminate the fastest growing floor type in the country. The appeal lies not only in its aesthetic value of its representation of real hardwood, but also due to its incredible durability and ease of maintenance. 

      Ceramic floor tile is an elegant and stylish flooring material whose true origins remain unknown, even today. Ceramic floor tile can come in virtually any color and is tough and durable that it can actually last as long as your home can stand. Ceramic floor tile is actually the oldest form of flooring material known to man, aside from primitive use of dirt and bear skins. Speaking of dirt, creating ceramic floor tile is simply a combination of different clays that have been mixed with water, designed, shaped and then fired in special kilns. You could basically consider ceramic floor tile nothing more than flame broiled mud. Nevertheless it’s a sturdy, stylish and dependable choice for flooring. 

      Regardless of the room you’re redecorating or the flooring you’re looking into buying, there are many worthy and fun options to pick from.

Christine Beals is a professional writer who provides tips and information on ceramic tile flooring and flooring in general for A1 Market – the Guide for the Savvy Shopper.

The wide range of flooring options available today probably makes your head buzz every time you contemplate getting a new floor. At the same time, it also means you can find the perfect flooring idea for your home or office/place of work. Thus you can take your pick of wood or wood laminates, ceramic tiles, slate/stone, vinyl flooring, carpets, stone and marble, etc.

And then there are the sub-sections: if you choose wood, what is it to be, maple, oak, pine or teak? Do you like black, white, Connemara, rough finish, or polished marble? Of course, a lot depends on your budget and individual taste, but here’s a ready guide to the broad categories of flooring available on the market:

v      Laminate: Provided you cannot install a solid wood floor, wood laminates are a great substitute. They are available in as many colors and species as wood, and in as many styles, but the way they are constructed makes them last longer and withstand moisture and traffic better than wood. That makes it an excellent flooring idea for the bathroom

v      Linoleum: Linoleum, the flooring of choice for the disco era, is well on its way back. An all-natural flooring material made from linseed oil, cork, stone and natural resins, linoleum is available in a wide range of colors and patterns, and it is as durable as they come. What’s more, exposure to sunlight, which fades most other flooring materials, actually makes the colors in a linoleum floor richer. So you have a flooring option that is easy to care for, wears extremely well and lasts forever

v      Vinyl Tiles: Perfect flooring idea for kitchens, bathrooms and family rooms. Inexpensive, easy to install, and available in a vast range of colors and patterns, vinyl tiles also wear well, and are easy to maintain

v      Ceramic Tiles: No longer confined to bathrooms, ceramic tiles today come in rich tones, and include a range of patterns that is hard to incorporate on any other material. They can still provide excellent flooring ideas for the bathroom, but are not at all out of place in the kitchen, the patio or by the poolside

v      Slate Tiles: Slate looks like stone – well, it is stone – but has a number of advantages over stone floors. For one thing, its smooth surface holds a glossy finish well and is comfortable underfoot. Besides, it is available in its natural colors and is a great natural flooring idea

v      Wood Flooring: Time-tested, beautiful and stylish, wood floors suit any decor. What’s more, with proper care, a wood floor lasts a lifetime, and gives you numerous flooring ideas courtesy its variety of patterns

v      Parquet Flooring: This is a particularly elegant and stylish flooring idea. Different colors, types or species of wood are cut and stained and fitted to create a pattern. The pattern may be overall, or it may be used to accent a border, corner or center of the floor

v      Stone Floors: Marble, slate, limestone and travertine are flooring ideas that are growing in popularity. Marble is, of course, particularly popular in public buildings

v      Carpets: Wall to wall carpets will always be in fashion. Modern choices include natural wool or cotton, acrylic, olefin and nylon, as well as jute and other natural fibers

v      Rugs: Floor and area rugs can brighten a dark space. They can also add a touch of luxury or elegance, depending on color and style. They go particularly well with wood and stone floors

