Is Your Holiday Home Decorating Playing With Fire?
by Wendy Croixwendy.croix@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Interior Design School Review Columnist
Check the holiday covers of glossy home decorating magazines or the interior decorating pages online and you'll see dozens of candles. Do-it-yourself home decorating articles encourage you to add ribbon or bark to your home-crafted candle holders. If you're a diehard Victorian, you'll even put candles on your Christmas tree, but this dazzling decorating beauty comes with one big risk: fire.
Fire Facts About Interior Decorating with Candles
Though the holiday spirit can make you want a houseful of candles, you'd be wise to limit their use in the rooms most vulnerable to fires. Of the 18,000 home fires caused by candles each year, 40% start in a bedroom, according to a study by the National Fire Protection Association. Another 17% start in the living room, family room, or den, while bathroom candle fires account for another 14%. Dining rooms account for only 3% of home fires, though dining by candlelight is a widespread romantic home decorating phenomenon. Other than bedding, cabinetry, and curtains, interior blinds and drapes most often provide the fuel for candle fires.Preventing Holiday Interior Decorating Candle Fires
Here are some tips for holiday candle safety on which the experts agree:- Never leave a room where candles are burning.
- Only use candles with non-flammable candleholders and decorations.
- Don't allow candles in glass containers to burn to the bottom of the glass.
- Trim candle wicks to 1/4" before lighting.
- Make sure candles rest on stable, heat-proof surfaces.
- Be especially careful of metallic or glitter candle coatings which may burn.
- Burn candles in a well-ventilated room free from drafts.
- Always keep candles out of reach of children and pets.
Sources
"Breathable wall covering," by Rita F. Catinella. Architectural Record 192.9 (Sep 2004).
"Decorating Dangers." Good Housekeeping 239.6 (Dec 2004).
National Candle Association
"Susan Sullivan illuminates holiday candle safety," by W. Reed Moran, Spotlight Health.
About the Author Wendy Croix, Ph.D. is a freelance writer, cultural critic, and university professor. She has spent twenty years as a professional educator and writer.
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