Turn Your Vintage Candle Holder Into A Chic Cloche With This Hack

Candles, whether they are slender tapers, tiny tealights, or chunky pedestals, are a staple in any home. If you find yourself with a growing collection of candle holders and not enough candles to ever possibly use them, there are a number of great ideas that make use of these objects in new ways. 

A perfect DIY using pedestals or candle sticks is to transform them into a small cake plate or cloche. Perfect for various sizes, contents, styles, and uses, adding a plate to the top of your candle holder is a great way to showcase baked goods or smaller pieces of decor with a little added height. Their elevation makes them particularly perfect for creating multi-height decor for mantels, sideboards, and centerpieces.

Creating a cake plate or cloche from a candle holder requires the desired size plate and a sturdy adhesive like epoxy or Liquid Nails in addition to your candlestick or pedestal. You'll want to make sure your dish is proportional to your base to avoid tipping and instability. You will also need a glass cloche cover, glass bowl, or jar to form your enclosure; the mouth of the cloche should be slightly smaller than the rim of the plate. 

Begin by adhering your plate to the top of your candlestick or pedestal with the adhesive. The best way to make sure it's centered is to place the plate or dish face down and carefully press the glued surface against the bottom of the plate. Then, allow the adhesive to dry completely before use. In addition to plates, you can use a variety of containers, including baskets, trays, wood platters, shallow bowls, and small jars. You can also use candlesticks to elevate small votive holders.

This is the point where you can feel free to get creative in decorating your creation. Many adhere beads or stones around the perimeter of their plate. Others paint their new cloche a single color or use faux stone spray paint to create a rustic vintage look. You can also use a metallic finish to add a bit of glamour to your new decor element.

Inside your new cloche, consider adding a selection of small baked goods or a single tart or cupcake. Use an array of them as striking dessert place settings at your next dinner party by affixing the names of your guests to the glass. They also make great risers along the center of the table that provide elevation but do not block sightlines. Consider filling them with seasonal accents like springtime nests, fall pumpkins, and winter pine cones.

A display of small cloches of varying heights looks amazing on a mantlepiece. Fill them with seasonal decor or unusual bits like small toys, figurines, a tiny terrarium, or preserved natural specimens. You can also use them to hold small collections, such as vintage spools, balls of twine, wine corks, or matchbooks from your travels. This enables you to add a fun, personal touch to your home without making it look cluttered. Plus, your collections will be organized and protected!