Labor Day weekend is right around the corner, and I always have this feeling on the Sunday before — part "let's squeeze every last drop out of summer" and part "okay, I kind of want to light a candle and settle in." Both things can be true at the same time. And this year, instead of rushing straight into apple picking and pumpkin everything, I'm giving myself permission to let summer linger a little longer.

The easiest way to do that? Scent. A candle can transport you more than almost anything else in your home. The right one can make your living room feel like August on the Cape even after the beach chairs are put away. So I've been thinking a lot about which candles actually smell like this season — warm, a little earthy, sun-drenched, alive — and I pulled together everything I'm burning right now (and everything I'm planning to light the moment guests arrive this weekend).

The Candle That Stopped Me Cold

I have to start here because this one is genuinely unlike anything we've carried before. The Flamingo Estate Roma Heirloom Tomato Candle ($64) smells exactly like what it sounds like — a sun-warmed tomato, fresh off the vine, with a little green stem and garden soil underneath. I know that sounds wild for a candle, but trust me. It's one of those scents that makes everyone who walks into your kitchen stop and say "what IS that?" It's nostalgic and unexpected and completely perfect for late summer. I've been burning it in my kitchen while I cook and it makes the whole room feel like a farmstand.

For the Living Room: Something That Feels Like a Long Afternoon

This is where I want warmth without weight. The Hand Poured Large Scented Candle ($75) has been sitting on my coffee table all summer and it's exactly right for this in-between moment. It comes in a beautiful marble container that looks great on its own, and the scent has that warm, lived-in quality that works just as well in late August as it does in early October. This is the one I light when people are coming over and I want the house to feel welcoming the second they walk through the door. It throws a good amount of scent for the size, and the burn time is generous enough that it actually gets you through the season.

And if you want something for a smaller space — a bathroom, a bedroom, an entryway — the Hand Poured Small Scented Candle ($40) is the same idea in a more compact form. I keep one on my nightstand right now. It's the kind of thing that makes getting into bed feel like a small occasion.

For the Porch or Patio: This One Is Doing Double Duty

Here's a product I am obsessed with this summer and cannot stop talking about. The Tulia Wicker Citronella Outdoor Candle ($295) is hands-down the most beautiful outdoor candle I've ever seen. It's handwoven wicker on the outside, with a citronella candle inside, and it looks more like a piece of decor than a bug deterrent. I've had it on the back porch all season and it has become one of those things I just leave out because it looks so good. The citronella does its job without that sharp chemical smell — it's subtle and pleasant and actually works. For Labor Day weekend specifically, when everyone is outside and the sun is going down and the bugs start to appear, this is the piece I'm counting on. It's also a truly incredible hostess gift if you're heading to someone else's house this weekend.

A Word About Scent and Memory

There's a reason scent is the most nostalgic of all the senses. August has a smell — cut grass, sunscreen fading off warm skin, something grilling, the first hint of cooler air at night. The right candle can bottle that feeling and give you a few more weeks with it, even after the calendar has moved on. That's why I love this time of year for candles specifically. You're not trying to replace summer with something cozy yet. You're just extending it. Holding on a little longer.

And you don't need to burn every candle at once. One in the kitchen, one in the living room, maybe the Tulia on the porch — that's all it takes to make your whole house feel like the best version of late summer.

A Few More Things Worth Mentioning

While we're talking about making your home feel good this weekend, I also want to mention two little pieces that do a lot of work at very low effort.

The Petit Round Basket ($40) and the Petit Octagon Basket ($40) are both back in stock and I've been using them constantly this summer. They're small rattan dishes — the kind you reach for when you need a landing spot for something. A candle, a little succulent, a collection of matches, some cocktail napkins on the bar. They add texture and warmth to any surface without trying very hard. I use them in my kitchen, my living room, and honestly on the patio too. At $40, they're one of those things I want everyone to just have. Grab both — they look great together and the octagon shape is particularly charming.

The Short Version

You don't have to let go of summer just because Labor Day is here. Light the tomato candle in the kitchen. Put the wicker citronella candle on the porch. Keep the big marble candle going in the living room. And tuck the little small candle on your nightstand for the evenings when you want that last quiet moment of the season.

Summer doesn't have to end this weekend. It can linger — it just needs a little help. Come see us in Osterville or shop everything online. We've got you covered for the last beautiful stretch. 🌿