Tips before you buy your flooring

Ø      Draw an outline of the room or rooms. Indicate where the entrances are placed

Ø      Measure the room accurately with a measuring tape and write down its width and length. Remember, smaller print patterns can make the room seem a lot bigger

Ø      Take into account adjoining rooms and the flooring on those rooms and make sure you harmonize the new flooring with the old

Ø      If too much natural light enters the room, you might consider a laminated floor, and vinyl, ceramic or porcelain tiles

Ø      Coordinate the color and style of your flooring with your furniture, curtains and wallpaper

Ø      The foot traffic that a room gets should dictate your flooring idea. A room with a high volume of traffic needs more durable flooring

Ø      Similarly, a room used mainly for leisure activities can accommodate relatively delicate flooring materials

Ø      Remember, pets may damage flooring, so factor that in. equally, the number of children in the house will also impact flooring

Ø      Lighter colors make rooms seem bigger

Ø      How much will the new flooring cost? Is sub-floor preparation part of the quoted price? Also, is the quoted price inclusive of the installation? Make sure all the necessary materials are included in the quoted price

Now you have your flooring ideas in place, go play!

Home Improvement Ideas

The kind of decor people use in their home tells a lot about what kind of person we are, whether we want to admit it or not. Overall character that we possess, and our likes and dislikes can be shown through a careful examination of the decoration that we use in the rooms of our home. You will find that a more practical human person will put a lot of thought into designing their kitchen, for example. On the other hand, if you pay close attention to the lounging areas of many individuals, you can find a key to their personalities therein, as a natural tones indicate a hardworking person’s desire to relax.

In terms of a bedroom, if you decorate the place in wild reds and luxurious satin, this is a good indication of another type of personality entirely, though perhaps not one that that everyone will see. That is a very important tip to keep in mind – always plan a different type of decor for the private areas than you would areas that the public will see frequently. You might decide to have a party, for example, and won’t you want to have definite separate between private areas and the areas open to the attendees?

The most luxury is usually given to bedrooms, since their intimate nature means they are the area where people want to spend the most amount of money to make sure that they look as nice as possible. A very popular part of any decor is flooring, and the type of floor that you choose will depend on how highly traveled your floor is. Both the quality and color of a floor gives a good insight into what kind of character you have. Wool carpets are great for the bedroom, but a hard laminate is better for the hallways.

Accessories are a very important part of decor, and they are wonderful ways to express your true personality. Lighting is a definite tool that should be used to your advantage, as they invariably affect how the room is perceived. A good way to increase visibility, for either practical or aesthetic purposes, is to use spotlights on specific areas. You can use this in the decorating of the rest of your home as well.

More here on Bath Remodel Ideas.

If you like to highlight objects and possessions that matter to you, spotlights and single light fittings can do this very well. If on the other hand you are minimalist, you may prefer the experience of general mood lighting instead. In essence, we should be careful when we pick our home’s decor, because it could reveal more about our personality than we might begin to think it would.

Among the many styles of home décor the Tuscan décor that recreates an old world Italian charm occupies a special place. This is a home décor style that is inspired by nature. Stone, wrought iron, hardwood and marble are made good use of in Tuscan style home décor. If an inviting and tasteful old-world style is what you seek in your home decor then you can consider proceeding with giving a Tuscan touch to your home.

A characteristic of the Tuscan home décor is making sure that nothing looks too new, too modern or too sleek and shiny. In Tuscan home décor the feel of outdoors are incorporated in the styling done indoors. A reflection of your inherent passion for associating with nature and the earth is observable in the Tuscan style of home decorating. The forgotten days of the old come alive and becharm you via the décor style adopted.

Giving Tuscan touch to home setup

Here are some tips for you to help transform your home the Tuscan way-

• It is common to use terracotta tiles on the roofs of Tuscan style homes. These give an earthy feel. The windows are framed by sandstone and wooden shutters and are deep set.

