JOIN the AFICIONADOS
To receive our world of travel and style delivered straight to your inbox.
Very few leave the Isle of Skye in the Highlands of Scotland without a lasting impression. The wild craggy coastline with its briny air, ruinous castles full of dusty atmosphere, endless valleys speckled with scented heather and misty sea lochs are full of intrigue. It’s these olfactory experiences that build up a picture of where we’ve been. Taking home a memento which will help us retrieve precious time spent in the wilds can only be a good thing.
Enter Skye Candles. A small, homegrown family company with high ethical standards produces a range of candles and diffusers which paint a picture of the largest Hebridean island. Based on the rugged west coast of Skye, the company produce 20 different fragrances, hand poured in their workshop, all inspired by the wildly dramatic surroundings.
Created using 100% soy wax and natural botanical oils, Skye Candles are made with the environment in mind. Founder James Robertson started the company with the thought of ‘doing it right’ and discovered that soy wax, a by-product of the food industry was the ideal product – burning slower than beeswax or paraffin. When he discovered that paraffin, derived from petroleum, had potentially harmful benefits, the decision was clear – 100% natural soy wax was the way forward. Skye Candles now source ethically produced soya wax from Illowa in America, where soya is the second biggest food export.
This kindness to the planet extends to all aspects of the business, including glass tumblers and recyclable metal containers for the travel candles making up the stylistic look of the brand. But more than that, its ethos which reflects the natural beauty of Skye also seeks to protect it – Skye Candles has helped keep business and industry on the Isle.
Back to the candles and the taxing task of choosing a fragrance. Typically candles come into their own in autumn and winter, when the weather brings us inside and we tend to hunker down. Skye Candles aim to bring the best of the Skye’s outside for us - we love ‘Scot’s Pine’ for its earthy notes of pine, myrtle and rosemary – boosting our memories of Scottish travel whilst lending an air of cosiness. We love the large tumblers in blackened glass with wooden lids – particularly ‘Lavender’ for its soothing quality and ‘Chamomile and Cedar’ said to be the brand’s most relaxing scent.
With a burn time of over 45 hours for a large candle, that’s a happy amount of me-time we’re pleased to buy in to.
Specialising in Scottish tweed and textiles in natural woollen yarns collected from the fluffy sheep that dot the isle, Skye Weavers create a versatile range of 100% Skye wool products.
read more
A tiny weathered Scottish farmhouse plays host to Scandinavian contemporary design and Scottish crafted pieces from the Highlands - an irresistible combo of old and new, heritage meets the design - affectionately known as the 'Scandi-Scot'.
read more
Located within the breathtaking Cairngorms National Park this creatively unique designer pad in the Scottish highlands is the new place to bed down for the night. Expect a wondrous, comforting blend of classic Scottish aesthetic and smooth, muted Scandi design.
read more
One of Scotland’s most beautiful coastal routes – and indeed the Highlands’ answer to Route 66 – take a drive around the North Coast 500 and sweep your way through 500 miles of varied, rugged natural beauty of the sort that only Scotland could ever really claim as its own.
read more
This reclusive stopover will give you reason to pause and take in the stillness of your environment while revelling in the perfectly blended alchemy of Scottish and Scandinavian style.
read more
Design Bothy & Geordie's Cottage close to the Cairngorms National Park, ideal for a small family or as a Highland refuge, this aged restored cottage is decorated with Scandi influences and Scottish crafts - complete with log stove.
read more
Historic private-hire castle on the shoreline of Loch Ness restored by British architect Ptolemy Dean, landscape designer Tom Stuart-Smith and interiors by Charlotte Freemantle and Will Fisher of antique emporium Jamb.
read more
Stylish, natural, casualwear, knits, t-shirts + crafted closet essentials that are ethical, sustainable, carbon neutral and natural, created by Petra Brichnacova and Esteban Saba.
read more
One of Ireland’s last handloom weavers, Eddie Doherty. At the age of 16, he learned to weave by hand, and he’s been doing so ever since for the next 40 years – with two long stints at large Irish fabric companies in between.
read more
McNutt of Donegal weave tweed and Irish wool on handlooms and has evolved over the years to produce Irish linen, fabric and accessories including wool blankets, throws and scarfs as found at Breac.House.
read more
Set up in the 1980s, by Drummond Shaw, the company began as a vintage salvage company, restoring old rolltop baths to a characterful beauty, perfect for upmarket interiors and of course, indulgent deep soaks.
read more
From vast Doric columns to tiny, intricately carved religious artefacts, beautifully smooth busts and imposing door lintels, the Museum of Marble Craft in Tinos reveals the surprising malleability of this revered material.
read more
To receive our world of travel and style delivered straight to your inbox.