Most Moroccan candle holders on the market fall into one of two techniques, and knowing which is which makes it easier to choose than just picking whatever colour matches your room.
Tamegroute pottery candlesticks
These continue the same Tamegroute pottery tradition behind our bowls and plates — hand-thrown in Morocco's Draa Valley and finished in the region's signature green glaze, with the colour variation between pieces coming from the copper in the glaze rather than a dye. The Tamegroute candlestick in green comes in five sizes, which is the main reason to buy more than one: grouping three different heights together on a mantel or table reads as considered rather than matching a set, and does more visually than five of the same size lined up. If you want the same shape in a warmer tone, the ochre glaze sits closer to terracotta.
Tadelakt candle holders
Tadelakt is a traditional Moroccan lime-plaster technique, originally used to waterproof hammams and courtyard walls, that produces a smooth, slightly polished surface once burnished. Our tadelakt candle holder uses that same finishing technique on ceramic, which gives it a matte, stone-like surface rather than the glossy glaze you get on Tamegroute pieces — a useful option if you want something that reads as more architectural than decorative.
A simpler, unglazed option
Not every Moroccan candle holder is glazed. A handmade terracotta candle holder, left in its natural fired clay colour, works better in a neutral or minimal room where a green or patterned piece would compete with everything else on the shelf.
A practical note on using them
Ceramic and ochre glazes can craze or discolour with prolonged direct heat, so it's worth using a dripless candle or a taper that burns down evenly rather than letting wax pool and overheat one spot on the glaze. Beyond that, they need no real maintenance — wipe off dried wax once it's cooled and hardened, rather than trying to clean it while warm.