The Cozy Bathroom Gem a Stager Says I Should Buy at Anthropologie (It’s Only $38!)

As a renter with a woefully brown bathroom, I’m always looking for ways to make my bathroom space feel a little more luxe — without investing in changes that require more elbow grease, permanence, or money than I’m interested in putting into a space I don’t own. For me, that usually means small changes like a new bath mat or a cute shower curtain. One of the cheapest ways I can totally change the vibe in my bathroom is by investing in a nice candle — and the one I’m eyeing right now from Anthropologie, the Gather Candle in Pumpkin & Sweet Vanilla, has been recommended by experts.

This Anthropologie candle is incredibly well-reviewed and comes in two sizes; the extra-small candle is just $18, while the medium candle is $38. I’m not averse to spending big money on candles (one year for my birthday I bought myself the $84 Apotheke Charcoal candle, for example), especially when it cost comes with a good runtime. The medium will burn for 50 hours, which is great for me.

But I’m interested in the candle for other reasons, as well: The cheetah-ish brown print will actually go great with my bathroom’s brown and tan color scheme, and the candle has been approved twice by real estate pros. 

When writer Cassidy Dawn Graves gave Cathy Hobbs of Cathy Hobbs Design Recipes $200 to transform a bathroom, Hobbs picked out this candle herself. “There is perhaps no better way to [make sure your home smells nice] than by adding a beautiful candle,” Hobbs said at the time. This candle, which comes in a patterned glass vessel, is under $20 and “will instantly add a sense of richness and deep color,” even when it’s not lit.

Another stager recommended the same candle in a separate article about transforming a living room. When home stager Lynn Rhea of Mombo Interiors spoke to Graves again, she said that the Anthropologie candle is literally one of her favorite splurges. “[Anthropologie] is known for amazing scents,” she said. “And the vessel when empty makes a great vase, catch-all, or decorative item.”

Plus, it feels like the perfect scent to ease into fall — I am counting down to cooler days right now. 

Reviews of the candle on-site are glowing. Reviewers say the candle “is not overly strong,” but still “hits you in the right way when you walk into a room,” and another reviewer said it’s “perfect for gifting and is just as stunning on a bathroom counter as it is in a gift basket.” Other folks kept noting that it smelled “like autumn in a candle” and is “so nice for fall.” So basically, I’m running to my nearest Anthropologie to bring on the crisp 50- to 60-degree days. 

Buy: Anthropologie Gather Pumpkin & Sweet Vanilla Candle, $18–$38