How to Style a Summer Space with Citronella Candles
There’s a specific kind of summer evening worth chasing, the one where the patio lights are on, the air carries something fresh and uplifting, and nobody is swatting at bugs. A few well-placed citronella candles go a long way toward making that happen.
Courtside Market’s hand-poured citronella candles are made from 100% natural soy wax and infused with curated fragrance and essential oils, so they do more than deter insects, they make the space feel considered. Here’s how to set them up and what to realistically expect.
Studio Series: Bass - Todd Laslo Collection Citronella Candle
How to Set Up Citronella Candles
Placement matters more than quantity. For patios and decks, group candles in clusters of two or three near where people are actually sitting rather than spacing them evenly around the perimeter. A cluster concentrates scent where it’s needed and creates a natural focal point. One candle at the edge of a large deck does almost nothing; three candles around a table does quite a lot.
Height variation helps too. A larger 16oz jar candle at table level pairs naturally with a smaller candle nearby, the layering makes the arrangement feel deliberate rather than functional. Keep candles on stable, flat surfaces, away from overhangs and fabric, and never leave them burning unattended.
One thing worth knowing before you buy: the glass jar vessels are designed to be repurposed once the wax burns through, as a candy dish, storage container, or a decorative piece that sticks around long after the summer ends.
Do Citronella Candles Actually Work?
Yes, with the right setup. Natural citronella fragrance effectively repels insects, and a well-made soy candle holds that scent throughout its entire burn, not just at the start. But a candle isn’t a force field. It works best in a relatively still, enclosed space, a covered porch, a patio table setting, where the scent can build rather than drift away into open air.
Does citronella repel mosquitoes as well as bug spray applied to skin? No. Think of it as a comfortable ambient layer of defense, ideal for lake houses, patios, and backyard entertaining, not a substitute for repellent during peak mosquito hours. For flies and gnats, the effect is similarly moderate. Two or three candles clustered near a seating area will outperform a single candle at the edge of a large open deck.
Citronella vs. Other Outdoor Candles
Not every outdoor candle contains citronella. Candles made for ambient light or general scent may have no insect-repelling properties at all. If bug deterrence matters to you, look specifically for citronella listed as a fragrance or essential oil ingredient.
Wax type matters too. Candles made from 100% natural soy wax, sourced from American farms, burn cleaner than paraffin alternatives. A cotton-braided wick with no lead or zinc means less soot and a cleaner burn over the course of a long summer evening outdoors. When you’re burning regularly across a season, that difference adds up.
Handcrafted Citronella Candles, Made in the USA
Courtside Market started courtside, literally. The brand grew from the sidelines of kids’ tennis matches, built by a family with a generation of experience in art selection and craftsmanship. That sensibility runs through every product, candles included.
The Bass – Citronella Lemongrass Candle from the Todd Laslo Studio Series is a good example of how function and design come together. It’s a 16oz soy wax candle in a quality glass jar with a wood lid, hand-poured in the USA. The citronella lemongrass scent is fresh and uplifting, something you’d actually want on your patio table, not just something you tolerate for the bug-repelling benefit. The glass jar is built to outlast the candle itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many citronella candles do I need for a patio?
For a standard patio table seating four to six people, two to three candles placed within the seating area is a good starting point. Larger or more open spaces benefit from candles positioned close to where guests are gathered rather than spread around the edges.
Are citronella candles safe to use around food and pets?
Citronella is generally considered low-risk at the concentrations used in candles. Keep them at a reasonable distance from food to avoid scent transfer. As with any open flame, use standard candle safety practices around pets and never leave a burning candle unattended.
Do citronella candles help with flies and gnats?
They can reduce activity around a seating area, though results vary with space size and airflow. Citronella works best in smaller, more enclosed outdoor spaces where the scent has room to concentrate.
Ready to set up your backyard for summer? Browse the full Courtside Market Candles collection for hand-poured soy citronella candles made in the USA, or go straight to the Bass Citronella Lemongrass Candle from the Todd Laslo Studio Series.