• An airy feel is what is sought to be achieved by adding Tuscan touches to the home. Keeping-in with this, wooden beams, plastered ceilings and uncovered windows ought to be featured in the home.

• White or soft gray colors are added to walls with accent colors and natural woods or stone added to create an interesting feel. To this Venetian plaster may be made use of (applied) to add texture. Faux painting techniques can also be advocated for delivering a well-worn look.

• Wide wood planks, stone, terracotta bricks or clay tiles are selected for giving the Tuscan look to floors.

• While doing up your home the Tuscan way outdoor spaces are to be accorded much importance. A decorated patio can be set up. A Tuscan home may also be surrounded by sandstone bricks.

Furniture and accessory items in Tuscan style home

Wood furniture- armoires or cupboards etc. finished with a varnish allowing the natural wood color to become prominent are the befitting furniture for homes done up in the Old Italian way. Furniture with wrought iron accents also fit in worthily. A long, wooden table that can permit dining of the entire family together is also an appropriate selection.

Presence of plenty of open shelves and cupboards that display ceramics, pottery etc. is typical of homes with Tuscan décor. Patterns reflecting nature and fabrics like tapestries etc. go well with homes touched up the special old-world Italian way. Articles like statues, old clock, stained glass, wall sconces for lighting and wrought iron hangings fit well with the Tuscan home style.

Tuscan home décor accessory items may be usually obtained as Italian style ceramic pieces. However, in case some hand made items can be chanced upon then it is all the more better to make good use of them to create a more genuine, natural feel.

A Candle Made of Soybean Oil?

Yes you read that right! Soy candles are made from hydrogenated soybean oil which is called soybean wax. They are easy to make, and a lot of people find soy candle making a great hobby. They are made by using different dyes and fragrances to create the perfect candle, and a lot of people consider the soy candle to be the best choice when buying or making candles.  They are easy to clean up if spilt and are virtually the fastest way to make a candle.

Soy wax is possibly the safest candle wax of today, and is made from one of the most popular plants. Soybeans are used for everything from oils, to animal feed made from the remaining husks of the soybean plant. Soybeans are increasingly popular in China and other Asian countries, where they are used for food in all different kinds of recipes.

The History of Soy Candles

The wax from the soy candle was founded by Michael Richards in 1991. Because of the growing demand for candles, Richards was looking for a cheaper way to make an environmentally safe natural candle that would burn slower than regular paraffin wax or bees wax. After many tests on different plants he found that soybean oil was the perfect candidate for the perfect candle.

Nowadays, soy candles are manufactured all over the world and are a popular candle because of their strong scent and the fact   that they are environmentally friendly. Since soy wax candles will burn at approximately 100 degrees F the scent is spread quicker throughout the area. The average soy candle lasts about fifteen to seventeen hours giving them a much slower burning rate then other candles.

100% Non-Toxic

Another great thing about soy candles is that they are completely non-toxic, compared with paraffin wax which has small amounts of toxicity which burns black. Although you should never burn many candles in a small enclosed room, soy wax is much less harmful than regular wax and is safer for the environment. Soy wax is also easily removed from clothing and other materials with soap and water, compared with paraffin wax which is not easily removed from carpet or any other material. A lot of natural candle makers claim to be “soot free” but in reality they are not.  Not even soy candles are really and truly soot free, although they do produce at least 90% less soot. The fact that soy wax is non-toxic has made it increasingly popular among people who are more aware of keeping the planet earth clean and healthy.

Candle Safety

You should always practice proper candle safety when using any type of candle whether it is soy candles, paraffin, bees wax, or any other candle. Always keep candles away from pets and children, after all anything containing fire or anything that will burn, should be kept out of reach of children and pets. Keep wicks trimmed and never leave a candle burning for more that five hours at any time. Be sure to place the candle in a properly ventilated room, and never use more that one in a small space. Even though soy wax is non-toxic you should practice these safety measures, to keep you and your family happy, healthy and safe.