Invite Serenity Anywhere with the Elegance of a Wood & Brass Incense Holder

Posted on 09/02/2024 by JC Torres

Whenever people think of fragrant aromas, most immediately presume something like essential oils. Of course, those aren’t the only way to indulge your nose, and some people prefer the smoky, woody, and unique scents produced by incense. Compared to oils, however, handling incense can be a bit of a hassle, especially the more popular long-stick variety. Never mind needing to light a small fire in the first place, making sure that the ashes don’t spill or get blown away can induce stress instead of calm. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to fix this situation, and this elegant wood and brass box offers a simple yet effective solution to enjoy your favorite incense sticks safely and peacefully wherever you are.

Designer: Masami Tanaka of Takumi Tokyo

Click Here to Buy Now: $169 ~~$199~~ (15% off at checkout). Hurry, Valentine’s Day sale ends in 48 hours!

Marrying walnut wood and brass in a seamless fusion that complements your living space.

You need fire to light up incense, and anything that burns always produces some residue, particularly ash. Regular incense stick holders, simple and portable as they are, barely do more than just hold up that thin, burning stick, leaving you with ashes to clean up, if they don’t get blown by a weak gust of wind and become fire hazards in the meantime. Rin is a simple yet beautiful solution that lets you carry those incense sticks with you, light them up for a few minutes of respite, and never worry about ash blowing in the wind.

The main body of this minimalist incense holder is made of walnut wood and is divided into two tiers. The lower tier has three long nooks that can hold five sticks each for a total of 15. Thanks to the natural properties of wood, each holder will be unique, both in the visual pattern of the grains as well as the texture and color, making each item a limited edition product.

The part that actually holds the burning incense is made of brass, a metal that is popular for developing unique and beautiful discolorations over time. The brass plate is recessed deep inside the wooden box so that the ashes don’t fly off after they’ve fallen inside. A matching brass cover can be used to snuff out the fire and also keep the ash secured inside until you’re ready to dispose of it properly.

The wood and brass elements, while contrasting in nature, beautifully complement each other and blend perfectly with any decor. The light brown of natural walnut brings out the golden yellow of brass, while the oil-painted darker colorway exudes a dapper character with the matching black brass cover and plate. And thanks to its small size, you can conveniently bring a bunch of your preferred incense sticks with you wherever you go, allowing you to enjoy brief moments of fragrant peace when and where you need it.

Click Here to Buy Now: $169 ~~$199~~ (15% off at checkout). Hurry, Valentine’s Day sale ends in 48 hours!

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Luxury incense holder concept puts a premium spin on a simple design

Posted on 14/01/2024 by JC Torres

There’s a great deal of interest in essential oils and diffusers these days, but some people tend to prefer the distinct scent of incense. Incense sticks are simple and economical ways to enjoy such fragrances, but actually using and managing these very thin sticks can be a bit of a hassle, considering the different parts that could be involved. Some incense holders practice extreme minimalism to the point holding the burning stick is really all that they can do. These tend to try to match the incense’s aesthetic by utilizing wooden materials, but there is no hard rule that it is the only way to design incense holders, as this rather classy design concept tries to prove.

Designer: Nikhil Kapoor

The most basic incense holder design is simply a strip of wood that can hold an incense stick at an angle so that its ashes fall in a single place only (presuming there’s no gust of wind). The shape is a bit concave to make sure that the ashes don’t simply roll or fall off. This simplistic design makes the incense holder itself extremely portable, but then you’d also have to carry around a container for unused sticks as well as a lighter or match for lighting the stick.

In contrast, this design concept incorporates all three elements into a single design that quickly sets itself apart not just in function but also in aesthetics. Instead of wood, the design uses metal, most likely polished aluminum, to give the incense holder a reflective and luxurious appearance. The black top surface is probably some heat-resistant material, but it doesn’t take away anything from the product’s elegant looks. The silver and black colors contrast and complement each other nicely, but there is also room for other color combinations as well.

Just as interesting as its uncommon appearance is how a single product performs three functions. A hidden drawer at the bottom reveals space for holding reserve incense sticks, while a hole opposite the spherical stick holder is actually a lighter. This way, you need to bring one and only one thing with you so that you can enjoy your favorite incense scents anytime, anywhere. It would have been nice, however, if there was also a way to store the ashes temporarily so that you can keep your area clean until you’re ready to throw away those ashes in a proper bin.

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Zen-inspired incense cone ‘cage’ looks interesting even when not in use

Posted on 06/03/2023 by Sarang Sheth

Designed using motifs taken from patterns found in zen gardens, Kenji Abe’s ‘Cage’ holds a single incense cone within its hollow interior, scattering its dense, aromatic smoke in a unique geometric pattern. However, its eye-catching appeal extends far beyond the lifespan of the incense cone, looking alluring as a regular desk object too.

Designer: Kenji Abe for ifuki

The cage-like incense stand comes in two varieties – a bell-shaped variety and a dodecahedral variety. Both shapes are categorized by the use of parallel lines that intersect to create a geometric allure that looks great on its own, but even better when it has smoke passing through it. Each incense stand consists of the zen-inspired metal outer cage, and a circular base that actually holds the incense cone. To light a cone, simply lift the cage up, place the cone on the disc-shaped holder, light it, and put the cage back. Thick smoke from the lit cone will then billow through the slits in the cage, allowing the smoke to create a geometric form as it exits the cage, before scattering into its randomized pattern.

The lattice structure found on both CAGE designs takes its inspiration from the patterns found in zen sand gardens. The methodical patterns made on the sand were a way to help Buddhist monks engage in meditative activity. The incense holder evokes the same sort of tranquil state in people, with its combination of geometric design and the aroma of the incense burning underneath.

