Clever combination

One of the hottest new home accessories on the market today is literally heating up the décor.

Look around any well-decorated home and you're bound to find a small decorative lamp sitting on a table or shelf. As it glows, it adds warmth and ambience to the room.

Now, take a second, closer look. You might just discover that the glow is flickering, the warmth you feel is real and that the lamp is actually a candle.

That discovery often shocks people, said Heidi S. Ruehl, creator of the lamp candles and self-described creator of cool.

"It's that element of surprise. It really does look like a lamp."

Ruehl came up with the idea for the lamp candles in 2002. At the time, both candles and small table lamps were becoming extremely popular home décor accessories.

"I just decided to merge the two," she said from her office in Spartanburg, S.C.

Prior to creating the lamp candles, Ruehl had been making candles professionally, although they were just traditional candles.

Her Shades of Light lamp candles function exactly like lamps but burn like candles.

"I think it's just the appeal that it's different and unique," said Ruehl of why the candles are so intriguing. "It makes a great gift."

The lamp candles are comprised of two pieces, bases that resemble decorative lamps and shade-shaped candle tops.

Each shade is made entirely of paraffin wax. They are designed to burn down the middle while retaining their shadelike shape.

Ruehl said they burn from 50 to 110 hours, depending on the size.

The lamp candles are available in two sizes, small and large, and come in six shapes as a standard ivory shade. The Vintage candle also is available in red and sage. All are lightly fragranced with a trace of vanilla, Ruehl said.

The lamp candle collection offers 17 bases that range in style from traditional to a hint of modern. They stand in height from 5 inches to 17 inches.

They retail for $40 for a small shade and base to $68 for a large shade and base. Replacement candles have a suggested retail price ranging from $18 to $30.

Shades of Light can be purchased at gift shops, boutiques, florists and some spas, as well as from the company's Web site, www.lampcandles.com.