Thrift Store Score: Wooden Candlestick Holders

Okay, guys. I’m going to let my craziness show here in a second, but I figured it was only fair that I demonstrate just how OCD I am about home decor—and, really, about everything in life.

Late last year, I bought this pair of vintage wooden candleholders from one of our favorite antique stores here in town. They weren’t exactly the cheapest secondhand purchase I’ve ever made (I think the set cost $25), but I was kind of desperate to have them for a shoot, so I splurged. I also really loved the handmade, curvy shape—you know I can never resist something one-of-a-kind.

After the shoot though, I tucked the candleholders away for a good long while because, for some reason, I had the hardest time finding the right spot for them in our home. No matter where I put them, they just felt a little off and too matchy-matchy. I tend to prefer things that look just a tad unbalanced and love styling in odd numbers to get that layered look, so these two identical wooden candleholders posed more of a problem than I had anticipated.

Three months later, though, I couldn’t get the candleholders out of my head. I hated that I had spent so much money on them just to have them collecting dust in storage, so I decided to pull them out of the closet and challenged myself to set them up somewhere in the house. I tried them on the bookshelf in our master bedroom, and really liked the way the dark stained wood texture popped off the wall color, but they still weren’t quite right.

Then, I had my lightbulb moment. In order to make the candleholders feel a little more layered and asymmetrical, all I needed to do was fill them with candlesticks that were slightly different heights! I told you this story was going to prove just how crazy OCD I am…But the good news is that I now love the candleholders and they finally feel juuuuuuuuust right in our home. I’m glad I didn’t give up on them.

Do you guys have any weird, quirky things you do at home? Share your stories in the comments below!