Scent and Space | An Interview with Spoak Design

Advice from Home Stylist and Spoak Co-founder Hilah Stahl 

We are candle people. We love and care about our homes, our personal space, and making our environment feel just right. That's why we were so excited to sit down with Hilah Stahl, co-founder and CEO of Spoak, to chat about scenting and styling our homes for Spring. 

Hilah and her company Spoak help figure out what your space needs and then finds it for you. Think rugs, wall art, and of course, candles. The Spoak team also happens to be big Candlefish fans! Candles are a decor item they love to incorporate when styling client projects, and Hilah has some great advice that you can incorporate in your own space. Read on and see what she has to share!

1. Tell us a bit about what you do.

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Spoak, an online service that helps people find the finishing touches for their home decor from artisans and small businesses around the world. Think wall art, rugs, lighting, and all those other decorative details that are so hard to land on.

2. What tips do you have for us on styling candles?

 At Spoak we talk a lot about “Double Duty Decor” pieces (products that are both decorative and serve some other purpose) because most of our clients are decorating pretty small spaces. To me, candles are the ultimate Double Duty Decor piece. They smell delicious, they can often have some personal meaning, and on any given surface, they can be the sculptural, tall, or short styling element.

 Because of that, I think the sky’s the limit when it comes to styling them. I think you can put them anywhere -- on an open shelf in the dining room, in an empty fireplace, or in a cluster at the bottom of a staircase. That said, my go-tos are to place them atop a stack of coffee table books next to another small sculptural item, or on a tray with a little bowl or stack of matches from my favorite bars and restaurants.

3. How many is too many candles? (if that is even possible)

 Oh boy. I am the wrong person to ask. I keep a pretty large candle collection, all varying in shape, style, and color, and when I’m shuffling around my decor and need that final touch to balance it out, I’m always pretty certain I’ve got something in my candle cupboard that will work.

4. What is your favorite room in the house to style candles in?

I think candles make the biggest difference in the bathroom and the bedroom, but I also never leave a coffee table without a candle on it!

5. What is your favorite way to refresh a space when Spring time rolls around?

Our philosophy at Spoak is that the accessories are really what brings the character to your space, and that especially holds true when it comes to seasonal decorating. I love to switch out my wintry pillows for lighter and brighter ones, swap my candles from the more fir and vanilla scents to florals (groundbreaking, I know!), and switch out the greenery in all the vases to flowers. I’m a big sucker for tulips.

We hope you enjoyed these pro styling tips! What ways do you like to style your space with scent and decor for Spring? We'd love to hear all about it in the comments below!

Need some Spring scent inspiration? Shop our Spring Collection for our favorite fresh, green, and floral scents.