“This incense holder is crafted using sukashibori, an openwork technique used in the creation of traditional incense holders”, says designer Kenji Abe. The two incense cages were created for ifuki, a copper-product brand based out of Takaoka City, a rural town with 400 years of metalworking history.

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This low-key metal cylinder can take care of all your aromatic needs

Posted on 06/12/2022 by JC Torres

Most of us probably take our sense of smell for granted, but it’s actually one of the easiest ways to put our minds in a state of calm and relaxation. Given how our world is becoming increasingly stressful these days, it’s no surprise that a growing number of people are taking to incense and essential oils to give themselves a temporary respite. Not all aromas are created equal, of course, and some of them require different devices or diffusers to work. Oil diffusers, for example, won’t work with incense, and there are different types of incense that often need a different kind of incense holder. Rather than stressing over those small details, this seemingly simple incense burner covers all the bases in a rather smart way.

Designer: Contexte Design

Although essential oils have become the most recent fad, it’s hardly the only way to give your nose a treat. Some people and cultures are more particular about incense, both either in stick or conical forms. There might even be some who prefer directly burning sandalwood or sage leaves instead of using these manufactured products. Rather than worrying about needing a different burner for each of these, Trataka is able to handle all of them with elegance and grace despite its very simple design.

At first glance, it’s a bit difficult to tell what Trataka is. It looks like a metal can with a sunken, concave top and sides that are cut off at four places. In reality, however, it’s made of two separate pieces, each with two “pillars” of the four sides, and these parts have different roles to play, depending on the type of aromatic experience you’re in the mood for. A hole at the top, for example, can hold your incense stick in place and catch the falling ash on the curved surface. That surface, however, can also act as a platform for cone-type incense.

Things get a bit more interesting when you consider you can put different things on top as well. For example, you can place a sprig of sage on top and burn it to let the aromatic smoke fill the room. Or you can put a few drops of your favorite oil on top and place a candle inside to heat it up. In fact, that bottom half can be used on its own as a candle holder to provide a gentle flicker of light any time you want. And when it’s not in use, it stands as a simple yet beautiful piece of minimalist decor on a desk or shelf.

Trataka doesn’t use gimmicks or complicated mechanisms to be able to serve different purposes. In fact, it’s all too simple, and that is exactly what makes it striking. Whether you’re looking forward to chilling with your favorite aromas or simply want something nice to look at, this unassuming but charming metal cylinder definitely does the trick in the simplest way.

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Get effortless disposal of ash with this nature-inspired incense holder

Posted on 13/01/2020 by Srishti Mitra

Everything begins and ends with nature. It is the ultimate source. Hence it’s no surprise that designers are drawing deep inspiration from it. Dawn by SJ and S-W K designed Scent Island, an incense holder inspired by the visual of a mountain resting on an island.

The product comprises of a plastic base, its transparency representing the sheerness and flow of water, and the actual holder which is in the shape of a mountain. The mountain features an intriguing polygonal design to represent its dynamism and vibrancy. The underside of the base is made of wood, representing a tree, and hence deepening the design’s connection to nature. And the mountaintop which has a tendency to turn dark and sooty as the incense burns create the visual image of a volcano.

However, besides its nature-inspired aesthetic, Scent Island has an interesting functionality. Usually, when you place incense sticks into their holder, they tend to create a mess with the ash falling about everywhere. However, when you place the incense stick into Scent Island, the ash falls onto the base tray. Since all the ash is accumulated in one spot, it is relatively easy to dispose of it. You simply lift the tray, separate it from the holder, and effortlessly get rid of the ash.

Incense sticks manufactured from natural materials are gaining popularity. They are used for religious and spiritual purposes. Some people like to light a few nice smelling sticks to kickstart their meditation sessions. At such a point in time, Scent Island makes for a visually pleasing holder which is easy to use, and doesn’t even leave behind a mess!

Designer: Dawn by SJ and S-W K

The Mountains Have Never Been This Calming

Posted on 14/11/2017 by Sarang Sheth

Here’s why the Aroma Mountain is such an endearing product. Not only does it make the natural association between smoke and mountains/volcanoes, it’s also safe. Incense sticks when left out in the open are usually a major fire hazard, but enclosed in the Aroma Mountain, they do exactly what they’re supposed to do… relax and de-stress.

The Aroma Mountain is a nice low-poly styled mountain sculpture that sits on your desk, or bedside table, calmly emitting smoke from the incense stick inside it, while hiding the incense’s inherent ugliness i.e., the ash residue that’s left behind after the incense burns out. Made out of Aluminum, the Aroma Mountain comes in two variants, one for the stub-type incenses and another for the stick based incenses. Its shape not only makes it look like a nice mountain memento to decorate one’s house with, it also contains an inner chamber that’s designed for distributing and dissipating heat evenly while guiding smoke upwards out the top in a manner that allows the wisps of smoke to be seen.

Aroma Mountain comes in two variants. The vertical type mountain evokes a sense of majesty and awe, while the horizontal type looks tranquil and calming to one’s eye. The mountains along with the base are both die cast and then CNC machined to precision. The CNC finish allows the mountains to show off their precisely chiseled low-poly look, while also giving it a finish that feels smooth and great to the touch. The mountains and bases come with an oil-based color coat to make its colors stand out vividly and a PPS coating to prevent the product from being damaged by excessive heat or fire.

The mountains possess this inherently calming and alluring quality that when paired with the incense aroma, can truly bring stress levels down. Moreover, they act as a covering for the incense, hiding the fire and dust within a casing that looks beautiful regardless of whether there’s an incense burning inside… which is quite nice because the Aroma Mountain will always evoke a feeling of tranquility and inner-peace!

Designer: David Choi of MARK & DRAW

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